A Longitudinal Case Study of Religious Congregations in Local Human Services

Although the involvement of religious organizations in social service provision is increasingly widespread, it has been neglected by scholars. Along with providing important services to the community, involvement with social services is an important step in the development of a public presence for many congregations. This article documents the changing involvement of several mainline Greensboro, North Carolina, churches as they respond to current political events by assuming a collective public profile on community issues. In the terms developed by Roozen, McKinney, and Carroll (1984), they move from a civic mission orientation to a more activist mission orientation.