In the small town of Excelsior, Minnesota, on a tree-lined block of Third Street, the Congregational Church of Excelsior (CCoE) sits close to the center of community life. The congregation's own phrase for its calling is "the heart of God in the heart of Excelsior," a description that fits both the building and the way the people there reach inward and outward at once. A United Church of Christ (UCC) congregation with deep roots in the Congregational tradition, CCoE is open, affirming, and tied closely to the rhythms of its town.
Sundays at 10:00 AM
Worship is the heart of the week at CCoE. The Sunday service begins at 10:00 AM and runs under an hour, with "vibrant music, timeless texts, and creative preaching." The choir, directed by Peter Durow, sings most Sundays. Children are not separated off; they are welcomed into the sanctuary, and the noise young worshipers make is part of the gathered community. Midway through the service, Senior Pastor Jonathan Holtmeier delivers the "Sermon on the Steps," a children's message from the chancel steps before younger worshipers head to their own programming. Communion is celebrated as an open table, open to everyone who wishes to participate.
Those who cannot be there in person can join the livestream on the church's YouTube channel. Past services are archived there as well. After the benediction, the congregation lingers for fellowship and conversation.
An Inclusive, Open-Table Church
CCoE is explicit about welcome. The congregation describes itself as "an expression of God's love in the world," a place of "unconditional love" for all regardless of race, culture, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, ability, or socio-economic status. Members commit to five promises: to value one another as God values them, to listen carefully and respectfully, to recognize that unity in Christ is greater than differences, to approach church issues with a positive spirit, and to forgive one another as God forgives. As a United Church of Christ body, the church practices open communion.
Children, Youth, and Family Ministry
Anne Marie Ross, the Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, coordinates programming for the church's youngest members. Children's programming runs during the 10 AM Sunday service following the Sermon on the Steps. Beyond Sunday mornings, the church hosts special monthly gatherings for children, youth, and their families throughout the year, designed to weave families together across the rhythms of the church calendar.
Monday Night MIRACLES
Monday evenings belong to what was once called Recovery Alive and is now Monday Night MIRACLES, also called Monday Night Live. From 5:30 to 7:30 PM, the building hosts a combination of shared meal, Bible study, and recovery meeting. From 5:30 to 6:15, everyone is invited for food and fellowship on the main level. At 6:30 the group splits: Mike Poehler leads the "Alive in Christ" Bible study - recent series have walked through the Gospel of Mark - while a separate Alcoholics Anonymous meeting gathers in the lower-level conference room. The evening closes around 7:30.
Mission and Outreach: Pot Roasts, Quilts, and Food Shelves
Outreach at CCoE runs through a body called MAC (Mission and Community) and is anchored by long-standing relationships with several local and regional partners.
For more than thirty years, members have cooked and served a monthly hot dinner at Simpson Shelter in Minneapolis. Volunteers Gary Larson and Ross Rogney, joined by others from the church, are known to the shelter's residents for the monthly pot-roast suppers. Every other month, a separate team prepares and serves a nutritious dinner at Tree House in Minnetonka, an organization that reaches at-risk preteens and teens with love, support, and spiritual growth. The church also donates gift cards to Tree House's Christmas party each year and supports an annual Women of Hope Luncheon that benefits the same ministry.
Throughout the year, the church collects groceries and household items for the ICA Food Shelf (Intercongregation Communities Association) in nearby Hopkins. ICA provides a grocery-store-style setup, food deliveries, short-term financial help with rent and utilities, and employment assistance. Each Christmas, the narthex fills with a Mitten Tree hung with hand-knit scarves, hats, gloves, and mittens; the items are then given to an organization serving people without housing.
Beyond these named partners, CCoE also supports the American Red Cross, Feed My Starving Children, Meals on Wheels, Great Harvest Heartland, Resource West, Timber By Youth Camp, and various emergency relief efforts with both volunteer time and monetary giving.
Adults at Work and at Play
Two practical volunteer crews keep the building and grounds running. On Tuesdays at 9 AM, the Fix-It and Gardening Crew gathers for indoor maintenance, repairs, and grounds work. The group is intergenerational, with everyone participating "from young to old." On Mondays from 11 AM to 3 PM, the Threads of Love Quilters fill the church with the hum of sewing machines. For more than fifteen years, this group of "fabric artists" has made and donated nearly 300 quilts to recipients including the Crisis Nursery, People Serving People, and a number of women's shelters. All skill levels are welcome, and the sessions blend fellowship and service.
The Lundsten Circle gathers the women of the church for a bring-your-own-lunch meeting on alternating months, with dessert provided by a hostess and a program that ranges from travelogues and family histories to Bible-related topics. Three times a year the group enjoys lunch at a local restaurant instead.
Each fall, on a Saturday evening, the Harvest Dinner brings the congregation and their guests together for a home-cooked meal prepared by church chef Ross Rogney, with youth helping to serve. The evening opens with appetizers and a silent auction of donated items - hand-knit hats and scarves, original paintings, home-baked Christmas cookies delivered to the winner's door, and more.
Small Groups and Storytime
Smaller circles are part of the rhythm at CCoE as well. Dinner for Eight is a recurring small-group idea: hosts pick a date, provide the gathering space and a main dish, and guests bring a side. Janet Chambers and Jeffrey Pohl helped launch the most recent season, and the premise is simple - the dinners happen when members make them happen. Storytime, led by Pastor Jonathan, uses short stories - including work by writers such as Langston Hughes - to spark conversation about larger ideas.
Life Events at the Church
The historic church building hosts weddings, baptisms, recitals and other programs, and funeral services for both members and the wider community. Inquiries run through the church office.
Getting Connected, Giving, and Staying in Touch
CCoE has room for hands as well as hearts. Open volunteer slots include the Fixit Crew, Flowers and Gardens, the Choir, Community Outreach, Missions, Sunday Worship, Sunday School, and the Care Team. Online giving is available through a secure giving portal, and the church's weekly newsletter, The Mirror, keeps members and friends current on what is coming up and what has happened.
Leadership
The church's staff includes Senior Pastor Jonathan Holtmeier, Choir Director Peter Durow, and Anne Marie Ross as Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry. Andrea Hagen serves as Director of Operations. The elected Church Council, which meets roughly every other month and is open to anyone who wishes to attend, includes John DePaolis (Moderator), Nate Kabat (Treasurer), Jenny Rogers (Clerk), Mike Poehler, Janet Chambers, Jeffrey Pohl, Peggy Gomez, Matt Srnec, and Chris Targosz. The Council oversees the mission and affairs of the church.