Rev. Sonja Ware and Rev. Rob Argot never interviewed each other for in depth collaborative ministry. The two have very different, at times even opposite, approaches to ministry. Since 2019, they have worked through various stages of collaborative ministry: as pastors of two separate congregations in the wider context of discernment for a four-church merger, navigating COVID as part of a larger team of rostered leaders, completing the merger, and since October 2022 serving the new congregation born from the merger, Renewed Spirit Church in Reading PA, as co-pastors. Through the different stages of their collaboration, Sonja and Rob have worked through many obstacles and challenges, while learning much about the benefits of collaborative ministry at the same time.
Join us as we welcome Rev. Sonja Ware and Rev. Rob Argot to share a brief insight into their learning, struggles, and discoveries, hoping to spark a thought-provoking and honest conversation about the opportunities and challenges of collaborative ministry.
Pastor Sonja Ware is Co-Pastor at Renewed Spirit Church in Reading, PA, where her main areas of focus tend to be Mission Development Opportunities, accompaniment of the Food Pantry Ministry, and the German Ministry of the congregation. Sonja also serves as the Coordinator for Mission Development and Congregational Vitality Coaching in the ELCA. She is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) in private practice. A native of Germany, Sonja has been serving as Pastor in the ELCA since 2005, developing a focus on working with congregations in transition, conflict, and/or need of change. In her free time, she enjoys playing minigolf with her family, hikes with her two dogs, and learning Spanish.
Pastor Rob Argot is Co-Pastor of Renewed Spirit Church in Reading, PA, where his areas of focus tend to be in the areas of Pastoral Care, Finances, and Facilities. Rob grew up in rural northeastern Pennsylvania and went to Penn State expecting to be a math teacher. While there, his involvement with campus ministry planted the seed to become a pastor. Rob's first 18 years of ordained ministry saw him in rural congregations, but in 2017 he was called to his first urban congregation, Holy Spirit in Reading PA. Rob was this church's first pastor who was not full-time, as Holy Spirit had gradually shrunk from a peak of 700 people worshipping on a Sunday to less than 70. While there this congregation decided it was time to be in conversation with other congregations about working together. This led to Holy Spirit and Pastor Rob becoming part of a merger process that saw four city of Reading Lutheran congregations merge to form Renewed Spirit Church in 2022. Rob has been married to Tina Argot for 28 years. Tina is a high school math teacher, and she and Rob met at Penn State. In his time off, Rob is a fan of sports and movie theaters, taking care of his garden and chickens, and wondering if he will ever hit a hole-in-one.
