From Avenue 
to Cloverleaf

1949

First Sunday of Advent, The Mission of the Good Shepherd is established with members from St. Paul’s Christ Church and St. Clement’s. We’re the first new congregation in the metropolitan area in more than 30 years.

1950

A building site is selected at the intersection of Highway 36 and North Hamline Avenue and the mission is dedicated to St. Christopher. Construction begins.

1951

The first services are held at the present site (September 15, 1951), boasting a congregation of 19 families and individuals.

1952

The congregation gains parish status.

1952-1968

The building is expanded three times, adding classrooms and the present sanctuary which is completed in the fall of 1968.

1968-1970

The State of Minnesota expands Highway 36, acquiring parish grounds as an approach, which imparts our moniker “St. Christopher’s in the Cloverleaf.”

1970s

Typical of first-ring suburbs, St. Christopher’s expands to capacity, boasting hundreds of children in our Sunday school program and hitting the peak of membership.

In the mid-70s, we begin our resettlement program to gain status as a national leader in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees. Our benevolence ministry is established and continues today, providing leadership, dollars and sweat equity to serve a variety of causes, including First Nations Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels.

1994

The Lower Narthex is completed, adding a new main entrance and providing handicapped accessibility to the entire complex.

2011

Today, our parish is comprised of more than 500 members, many who reside within a 5-mile radius of the church, while drawing others from more than 25 surrounding communities.

Clergy leadership is fairly long-tenured and has included:

  • The Rev. Vincent Anderson, vicar of the mission
  • The Rev. Gary Pielemeier, first rector who hired our first assistant priest
  • The Rev. Henry Hoover, third rector, led during a period of growth, with multiple clergy
  • The Rev. Ed Leidel, our fourth rector, was consecrated Bishop of Eastern Michigan in 1997
  • The Rev. Michael Hanley, our fifth rector, was consecrated Bishop of Oregon in 2010
  • The Rev. John F. Dwyer, our sixth and current rector

Lay leadership is a hallmark of our collective life and ministry, both within our parish and the Episcopal Church in Minnesota. Throughout our history, we’ve promoted and sustained lay involvement in all aspects of our parish life, as paid staff and through an expansive band of vibrant volunteers.