Outreach

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 two new mission starts under development:

Pueblo de Fe, St. Paul
Pueblo de Fe grew out of Holy Trinity-San Martin Lutheran, which voted last spring 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 the Rev. Juan Fernandez and worships in Neighborhood House.

Pueblo de Esperanza, St. Paul
An outreach team has been working to identify and invite Latinos of low income in the Payne/Phalen neighborhood on the East Side of St. Paul into small worshiping communities. The team hopes to raise up by June 2009 a worshiping community of eight cell groups with indigenous leaders at their core.

Light of the World Lutheran Church, Farmington
Light of the World Lutheran Church, Farmington, is a mission start under the leadership of the Rev. Deb Stehlin, initiated by the Dakota County Partners: Shepherd of the Valley, Apple Valley; Easter, Eagan; Hosanna!, Lakeville; Grace, Apple Valley; and Community of Hope, Rosemount.The congregation worships at 10 a.m. at North Trail Elementary School at 170th St. and Pilot Knob. The street address is 5580 170th St. West, Farmington, 55024.

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 PM, 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 Liao Bin at 651.784.7278, liao_bin@hotmail.com or Rev. Shen Lin at 651-642-0992, shenlin@comcast.net or at Joy group of www.FaithChineseChurch.org.

For additional information, contact the Rev. Ralph Baumgartner, bishop’s associate, at ralph.baumgartner@spas-elca.org.