At 600 Hopkins Crossroad in Minnetonka, just west of Minneapolis, Oak Knoll Lutheran Church gathers each Sunday morning around a motto drawn from Galatians 5: "Growing the Fruits of God's Kingdom." For more than ninety years, the congregation has described itself as a community seeking to live out love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and peace, and the fruits of that calling show up in a worship service filled with music from across the world, a Christian preschool and child care center serving families across the west metro, a robust children and youth program, and a long list of partnerships that stretch from a Twin Cities sandwich ministry to ten sponsored students in southeast India.
Sunday Worship at 9:30 am
Oak Knoll worships at a single Sunday service at 9:30 am, both in person in Minnetonka and through a livestream on its YouTube channel. The hour-long liturgy includes traditional elements of Lutheran worship - prayer, scripture reading, song, and a Gospel message - along with Holy Communion each week. All who attend are welcome to receive communion, including children; gluten-friendly wafers and grape juice are available for those who need them.
The service is grounded in seven "Fruits of the Spirit" commitments. The congregation enters God's story, confesses brokenness and receives forgiveness, places trust in the one who brought the world into being, shares joys and sorrows in prayer, offers time and resources for God's mission, celebrates the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, and is sent out to share God's love at work, in neighborhoods, at school, and everywhere else. After worship, coffee, treats, and conversation fill Fellowship Hall.
Visitors are encouraged to come as they are. The church's own welcome page says plainly: "Wear what makes you comfortable and dress as you who are. We believe that God cares more about the state of our hearts than the state of our attire." A family and gender-neutral restroom is available in the preschool wing, and a family lounge there offers a quiet space for nursing mothers.
A Sanctuary Built for Singing
Music is one of the most distinctive features of Oak Knoll's worship, and the sanctuary is built around it. The room's acoustic supports a Rodgers organ, a Yamaha grand piano, a Zuckerman harpsichord, two electric pianos, two upright pianos, a full set of handbells, and various percussion instruments. Music Director Matt Cerar and Music Minister Parker Degerness plan each Sunday as its own unique musical experience - one week may feature traditional hymns, European-style classical music, and choral singing; the next may include folk music, spirituals, gospel, or singer-songwriter pieces; another may bring music from Africa, Russia, or South Africa. Guest artists regularly enrich the liturgy with special music.
The music program is open to all who want to participate. The adult and teen choir rehearses Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, September through May, singing anthems and leading the congregation in hymnody. The handbell choir, directed by Beth Key, performs about four times a year and welcomes adults and teens. Cantors, soloists, and instrumentalists of any age are invited to share their gifts, and Sunday schoolers gather for a short music time each week that culminates in leading the music for the annual Christmas program. Volunteers who simply enjoy singing are encouraged to step forward.
Children in the Sanctuary and Beyond
Children are welcomed - and encouraged - in worship at Oak Knoll. A "Pray Ground" at the front of the sanctuary provides engaging activities so parents can worship alongside their children in a relational way. A children's area in Fellowship Hall offers another space filled with toys, with the service piped in over the speakers. A Children's Message is part of each worship service, and Sunday school for ages three through fifth grade is held during part of worship, with children returning in time for communion.
Sunday school runs from September through May. Children begin worship with their families and head to the Sunday school room right after the Children's Message. Registration and a current calendar are available online, and donations to the program can be made through the church's giving page.
Confirmation, Youth Events, and Summer Camp
Oak Knoll's confirmation program walks with sixth through eighth graders over three years, meeting Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. The night usually begins with a shared meal - often pizza - followed by a group song or activity, large-group learning, and small-group conversation. Parents, grandparents, and caregivers are treated as partners in the process, and students serve in various areas of the church while staying engaged in worship through a program called Worship Insights. The journey concludes on Reformation Sunday of the student's ninth-grade year with the public affirmation of baptism.
Confirmation and high school youth also gather monthly for events that mix pizza, games, volunteer opportunities, and offsite field trips. Each summer, the youth travel to Luther Crest Bible Camp in Alexandria, Minnesota, and Christikon in Montana for time outdoors, in community, and in faith formation. The congregation is also looking ahead to the 2027 ELCA National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis.
Adult Faith Formation Across the Week
The church offers a varied lineup of adult faith groups and Bible studies across the week.
- Pew Sisters meets Monday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 am in the Rose Room, September through May. This lay-led women's group uses book and Bible studies, opens each week with sharing, and spends the fall working through the Gospel of Matthew.
- Bible History Class meets Monday nights from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Rose Room for a six-week fall series on Old Testament history - from King Solomon through the prophets - combining readings, historical background, Jewish sources, class discussion, and video. Rick Johnson coordinates the class.
- Curious Readers is an online study that runs through email, with one question sent each week and members replying throughout the week. The first book of the new season is Richard Rohr's "The Divine Dance," with the central question of how a richer understanding of the Trinity might transform a relationship with God.
- Men's Breakfast gathers at Perkins on Highway 7 on the second Thursday of each month for pancakes and fellowship.
- Midweek Mix is a monthly gathering for adults of all stages, with coffee, treats, conversation, and engaging guests.
- The Quilting Group meets Wednesday mornings at 9:30 am for quilting, fellowship, and coffee and donuts. Quilts made here are blessed and shared internationally through Lutheran World Relief.
- The West Suburban Grief Coalition provides a free, welcoming place for those experiencing grief. The group rotates locations each quarter among its member churches, including Oak Knoll.
The church also produces a podcast called The Knoll, where members of the Oak Knoll community share stories of faith and devotion. It is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, and Acast.
Hands and Feet in the Community
Oak Knoll supports a wide network of local and global partners, with hands-on opportunities for every interest.
- ICA (Intercongregational Communities Association) has been helping neighbors who struggle to make ends meet for forty years. Oak Knoll donates food year-round and shares produce from its Sharing Garden, where volunteers plant, tend, and harvest crops that are donated locally. The congregation collected more than 1,000 pounds of food and supplies for ICA during a recent holiday season, and each spring the church supports March Food Share Month.
- Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative brings together more than one hundred congregations to advocate for stable, affordable housing. Oak Knoll members participate in rallies, legislative visits, and updates through a dedicated committee that follows Beacon's work at the State Capitol and in local councils.
- The Gathering meets twice a month at Oak Knoll to provide five hours of Alzheimer's respite care with activities for those experiencing memory loss and a break for their caregivers.
- The Sandwich Ministry prepares hundreds of sandwiches each month that are distributed to people experiencing homelessness on the streets and in shelters throughout the Twin Cities.
- Our Saviour's Housing provides emergency food and shelter, and Oak Knoll children and youth occasionally pack snack packs for residents.
- PCYC (Plymouth Christian Youth Center) in north Minneapolis receives an annual donation drive so children can shop for Christmas gifts for their families.
- Global Refuge welcomes and supports refugees and migrants entering the United States, helping newcomers with housing, employment, school, English classes, and medical care.
- LSS (Lutheran Social Services) provides housing assistance, financial and employment counseling, mental health counseling, and resettlement services across Minnesota.
- LWR (Lutheran World Relief) responds to sustainable development projects and international disasters; the Quilting Group's finished quilts are part of that work.
- LPGM (Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry) focuses on quality education for people at the margins, especially women and girls. Oak Knoll currently sponsors ten students in India through Project Education India, has supported libraries and English-plus programs, and sends a delegation to LPGM's travel trips to Guatemala, Tanzania, and India.
- Amazing Grace Lutheran Church in New Brighton was founded in 2018 to bring the Gospel to the Hmong community, and Oak Knoll supports its work.
Volunteering Around the Church
A long list of Sunday-morning and ongoing roles keeps the congregation running. Communion servers and setup volunteers, offering counters, prayer leaders, scripture readers, ushers, confirmation small group leaders, and Sunday school leaders are all needed. The Sharing Garden welcomes green thumbs for planting, tending, and harvesting, with crops donated to ICA. Communion setup volunteers are even encouraged to bake homemade bread, with the recipe available from the church office.
Oak Knoll Christian Preschool and Child Care
Since 2004, Oak Knoll Christian Preschool and Child Care has served families with young children, operating as a ministry of the church. The program welcomes children ages two through five and is open to children and families of all faiths. The preschool runs September through May from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm in three classrooms: Ladybugs (ages two to three), Butterflies (ages three to four), and Owls (ages four to five). Child care extends the day from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm and includes breakfast, morning and afternoon snacks, a weekly chapel on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, rest time, and lots of outdoor play.
The preschool is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and holds a four-star Parent Aware rating - the highest available - making scholarships accessible to qualifying families. Teachers use the Minnesota Early Childhood Indicators of Progress to plan developmentally appropriate activities, balancing teacher-guided instruction with child-led play in spaces designed for art, large motor play, and rest. Preschool Director Kathryn Glorvick leads a team of dedicated teachers and aides who model Christian values and show love and respect for others.
A Welcoming, Accessible Building
Oak Knoll's building is a single level and fully handicapped accessible. Reserved accessible parking is available near the entrances, large-print bulletins are offered each Sunday, and the sanctuary, Fellowship Hall, classrooms, and offices all sit on one floor. The family lounge in the preschool wing offers a quiet spot for nursing mothers, and the building's preschool wing includes a family and gender-neutral restroom.
Stewardship and Generosity
Generosity is woven into the life of Oak Knoll. The church's online giving accepts donations by credit card or electronic funds transfer, and cash and checks are welcome in the Sunday offering plate or by mail to the church office. For those considering non-cash gifts, the finance director can discuss stock, charitable trusts, and IRA giving. Designated giving is available for ministry partners, the Sunday School program, and other specific funds.
Pastors and Staff
Senior Pastor Jay Rudi and Pastor Michele Abbott share pastoral ministry at Oak Knoll, with Pastor Jay leading Men's Breakfast and Pastor Michele connecting with Pew Sisters and Curious Readers. Christina Black serves as Children, Youth, and Family Director. Matt Cerar is Music Director and Parker Degerness serves as Music Minister. Stephen Murray directs the church's livestream ministry, producing The Knoll podcast along with weekly video. Kathryn Glorvick directs Oak Knoll Christian Preschool and Child Care.
Oak Knoll Lutheran Church is located at 600 Hopkins Crossroad, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55305. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Worship is at 9:30 am each Sunday, in person and online.