Fifth wheel. Odd one out. Square peg. Talk with single Christians about their church experiences, and you might hear those terms. Worshiping God and enjoying fellowship is a community experience. But for some single people, being a member of a church can be a distressing paradox. In the midst of this larger body of Christ that is often family-focused , singles might feel isolated if no effort is made to include them. Are Lutheran churches ministering to singles? If not, how can they start? What makes an effective singles ministry? Just
like members of other demographic groups, not all singles are created
equal. "In singles ministry everyone has different expectations," says
Karen Roles. She is the former coordinator for Single Adult Ministry in
Region 3 of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which covers
North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. The SAM program was
officially discontinued July 1 because funding was no longer available.
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