LFS’s Community Crossroads program aids congregations and community organizations in the development of innovative social ministry programs. Expertise gathered through 30 years of caring for children and families are the foundations for this highly successful program. Community Crossroads has established an impressive track record of helping congregations develop meaningful and valuable community services.

How the Program Works

Community Crossroads is directed by the Rev. Mark Cerniglia, a Lutheran pastor, and Vice President of Partnership Initiatives.  Pastor Cerniglia also serves as agency chaplain to nurture the spiritual growth of the staff as they seek to serve others.  Consultation with Pastor Cerniglia and other staff experts equips congregations for service and assists in developing community ministry projects.  Here’s how the program works.

The LFS team:
1. Assists in identifying assets of the congregation (financial, volunteer, building, resources)
2. Studies the congregation’s community to identify needs
3. Identifies passions and interests within the congregation, and builds upon those interests
4. Assists in developing a realistic,  innovative social ministry project
5. Looks for sources of funding and other needed resources
LFS offers a limited number of challenge grants, which offer up to $2,500 in matching funds as seed money for worthwhile projects.  These challenge grants have been funded in part by The Duke Endowment, and other funding is being sought for further challenge grants.

Once a congregation’s assets and community needs are identified, three tiers of partnership with LFS are possible – On-going Consulting, Sharing Resources or Hosting an LFS program.

Community Crossroads Today

To date, 10 congregations in the Carolinas have identified, developed, and initiated social ministry outreach programs in their communities and more are in the development stage.  In several cases, the ministry has been so successful that congregations have requested further assistance in expanding their projects.

Community Crossroads Tomorrow

Much current interest and success in congregations is in reaching out to refugee and immigrant children.  These children are at risk because of low economic status, substandard academic skills, and difficulties with the English language. Other congregations are studying the possibility of Hispanic/Latino outreach programs.
LFS is encouraging development of programs that reach out to foster care and residential services clients who are aging out of the system.  We are looking at ways of developing programs that will assist young persons through the transition into adulthood.
One of our new partnerships is with the Caring Communities program at Duke Divinity School.  It seeks to work with congregations in developing ministries from a health ministry perspective.

LFS has been studying the work of the North Carolina Synod’s Companion Synod, the Costa Rican Lutheran Church known as Iglesia Luterana Costarricense (ILCO).  This Lutheran denomination has much to teach LFS about social ministry.  This is particularly important due to the rapidly growing Spanish-speaking population (in North Carolina estimated to be 700% in the past decade).  Our plan is to build upon this relationship with ILCO to enhance our ministries.