While attending Slippery Rock University, Rev. John Gropp met his wife, Colleen. They were married during his second year at Gettysburg Seminary, where he was actively involved in the Luther House of Studies and took courses at a variety of theological schools throughout the Washington, D.C., area.

Following their marriage in March 1974, the Gropps began a two-year concurrent internship with the Armstrong, Indiana, and Jefferson Counties Town and Country Cooperative Ministry (AIJ). During this time, he commuted to Washington, D.C., one day each week to complete his academic studies while serving the many parishes of AIJ. At its height, the cooperative included 21 congregations spanning a wide rural area, from Avonmore near Apollo to Brookville and DuBois, and from Brush Valley to Coral near Blairsville.

This formative experience shaped Rev. Gropp’s commitment to collaborative ministry. Many of the congregations served through AIJ have since stabilized and continue to faithfully serve their communities, offering a powerful example of the long-term strength and sustainability of shared ministry models like PLUM.