Peer Ministry :: Adult Facilitator Support

Student Interviews of Churches that are Using Peer Ministry

Interview #5 APR, 2005
Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota

Interview with Pastor Al Schoonover

Interviewed by Amanda Franklin

Al Schoonover is the senior pastor at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Aberdeen, South Dakota where Peer Ministry is active in the church and the community. Amanda Franklin is attending Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a Youth and Family Ministry major.

Amanda: Where is Aberdeen in South Dakota and what is community like?

Al: Aberdeen is about 300 miles west of Minneapolis with a population of 28,000 people. There are two universities and a large medical center for the Midwest.

Amanda: What is the size of the congregation at Bethlehem Lutheran?

Al: 3,600 Baptized and 1,100 Family

Amanda: How many people are on staff?

Al: 12 full-time staff members and 3 part-time staff members

Amanda: How many children are there between the grade levels of kindergarten and 12th grade?

Al: 512 youth (28-30 in the elementary grades and about 50 in the upper grades)

Amanda: Tell me about starting the Peer Ministry program and the need for it.

Al: The program started two years ago because there wasn’t very much for the youth to do after confirmation. Our church sent two adults to the training course and they brought it back to our church to spread. There are now seven adults that are trained and help the youth to develop relational skills with both adults and their peers.

Amanda: What are some of the logistics of the Peer Ministry program at Bethlehem Lutheran?

Al: The adult leaders have found that a retreat setting works much better for the initial start of peer ministry. The leaders work hard to help youth create an open and comfortable setting for the youth. One example of this would be when a local student committed suicide. Peer ministers from the area were called in to listen to their fellow students and grieve. The high school administration told me that the peer ministers were more helpful to the students than were the professional psychologists that were sent in. This demonstrates the theme of the Peer Ministry program of being a servant to those around you.

Amanda: How do you invite youth to participate in the Peer Ministry program?

Al: After the youth are confirmed there are individual interviews with the pastors. The parents and family are invited in this process for support. The goal of the interview is to retain all the youth to become actively involved after they are confirmed. Right now our retention rate is about 50%, but we are striving to raise that number.

Amanda: What is happening as a result of Peer Ministry in Bethlehem Lutheran?

Al: The youth are helping each other to understand the meaning and application of many Bible stories. This happens as a result of the start of small group Bible study groups. In these groups there is a lot of talk about the theme of being a servant. These talks, last year, resulted in 90% of the youth doing missions work last summer.

Amanda: What do you hope happens in the future for the Peer Ministry program?

Al: I hope for the curriculum to keep developing and adapting to the youth. I also hope the program digs itself to a deeper level in each participant. From the beginning I have wanted the program to help youth develop skills for life and in particular, the attitude of a servant in the community. I hope that this stays true for the future.

Amanda: What are some things that peer ministers do after they are trained?

Al: The youth bring their faith to school with them and reach out in that setting. They also make themselves available in times of crisis and sadness because of the servant attitude they have learned from this program.

Amanda: What information would you pass on to another church that would be helpful in starting a Peer Ministry program?

Al: I would say to them to mold a ministry that makes sense to their particular community. Find the best fit for your church.

Amanda: Is there a particular story that a youth told to illustrate how the Peer Ministry program has impacted his/her life?

Al: On Good Friday, a girl gave a testimony of how Peer Ministry has helped her. She said, “Peer Ministry has been one of the most significant tools in her life” and has been “life changing.” This really impacted the members of our church.