An East Side Church with 140 Years of Story
Salem Lutheran Church sits on Riverside Drive SE in downtown St. Cloud, Minnesota, on the city's East Side. Founded in 1883 by Swedish immigrants who settled in the neighborhood, the congregation has called the East End home for more than 140 years. The church's mission is "Making Jesus Known" - a calling the congregation lives out in its heart and with its hands, both inside the building and across its neighborhood and the world.
Salem is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The congregation is intentionally tied to its diverse East End community and partners with the LuMin campus ministry at nearby St. Cloud State University. Children, youth, adults and senior citizens all have a place at Salem, and the church calls itself a "candle glowing from St. Cloud's East End to the world, welcoming all to the body of Christ."
Two Sunday Services, Two Styles of Worship
Salem offers two Sunday morning services during the program year. At 8:30 a.m., the Liturgical Worship service fills the Sanctuary with traditional Lutheran liturgy, the pipe organ and classic hymns. At 10:30 a.m., Sacred Space takes a more casual, coffeehouse-style approach that weaves contemporary music, art and poetry into the same liturgical roots. Both services include a children's sermon, weekly communion and the full hospitality of the congregation.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the two services combine into a single 9:30 a.m. worship. The Sanctuary features a stained-glass window as a central focal point, and the pipe organ anchors the liturgical service throughout the year.
Worshipers can join in person, follow along on YouTube (services are live-streamed and available on demand at youtube.com/@SalemLutheranChurch90), or listen live on WMIN at 101.1 FM or 1010 AM.
What Sundays Look Like for Visitors
Salem works hard to make first-time guests feel at home. Worship lasts about an hour. Attire ranges from Sunday best to jeans, leggings and shorts; visitors are welcome to come in whatever way they feel most comfortable.
The building is wheelchair-accessible, and hearing devices are available from the sound booth at the back of the Sanctuary. Children are always welcome. A "prayground" gives young kids a place to play during worship, children's bulletins are available for older ones, and a children's sermon is offered each week. Parents of infants are invited to do whatever helps their family feel settled and to reach out to the pastor about baptism preparation when they are ready.
Weekly communion is offered at both services. Gluten-free and alcohol-free elements are available, and the servers will bring communion to anyone who cannot easily come to the front. Visitors who are not yet ready to receive communion are invited to cross their arms over their chest to receive a blessing.
A Heritage Rooted in Sweden: The Santa Lucia Festival of Lights
Salem's Scandinavian roots are most visible each December during the Santa Lucia Festival of Lights. Held on the second Sunday of the month, the festival celebrates the legend of St. Lucy, a young Sicilian martyr whose story traveled north to Sweden and became a symbol of light arriving on the darkest day of the year. Dressed in white with a crown of candles, the festival's Lucia figure has been a beloved Salem tradition for more than 75 years.
The festival includes traditional costumes, choral music and a candlelit procession that fills the Sanctuary. Visitors from across central Minnesota regularly attend, and the celebration brings light, warmth and nourishment to the wider community each Advent.
Music as a Cornerstone of Worship
Music is woven into nearly everything Salem does. The church believes music is a gift from God to the world and has the power to heal, and three musical groups lead worship throughout the year:
- Sanctuary Choir, directed by Stephanie Otremba, sings traditional four-part harmony choral music.
- Praise Team, coordinated by Innovative Worship Coordinator Naomi Dykeman, offers a more contemporary sound with singers, guitar, keyboard and percussion.
- Hallelujah Handbells, directed by Lori Potter, fills the Sanctuary with bell tones for special services.
Dr. Marcelyn Smale serves as Lead Organist. Special music is featured at Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, All Saints Sunday, Pentecost and Reformation, and musicians of all ages - adults, youth and children - are welcome to join the choirs and ensembles.
Children, Youth and the Next Generation
Salem's Children & Family Ministry serves kids from preschool through sixth grade. Sunday school teaches the basics of the Bible and the Lutheran faith in age-appropriate ways. The congregation has built a careful safety program: teachers and chaperones complete background checks and training, sign a safety covenant and welcome parents to observe at any time.
Confirmation is offered for seventh grade and up, and a high school youth group gathers students in grades 9 through 12. Confirmation students write faith statements as part of their work, and youth are also represented on the church council. Scholarships are available for camps and retreats.
The LuMin campus ministry at St. Cloud State University extends Salem's reach to college students and young adults. Monthly gatherings include themes like Worship & Waffles, Pride Worship and the Blessing of the Bicycles. Steven Roenfeldt coordinates Salem's young adult and campus ministry work through LuMin.
Seniors Stay Connected Through ABA55
Salem's senior ministry, called ABA55 (Awesome Beyond Age 55), plans monthly events for retirees - everything from fellowship outings to volunteer projects. Caring Ministry Coordinator Rev. Gabin Gitangwa organizes home and hospital visits for members who can no longer attend in person and brings communion to those who need it. ABA55 highlights daytime opportunities to worship, volunteer and build community, and offers chances to mentor children and youth through intergenerational programs.
Serving the East End and the World
Salem's outreach stretches from the streets of St. Cloud's East Side to partners across the globe. The congregation hosts a monthly pop-up discount grocery called Fare For All, run in partnership with The Food Group. Held at the church one Monday each month from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., the program offers frozen meat and fresh produce at up to 40 percent off retail prices, accepts EBT, credit, debit and cash, and is open to anyone - no income or residency requirements.
Each month, Salem also opens its doors for the St. Cloud Community Drum Circle, a free, no-agenda gathering held the second Sunday of the month from 1 to 2 p.m. Percussion instruments are provided, all ages are welcome, and no experience or RSVP is required.
Beyond its own walls, Salem's missions include assembling school kits and quilts for Lutheran World Relief, rolling bandages for Global Health Ministries, organizing blood drives, neighborhood trash and leaf pickup, and partnering with Orongo Widows and Orphans, Lincoln Center, Feeding Area Children Together (FACT), Terebinth Refuge, neighborhood schools, Lutheran Social Services Refugee Services, and other local congregations on issues like the Ramadan Date Project, housing and infrastructure. Salem describes its work in the words of the ELCA motto, "God's Work, Our Hands."
A Safe and Affirming Community for All
Salem is intentional about being a place where everyone can worship in peace. The church is a Reconciling in Christ community through its partnership with LuMin, and the congregation explicitly welcomes LGBTQIA+ members. Salem co-hosts St. Cloud Pride and the Peace Walk, hosts an annual Pride Worship service, and notes that affirming messages are woven into sermons, children's programming and youth events. LGBTQ+ representation is present on staff, council and in the congregation itself.
The church also welcomes people of all ages, families of every shape and people of all colors, genders and sexual orientations to what the congregation calls "our communion." Salem is wheelchair-accessible, offers hearing assistance in the Sanctuary and provides gluten-free and alcohol-free communion elements. The building and its programs reflect a conviction that the body of Christ is at its best when it gathers across generations, backgrounds and identities.
Leading Salem Forward
Senior Pastor Rev. Kirsten Nelson Roenfeldt leads the congregation and serves as the primary contact for pastoral care, available by text or call at 320-200-9295. Rev. Gabin Gitangwa serves as Caring Ministry Coordinator, supporting home, hospital and communion visits. The music ministry is led by Sanctuary Choir Director Stephanie Otremba, Lead Organist Dr. Marcelyn Smale, Director of Handbells Lori Potter and Innovative Worship Coordinator Naomi Dykeman. Steven Roenfeldt coordinates Salem's young adult and campus ministry work through LuMin at St. Cloud State University.
The Salem Foundation and Getting Involved
Salem welcomes volunteers at every level of church life. Sign-up sheets for worship readers, greeters, ushers, Wednesday night servers, treat bakers and coffee hosts are posted on the bulletin board and online. Members can give through direct debit, one-time or recurring online gifts, or by mailing a check to the church office. Giving questions go to contact@salemstcloud.org.
The Salem Foundation, established in 1983, is a permanent endowment fund that supports the church's charitable, educational and religious ministries. The Foundation awards annual grants and scholarships, accepts legacy gifts and is governed by a separate board.
Salem Lutheran Church is open to anyone who walks through its doors. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday worship is held at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. during the program year, with a single 9:30 a.m. service during the summer. The building stands at 90 Riverside Drive SE in St. Cloud, where the church has welcomed its East End neighbors for more than 140 years.