The Harbor Church gathers at 11125 W. Point Douglas Road in Hastings, Minnesota, for worship every Sunday at 10 a.m. It is known for a shared practice of following Jesus together: growing in faith, gathering in community, and carrying Jesus' love into neighborhoods, the Twin Cities, and international mission work. Its welcome extends to singles, families, young and old: everyone is welcome. Three commitments organize the church's life: following Jesus, gathering together, and going together.
Following Jesus Together: A Common Heart, Vision, and Values
The community at The Harbor is built around a common heart, common vision, and common values. Members seek to grow deep in Jesus (Col. 2:6-7) and go into the world to make Him known (Acts 1:8), a practice the church places at the heart of following Jesus and making disciples. Its common heart is love for God and love for people. Its common vision is people from every nation, tribe, people, and language worshipping Jesus on the throne (Rev. 7:9).
The five shared values turn that vision into everyday practice:
- Love for Jesus, expressed in prayer and worship.
- Love for the Word of God, expressed in meditation and obedience.
- Love for one another, expressed in hospitality and practical care.
- Love for those without Jesus, expressed in communication and care.
- Loving team leadership, expressed in humility and transparency.
Each value links worship and obedience to the Bible with hospitality, practical care, communication, service, humility, and transparency. The church measures spiritual growth not only in what people know, but also in how they love, serve, and make Jesus known.
Sunday at 10 on Point Douglas Road
Sunday morning is the center of The Harbor's rhythm. At 10 a.m., the large group gathers to worship God, study His Word, pray, and fellowship together. The emphasis is not on a single activity but on a shared week of spiritual formation. The church wants people to know Jesus more deeply, love one another in tangible ways, and carry that love beyond the church.
Children have their own classes at the same hour, so families can worship while their children are taught and cared for. Baptism is also part of the church's life. It is described as a public celebration of a decision to follow Jesus, and a short required class explains what baptism means, what to expect, and how to prepare.
For people who cannot attend in person, the church shares worship content through its YouTube channel and a sermon video playlist.
The Lighthouse: Children Rooted in the Word
The Harbor calls its Sunday School classrooms The Lighthouse. The name carries the church's vision for children: become a beacon for Jesus, be rooted in the Word, be guided by loving and caring adults, and impact neighborhoods through active service. The Lighthouse has four Sunday classrooms at 10 a.m.: nursery for children from birth to walking age, toddlers for walking-age 2, preschool for ages 3-4, and student classes for kindergarten through fifth grade.
The children's ministry has four connected aims:
- Discipleship: equipping children to walk closely with Jesus.
- Beacons: training children to lead by godly example.
- Community: helping children impact their neighborhoods through active service.
- Visibility: showing Christ's love boldly without fear.
On Wednesdays during the school year, Awana adds Bible-centered learning for ages 2-18. Puggles serves children ages 2-3 with playful activities, songs, crafts, and take-home resources. Cubbies serves ages 4-5 with picture teaching cards, handbooks, games, and foundational truths about God, Jesus, and salvation. Sparks serves kindergarten through second grade with Scripture, Bible biographies, verse memory, and handbook activities. Truth & Training serves third through sixth grade with four years of material about God's character, the Bible, redemption, and the practices of following Jesus. The goal is for children to know, love, and serve Jesus while families are equipped to strengthen those lessons at home.
Harbor Youth Nights
Harbor Youth serves students in grades 6-12. Youth Nights run from 6:00 to 8:15 p.m. on Wednesdays, with the cafe opening at 6:00. The schedule includes games, worship, biblical teaching, and small groups. Its three-part pattern is Connect, Belong, Grow.
Harbor Youth describes itself as a safe place for young people to find belonging, discover who Jesus is, how much he loves them, and how to live and serve him. The ministry is committed to helping students stand strong in faith, remain rooted in Jesus, and share his love with others by the power of the Holy Spirit. Its purpose reaches both young people within the church and those beyond its doors.
Community Groups for Growing and Going
Midweek community groups gather every other week to worship, study God's Word, pray, and fellowship together. The church teaches that spiritual growth is not meant to happen alone. Remaining connected to Jesus produces fruit in character and in a desire to make Jesus known, while connection with other Christians creates a setting for personal discipleship and disciple-making.
This conviction shapes The Harbor's approach to groups. They are places for worship, study, prayer, service, and the practical experience of Christian community. The pattern reflects Hebrews 10:24-25, where believers are encouraged to spur one another toward love and good deeds rather than giving up meeting together. Discipleship is also a dedicated ministry under Pastor Jill Boche, helping the church pursue growth in Jesus beyond the Sunday gathering.
Going Together: Mission Trips and Local Service
Going together is the third part of The Harbor's life. The church offers opportunities to reach people with the love of Jesus through neighborhood and city outreach, shared activities, local service, and world missions. Short-term mission opportunities have taken members to Costa Rica, Kenya, India, and South Dakota, with the church continuing to seek ways to participate in God's mission in the city and beyond.
Monthly Meal Service in St. Paul
As part of Loaves and Fishes outreach, volunteers serve dinner whenever a month has a fifth Monday. The serving location is St. Matthew's Church and School, just south of downtown St. Paul. Dinner is served from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., with typically 300-360 guests. Those served include people experiencing homelessness, seniors, and individuals and families facing food insecurity in nearby neighborhoods and communities.
Volunteers arrive at 2:30 p.m. for meal preparation, join orientation and final setup at 4:30 p.m., and then serve dinner. Cleanup and washing of cooking and serving dishes continue from 6:00 p.m. until the team finishes at 7:00 p.m. A baseball cap or a provided hairnet is required for compliance with food-service requirements.
Days for Girls and a Pickleball Club
Days for Girls distributes kits containing feminine products for girls and women around the world, with the aim of helping them stay in school, feel confident and beautiful, and realize their potential. The drop-in is held in the Harbor Youth Room on the first Tuesday of every month from noon to 2:00 p.m.
The Harbor Pickleball Club is another regular outreach gathering. It meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and is open to all players age 16 and older. No equipment is necessary, making it an approachable activity for the community.
Elders, Board, and a Network of Support
Harbor is overseen by an elder team and a church board. Oversight is established according to leadership gifts, divine call, and appointment. Elders are expected to imitate Jesus Christ's style of leadership, provide care, equip others, and teach biblically. Humility, servanthood, and transparency are central to their shared responsibilities.
The church board has official oversight of finances, Pine Harbor Christian Academy, and Kids Kare Center, the church's Christian day care, and reports regularly to the congregation. Scott Urban serves as PHCA principal and KKC director. Harbor also belongs to Harvest Network International, its covering association for resources and accountability. Local leaders have chosen counselors who provide regular third-party input and teaching, along with neutral intervention during crises.
The pastoral and ministry team includes:
- Dale Sisam, Interim Pastor
- Jill Boche, Discipleship Pastor
- Danelle Scherer, Children's Ministry Pastor
- Mike and Megan Wojcik, Youth Pastors
- Carl Bower, Missions Pastor
What The Harbor Teaches
Harbor's teaching begins with the Bible as the infallible Word of God and the final authority for doctrine, ministry, and life. The church confesses one God in three distinct, coequal, and coeternal persons: the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is fully God and fully man, lived a sinless life, and was physically resurrected. Salvation is a free gift that comes through a relationship with the living Jesus Christ, with repentance and faith, assurance through the Holy Spirit, and ongoing sanctification.
The church teaches a present and powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit, who convicts, regenerates, sanctifies, and empowers believers. Biblical spiritual gifts are to be exercised responsibly, boldly, and within scriptural guidelines, including speaking in tongues as a prayer language, while love is placed above more spectacular gifts. The Church is affirmed as the Body of Christ, with every person born of the Spirit an integral and gifted part of it.
Water baptism is a public confession of Christ and an act of obedience following faith, but it does not impart salvation. The Lord's Supper uses bread and wine or grape juice in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice and victory over sin, death, and evil. The church also affirms the historic Apostles' Creed, the physical return of Jesus Christ, heaven as the eternal dwelling place of believers, and hell as the eternal separation of those who reject God.
Its convictions also include marriage as a lifelong covenant between one biological man and one biological woman, male and female as immutable complementary genders, and protection of human life from conception to natural death. Healing of the sick is understood as a gift and sign included in Jesus' commission to His disciples.
A Life of Following, Gathering, and Going
Put simply, The Harbor Church is built around a shared rhythm: follow Jesus in His Word and obedience, gather in the large group and in community groups, and go out in service. Its center is Jesus, its pattern is togetherness, and its welcome remains broad. At 11125 W. Point Douglas Road in Hastings, people worship at 10 a.m. on Sunday, children and youth are discipled, and members extend hospitality to one another while carrying Jesus' love into their homes, neighborhoods, the Twin Cities, and the world. That is the continuing life of The Harbor Church: following Jesus, gathering together, and going together.