Our Life Together
Church is more than Sunday worship! Life at Pilgrim is vibrant and full of opportunities to connect, get involved, and do the work of the Church in the world.
A HOME FOR EVERY SEASON
all ages ministry
Children & Youth
Families in Faith (toddlers-grade 6)
Families in Faith Classes are shared experiences for children and their parents/caregivers to learn faith practices together. There is one class for each year of a child’s life from Toddlers-6th grade, as well as an all-ages Communion Education/Worship experience, led by Pastor Jen. K-6th grade Families in Faith classes take place on Wednesday Evenings in concert with children’s choir rehearsal times. Pizza will be available 15 minutes before class begins. Toddler-PreK classes take place on Sunday mornings at 8:30 am before worship. There will then be a blessing shared during 9:30 am worship the following Sunday for K-6 and that same Sunday for Toddlers-PreK. Children and families will receive a gift and materials at home in advance of Families in Faith classes. Siblings, grandparents, godparents, etc. are welcome to join in!
Sunday School (preK-grade 5)
Pilgrim offers Sunday School during the school year for kids in preschool through 5th grade. Classes take place on Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:30 am in a divided space. Each week, students and leaders will gather together to explore a story from the Bible through storytelling, games, and crafts.
Middle School Pathways (grades 6-8)
Middle School youth meet Sunday mornings in the new middle school room from 10:45 to 11:30 am each week. Middle School youth and their leaders will dive deeper into the stories that shape our faith, including church history, current social justice issues, the Bible as our foundational sacred text, and our current favorite literature, movies, and tv shows.
Deep Dive Confirmation (grades 7-8)
Deep Dive Confirmation offers 6th-8th graders a special and engaging experience as they journey toward confirmation. It is one Sunday a month from 1:00-3:00 pm. Deep Dive is a collaboration of ELCA Lutheran congregations with the hope of connecting youth across congregation and engaging youth in field-trip immersion learning about the promises made to us by God in Baptism. Activities include an Our Whole Lives retreat, a trip to see a Christmas program, and outings and conversations around redlining, caring for elders, and learning from refugees. Regular attendance is expected by those who register. When we go to Deep Dive, please bring your own lunch so we can eat with everyone as our time begins. Parents and Caregivers will assist with transportation and the activities on site.
Confirmation Capstone (grade 9)
Students wishing to confirm their baptism will be given the opportunity in the spring of their 9th grade year. In addition to regular attendance at middle and high school Pathways and at Deep Dive confirmation in the time leading up to Confirmation Sunday, confirmands will have faith conversations with caring faithful adults, a capstone conversation with Pastor Jen Rome, faith field trips to learn about other faith traditions, and a special session during the spring high school retreat to prepare.
High School Pathways (grades 9-12)
High School youth meet Sunday mornings in the youth room every week from 10:45-11:30. Together we’ll deepen our faith and walk together through the many transitions these four years bring, from confirmation (spring of 9th grade) to graduation and everything in between on the journey to adulthood.
Contact Micki Nyland for more information at mickinyland@pilgrimstpaul.org or 651-699-6886.
Young Adults
More Than Happy Hour is a once-a-month space for young adults to gather and talk about life, church, and the world. We focus on a discussion theme. Anyone and everyone is welcome or bring a conversation topic. Pilgrim picks up the tab!
Contact Pastor Jen Rome for more information at pastorjenrome@pilgrimstpaul.org or 651-699-6886.
Adults
Faith Formation is key in our pilgrimage as “hungry minds and souls.” We believe that all people of all ages are continually growing in faith and being shaped on the journey. We invite all pilgrims—adult, youth, and children—to take part in the various opportunities offered to help nurture a living faith, including Sunday Morning Forums, a variety of topic-oriented small groups, and occasional retreats and pilgrimages.
Contact Pastor Jen Rome for more information at pastorjenrome@pilgrimstpaul.org or 651-699-6886.
A HOME FOR ALL GOD'S PEOPLE
justice, equity, & the global church
Advocates for Racial Equity
Pilgrim's Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE) team works to overcome white supremacy by aligning with Pilgrim’s “Mission of Outreach and Welcome” and “Doing Justice” as we live out the counterculture values of the gospel through education, relationship building and advocacy.
For more information, contact Joan Haan at jmbhaan@outlook.com, Penny Bartz at pennybartz@gmail.com, or Anne Hall at hall.anne@gmail.com.
In My Neighborhood
Pilgrims are invited to contribute to a fund for reparations directed specifically to respond to inequities in homeownership for BIPOC families. The drive for reparations begins with those who wish to repair the breach acknowledging and apologizing for the personal and impersonal, systematic wrongs done by them or in their name. With the leadership of the ARE team, Pilgrim has begun the process of making reparations for its tacit participation in the system of housing segregation by committing to a collaborative relationship with Model Cities, a St. Paul-based non-profit, including a financial contribution.
Contact Katia McDonough for more information at katiamcd@icloud.com.
ISAIAH
ISAIAH is a multi-racial, state-wide, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities, Black barbershops, childcare centers, and other community based constituencies fighting for racial and economic justice in Minnesota. The Pilgrim Isaiah Core Team supports the community in activism, organizing and political action. Read more about ISAIAH at isaiahmn.org.
For more information, contact Joan Haan at jmbhaan@outlook.com or Drew Johnson at drew.johnson10@gmail.com
Joint Church Anti-Racism Team
JCART, the Joint Church Anti-Racism Team, is a collaborative effort of study and action of four congregations in proximity: Pilgrim Lutheran Church, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Fairmount United Methodist Church, and Mac Plymouth United Church. Current topic is Indigenous/Native understanding and issues.
Contact Will Mitchell for more information at mitchellmitchell@gmail.com.
Land Acknowledgement Statement
Pilgrim's ARE team developed this land acknowledgement statement to acknowledge the traditional Indigenous inhabitants of the land we are on, inspiring us towards ongoing awareness and action, living more fully into our call to justice based on the gospel and faith. There are two versions, a shortened version shared below and a longer version available here.
This land is not just this address. From time immemorial the Dakota people’s lives and stories have been woven together with this land. Let us take a moment of silence to honor the Dakota people, their heritage and resiliency.
Reconciling in Christ
Pilgrim is a Reconciling in Christ church, which includes a partnership with Reconciling Works, a ministry devoted to welcoming, celebrating, and advocating for the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Lutheran faith communities.
Learn more at reconcilingworks.org.
Pilgrims Caring for Creation
The Pilgrims Caring for Creation group leads the Pilgrim community in expressing its commitment to be stewards of God's whole creation. We express this commitment, in part, by being a "Caring for Creation" Congregation, as designiated by Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light. This commitment begins in our own church building and in our own backyards, and extends around the globe. Pilgrims Caring for Creation has led efforts to reduce material and energy waste on our church campus. They have also sponsored education and public events on issues of environmental justice.
Contact Kris Grangard for more information at ktbd4@comcast.net.
Tanzania Sister Congregation
The Lutheran Church through the St. Paul Area Synod has been working with the Iringa Diocese of Tanzania for over 30 years. Pilgrim has had a partnership with Luganga Lutheran since 2002. Pilgrim prays for and corresponds regularly with our sister congregation, Luganga Luthern in Tanzania. Pilgrim members also provide financial support for things such as school tuition for children of Luganga.
Contact Coralie Hunter for more information at coraliehntr@gmail.com.
A HOME FOR CREATIVES
contemplative worship, music, & art
Choirs
Chancel Choir
A non-auditioned choir of adults of all ages, rehearsing three Wednesdays a month (early September through early June). The choir sings at least three Sunday mornings every month, as well as special services such as Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday. Our repertoire comes from a variety of church music from around the world, with an emphasis on traditional and classical music of moderate difficulty.
Y'All Come Choir
During several Sundays of the year, any singers who can read music are invited to show up before the scheduled service time to learn an easy piece of music on the spot. These opportunities are advertised in the our newsletter and other publications.
Contemplative Choir
An ecumenical choir for tenors and basses, occasionally leading evening worship at Pilgrim Lutheran Church and around the Twin Cities. Auditions by appointment. Contact the director, Paul Stever, for more information, including the upcoming season schedule. Recordings of some past services and streaming for upcoming services can also be found at facebook.com/PilgrimStPaul.
Children's Choirs
Children's Choirs rehearse on Wednesdays and sing occasionally for worship. Our children are such an important part of our music and worship life! Please see our newsletters and other publications for details on when choirs resume meeting or contact the director with any questions.
Choral Scholars
Pilgrim's music programming is also supported by a number of Choral Scholars. For information about the program or to apply, please click here for a one-page description of the opportunity.
Contact Paul Stever for more information at steverpaul55@aol.com.
Public Art
Pilgrim's public art group is a multi-generational group who are organizing the creation of a public art piece for Pilgrim. We were given grant funds by the Riverside Innovation Hub to innovate new connections with young adults and our neighborhood. We worked with Public Art Saint Paul to choose two local artists and develop a concept to transform Pilgrim's west lawn into an eye-catching artistic worship space. We plan to complete this project in November 2021, coinciding with the church's centennial celebrations.
Contact Claire Kaiser for more information at kaise364@umn.edu.
A HOME FOR COMMUNITY
shared ministry
Committees & Shared Ministry Interest Groups
Pilgrim practices “shared ministry,“ affirming that each member of this community is a minister both within and beyond the walls of the church, which we affirm in baptism. We partner with one another and with the wider ELCA to walk together in this journey of faith. We agree to share the decision-making responsibilities of being a church, as well as the joy of serving in mission, side-by-side. We welcome all to become involved through the use of their abilities, time, and resources. Every program, group, or emphasis within our congregation is sustained by the involvement of the ministers of the Pilgrim community.
Click here to learn more about Pilgrim's committees & shared ministry interest groups.
Book Clubs
Classics for Pilgrims
The Classics for Pilgrims meets nine times a year, September through June, on the fourth Thursday of the month from 7-8:30 pm. The November meeting is adjusted around Thanksgiving and there is no meeting in December. Members select the titles for the following session each May. The books chosen are 50+ years old and considered classics. All Pilgrims are welcome to participate as their schedule allows.
Contact Barbara Taylor for more information at bstaylor50@gmail.com or 651-699-1095.
Book Club
The Pilgrim Book Club meets monthly on the third Thursday of the month, August through June, to discuss books from a wide range of topics, authors, and genres. See the 2022-23 reading list here.
Contact Lynda Hirschboeck for more information at hirschbo@gmail.com.
Men's Breakfast
Men's breakfast is a monthly conclave that has been on-going for more than 22 years. We gather on the first Monday, except Monday holidays, at Highland Cafe & Bakery on Ford Pkwy, at 8:00 am. There is no agenda other than fellowship and connecting with fellow Pilgrims. No RSVP required. Join us for a chat over breakfast.
Contact Mark Hirschboeck for more information at mhhirschboeck@gmail.com or 651-214-0278.
Pilgrim Mamas
All those who identify themselves as mamas from Pilgrim are invited to a Pilgrim Mamas get together approximately once a month in the later evening.
Contact Kirsten Anderson for more information at kirsten.m.anderson@me.com.
Volunteer Opportunities
Pilgrim practices shared ministry, which means that we affirm that each member of this community is a minister both within and beyond the walls of the church, which we affirm in baptism. We partner with one another and with the wider ELCA to walk together in this journey of faith. We agree to share the decision-making responsibilities of being a church, as well as the joy of serving in mission, side-by-side. We welcome all to become involved through the use of their abilities, time, and resources. Every program, group, or emphasis within our congregation is sustained by the involvement of the ministers of the Pilgrim community.
>> Sign up to volunteer