After calling themselves sister churches and working together on local missions throughout the community for more than 40 years, the First United Methodist Church of Powell and the Union Presbyterian Church of Powell are taking steps to more formally join as one congregation.

In separate written balloting in the two Protestant churches in recent weeks, the vote was nearly unanimous in each to come together as one federated congregation.

“The congregants already work together on many local missions throughout our community,” said Janita Krayniak, pastor of Powell and Lovell Methodist churches, who has also been preaching each Sunday at Union Presbyterian Church and providing pastoral leadership during the more than a year that Presbyterians have not had a pastor of their own.

“We have also shared pastors and combined worship services many times over the past 40 years or so,” she added.

The way a federated church works is that both the United Methodist and the Presbyterian Church USA memberships remain intact. The Presbyterian Church still defers to their Book of Order and other Presbyterian Church USA guidelines and policy, and the United Methodist Church still defers to the most recent Book of Discipline, as well as the other UMC guidelines and polity.

Now the tough work is figuring out what this federation will look like, and making it happen.

“By-laws, buildings, staffing and so much stuff to decide upon,” Krayniak said. “What do we keep and what items do we part with? It feels very much like becoming a blended family. Each side brings so much to the relationship, but we don’t need, and we cannot keep it all.”

There is no hard and fast rule as to how long this process will take, she said.

“Also, some of this will be affected by building choices,” Krayniak added. “Do we keep one? Do we sell both? Or there may be something that has not yet been discovered by the local church leadership in the way of an entirely new location.” 

Krayniak emphasized that the two local churches are making all of the decisions.

“I am walking alongside as a cheerleader if needed; a confidant, if needed; a coach, if needed. My job, with God’s help, is to spiritually lead and guide these two incredible congregations through probably the toughest decisions they will ever face,” she said.

No decision has been made as to what the federated church will be called.

“This will be decided by the local church leadership,” Krayniak said. “At this point, a few suggestions have been tossed around, but nothing is official.”

The pastor stressed that the decision to federate was not made lightly. Prayerful consideration has accompanied the whole process.

“As these two faithful congregations move forward into a very unknown future, there is a great leap of faith each one of them is having to take,” she said. “I invite you to join me in holding them in prayer as they make incredibly difficult decisions that I hope no other church ever has to face. The one thing we know without any doubt is that we can work side by side building the kingdom because we are stronger together. Both congregations are leaving room for whatever divine opportunity God may reveal to them.”

The decline of church attendance in America is reflected on respective church rolls. Powell’s First United Methodist Church lists 115 members, the Lovell Methodist Church 26. Powell’s Union Presbyterian Church has 104 members. The average Sunday worship attendance for the Powell churches is in the 40’s at each. An average Sunday worship in Lovell’s UMC is 13.