On St. Paul's East Side, at 1669 Arcade Street North, Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church has built a ministry that wraps around its neighborhood. Two Sunday services, a free Wednesday community supper followed by chapel worship, an Open Table meal shared with anyone who walks in, and a long-running partnership with Lutheran congregations in Iringa, Tanzania, are all part of the rhythm at GA. "Service to neighbor is at the heart of who we are," the congregation writes, and the building, the calendar, and the partnerships reflect that line.
Two Sunday Mornings Under One Roof
During the program year, GA offers two worship services on Sunday. At 9:00 a.m., the Sanctuary fills with traditional Lutheran liturgy drawn from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal: hymns, psalms, and choral anthems led by pipe organ, piano, and the Chancel Choir. A printed bulletin with all the notated music, readings, and prayers is provided to everyone in the room.
At 11:15 a.m., the gathering moves next door to Luther Hall for New Life Worship, which keeps the Lutheran shape of liturgy while trading formal hymns for contemporary worship songs. The service is led by a smaller group of vocalists along with guitar, electric bass, keyboard, and percussion, and the words to music and prayer are projected on a screen. A worship supplement is provided.
Both Sunday services offer communion to everyone who wishes to receive it. In the summer, the two services fold into a single 10:00 a.m. worship with a rotating schedule. Most services are offered in person and through a livestream on the church's YouTube channel.
Visitors are welcome to come as they are. "People are welcome to dress however they wish," the congregation explains; "some dress formally while others wear jeans. We want you to be comfortable so that you can be engaged with us."
Wednesday Nights Begin at the Table
The middle of the week has its own rhythm at GA. At 5:00 p.m., the fellowship hall fills with the clatter of serving spoons and conversation as Open Table, a free community meal prepared, cooked, and served by people in the congregation, opens to neighbors from across the East Side. Around the tables, lives are shared, joys are celebrated, and people help one another. A takeout option runs through a drive-through line, and extras are often picked up and delivered to friends and neighbors who cannot easily leave home. Everyone is welcome, whether coming alone, with family, or to meet a friend.
At 6:00 p.m., the chapel hosts a half-hour Wednesday Evening Worship. The services draw from Lutheran settings such as Holden Evening Prayer by Marty Haugen and Joyous Light by Ray Makeever, along with services developed by the worship planning team. Music is led by piano or guitar, and the tone is intentionally community-focused. Some Wednesday evening services also include communion.
At 6:45 p.m., the Chancel Choir gathers for rehearsal. The 25 to 30 member ensemble sings anthems in styles that range from Mozart to Pote, Fauré to Cherwien, and Dawson to Hagenberg. Rehearsal is open to anyone who loves to sing, high school age and older; the ability to read music is helpful but not required.
Children, Youth, and Families
Children and youth are woven into the life of the congregation from birth through high school.
- Frolic Families is a gathering for the youngest children and the adults who love them. Through stories, play, conversation, and community, families connect with one another while exploring faith together. Frolic Families typically meets on the first Sunday of each month between worship services in the church library.
- Sunday School for kindergarten through fifth grade meets each Sunday during the program year between worship services, in a classroom space built for engaged learning.
- Confirmation invites middle schoolers in grades 6 through 8 to explore faith more deeply, ask honest questions, and discover what it means to follow Jesus in everyday life. Classes meet between worship services in the youth room.
- High School Ministry continues that journey for grades 9 through 12, with service opportunities, leadership roles, fellowship events, and meaningful conversations.
In the summer, the congregation hosts Vacation Bible School for preschool and elementary children, a week of learning, music, games, and faith formation supported by the whole congregation. Middle and high school youth take part in service projects, special events, and activities that strengthen friendships and deepen their connection to God and their community, and the congregation travels to Camp Onomia for Bible camp.
Adults Around the Tables and the Stacks
Adults at GA have several ways to keep learning alongside one another. Table Talk meets Sunday mornings at 10:15 a.m. between worship services during the program year (September through May). Staff and guests present on a wide range of topics, followed by group discussion. Past subjects have included responding to Christian nationalism, ELCA worship, what it means to be a Reconciling in Christ congregation, storytelling and poetry, and the legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Bible Study gathers weekly on Wednesday mornings at 11:00 a.m. The texts studied most often follow the Revised Common Lectionary.
Smaller groups fill out the calendar with their own steady rhythms:
- Work Crew meets at the church on the first Saturday of each month at 9:00 a.m. to work on projects around the building.
- Lunch Bunch gathers on the first Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Olive Garden in Maplewood.
- Game Day falls on the second Wednesday of every month, with lunch at 12:15 p.m. followed by board and card games such as chess, backgammon, and cribbage.
- Brewing Faith meets on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at Jimmy's in Vadnais Heights for a meal and a theological conversation.
- Care Cards and Coffee gathers on the third Wednesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. to write cards to members of the community who need encouragement and support.
Music Across the Building
Music is central to the congregation's identity. The Chancel Choir anchors Sanctuary Worship with anthems in styles that range from Mozart and Fauré to contemporary writers like Pote, Cherwien, and Hagenberg. The New Life Band leads the contemporary service with guitar, electric bass, keyboard, vocalists, and percussion, and has featured woodwind, strings, and mandoline in the past. The ensemble typically rehearses on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and welcomes musicians of all ages and backgrounds. Music spans worship songs by writers like David Crowder and Chris Tomlin, gospel music both current and historic, and folk hymns with updated instrumentation.
The Handbell Ensemble rings three octaves of bells and meets on a project basis, typically four to six rehearsals plus a Sunday of playing in worship, and welcomes both youth and adults. Solo vocalists and instrumentalists of all ages are featured throughout the year as Special Music, especially in the summer.
A Building Shared with the Neighborhood
One of the distinctive features of Gustavus Adolphus is the variety of community organizations that use its building at 1669 Arcade Street North.
Merrick Community Services, one of the oldest nonprofit agencies in Ramsey County, runs Employment and Career Services, Family and Community Services, a Food Shelf, and Meals on Wheels from inside the building. To reach Merrick, visitors enter through Door Four on the northwest corner of the building. The food shelf is open Mondays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Monarch Montessori, a nonprofit Montessori school accessible to families of all incomes, and Kaleidoscope Learning, a Family Resource Center serving families with children from birth through age six, share Door One on the south side of the building. Visitors are asked to park in the south parking lot, accessed from Idaho Avenue. Kaleidoscope is open weekdays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
Other partners who use the building regularly include Ebenezer Pentecostés, Elohim Church, Iglesia Evangélica Apóstoles, Gospel Baptist, the St. Paul Civic Orchestra, the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony, Scout and Den Troop 25, and Sons of Norway.
Walking with Neighbors on the East Side
From its earliest years, the congregation helped create and support local hospitals, schools, and care centers for the elderly. That same thread runs through the partnerships GA sustains today.
Members volunteer with Every Meal, packing weekend bags of nutritious food for students at Farnsworth and Txuj Ci HMong schools on the East Side, so children return to class on Mondays ready to learn.
Through Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, the congregation supports the Center for Changing Lives on University Avenue, supplying Christmas gifts for residents, collecting cleaning supplies, and providing ongoing items needed by people in transition.
The congregation also partners with Lyngblomsten, the East Side care center for older adults, and participates in the East Side Collaborative, a partnership of nearby ELCA congregations.
Several times a year, the fellowship hall and grounds fill with volunteers for Meals from the Heart food packing events, which produce tens of thousands of meals distributed through food shelves in Minnesota and surrounding states, with many of those meals brought directly to Merrick Community Services to feed East Side neighbors.
A Long Partnership Across the Ocean
For many years, Gustavus Adolphus has shared a partnership called Bega Kwa Bega, "shoulder to shoulder," with two Lutheran congregations in Iringa, Tanzania: Kipenzelo and Igangidung'u. Members have visited partners in Tanzania, learning from one another through worship, conversation, and shared experiences.
The congregation supports secondary school scholarships for students from the partner congregations. Members also join Lutherans across the country in supporting ELCA World Hunger, a ministry that addresses the root causes of hunger and poverty through clean water initiatives, microloans, agricultural development, disaster response, and advocacy.
Reconciling in Christ
In January 2026, the congregation unanimously voted to become a Reconciling in Christ congregation. The welcome statement that flows from that vote names a broad, explicit commitment:
"Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church is a congregation committed to the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ for every person. All people who attend our worship services and events are welcome, regardless of age, race, citizenship, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, family status, sexual orientation, physical abilities, mental abilities, or where they are on their faith journey."
Membership is based on baptism and an expressed desire to be part of this congregation, though membership is not required to participate in the journey of faith. Members and friends together commit to the ongoing work of anti-racism, serving neighbors, and embodying the grace and unconditional love of God for all creation.
Four core values shape that life together: grow in spiritual vitality; worship creatively and faithfully together; embrace our wonder; and build authentic Christian relationships.
Weddings, Baptisms, and Funerals
Weddings, baptisms, and funerals are open to all people at Gustavus Adolphus, including those without a church home. As a Reconciling in Christ congregation, the church welcomes couples of all identities and orientations for weddings; couples interested in having a pastor of GA officiate can complete a wedding request form, and those who already have an officiant but need space can complete an event request form.
Baptisms are likewise open to anyone wishing to receive the sacrament, whether an adult or a child. Two to four sponsors take part in the baptismal service, making vows to support the baptized in learning about the Christian faith.
For funerals, the church simply asks families to be in touch. There is no form to fill out, only a conversation about how the congregation can walk alongside a family in grief.
Visiting, Giving, and Staying Connected
First-time visitors can find a short introduction on the New Here page, with videos that walk through what to expect on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings.
Worship services can be joined in person or watched online. A livestream is offered through the church's YouTube channel, and bulletins and announcements are posted there as well. Past services are archived on the channel for later viewing.
Support for the congregation's ministries comes entirely from voluntary gifts. Contributions can be made by mail to the church address, in the offering plate at worship, online through the giving page, or by texting the dollar amount to a designated number.
The building is also available to rent for neighbors planning special events such as showers, recitals, and community gatherings. For-profit groups are not eligible to use the space.