We have been blessed with strong clergy leaders over the years; at the same time, lay leadership has been a hallmark of our collective life and ministry, both within our parish and the Episcopal Church in Minnesota.
1949-1968: First Sunday of Advent 1949, the Mission of the Good Shepherd was established with members from St. Paul’s Christ Church and St. Clement’s. Ours was first new Episcopal congregation in the metropolitan area in more than 30 years.
In 1950, a building site was selected at the intersection of Highway 36 and North Hamline Avenue and the mission was dedicated to St. Christopher. The first service took place on September 15, 1951. St. Christopher’s officially became a parish in 1952. The building expanded three times from 1952 to 1968.
During the 1960s, the church continued to grow; Sunday school children were estimated to be in the hundreds. Vacation Bible School (VBS) started and it continues today.
1970-1979: We began a resettlement program that made the parish a national leader in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees. Our Outreach ministry was established and it continues today, providing hands-on, collaborative work to serve a variety of causes, including Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and, many years later, First Nations Kitchen.
1980-1989: We ordained several people to the deaconate. The youth group took a mission trip to a Mexican orphanage. BeFrienders began as a support system for those who need help.
1990-2009: The new lower narthex added a new main entrance and provided handicapped accessibility to the entire complex. Liturgy, pastoral care and various congregationally focused activities took center stage. The parish celebrated its 50th anniversary. We added air conditioning to the main service space.
2010 and Beyond: In the 2010s, we began a Renewal Campaign. As part of the renewal efforts, we remodeled our main worship space to more clearly match the theology expressed in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. We purchased a pipe organ. We updated the kitchen to commercial grade and remodeled the parish hall. Paint, new carpeting facility wide, new lighting and new windows were also part of this renewal effort. We reconfigured our central courtyard to allow easier access and to correct serious drainage problems. We installed solar panels on the south side of the church’s peaked roof, with a cross created in the negative space of the solar panels.
We have begun to make our missional presence more clearly felt in the neighborhood where we are blessed to serve. We have a close partnership with our local food shelf, providing them with weekly offerings. During the growing season, we deliver vegetables to the food shelf at least weekly. We also offer a monthly free community dinner to all who are in any kind of need—food, companionship, community, etc.
Rectors:
1949-1968: First Sunday of Advent 1949, the Mission of the Good Shepherd was established with members from St. Paul’s Christ Church and St. Clement’s. Ours was first new Episcopal congregation in the metropolitan area in more than 30 years.
In 1950, a building site was selected at the intersection of Highway 36 and North Hamline Avenue and the mission was dedicated to St. Christopher. The first service took place on September 15, 1951. St. Christopher’s officially became a parish in 1952. The building expanded three times from 1952 to 1968.
During the 1960s, the church continued to grow; Sunday school children were estimated to be in the hundreds. Vacation Bible School (VBS) started and it continues today.
1970-1979: We began a resettlement program that made the parish a national leader in the resettlement of Vietnamese refugees. Our Outreach ministry was established and it continues today, providing hands-on, collaborative work to serve a variety of causes, including Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels and, many years later, First Nations Kitchen.
1980-1989: We ordained several people to the deaconate. The youth group took a mission trip to a Mexican orphanage. BeFrienders began as a support system for those who need help.
1990-2009: The new lower narthex added a new main entrance and provided handicapped accessibility to the entire complex. Liturgy, pastoral care and various congregationally focused activities took center stage. The parish celebrated its 50th anniversary. We added air conditioning to the main service space.
2010 and Beyond: In the 2010s, we began a Renewal Campaign. As part of the renewal efforts, we remodeled our main worship space to more clearly match the theology expressed in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. We purchased a pipe organ. We updated the kitchen to commercial grade and remodeled the parish hall. Paint, new carpeting facility wide, new lighting and new windows were also part of this renewal effort. We reconfigured our central courtyard to allow easier access and to correct serious drainage problems. We installed solar panels on the south side of the church’s peaked roof, with a cross created in the negative space of the solar panels.
We have begun to make our missional presence more clearly felt in the neighborhood where we are blessed to serve. We have a close partnership with our local food shelf, providing them with weekly offerings. During the growing season, we deliver vegetables to the food shelf at least weekly. We also offer a monthly free community dinner to all who are in any kind of need—food, companionship, community, etc.
Rectors:
- The Rev. Vincent Anderson, first rector, 1950-1957
- The Rev. Gary Pielemeier, second rector, 1957-1967
- The Rev. Henry Hoover, third rector, 1967-1984
- The Rev. Ed Leidel, fourth rector, 1986-1996 (consecrated Bishop of Eastern Michigan in 1997)
- The Rev. Michael Hanley, fifth rector, 1998-2010 (consecrated Bishop of Oregon in 2010)
- The Rev. John F. Dwyer, sixth rector 2011-2017
- The Rev. Randy W. Johnson, seventh rector, Began March 18, 2019.