NORTH SIOUX CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA -- Worship attendance and membership is flourishing at The ARK United Methodist Church in North Sioux City, South Dakota. Sunday, February 23, 2014 the church welcomed 14 new members.

Jeff Vore, serves as the pastor at The ARK United Methodist Church that has triumphed over several obstacles. 

Pastor Vore began serving the church in 2011.  The church was meeting in the local high school.  Membership hovered around 33 members and worship attendance averaged 25.  The members had lost their church home due to financial stress.

In 2012, the church saw worship attendance double.  A new church home was found by renting a building that once sold fireworks. 

Jeff Pospisil, Dakotas Conference Treasurer noted the numbers that demonstrate growth after several years of challenges.  "The church peaked in 2001 with 170 in average worship and 127 members before the finances fell through. They declined to 25 in average worship attendance and 33 members. That’s a loss of 85% of attenders, but they didn’t give up. Pastors Paul Lint, Jeff Adel, and now Jeff Vore, along with a small body of lay people, saw the ARK through tough times and believed that this church was not done for."

Sunday, February 23, 2014 fourteen new members were welcomed.  What prompted the growth?

“It began with one or two couples visiting," stated Pastor Vore. “After about 3 or 4 visits they became fairly regular in their attendance.  Soon after that, they invited folks they knew who then became regular and they invited more.  It was a ‘snow ball’ that we pray will continue!”