Saint James Evangelical Lutheran Church of Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Ministry

Ministry

The mission statement at St. James is

• "Compelled by Christ's love, we grow in the Word and go with the Word."

As St. James attempts to reach out into its neighborhood, it is faced with many challenges. The church is located in a melting pot of racial, ethical, and economical differences. To its west lies the upper-class community of the Washington Highlands in Wauwatosa. To the east lies the Washington Heights neighborhood, a center of middle class Caucasian and increasingly African-American families. Ethical differences come into play with the growing numbers of the homosexual population within the local community.

To meet the demands of these differing communities, St. James has changed its mission focus, especially since its school, once the focal point of its ministry, is no longer in existence. St. James has gone with a "Small Group" ministry, whose goal is to engage the entire congregation in fellowship, while encouraging the membership to bring family, friends, and neighbors along. Small groups meet on various subjects, ranging from religious Bible studies to financial groups, and encompass many interests, such as sewing, gardening, writing, and even board games. The current small groups available are:

• 50 Plus Fellowship
• Be Better Lovers
• Breafa$t Club
• Confirmation Prep Group
• Knitted Together
• Learning Music 101
• Life with God
• Love One Another
• Mom's Group Morning
• Men's Ministry
• Pairs n Spares
• Seeking Him Study Group
• Sunday Morning Bible Study
• Worship Prep Group