New Mission Starts

The Saint Paul Area Synod works in collaboration with ELCA Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ by reaching out to diverse groups to invite and gather them into worshiping communities. The Saint Paul Area Synod presently has seven new mission starts under development:

Pueblo de Fe, St. Paul
Pueblo de Fe grew out of Holy Trinity-San Martin Lutheran, which voted in 2006 to sell its building, cease as a congregation, and support the start of a bi-lingual congregation on St. Paul’s West Side. Pueblo de Fe is served by Jacqueline Belzer at 612.703.4752 as ministry coordinator and worships on Sundays at 1:00 p.m. at St. Stephen's, 1575 Charlton St., West St. Paul.

Joy Fellowship at Circle Pine for Chinese in Northern St. Paul Suburbs
Joy Fellowship is an outreach Group to serve Chinese in Northern St. Paul Suburbs. They current meet at 6:30 p.m., Saturdays, biweekly at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 9185 North Lexington Avenue, Circle Pines, MN 55014. The program includes potlucks, singing, adult Bible study, and youth and children education. Joy Fellowship grew out of Minnesota Faith Chinese Lutheran Church, the only Lutheran Chinese Church in Minnesota. Contact the Rev. Shen Lin at 651.324.6898, or at Joy group of www.FaithChineseChurch.org.

Good Samaritan, St. Paul
Good Samaritan is a new outreach to the Hmong community on St. Paul’s East Side. They meet at Grace Lutheran Church, 1730 Old Hudson Rd., for bible study at 12:00 noon and worship at 1:00 p.m. The Rev. William Siong is seeking to reach out to the second-generation Hmong community to develop a ministry in which people from all Hmong clans are welcome. Contact Pastor Siong at 651.434.1452 or hmoobntseeg@yahoo.com.

Humble Walk, St. Paul
Humble Walk is a “worshipping community of seekers,” that “seeks to create faith community in St. Paul’s West 7th neighborhood by meeting people where they are and inviting them into relationship with one another and with God.” Begun in 2008, they meet weekly for worship and a meal on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. in the Pilney Building, 1032 West 7th St. Contact the Rev. Jodi Houge at 651.786.9028, or visit www.humblewalkchurch.org.

Spirit of Truth, St. Paul
Spirit of Truth is a justice-centered, relationship-based community that began meeting in 2009 out of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 701 N. Lexington Parkway, St. Paul. They gather for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 am at St. Matthew's and regularly schedule actions that give public expression to their conviction that "Love is the center of creation, and justice is the public expression of love. We look to live out this belief through our prayers, in our relationships, and by acting together for justice in our neighborhoods." For more information, contact organizer and co-creator Peter Marincel at 651.336.6726 or the Rev. Grant Stevensen at 651.645.6700.

House of Mercy, St. Paul
Founded in the spring of 1996, House of Mercy offers “a discriminating blend of high church and low, of tradition and innovation, sincere worship and healthy skepticism.” The congregation has roots in the American Baptist Church, but became affiliated with the ELCA in 2008. They meet for worship on Sundays at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 104 Snelling Avenue S., St. Paul at 5:00 p.m. and are led by the Rev. Russell Rathbun, the Rev. Debbie Blue, and Mike Russell. For more information, call 651.298.0858 or see their website, www.houseofmercy.org.

Shobi’s Table, St. Paul
This is the newest ministry in the synod, formed in 2011 out of the Wellness Center ministry at First Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The ministry seeks to provide radical hospitality for all, centered in Word and Sacrament. This vision is rooted in the story of Shobi (2 Samuel 17), who provided hospitality for David and his troops. Mark Kopka is the leader of this new community, and they hope to begin worshiping in the fall of 2011.  For more information, contact Mark at 651.776.7210 or shobistable@gmail.com.

For additional information, contact the Rev. Paul Erickson, assistant to the bishop for evangelical mission, at 651.224.4313.