Interim Update
9/11/2025
It’s been a busy beginning to the fall! Of most importance for the transition process is that the Council has selected the Call Committee for St. Barnabas’ next Lead Pastor: Jessica Gaedke, Kirstin Bernau, Don Davidson, Cindy Dogan, Chuck Dake, and Eric Boyd. The call committee was chosen to best represent differing demographics of our congregation and will be installed during worship on Sunday, October 5 at both of our services. The council is very appreciative of their commitment and excited for this committee to continue in the transition process. Eric Boyd currently serves on the council and will serve as the Call Committee liaison to the council. Thank you in advance to these great leaders for sharing their gifts with the congregation.
We also look forward to the Sept. 24 meeting with Bishop Jen Nagel from the Minneapolis Area Synod. All are invited to join us at 5:30 pm. This will be an opportunity to hear more about the call process as well as to connect with our bishop on hopes and dreams that you bring to the next steps of the journey!
On a more somber note, in these chaotic and anxious times in our world I am reminded again of the fragility of life and freedom in a very broken world. Please continue to pray and work for healing, justice, safety and mercy in our communities, schools, and churches. I believe deeply that our loving Creator weeps with us in our sadness. I also believe that God empowers us in our questions of “why?” The goal being an end to senseless violence ushered in by acts of mercy and love.
You remain in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for yours.
Peace,
Pastor Tom, Interim Lead Pastor
8/28/2025
Sadness hangs over us all in the wake of yesterday’s tragic and horrible shootings at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. We pray for all families who experienced this violence, the two innocent lives lost, those recovering from wounds - physical and emotional, and for the brave peace officers and the emergency medical care providers. Untreated mental illness and the easy access to weapons meant for war continue to wage violence and death in what should be our safest community gathering places: schools, houses of worship, and college campuses. Placing the focus on the younger trans population only further sends a message of fear and exclusion to an already-targeted group of people. As you go about life this week and over Labor Day weekend, would you join me in taking a moment to place your hand upon your heart, pray for our world and our many broken places, and then ponder what God might ask you to do this day? It could be as simple as: greeting someone with a smile. Or helping a neighbor with a chore. Or showing gratitude to a teacher or a police officer or an ambulance driver or a care center employee.
We live in chaotic times no doubt, but as the first reading for Sunday reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) The brokenness of this world shows up in some form everyday. How can the eternal peace, love, welcome and forgiveness of Jesus show up in US? …yesterday and today and forever?
In peace and gratitude for you,
Tom Olson, Interim Lead Pastor
8/27/2025
Thank you to all who attended the “Transitions” sessions led by Pr. Alex George. We averaged over 20 in attendance each week. It was a great opportunity to speak, listen and share on the topics of grief, lament and finding hope. Thanks to Pr. Alex for both her expertise and for creating the space for this important conversation.
The council approved the Mission Site Profile on Aug. 11 and we will be sharing a summary of that document with Mpls Area Synod Bishop Jen Nagel and interested members of St. Barnabas at an open meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 5:30 pm. All are welcome to join us in the sanctuary for this informational session.
The Call Committee is being formed as I write this update. A number of members of the church have either agreed to be part of that team or an in discernment. This is a very important ‘ask’ of the church and we know this team will be supported in their work of finding St. Barnabas’ next lead pastor! This important team will be introduced and commissioned at a worship service in early September and then begin their work.
Please continue to hold this process and your church leaders in prayer. These are exciting times at St. Barnabas. Thank you for the opportunity to walk with you at this time.
Peace,
Pastor Tom, Interim Lead Pastor
8/8/2025
The church council meets on Monday, Aug. 11 and will approve the Mission Site Profile. The MSP was presented at the July meeting with with just a few amendments made since that presentation. Thank you Brett, Denise, and Eric for your exceptional work! This document will serve to introduce potential candidates to St. Barnabas and understand the current culture, history and hopes of this community. The MSP will be shared with our Bishop and a meeting will be scheduled for her approval and insights into the possible call process from this point. I will let you know when that meeting is on the calendar, as it is open to all members. These are very exciting times at St. Barnabas – please continue to hold your church leaders and this process in prayer.
In peace and gratitude,
Pastor Tom, Interim
7/31/2025
These are exciting times in our denomination as well…
Yehiel Curry Elected Presiding Bishop of the ELCA
PHOENIX — The Rev. Yehiel Curry was elected July 30 to serve a six-year term as presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The election took place during the 2025 ELCA Churchwide Assembly being held July 28–Aug. 2 at the Phoenix (Ariz.) Convention Center. Curry was elected on the fifth ballot. There were 799 votes cast, with 400 votes needed for an election. Curry received 562 votes, and the Rev. Kevin Strickland, bishop of the ELCA Southeastern Synod, received 237 votes. Curry is the first Black presiding bishop of the ELCA. Speaking to the assembly after his election, Curry reflected on his membership at Shekinah Chapel in Riverdale, Ill., where he eventually became a lay mission developer while he participated in the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program, which prepares individuals for ordained ministry in the ELCA, with a focus on emerging ministry contexts like ethnic-specific, multicultural, rural and inner-city settings. He spoke to the assembly about his initial hesitation in accepting that first ministry role. “Perhaps I’m out there in one of you,” Curry said. “I never saw myself as good enough, so for two years, I said no. I finally said yes. When I said yes, your support, this church’s support, of that ministry meant everything. So if you want to know what your benevolence dollars look like, it looks like me, and I want to say thank you. Thank you for your investment.” Curry has served as bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod since 2019. He previously served as mission developer (2009-2012) and pastor (2012-2019) of Shekinah. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill., in 1995 and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) in 2013. LSTC is one of seven ELCA seminaries.
The churchwide assembly, the chief legislative authority of the ELCA, is meeting under the theme “For the Life of the World.” The assembly will participate in plenary discussions to make decisions about the work of this church. They will also spend time in worship and engage in various ways of theological reflection. (reprinted from LivingLutheran.org)
In St. Barnabas’ transition news…
Thank you for all the interest in the next steps of the Transition process. The MSP will be approved with edits at the Aug. 11 council meeting and a meeting with our synod bishop or assistant will be scheduled. In the meantime, Pastor Alex George, a St. Barnabas member and chaplain at Children’s Hospital, will be leading the community in a great listening and healing opportunity. St. Barnabas has been amid a sea of change since 2020 with the pandemic, pastoral and staffing changes, and those natural changes that happen within our own lives. Over three 60-minute sessions on Tuesday evenings (August 12, 19, and 26), Each “Transitions” session will include a topic discussion around grief and healing, opportunities to share, and a focus on ritual and prayer.
*A sign-up sheet is available at the Welcome station in the Narthex. Come to as many as you can. All are welcome to participate.
I remain grateful to be walking with you in this holy time of discernment and change.
In peace,
Tom Olson, Interim Lead Pastor
7/16/2025
The Transition Team shared a draft of the Ministry Site Profile with the church council at their monthly meeting on July 14. Any edits and updates to the MSP will be made over the next few weeks and with then intent to have it approved at the August meeting. The TT did an excellent job of capturing the current culture and context of St. Barnabas’ ministry and mission. TT also presented ideas for the creation of the call committee, also to be clarified and decided upon likely in August.
Also in August, Pastor Alex George, a St. Barnabas member and chaplain at Children’s Hospital, will lead the community in a great listening and healing opportunity. St. Barnabas has been amid a sea of change since 2020 with the pandemic, pastoral and staffing changes, and those natural changes that happen within our own lives. Over three 60-minute sessions on Tuesday evenings (August 12, 19, and 26), Each “Transitions” session will include a topic discussion around grief and healing, opportunities to share, and a focus on ritual and prayer. All are welcome to participate
I remain grateful to be walking with you in this holy time of discernment and change.
In peace,
Tom Olson, Interim Lead Pastor
7/11/2025
The following update is also going to all households in the actual mail as well.
Dear Members and friends of St. Barnabas,
It has been a busy spring and summer at your church. As this time of year is marked by vacations and cabin weekends, I wanted to give you a thorough update on what is happening in the pastoral and ministry transition process at St. Barnabas.
Staffing Updates
Since Pastor Stephanie Luedtke’s departure in March, the Staff Support Team and Council have spent much time in discussion and have made a number of moves within the parameters of the 2025 budget that we believe will solidify pastoral, program, and support staff needs for the present time.
On April 1 Bryce Bommersbach joined the team in a part-time position as Pastoral Assistant. Bryce graduated from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (ELCA) in May of 2024. Though not yet ordained, he has been serving as a part-time hospital chaplain and as a youth director (in East Bethel) for the past year while awaiting candidate transition to a Metro synod. Bryce continues to work as a chaplain part-time. His time with St. Barnabas has been focused in areas of children and youth ministry, pastoral care, hospitality, and worship leadership. Bryce has been a great addition to the team and will be with us for an undetermined time.
It was decided in June to expand the support role of Karl Smith who has been serving as our part-time Lay Minister for Property, to include additional business administrative and program support responsibilities. In July his responsibilities expanded to managing vendor and partner contracts, volunteer coordination, staff payroll management, and other operations and ministry support tasks. He will also support the work of Brenda Ericson in our office and our amazing team of financial volunteers. As both a long-time member and current employee, Karl has keen knowledge of our congregation, the culture, and our facilities. His new title will be Director of Operations.
Malcolm Burke, whose one-year contract ended in May, will not be returning this year as our Director of Music. It was hoped Malcolm would stay on an additional nine months as Director of Instrumental Music, but he declined. We were blessed by his leadership and wish him the very best as he pursues a position in higher education.
We are pleased that Emma Silvestri has agreed to take on the part-time position of Director of Music at St. Barnabas beginning in August. She was hired in 2024 on a one-year contract as our Cantor for vocal leadership at worship services when the choir wasn’t present. Emma will continue her role as cantor in worship services opposite the choir when we return to two Sunday services and will also coordinate the brass group and other instrumental music groups. Emma is a choral director in the St. Michael-Albertville School District and is a St. Olaf College graduate.
Noah Carlson, our Church Organist and Accompanist, will renew his contract in August. St. Barnabas is truly blessed with amazing, young talent leading our music program.
We are also grateful that Bryce has recruited two more young people to staff our Nursery for the remainder of the summer and into the program year. They are in on-boarding process as I write this note. They will join Addy Farrey assuring we have coverage each Sunday morning for our families with young children. Great news!
Church Assessment Tool (CAT)
Thank you to all who completed the inventory survey during Lent and to those who attended the follow-up meetings. We had excellent participation in the survey; roughly 94% of our worshiping attendance. Church leadership then met with a consultant from Holy Cow on May 7 who led a three-hour deep dive into the results and then provided a thorough Executive Summary of the Vital Signs report. That Executive Summary was then presented to the congregation in two open forums on June 1 and June 8. At those meetings, the groups were taken through the summary by our Transition Team and had the opportunity to share feedback, questions and concerns prior to closing each session in prayer. Due to the parameters of the CAT only being targeted to current church members, the Transition Team decided to reach out beyond members to a number of non-members. This group primarily was made up of those who have attended worship regularly at St. Barnabas since the closing of Peace Lutheran Church, Plymouth a few years ago. Each of these friends shared the journey that has taken them to St. Barnabas, as well as their hopes and dreams for our next chapter. Thank you!
Next steps in Transition…
Pastor Alex George, a St. Barnabas member and chaplain at Children’s Hospital, has gracefully stepped forward to provide our community a great listening and healing opportunity. St. Barnabas has been amid a sea of change since 2020 with the pandemic, pastoral and staffing changes, and those natural changes that happen within our own lives. Over three 60-minute sessions on Tuesday evenings (August 12, 19, and 26), Each “Transitions” session will include a topic discussion around grief and healing, opportunities to share, and a focus on ritual and prayer. All are welcome to participate. Look for more information in the Narthex, Sunday bulletin, and on the homepage. Thanks for this gift Pastor Alex!
The Transition Team has also begun to prepare the Mission Site Profile (MSP) which will include and reflect much of what was shared in the CAT, as well as in other conversations and discoveries. The MSP will also include demographic trends of our congregation and outside community. It is hoped that this important document could be completed and approved by Council in the coming months. Upon council approval, a special meeting with the congregation and a representative of the Bishop’s office would be scheduled. Completing these steps will set the stage for the selection and commissioning of a Call Committee to begin the Spirit-driven process of seeking out that pastoral leader who will best walk with St. Barnabas through the next chapter of exciting mission.
Please continue to stay informed and in prayer for your leadership and for God’s continued direction in this process. We are moving through a very important time of discernment right now. It is critical that we don’t rush through this neutral zone, but be thorough and clear about the things we have learned. Fully understanding the ministry context and culture and being able to honestly convey them on the MSP is so important. Matching both the technical and adaptive skills of pastoral candidates to St. Barnabas’ unique community and mission will then set the church up for a successful and exciting next chapter.
I remain grateful to be walking with you in this holy time of discernment and change.
In peace,
Tom Olson, Interim Lead Pastor
6/19/2025
Next steps
The Transition Team has begun to prepare the Mission Site Profile (MSP) which will include and reflect much of what was shared in the CAT, as well as in other conversations and discoveries. The MSP will also include demographic trends of our congregation and outside community. It is hoped that this important document could be completed and approved by Council in the coming months. Upon council approval, a special meeting with the congregation and a representative of the Bishop’s office would be scheduled. Completing these steps will set the stage for the selection and commissioning of a Call Committee to begin the Spirit-driven process of seeking out that pastoral leader who will best walk with St. Barnabas through the next chapter of exciting mission.
Please continue to stay informed and in prayer for your leadership and for God’s continued direction in this process. We are moving through a very important time of discernment right now. It is critical that we don’t rush through this neutral zone, but be thorough and clear about the things we have learned. Fully understanding the ministry context and culture and being able to honestly convey them on the MSP is so important. Truly matching the technical and adaptive skills of candidates to St. Barnabas’ unique community and mission will hopefully avoid a mismatch in the calling of that new leader.
Exciting staff update….
Karl Smith, Lay Minister for Property since 2018, will be expanding his support role at St. Barnabas starting in July supporting Brenda Ericson in our office and working directly with the Lead Pastor. His additional responsibilities will include managing church technology, renter, partner and vendor contracts, as well as the security and safety of our building. Among other important ministry support tasks, he will provide leadership and oversight to the office financial volunteer team, human resources, and volunteer scheduling needs. Karl brings with him a deep business background in addition to a keen knowledge of our congregation, the community, and our facilities.
I remain grateful to be walking with you in this holy time of discernment and change.
In peace and deep gratitude,
Pastor Tom Olson, Interim
6/12/2025
Thank you to the members of St Barnabas who attended the CAT Executive Summary meetings last week! We met on Monday, June 2 and Sunday, June 8. Our Transition Team did a great job of walking through the report and identifying some of the most important things we learned from the CAT survey and how they have either changed or remained similar over the past 11 years since the church first participated in this inventory (Feb. 2014). You can find a link to the Executive Summary in the blog entry below.
It was also good to have some open time to share hopes and dreams for the future ministry and mission of the church. These are critical conversations and are necessary in discovering the key attributes that the Transition Team will highlight in both writing the Mission Site Profile (our resume) as well as look for in potential pastoral candidates. Please don’t forget that God is good and the Spirit is very much present in our time of discernment. I for one am very excited to see where this process will lead St Barnabas in the coming months as we journey openly and honestly with each other.
Next steps are preparing the MSP, getting council and synodical approval, and selecting a call committee. It is going to be a busy summer! I will post weekly updates here and have hard copies available at the “Transition Process” portion of the kiosk found in the narthex, near the ministry center doors, allowing you to stay informed.
In the meantime, please continue to hold St Barnabas in daily prayer and be supportive of the great lay leaders God has blessed your church with for this very moment in her history. All will be well!
In peace and gratitude,
Pastor Tom, Interim Lead Pastor
6/06/2025
Pentecost Sunday reminds us that the Holy Spirit is very much present today as it was that day in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago. If that weren’t true, I don’t believe the church would have endured. But it did! and that same Spirit journeys with us in this time of transition and call process. Believe it.
Next steps: Information from the CAT and our interpretation meetings (held on June 2 and June 8) will significantly influence the writing of our Ministry Site Profile (MSP). The Transition Team will be prepare the MSP with additional current statistical information on St. Barnabas and the Plymouth community. Once this document is approved by the Council, the Call Committee will be appointed by the Executive Committee and Council, and then installed during a worship service. The work of the Call Committee will be to solicit candidate nominations from the congregation, review candidates provided by the Minneapolis Area Synod, and conduct interviews of candidates. The interview process often includes multiple interviews and, if the committee wishes to pursue a candidate further, a worship visit at the candidate’s current congregation to hear them preach. Once the call committee reaches a consensus on a final candidate, they submit their recommendation to the Council President. A decision to offer a call to a candidate is voted on by the congregation at a special congregational meeting. Knowing how critical it is to do our due diligence in selecting the next pastor of St. Barnabas, we cannot offer an accurate timeline. What we do know is that there is a LOT of work to do, and the leadership of St. Barnabas remains grateful for your support and participation, as well as your heartfelt prayers.
Peace,
Pastor Tom, Interim
6/03/2025
Thank you to our first group of attendees at the CAT executive summary gathering on Monday night! Great feedback and conversation. We will repeat this meeting for others on Sunday, June 8 at 10:45 am in the Garden View Room. Copies of the Executive Summary will be available and the Transition Team will walk through the summary with you as we did on Monday evening.
Please look to the “Transition Process” side on the spinning kiosk in the Narthex, just outside the Ministry Center. There will be regular updates and copies of this Executive Summary there as well.
Please continue to hold our church in thought and prayer.
Peace,
Pastor Tom, Interim
Correction — We will meet at 6:30 pm on MONDAY, June 2 for the first conversation. Sorry for confusion!
5/29/2025
Happy Summer St. Barnabas! You will have the opportunity to be part of a conversation with the Transition Team focused on the recent CAT Executive Summary. Join us on Wednesday, June 4 at 6:30 pm or Sunday, June 8 at 10:45 am (during coffee times after worship). The team will use these conversations to continue in preparing the Mission Site Profile, our next step in the journey. Please continue to hold our church in thought and prayer.
Peace, Pastor Tom, Interim
5/13/2025
On Wednesday, May 7 members of the Council and other leadership teams gathered for an interpretation of the CAT vital signs report. This report was generated from all the completed surveys done during Lent. That evening we were joined via Zoom by one of the trained consultants of HolyCow! Consulting. Rev. Susan Czolgosz has worked with over 500 church leadership teams using the CAT. She worked with our team for almost three hours and gave us some excellent insights into what all the numbers mean for our next discerning steps in the transition. An executive summary will be presented in early June, on both a Sunday morning and a weekday evening. All will be welcome to attend. The next steps for the Transition Team are the writing of the Mission Site Profile and presentation of that document to be approved by council. At that point, the Call Committee can be selected and commissioned by the congregation to begin looking for possible pastoral candidates. In the meantime, we have much to do! Please continue to hold our church in thought and prayer.
Peace, Pastor Tom, Interim
5/02/2025
Leadership and the Transition Team will be doing a ‘deep-dive’ on the Vital Signs report from our recent use of the Church Assessment Tool survey (CAT). We will meet virtually with a trained consultant from Holy Cow Consulting, offering both an interpretation of what the results mean as well as what they might point to in looking toward a vitalized future… including some indication of where best to focus resources and what type of pastor might be a best fit. The congregation will have the opportunity to see the ‘high level’ interpretation through an Executive Summary. This will be shared a ‘to-be-determined’ date prior to summer. Next step will be the preparing of the Mission Site Profile for the ELCA.
Thank you for the trust and opportunity to walk with St. Barnabas at this important time. It has been my joy getting to know you!
Peace, Pastor Tom, Interim
4/19/2025
Thank you St. Barnabas! The Church Assessment Tool survey closed on April 13. Our members REALLY stepped up and we received over 94% participation in our recent Church Assessment Tool survey! (This percentage was calculated based on our most recent average Sunday worship attendance.) We have yet to receive the initial “Vital Signs Report”, but will be sharing an Executive Summary of the findings with the congregation in early May. Leadership will go through a formal, in-depth interpretation of the report on May 7. Again, this is all very important information for creating an accurate Ministry Site Profile and continuing our process of creating the best ministry model for St. Barnabas.
Today is Holy Saturday and tomorrow, along with thousands of other Christian churches, we have the privilege of celebrating the center of our faith: Resurrection hope! How we celebrate that radical Easter promise of God’s enduring love in Jesus Christ tells the world who we are and whose we are. And by living as if we are God’s beloved and as if God claims us for this very moment, ANYTHING is possible. I don’t know about you, but that is pretty exciting! All will be well.
Blessed Easter! Pastor Tom, Interim
4/12/2025
Thank you to our members who have taken the time to complete the online CAT (Congregation Assessment Tool)! The Transition Team has also received a number of hard copies that are being transferred to the online portal.
The survey closes tomorrow night, April 13, at midnight! Please take the 20-25 minutes to participate if you haven’t yet. The link is found here:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SAINTBARNABASLC
Like a doctor’s check-up, the assessment is an important tool for understanding the health of any church. When in times of leadership transition, a thorough check-up is that much more important! Leadership will receive a Vital Signs interpretation in the week after the survey closes. We look forward to sharing the findings and will also use them in preparation of the MSP (Mission Site Profile) — St. Barnabas’ resume in the calling of the next lead pastor.
Below are some questions you may have after taking the Congregation Assessment Tool™ (CAT).
Why was it necessary to survey the congregation?
It is always important for leaders to know the perspectives, experiences, and aspirations of the people they lead. This is especially true when major decisions will be made regarding the future of the church.
Don’t leaders know what members are thinking through their regular interactions with them?
Research shows that leaders do not have a broad enough level of interaction with members to accurately gauge the perspectives of the entire church. Their natural tendency to relate to a relatively small percentage of the congregation results in a view of the entire congregation that is skewed.
Why was the survey so long?
When major decisions are being made, it is important to have a comprehensive picture of how the church is doing in the many different aspects of its life. We can shorten the survey by making assumptions about different areas of the church’s ministry, but this requires that leaders guess about the views on the congregation. Those guesses are not always accurate.
Some of the questions are negatively worded and seem to imply something is wrong. Why can’t the questions all be positive?
When people respond to surveys, they need a variety of questions that will keep their minds engaged. One of the ways to keep a person’s mind engaged is to ask both positively and negatively worded questions. This does not imply that there is something wrong with the church.
Some of the questions seem to fit our church better than others? Why is that?
The Congregation Assessment Tool© is a standard instrument that has been used with hundreds of churches. By using a standard instrument, some questions will apply in certain churches better than others. But the benefit is that you can use the results to help you understand your church in comparison to other churches like you. Customized questions designed by your leaders specifically for your church have been added to the survey.
When I was taking the survey, it was hard to imagine how the information I was providing would be useful in our planning or search process. Was it?
The information found in the survey report generated from the responses is useful on a number of levels. If you are engaged in planning, it can help leaders get a comprehensive picture of where the church is now. If you are preparing for a search, it will guide your leaders in determining the characteristics of your next Pastor, help them develop your church profile, enable them to manage your transition, and also provide a good foundation for the start-up of your next Pastor. A survey is a lot like a camera. It takes a picture of who you are as a church. Like a camera, it is very difficult to guess what a photograph looks like from simply looking at the camera. In the same way, it is difficult to realize the value of the snapshot taken of your church simply by looking at the questions in the survey.
Will each member of the congregation be given a copy of the survey results?
The report generated by the assessment is called Vital Signs©. This report is over 20 pages long and, like reading a medical lab report, requires a professional interpretation. For this reason, a one or two-page summary of the results is generally provided to members of the congregation. However, the full Vital Signs© report should be available in the church office or library for those who would like to review it.
Thanks again to our transition team for their hard work and to all of you for sharing your time and passion with your church!
Blessed Holy Week and Easter! Pastor Tom, Interim
4/2/2025
With Pastor Stephanie’s ministry closing on March 23, the Transition Team and Council moved quickly and are excited to welcome Bryce Bommersbach as a part-time pastoral assistant to Pastor Tom and our ministry team. Bryce is a recent graduate of Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, CA. He interned at Oak Knoll Lutheran in Minnetonka, so has been familiar with the landscape of ministry in the Lutheran churches of the west metro. Bryce grew up in Grand Forks, ND (as did Pastor Tom!) and studied Social Work at UND. He also was a Young Adult in Global Mission through the ELCA — serving in Madagascar. Bryce’s YAGM year abroad was in 2019-20 and like everything that year, was cut short by the global pandemic. We are excited to have him at St. Barnabas in this time of transition. I hope you will have an opportunity to connect with him soon.
3/21/2025
In times of transition, one of the best ways to discern God’s path is by listening.
The Church Council recently decided to move forward with the Church Assessment Tool (CAT) during the season of Lent to collect and understand the range of views that exist at St. Barnabas and the possibilities, willingness, capacity and energy for moving our ministry into the future. These important indicators will also become a key part of our search for our next Lead Pastor.
St. Barnabas has used the CAT in 2014 and in 2019. As you know, a few things have changed since then!
During the coming 3 weeks, from March 24 through April 13, please consider sitting down at your laptop, tablet or desktop computer and completing the assessment. Your voice matters and will be instrumental in providing a clearer picture of who we are as a congregation and what directions are most important for our future.
• If you have provided us with a current email address, within the next few days, you will receive a unique web link to complete the assessment online.
• If we do NOT have your current email address (if you are not receiving the weekly St. Barnabas e-newsletter, that is an indication that we don’t have it), we would appreciate it if you would share it with us. Simply send an email to Brenda Ericson at Brenda@stbarnabaslutheran.org.
• If you do not have access to a computer, we will have a church laptop available to you after worship services on March 30, April 6 and April 13.
• If you would prefer to take the assessment using a paper copy, please stop by the office, and we will provide one for you. It will just need to be returned by April 13.
NOTE: If there is only one email address for all members of your household, it may be tempting to have one person take the survey on behalf of the family. However, please note that all household members aged 16 & older living in your home have an opportunity to complete the survey. Individual input is key to our gaining insight into overall perceptions and experiences.
Please set aside enough time to answer all the questions. This will take about 20-25 minutes. All survey responses are strictly anonymous. We will close the survey on April 13 at noon. There will be a presentation of results for leaders and the congregation on Wednesday, May 7 from 6 - 9 p.m.
Here’s the challenge: In 2014 and 2019, St. Barnabas had 80% participation – help us hit 90%!
Thank you for your willingness to be a part of this congregational assessment and for helping to chart the course for St. Barnabas’ future.
In gratitude,
Your Transition Team:
Brett Turnquist Eric Boyd Denise Holmquist Pastor Tom Olson, Interim
2/25/2025
Message shared by Transition Team member Denise Holmquist on Sunday, Feb. 23 at worship: Our Council has asked us to go on a journey! This is an important journey, one of reflection and growth through the Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT). This assessment is an opportunity for every voice to be heard, helping us better understand our strengths, challenges, and hopes for the future. It’s been 6 years since we’ve done this and your input will help shape our path forward, guiding our leadership in making informed decisions that align with our values and vision.
The tool will be distributed on-line and also available for those off-line starting March 9th through March 30th.
As a fun kick off for this journey, we’ve set up a map in the ministry center for us to learn more about the breadth of our community. If you would please take a pin and mark on the board where you live, it’ll help us get a feel for the communities we touch in our daily lives.
You’ll be hearing more about the CAT survey from our team over the next couple weeks. Every response matters, and together, we can build a stronger, more vibrant community. Thank you!
The Transition Team is Denise Holmquist, Brett Turnquist, Eric Boyd and Pastor Tom Olson.
2/06/2025
“Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
Churches are living, emotional organisms. Just like each of us, they go through times of growth and decline, joy and sadness, success and failure. Through all of those ups and downs, it is always the ‘lived-out mission’ of connecting God’s welcome, forgiveness, and love of one another that allows a congregation to thrive. Pastors, worship styles, staff leaders, programs and ministries; they will come and go. The mission will remain.
One of the first metaphors shared with me as I considered entering interim ministry was that of a “sliding a mirror” in front of a given faith community, where everything becomes visible; strengths and growth areas.
We are entering a next step of that discerning process—of sliding a mirror in front of St. Barnabas. The Transition Team has decided to engage the use of what is called ‘organizational intelligence’. You will be hearing much more about that initiative in the coming weeks. In the context of a church, organizational intelligence (o.i.) refers to the ability of a congregation to actively gather, analyze, and interpret information about its own health, demographics, needs, and community impact. Discovering this information allows leadership to make informed decisions and adapt strategies to better serve its members and fulfill its mission effectively. O.I. allows for the church's capacity to "understand itself" and respond to the community intelligently. O.I. involves asking questions, listening, praying for guidance, and then, only then, forging a path.
Consultant J. Russell Crabtree, former director of Holy Cow! Consulting, makes this connection: “All twelve step programs have, as their fourth step, the exercise of making a fearless moral inventory. In many ways, organizational intelligence is precisely that same exercise engaged at the congregational level. It builds on the previous steps of acknowledging powerlessness, believing in God’s ability to help us, and turning our lives over to God. Congregational sobriety is freedom from the internal demons that unconsciously sabotage its best intentions. Only when it has done that penitential work can it finally get to the twelfth step: carrying its message to others.”
Thanks again for the opportunity to walk beside you in this exciting chapter of building St. Barnabas’ future. Peace to you!
Pastor Tom, Interim
01/24/2025
Transitional times are when organizations, like people, are forced to check their own level of health, resiliency, and vision… especially when it is difficult to corral the anxiety of change.
What is congregational health? Noted church consultant Margaret Marcuson writes that “(Congregational health) has little if anything to do with the size of the congregation. Churches of any size can be vibrant communities. Long ago, I worshiped several times in a tiny Methodist church in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in California. You knew as soon as you walked in the door that this was a community with a lot of life in it. The pastor never preached longer than six minutes, and it was always good. The choir of six sang enthusiastically. People seemed happy to be there.”
Marcuson goes on to raise what she deems to be “nine indicators of a healthy congregation.” They are:
Mature leaders, clergy and lay, who know who they are and what they are about in their lives and ministry.
Leaders who can articulate their vision and direction.
The ability to tolerate difference.
Leaders who can take a stand with people (staff or church members) who are not functioning well.
The ability to take the long view. (Most things of value in church take time to happen.)
An appreciation for the past without being bound by it.
A lightness of spirit – people who don’t take themselves too seriously.
Resilience – the congregation can recover from setbacks.
Genuine spiritual maturity, growing out of the prayer and worship practices of the leadership and congregation.
During the season of Epiphany we are preaching on the theme of Building Trust through how we treat one another. Honoring boundaries, being reliable, accountable, honoring confidentiality (vault), having integrity, being nonjudgmental, and being spiritually generous to one another are community health supplements! When all of us are engaged in tending to our own spiritual health, the gathered church gets healthier too. Thanks for you partnership in this exciting time. A flow chart of the Pastoral Leadership Transition can be found on the information kiosk by the Mission Center doors, in the Narthex. Peace to you!
Pastor Tom, Interim
01/15/2025
Epiphany season began on January 6. An epiphany tells us something has changed or is new, maybe even if it is only our perspective. One thing that in NOT an epiphany is the fact that St. Barnabas has been and is blessed with a wealth of committed and gifted members and leaders! Thank you to so many of the them for stepping up in this busy season of your church’s life.
The Transition Team has been selected to work beside me — Brett Turnquist, Denise Holmquist, and Eric Boyd. Nancy Walczak will assist near the end of their process with the writing of Mission Site Profile. She was integral in preparing this document two years ago when calling Pastor Stephanie as associate pastor. The Transition Team will begin the first of the “three great listenings” by deciding upon a process to best answer important questions like “Who are we as a congregation? What are our strengths and growth areas? Where do we find satisfaction and energy? What does our current staffing model allow us to do and impede us from doing in growing our mission?”
Once the best method for answering those questions is chosen, YOU will likely be asked to dream and share your feelings and thoughts on some iteration of those questions. We hope for great participation. Then, alongside updating demographic work, the Transition Team will hopefully dial in on the leader skill sets and competencies that will best fit the church and its culture. They will then prepare the MSP and hand it off to the council for approval. This document will be used by the eventual Call Committee. Please keep this team and all of your amazing lay leadership in your prayers as they work so hard on this process. We have a lot of work ahead of us.
This is an exciting time and I am so grateful to be able to walk beside you in it. God is good! I hold you all in my thoughts and prayers. Thanks for yours.
Pastor Tom, Interim
01/03/2025
Happy New Year! We celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord this Sunday, Jan. 5. Matthew’s gospel tells the story of the Magi visit to Bethlehem following only a star. I imagine upon encountering a toddler Jesus in very humble surroundings, those astrologers were as surprised as anyone else as to the identity of this Messiah — to whom that star had directed them!
As we continue this journey of discovery in this time of transition for St. Barnabas, perhaps we too can be open to both surprises and where those surprises might be leading us. Now that the holidays have passed, the important work of listening continues as I continue to learn the story of this great faith community. Again, feel free to connect with me and share your story as well. As this process continues, here are a few simply ways you can make a difference: 1) Be regular in your worship attendance and your financial support, 2) when asked to participate in some way, big or little, please do so if you can, and 3) hold St. Barnabas, your leaders, and the call process in your daily prayers. It really makes a difference!
In Christ,
Pastor Tom, Interim
12/17/24
The church council met with Rev. John Hulden, Bishop’s Assistant from the Mpls Area Synod on Monday, December 9th. He reviewed the call process and unique position of St. Barnabas. Since there was no formal interim period in the past senior pastor transition, it was encouraged that leadership enter a season of deep discernment and action involving “Three Great Listenings”: 1. Listen to those coming to church, 2. Listen to the Community outside the church, and 3. Listen to God. It was then decided to appoint a small transition team to both decide the best methods to get this vital information and then begin these ‘listenings’ -- hopefully in early 2025. That team would also prepare the more formal Mission Site Profile (MSP). The MSP when complete, would be approved by both the council and our Bishop (at a congregational meeting – likely later in the spring of 2025) before being given to a Call Committee or any potential candidates. The wheels are turning! Our prayer at this point is for our church members and friends to participate in this process as asked and to keep St. Barnabas and our leadership in your prayers! – Pastor Tom Olson, Interim
Loving Our Neighbors through Action
There have been many conversations around St. Barnabas in past weeks that included the question and the statement, “What can I do? I feel like I need to DO something” in relation to the current social and political climate. The Outreach and Justice Team has surfaced one action step that is intended to communicate our solidarity with and intention to protect our immigrant neighbors.
There have been many conversations around St. Barnabas in past weeks that included the question and the statement, “What can I do? I feel like I need to DO something” in relation to the current social and political climate. The Outreach and Justice Team has surfaced one action step that is intended to communicate our solidarity with and intention to protect our immigrant neighbors. With the approval of the Church Council, you will soon see signage on the staff offices that reads “This is a private space” and signs in public areas imploring you to “know your rights.” The paragraphs below describe why we feel that this action step is necessary, and suggest how we all can serve as allies.
God speaks through Moses in Leviticus 19:33-34 saying, “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land, you shall not mistreat them. The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love them as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” When we, as Christians, reflect on these words, we hear the echo of Jesus’ own admonishment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order rescinding the Protected Area Policies passed in 2011 –a policy that marked churches, schools, and hospitals among Sensitive Locations where community members could access basic services and support without fear. With this recission, for churches to continue to be places for people to seek spiritual guidance without fear it is necessary to identify specific spaces that are marked “Private.” This allows for congregational care to be offered without fear of ICE agents entering a space and questioning or removing individuals without presenting a fully executed warrant signed by a judge and naming the individual.
While we do not anticipate St. Barnabas to be a target of such interaction, we want to be prepared to offer hospitality to the stranger who dwells among us should such an occasion arise. Such strangers might include a neighborhood resident, an individual seeking assistance, or a member of one of our rental partner organizations
In the event that ICE or Homeland Security officials do enter our property, it is important that we are able to respond in a consistent manner. The following are guidelines offered by the Minneapolis Area Synod that we ask staff, leaders, and members to follow:
If ICE agents show up at St. Barnabas looking to enter the building, staff, leaders, and community members should not talk with them. Immigration agents can only enter private areas with a judicial warrant or if they are given permission to enter. Staff should respond simply by saying, "I can’t give you permission to enter. You must speak with my employer." If pressed, they should only repeat the same: "You are not allowed to enter. Talk to my employer." Staff offices are considered private.
If ICE agents show up at St. Barnabas looking to enter the building, it should be reported immediately to the Pastors, President, and Office Administrator. It is important that an appropriate leader be present to review warrants, provide order and calm, and document any ICE activity. These leaders will be given further guidance on how to handle the situation.
Know your rights...the U.S. Constitution protects individuals from "unreasonable search and seizure" (4th Amendment) and gives individuals "the right to remain silent" (5th Amendment). Even if a judicial warrant is presented, staff and others present are not required to answer questions about the whereabouts of a specific person and they are not required to take them to a person named on a warrant. Running or leaving can be interpreted as a potential violation of immigration law, so it is best to remain calm and silent.
If ICE agents show up at St. Barnabas looking to do a "Form I-9 Audit," do not provide any document immediately to the agents. Employers have 3 work days to provide documents. In the event of an audit, it is important to consult with an immigration lawyer and have any requests handled by the appropriate church leaders.
It grieves us that this preparation is necessary, but we know that the fear and anxiety being experienced by our immigrant and minority neighbors being targeted is far worse than we are feeling at this time. We are called to follow Jesus’ guidance to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to remember that “to do nothing, when mercy is necessary, is to do harm.” What we can do now is to prepare to support our neighbors in the best way we can.
This is not the only step we can take, and we welcome further conversation about how to be the neighbors God calls us to be. We will offer an educational forum around this topic between services on Sunday, February 23rd. Additionally, feel free to reach out to the pastors if you’d like to discuss this further.
Listening Post Feedback
This year, at St. Barnabas, members of the council and an additional 30 regular church attendees took part in listening posts to identify our collective values and in what direction our congregation should be led.
This year, at St. Barnabas, members of the council and an additional 30 regular church attendees took part in listening posts to identify our collective values and in what direction our congregation should be led. While the responses to the first question were easy to quantify, the answers to the remaining questions became increasingly varied and difficult to classify. Both specific answers as well as the number of people in agreement were considered in synthesizing data into emerging themes.
(1) What are your personal deepest values?
Nearly all participants identified Family, Community, and Relationships (or some combination) in their top 5 personal values. Discussion revealed the interchangeability of these terms felt by group members. This and additional values are as ranked below:
Family / Community / Relationships
Integrity
Service / Helping Others
Religion / Faith
Education
(2) Where, specifically, (outside of church) do you live out your values?
About half of the responses to this question were activities centered around the home. Participants also illustrated examples of community volunteering, general personal behavior, work, and other free time activities.
(3) Where at St. Barnabas do you live out your values?
Dozens of responses were recorded here, listing a plethora of church activities. Two themes emerged quickly from these answers, that their activities of involvement were either strongly tied to community / relationships or to helping others. This made up about ⅔ of those illustrated. Praise and music were brought up in addition to activities of growth (e.g. Bible studies). Some respondents disclosed living out their values by honoring their boundaries and changing priorities.
(4) Where do you see your values reflected in our mission, vision, and values?
No one area stood out among responses to this question. Respondents saw their values highlighted in the following ways (in descending popularity): outreach work, belonging, community / relationships, creativity, generosity, and living faith.
(5) What is the purpose of church?
There were some gray areas in grouping answers here, yet an overwhelming emphasis on community remained clear. After that, somewhat equally stressed were feelings of personal growth, religious growth, and religious practice.
(6) What do you most love about St. Barnabas?
Not surprisingly, community & connections quickly rose to the top of this list of responses. Group members also commented on the programming (e.g. groups and activities) offered as well as the way St. Barnabas makes them feel. Some mentioned the physical and geographical attributes of the church building, along with inclusivity, and finally, worship.
(7) What do you wish we (as a community) would do better at St. Barnabas?
The most popular sentiments in this area were ideas for embracing and increasing the presence of youth at St Barnabas. A close second were comments relating to the acknowledgement of individuals (e.g. volunteers, visitors, the ill). These themes made up ~55% of the comments agreed upon by group members. Lesser in popularity, yet notable were answers revolving around communication in the church and an increase in specific types of groups offered. Additionally, members brought up considerations for people with physical disabilities, membership numbers, and reaching the greater community.
(8) Where, either out in the world or in our church, do you see God doing a new thing? How can we get on board with what God is doing?
This set of questions was met with difficulty as responses tended to pertain to one or the other.
One clear area of opportunity came from area churches finding themselves closing and how we might merge ministry activities with other congregations (specifically, with former Peace Lutheran members). An additional theme that came up was in ideas of outreach opportunities made possible by the mortgage getting paid off early.
(9) What resources would we need to dive into what God is doing?
Ideas in this area included the following (in descending favor)
Investment in youth
Younger, more diverse leadership
Time and energy
Money
Staffing
Small groups & forums
Collaboration / brainstorming
If there is anything you’d like to share…?
Comments and ideas in this section focused on the following areas:
Youth
Communication
Care for seniors
Missing people
Staffing
Our Venezuelan Refugees: A Journey in Accompaniment
Last year our Justice and Outreach team invited Pastor Melissa of Tapestry Church in Richfield to speak to us. She talked about her bi-lingual ministry and the people she serves, mostly from Venezuela and other Spanish speaking countries.
Last year our Justice and Outreach team invited Pastor Melissa of Tapestry Church in Richfield to speak to us. She talked about her bi-lingual ministry and the people she serves, mostly from Venezuela and other Spanish speaking countries.
About the same time, our friend Beth Grosen was helping host refugees from Ukraine and learning the process. With her experience and leadership, we decided to sponsor refugees from Venezuela. Four more people stepped up: Laurie, Cindy, Margaret, and John. John is Beths friend who brings additional experience with Ukrainian refugees.
We worked with Welcome Corps and Alight. The Welcome Corps is a program of the U.S. Department of State, administered by a consortium led by the Community Sponsorship Hub with funding provided by the U.S. government. Alight began in 1978 as the American Refugee Committee and has been helping settle refugees ever since.
According to Alight, sponsor groups provide practical support alongside hope, possibility, and a sense of belonging for a refugee’s first 90 days in the United States. Our sponsor group has learned about the concept of accompaniment; we are not saving our new friends or judging their behavior but rather serving as friends while they navigate their resettlement journey. Our members have been very excited to contribute to this “hands on” effort, not to evangelize but to love and care for these new neighbors in the Twin Cities. We will likely be involved well past the first 90 days.
Once we learned we had a young mother and her son who would be moving to Minnesota and relying on us, we had to get serious. These young people spoke no English and needed people they could trust. Three of us met at the airport with welcome signs, a balloon, and flags. While we waited, we met some others welcoming refugees from Afghanistan. The world is getting smaller as we finally meet Ruth and Eithan, who are visibly relieved to finally be here. We then took them to their first apartment, which will be for 30 days until we find long term housing. Most importantly, we had help from Elena, a Que Tal teacher, who was able to translate and help Ruth learn about her new home, how to lock the doors and other useful details. We use WhatsApp to communicate and Google Translate on our phones.
Beth has been a steady leader, taking on the heavy task of paperwork with the government. We are all learning what is required for a small family to start fresh in a new land. She also helped get a used iPhone set up for Ruth. Laurie has helped with some signups, researching language classes, and taking Ruth shopping for food and basics. Laurie has also been publicizing our progress and requests for help from the congregation.
Margaret has helped by attending weekly online Alight/Welcome Corps sessions and reporting back what we need to know. She is researching online for possible apartments for Ruth and Eithan and will help tour the possible units with Beth, Ruth and Eithan.
We are also tapping into the Richfield Spanish community with Tapestry. We made connections at an event in September, meeting others from the community including a daycare provider for when Ruth is able to get a job. Cindy will be taking Ruth to weekly English classes at Tapestry, while trying to learn Spanish herself.
So far, this has been rewarding to all the volunteers involved. Margaret told us “More than any other aspect of my Christian faith is the incredible fact that God loves me no matter what I do or how I am. And my gratitude for that gift should be that I love others as much as I am able, like God has loved me. This is why being in accompaniment with Ruth and her son is important and joyful.” With her upcoming 85th birthday, Margaret is asking for donations on the GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-ruth-and-son-new-start-in-mn
Our church has already been generous. We thank the Quilters who donated a new car seat and others who donated clothes. There will be more needed. If you would like to donate money, please put it in the offering (or online) with a note for Refugees. It is good to be part of such a caring church community.
How would you be known?
When people speak of you, how do you want to be known? This is a simple, but profound question of legacy, identity, values, and priorities.
By Pastor Stephanie
When people speak of you, how do you want to be known? This is a simple, but profound question of legacy, identity, values, and priorities. We may ask ourselves that question when we contemplate our families or the end of our lives. We also may ask that question when we are considering a change in career or when we retire or make another big change. This is also a question that we’re considering as a community of faith at St. Barnabas. When we entered the year 2024, we were gifted with the glorious relief of our mortgage debt while, simultaneously, we began to consider in earnest what the departure of our Lead Pastor would mean for us. At that time, we discussed the fact that we needed to slow down, do some discernment, and address that question: “How do we want to be known?”
We’ve begun exploring that question in a few different ways. This summer, we undertook a sermon series that delved into our Mission, Vision, and Values, connecting them with the stories of the Church of Acts. We became more familiar with these statements, and considered how they might apply to us individually and communally. Our informal survey showed a growth in understanding- in June only 18% of those surveyed were able to name elements of our Mission, Vision, or Values. That increased to 68% of those surveyed in September! That’s a great first step. Our next step is to connect our knowledge of those statements to our choices and behavior. Our Listening Posts are seeking to understand how we connect our personal values and actions to what we experience and do at St. Barnabas. This will help us explore further how we as a congregation could be known in our community in an authentic and meaningful way.
I am finding hope in a few glimpses I am catching of our impact in the community. As a Lutheran, I hold firmly to the theology that says we are each called to a unique Christian vocation. Our calling, as children of God, is to live out the greatest commandments to love God and to love our neighbor as fully as we can in every moment of our lives. In other words, we are to let our light shine before others so that they may see our good works and glorify God, in heaven (Matthew 5:16.) Our light is shining and, even better, it is shining on others!
There have been two newspaper articles printed in the past few weeks that reflect on St. Barnabas and how we’re known in the community. On August 26th, the Star Tribune published an article entitled, “How the Minnesota Council of Churches is Bridging Divides this Election Year.” It covered the first of the Respectful Conversations events, and named upcoming events. Some people registered for our event as a direct result of this, and more than half of those who attended were not St. Barnabas members! Those who attended described a meaningful event that helped them build empathy for their neighbors. Then, on September 16th, an AP News article was published entitled, “Lutherans in Walz’s Minnesota put potlucks before politics during divisive election season.” One of the congregations featured is our partner San Pablo/St. Paul’s, and the article mentions their new “quilt club.” How incredible is it that a ministry that we helped begin and continue to support is being lifted up as an example of the inclusive ministry being offered by ELCA congregations in Minnesota?
These two examples demonstrate what is important to our greater community, and lift us up as a congregation that uplifts others and provides needed support. Being a faith community that shines a light on others is one of the best ways to show our love of neighbor, and to live out the Apostle Paul’s instructions to “in humility regard others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3.) If the answer to the question, “How would you be known?” is “For lifting others up and pointing toward God,” we can be satisfied that we’re living out our vocation as Christians and as a congregation.
Staying Connected this Summer
Staying connected as a congregation is harder in the summer. People leave town, go out on the lake, host visitors, and we see less of each other, in general.
Staying connected as a congregation is harder in the summer. People leave town, go out on the lake, host visitors, and we see less of each other, in general. Last summer, we took Flat Barney with us to the cabin, out of town, on our daily errands, and we could follow each other’s comings and goings in a silly way.
This summer, we invite you to engage with us in a new way. We will be exploring our Mission, Vision, and Values in worship all summer. Every Monday, look for a Facebook or Instagram post asking for your response to the week’s theme. Take a moment to comment on the post with a thought or an image, and we can be in community, even from a distance!
There is also still quite a lot going on in the building over the next two months:
Pastor’s Class meets every Tuesday at 9:30 AM. We will be studying the Book of Acts for the summer.
We still have two worship services each week. You can worship with us from a distance by watching the YouTube livestream of the 10:30 service. We will also hold the Acts Bible Study between services all summer.
Yoga Devotion takes place Mondays at 5:30 PM every week.
Coffee, Cards, and Conversation happens every Thursday at 10:00 AM.
Nordic Walking is Mondays at 5:00 PM.
You could also drop by on any given day, and see lots of activities led by our rental partners, as well as gardening, quilting, and other service work by our members.
Take a rest at the Little Free Library and donate a book.
The possibilities are nearly endless!
Have a great summer, and don’t forget to check in with us as often as possible! We miss you when you’re gone.
Illegal To Be You
It's Friday night. You'd like to start your weekend with friends and dinner at a great restaurant. But, you're not allowed into most restaurants.
You've been given a promotion and raise that make it possible to upgrade your house or apartment. The perfect place just went on the market. But, no real estate agents will return your calls or agree to schedule a showing.
By Lisa Turnquist
It's Friday night. You'd like to start your weekend with friends and dinner at a great restaurant. But, you're not allowed into most restaurants.
You've been given a promotion and raise that make it possible to upgrade your house or apartment. The perfect place just went on the market. But, no real estate agents will return your calls or agree to schedule a showing.
Your hard work and long hours of studying paid off. You graduated from high school with honors and have been accepted to your dream university. After settling into your dorm and classes, the snide comments and pranks start. Walking across campus can be like running a gauntlet. You haven't slept well in weeks because you don't feel safe.
These experiences were common for LGBTQ+ folks in late 1960s New York City. One of their safe havens was The Stonewall Inn - a bar in lower Manhattan. They could safely be themselves for a few hours or until the police arrived to arrest people suspected of violating anti-gay laws. A police raid on The Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, morphed into a 6-day riot as LGBTQ+ folks protested their treatment as second-class citizens or worse.
A memorial march was held the following year in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago and later turned into Pride Month nationwide every June. Pride Month is a time to celebrate those who have led and are leading efforts to change societal constructs that prevent our LGBTQ+ neighbors from having the same freedoms our cis-gender, heterosexual neighbors have enjoyed for centuries. Pride Month is a time for LGBTQ+ neighbors to be part of a larger community and be supported for being their true selves.
The Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History Behring Center held an exhibit entitled 'Illegal to Be You' from June 2019 to June 2021. Memorabilia from LGBTQ+ activism from the 1960s to current day convey our LGBTQ+ neighbors' experiences working for equality in the eyes of the law, society, health care, and commerce. While the exhibit detail is no longer available online, an informative summary is available via the link above. The exhibit asked questions that heterosexual, cis-gender folks may not need to ask themselves on a frequent basis:
• "How far will you go to express who you are?
• Where can you be safe and be yourself?
• What do you do with your feelings? How do you survive?".
The ELCA released a social statement on Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust in 2009. While this statement was divisive and controversial at the time and remains so, it calls us to three important actions for our LGBTQ+ neighbors - to serve, love, and support them.
To serve, the statement recalls text Martin Luther wrote in The Freedom of the Christian "claiming that Christians are at one and the same time radically freed by the Gospel and called to serve the good of the neighbor:
A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.
A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all."
While we Lutherans are free to live the life we choose, Christ has called us to serve our neighbor well, to treat them as we prefer to be treated while living in community with each other.
To love, we are called to live in relationships that are "loving, that include and reflect an abundance of agape (unlimited love, forgiveness, compassion, care, and concern), eros (passion, excitement, and joy), and philia (care for the neighbor)". How amazing would it be to be in relationships with so much support and promise? Perhaps that support and promise would sustain us as we debate, disagree and work through complexities and differences we encounter every day. Loving relationships are not always easy but, they are worthwhile.
To support, we work to create structures that sustain loving relationships and provide what is necessary to thrive, not merely survive. We can encourage through failures, mourn losses, and celebrate successes. Support for our LGBTQ+ neighbors creates social trust that is practically non-existent today. Support can be given in small ways like asking about preferred pronouns, being sensitive to how LGBTQ+ folks present themselves to society, and meeting them where they’re at instead of where we're comfortable being.
We can do all three trusting that God loves each of us as we are, God freely gives us grace and, together, we can create a community of support for those ostracized for being their true selves.
I encourage you to learn more about what Pride Month means to the LGBTQ+ community using the links below as a starting point. St Barnabas will attend the Golden Valley Pride event June 8. Please join us to love and support our neighbors!
Resources:
National Museum of American History's Illegal to Be You exhibit - https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/gay-history-beyond-stonewall?utm_source=si.edu&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=promo
In June 1969, LGBTQ+ community members resisted a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a bar in lower Manhattan. The museum marked this 50th anniversary with a display featuring objects from its collections that put the history of that memorable event within a larger and longer experience of being gay.
ELCA Social Statement on Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust - https://www.elca.org/Faith/Faith-and-Society/Social-Statements/Human-Sexuality
The statement provides guidance on key matters, such as marriage, family, same-gender relationships, protection of children and youth, sexuality and the self, sexual intimacy, and cohabitation. It addresses issues of sexuality in the public square, the workplace, and within the church. This social statement was adopted by the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly. This statement is currently under review by the ELCA.
ELCA Justice Portal - https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Publicly-Engaged-Church/Justice-Portal
On this page you will find information and links to participate with others across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in living out God’s baptismal call to act for justice.
PFLAG National Glossary - https://pflag.org/glossary/
A glossary of terms used in the LGBTQ+ community. Founded in 1973, PFLAG is the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families.
The Trevor Project - http://www.thetrevorproject.org
The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people. We provide information & support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7, all year round.
The Human Rights Campaign - http://www.hrc.org
HRC’s campaigns are focused on mobilizing those who envision a world strengthened by diversity, where our laws and society treat all people equally, including LGBTQ+ people and those who are multiply marginalized.
Library of Congress resources - https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/resources/
The collections of the Library of Congress contain many books, posters, sound recordings, manuscripts and other material produced by, about and for the LGBTQ community. The contributions of this community are preserved as part of our nation’s history, and include noted artistic works, musical compositions and contemporary novels. The Library’s American collections range from the iconic poetry of Walt Whitman through the manuscripts of the founder of LGBTQ activism in Washington, D.C., Frank Kameny.
Twin Cities Pride - https://tcpride.org
Our mission is to empower every LGBTQ+ person to live as their true self. We envision a future where all LGBTQ+ people are valued and celebrated for who they are.
Our Volunteers Are Amazing!
We have designated Sunday, April 28th as Volunteer Appreciation Sunday. Our volunteers are central to everything that happens at St. Barnabas, and we wanted to take some time to lift them up and celebrate all that they do. Lutherans embrace the idea that we are a “priesthood of all believers”, and our many, many ministers serve God and neighbor in many different ways.
We have designated Sunday, April 28th as Volunteer Appreciation Sunday. Our volunteers are central to everything that happens at St. Barnabas, and we wanted to take some time to lift them up and celebrate all that they do. Lutherans embrace the idea that we are a “priesthood of all believers”, and our many, many ministers serve God and neighbor in many different ways.
Did you know that, over the past year, we have been blessed by at least 112 unique volunteers over our many ministries. They have served:
In worship, as musicians, assisting ministers, lectors, communion assistants, greeters, ushers, cantors, sanctuary care team members, banner team members, and livestream technicians
In fellowship, as coffee hosts, treat providers, funeral team members, small group leaders, Just for Fun event volunteers, and fellowship meal cooks, servers, and cleaners
In faith formation, as Sunday School and Confirmation teachers, VBS assistants, planning team members, and book group leaders
In outreach and justice, as Beacon leadership team members, Riverside Innovation Hub team members, quilters, planning team members, event volunteers, Just Gifts planning team and volunteers, and IOCP volunteers
In finance, as accounts payable and receivable volunteers, counters, endowment team members, planning team members, and stewardship team members
In congregational care, as Shepherd’s Team members, and prayer shawl knitters
In administration, as Council members and Staff Support Team members
In property, as building maintenance volunteers, gardeners, columbarium team members, and lawn and snow care volunteers
We have also benefited from the hard work of 50 scouts and leaders who donate time each year to help clean up and improve our property, and we have the privilege of being the recipient of two Eagle Scout projects this year.
Did you know, that of our volunteers,
Over 82% of them serve in more than one ministry area
8 volunteers are children or youth
Four family units have parents and children serving together
Five of our new musicians are friends from Peace Lutheran
At least 15 of the ministries listed above are wholly volunteer-led, with little to no staff leadership
Thank you for all you do in service of God and neighbor.
Change and Growth
It has often been said that people hate change, but I don’t think this is entirely true. While many people enjoy routines and familiarity, they also welcome new things. Among other things, new restaurants, new technology, new friends, and new adventures, and we like new seasons (although this winter has proved to be a strange single season that seemed to start all the way back in September!).
It has often been said that people hate change, but I don’t think this is entirely true. While many people enjoy routines and familiarity, they also welcome new things. Among other things, new restaurants, new technology, new friends, and new adventures, and we like new seasons (although this winter has proved to be a strange single season that seemed to start all the way back in September!).
This is why I tend to think that it’s not change that people resist so much as being changed. It’s not that we don’t like change, we just don’t want to change. This is because it’s hard. It’s uncomfortable, often humbling, and painfully difficult.
But as Christians, we must remember that change is really at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. When we believe the gospel, we accept the truth that we need to change. We know we are broken people whom God is making new through Christ. Not only us as individuals, but we believe that God is going to make all things new. There is also a cosmic change coming.
For my family, this past year has been an exercise in embracing change. I am usually a guy who likes things to be set, same, and similar. My daughter jokes that I watch the MeTV channel on the rabbit ears on our TV because it plays some of my favorite shows from my childhood….like MASH! I like older music (from before the year 1990 just to give you a reference), and my old beat up bicycle from the mid-80’s which still feels perfect to me. But this year has been teaching me about embracing change and stepping out into an unknown future with as much courage as I can muster. And……surprisingly I have been finding a deep sense of peace. I attribute that as the power of the Holy Spirit. It certainly isn’t my normal pattern. But this year, I have felt my heart, my faith, and my actions change. And I am thankful for God’s Spirit which has allowed me to grow through this incredible process.
St Barnabas will experience change as well. It may feel a little tiring as it seems we had just settled down these past 14 months after finally solidifying our staff positions, now only to see it change again. I know that can feel unsettling. But, as I have been finding in my life, God is active in all of this.
The next steps for St. Barnabas will be to prepare for an interim pastor from our Minneapolis synod. Our leadership has already informed the synod office of our need, and they are at work with our council to find the interim pastor who best meets our need and timeline. It will be this interim who will help you to walk through the process of finding the permanent pastor for my position. As my last Sunday with you is the last Sunday of July, we would foresee the interim pastor starting early August for continuity of ministry. Together with Pastor Stephanie they will continue steady pastoral leadership during this time of change.
I know all of this can be a little exhausting. Getting to know someone new for a short time, only to have to get to know another person after the interim leaves might feel like too much change. But maybe see it instead as a chance to bring people into your life that are there to expand your circle and deepen your faith walk. As I’ve been trusting God through this, I have been leaning into these moments as an opportunity to embrace what God is already at work in. It’s exciting, even as goodbyes, and hello’s can be challenging.
I want to you thank you all for your support and prayers during this past year of the long transition. I have felt your care, your prayers, and your concerns for my family.
Peace,
Pastor Jeff
What’s a pronoun for?
St. Barnabas is an incredibly hospitable congregation. I felt it the first time I walked in the door, and I continue to feel and observe hospitality from our members. Lots of congregations say that they are welcoming, but St. Barnabas lives that welcome.
St. Barnabas is an incredibly hospitable congregation. I felt it the first time I walked in the door, and I continue to feel and observe hospitality from our members. Lots of congregations say that they are welcoming, but St. Barnabas lives that welcome. We introduce ourselves to people we don’t recognize. We invite visitors to have coffee with us. We wonder what we can do to be more accessible to those who are young, old, or physically disabled. We do all of this because one thing we understand deeply and communally is that our call as Christians is to first love God and, out of that love of God, to love our neighbors. And we understand that the act of loving the neighbor who walks in our doors is to provide an authentic welcome to them.
One of the more recent acts of hospitality that we have begun to practice is to offer pronoun stickers alongside our nametags. Since it is becoming more common that people refer to themselves using pronouns other than he or she, or pronouns that do not match our expectations based on outward appearance, it is important that we be able to express our authentic selves and offer that opportunity to our visitors. Brother Chris Markert, church planter and former Associate to the Bishop in the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod of the ELCA, wrote a short primer on “Why Pronouns Matter.”If you have questions about what exactly a pronoun is, or how pronouns relate to the differences between gender identity and biological sex, I encourage you to pause here, and read Brother Chris’ article. (Click the title of the article to read.) But the most important point that he makes is this: “But here’s the thing, friends: You don’t have to understand all of this! It may be new or seem strange to you. You may even not agree with it. That’s okay. However, it is a human kindness to use the pronouns a person asks you to use for them, even if you don’t understand why they want to be called that way. It doesn’t cost you anything to do so. And isn’t it what you want others to do for you?”
It doesn’t cost us anything. And it shows love to our neighbors. People who use pronouns other than he or she, or pronouns that do not match our expectations based on outward appearance, have made it clear that observing others sharing their pronouns (on name tags, on Zoom screens, in conversation) makes them feel comfortable sharing theirs. As members of a minority group, it takes the pressure off of them to stand out and do something no one else is doing. And it saves lives. I’m not being dramatic. The Minnesota Department of Health, in a document entitled “Using a Person’s Correct Pronouns Saves Lives” highlights the importance of using a person’s correct pronouns in suicide prevention. It shares the following statistic: “Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all the people they lived with attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected by anyone with whom they lived.” Simply acknowledging their identity by using the correct pronouns for this group of vulnerable humans cuts their suicide risk in half.
When we share our pronouns on our name tags, we create a safe space for others to do so, and we send the signal to everyone that who you are matters. We allow people to be seen, known, and loved. Some of this information may be new for you. Some of it may make you uncomfortable. That’s ok. We see you, know you, and love you, too, and we want to walk alongside you. Lisa Turnquist and Cindy Dogan are heading an effort to explore what it might be like to be more fully welcoming, as a congregation, to LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC people. They and I (Pastor Stephanie) would be happy to have a conversation with you to address your questions and concerns. That, too, is a part of our culture of hospitality. We’re not afraid to have difficult conversations. God shows up when we struggle together in pursuit of the deep abiding love of God and of neighbor.
For further exploration:
Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians- Austen Hartke
Pronouns as a Spiritual Practice- Rev. Melissa Pohlman
Mainstage presentation by Jamie Bruesehoff at ELCA Youth Ministry Extravaganaza
Being the Public Church
This past summer St. Barnabas started participating in a new initiative, Riverside Innovation Hub (RIH). RIH is a two-year learning community offered through Augsburg University to help local churches become Public Churches who interact with the community they are in.
This past summer St. Barnabas started participating in a new initiative, Riverside Innovation Hub (RIH). RIH is a two-year learning community offered through Augsburg University to help local churches become Public Churches who interact with the community they are in. That means that we want to get to know people in our community - not necessarily to have them become members of St. Barnabas - but to have the community recognize that our church is here to be a loving presence for all people in our community.
Through meetings with the staff of RIH on the Augsburg campus, in Zoom meetings, and here at St. Barnabas, we are learning how to reach out into our community, start and share conversations with people we don’t know, and make connections. Currently Margaret Wold, Christen Conrad, Bobbi Dering, Bonnie Welshons, Colleen Lutz, Pastor Stephanie are part of the group. We would welcome others who are interested or curious to join our team. Please contact any of us.
One way we are trying to meet our neighbors is to set up a listening post at the Discover Plymouth event which will be held in the Fieldhouse Dome at the Plymouth Community Center on Saturday March 23 from 9am to 2pm. Feel free to stop by and talk with us.
What’s your why?
Before you can decide your “what” or your “how”, you need to know your “why”? Learn more in the video below.
Before you can decide your “what” or your “how”, you need to know your “why”? Learn more in the video below.
Children’s Worship Aids
Whether you bring children to worship or not, you probably have noticed the small tree with rainbow bags hanging on it right next to the Welcome Center. These bags are provided for kids (of any age) to help them engage in worship more fully.
Whether you bring children to worship or not, you probably have noticed the small tree with rainbow bags hanging on it right next to the Welcome Center. These bags are provided for kids (of any age) to help them engage in worship more fully. Kids are more kinesthetic than adults, and often need something to keep their hands busy while they’re in worship. Teens and adults can be kinesthetic listeners too, and some might benefit from having a fidget, and drawing pad, or a knitting project in their hands while they listen to the sermon. Kinesthetic learners can actually process what they’re hearing better when their bodies are active, and kids are highly kinesthetic people!
The rainbow bags include crayons, pipe cleaners, blank pages, and coloring pages. There are also fidgets and stuffies available for kids to choose from. All of these items are neutral- blank slates with which kids can create their own experience of worship, rather than be distracted from worship. Right next to the bags, we keep a small rack of Bibles and seasonally appropriate books, as well as kids bulletins that follow the day’s worship theme. This is all available to help us live into our value of nurturing a Living Faith in our youngest worshippers. Just like older worshippers, kids are in church to have an experience of the living God, and to apply that experience to their lives. Having items that engage their hands and minds in unique ways tells kids that we value them and the experience they have in worship.
All of us are valued as a part of the worshiping community. What would help you engage better in worship? Should you sit closer to the front? Do you need an assistive listening device? Might you want to bring your knitting with you to keep your hands active? God welcomes us all where we are, and it is our job as the church to meet each other there, and to help each other have a joyful experience of the living God each time we worship together.
A Transformational Gift
January 28, 2024 was a joyful day in the life of St. Barnabas Lutheran Church. We worshipped together, had a productive congregational meeting and amazing brunch potluck, and we heard news of a transformational gift that had just been given.
January 28, 2024 was a joyful day in the life of St. Barnabas Lutheran Church. We worshipped together, had a productive congregational meeting and amazing brunch potluck, and we heard news of a transformational gift that had just been given by Austin and Dorothy Pryor.
Pastor Stephanie spoke of a time of discernment and listening as we seek to learn what God has in store for us next. Bill Welshons gave practical encouragement about what we can do to respond to this gift with gratitude and generosity.
Bill’s treasurer’s report includes the following:
The Pryor’s $1.2 million gift in addition to the $100,000 November gift will reduce our mortgage from $1.464 million to $163,632. It reduces the remaining payments from 95 to 12, the last one due in December of this year. It saves the congregation $332,000 in interest. Wow. This month, after making a $1.25 million principal payment and our monthly payment, our mortgage balance stands at $198,148.
How should the congregation of St. Barnabas Lutheran Church respond to the Pryor’s transformational gift, in addition to the overwhelming gratitude we feel?
The Church Council asks:
1. Please give the last 15 months of your Celebrate the Journey capital appeal as early as you are able. This will accelerate the final mortgage payment and the requisite celebration.
2. Give more to the Building Fund if you are so inspired. Any extra 2024 gifts will be used to strengthen the Building Reserve Fund.
3. For 2025 and onward, please “rollover” your expected building fund contributions into the General Fund. This is the transforming part of the Pryor’s gift. It transforms 7 years of mortgage payments into active, living, breathing, spiritual and social ministry. Imagine what that will look like!
While you begin praying and discerning where you think God is calling St. Barnabas next, please consider helping us eliminate our remaining mortgage debt as soon as possible! Let’s have a mortgage burning party before Pastor Jeff heads to England!
Click here to read the full 2023 Treasurer’s Annual Meeting Commentary.