A Half-Century on Groveland School Road
St. Luke Presbyterian Church sits on a quiet stretch of Groveland School Road in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a short walk from the elementary school that shares the name. The congregation traces its beginnings to the morning of October 13, 1957, when more than one hundred adults and children assembled for a first worship service. Fifty-two adults signed the charter, and an organizing worship service was held on June 29, 1958. From the beginning, St. Luke has described itself as a community committed to justice, peace, mercy, and humility.
That calling showed itself in concrete ways over the following decades. In the spring of 1971, the congregation asked what it meant to follow the Prince of Peace and sold Peace Bonds that raised more than $25,000 for North Vietnam relief through the American Red Cross. In 1975, members of St. Luke opened the St. Luke Community Co-op, a small storefront that addressed hunger by offering whole foods to neighbors; that store grew into what is now Lakewinds Natural Foods. In 1982, after hearing John Fife preach about border churches, the Session voted to declare St. Luke a sanctuary for refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala, and René Hurtado moved into the church under wide media coverage. St. Luke members appeared on the CBS program 60 Minutes in 1985 in a segment about the Sanctuary Movement, and the congregation's support of Hurtado's struggle ended only when the courts finally closed the case a quarter century later.
In 1986, the American Indian community was invited to build a sweat lodge on St. Luke's property, and that relationship has continued for decades. Trips to reservations to assist with housing and sewing, along with grassroots gardening efforts that supply fresh produce to local food banks, are part of the rhythm of life at the church. In 1988, the Session adopted a More Light resolution declaring its intent to allow gay and lesbian members to participate fully in the life of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), making St. Luke one of the earliest More Light congregations in the denomination.
The years since have carried the same thread forward. In 2008, an environmental focus group formed around issues of permaculture and sustainability, and the church mobilized to oppose oil pipelines and hydraulic fracturing. Solar panels went on the roof in 2014. A multi-year restoration of 1.5 acres of woodland began in 2020, removing buckthorn and other invasives and replacing them with native trees, shrubs, grasses, and forbs.
Sunday Mornings at St. Luke
Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays in the sanctuary. Before the service, guests are invited to the Garden Court for coffee, and beverages are welcome in the sanctuary itself. The service is also livestreamed on YouTube with live captioning, so members who are traveling, sick, or living far away can join in.
The worship style at St. Luke is progressive and engaged. The congregation describes its services as non-traditional in form but grounded in the practice of progressive mainline Protestantism, drawing on influences from Episcopal, Quaker, and United Church of Christ traditions. Music ranges from traditional hymns to folk, gospel, and Broadway. Many members incorporate meditation and mindfulness into their spiritual lives, and recent seasons have featured the Theology of Broadway series. A sermon typically explores a Bible text and challenges the congregation toward work for peace, justice, and change in the world.
Children are an integral part of the worshiping community. Families are encouraged to sit wherever they feel comfortable, and a Kid's Corner at the back of the sanctuary offers books, fidget toys, coloring sheets tied to the Sunday School theme of the day, and snacks. A gender-neutral bathroom with a changing table is just down the hall. Children begin worship with their families and, after an intentional moment with the pastor, are invited to attend Sunday School or to return to sit with their families. After worship, children in Sunday School can be picked up in their classrooms.
Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. All are welcome at the table, with no restrictions based on age, membership status, or identity. Grape juice is used, and gluten-free bread is available.
Visitors typically dress casually and comfortably; jeans, shorts, sandals, and sweaters are all common. A typical service runs about an hour. St. Luke has two parking lots with entrances from Groveland School Road. The upper lot, at the north driveway by the church sign, has level access to the west door and is the recommended entrance for visitors during the week and on Sundays. The lower lot, at the south driveway between the church and Groveland Elementary School, leads to the south door. The west door is level, with ramp and lift access to the bathrooms and the church office.
Children, Youth, and Families
The children's and youth ministry at St. Luke is built around the conviction that children should experience church as a place of joy and laughter. Sunday School is offered every week of the year, including holidays and summer, using the progressive, inclusive Illustrated Ministry curriculum, which explores themes of love, justice, compassion, and creation care. A typical class includes a welcome circle, a Bible story, creative activities, crafts, free play, and snacks.
Children are welcomed into leadership of worship as well, ringing the bell, reading the liturgy, singing, leading Children's Time, and serving communion. Families frequently report that worship leadership gives children a stronger sense of belonging.
Middle and high school youth participate in adventure retreats, service-learning trips, social events, and milestone experiences such as Confirmation. Programs help youth form lasting friendships and grow in their faith in a supportive, inclusive community. A summer Eco-Club includes outdoor learning experiences such as gardening.
St. Luke is also proud to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL), a comprehensive, age-appropriate sexuality education program for children and youth from age six into high school. OWL provides accurate, developmentally appropriate information about human sexuality and helps children understand sexuality in the context of human relationships. The next OWL session is planned for fall 2027. Annual intergenerational events, including service projects, shared meals, musical theater productions, and community celebrations, are scattered throughout the year.
The congregation maintains a written Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy with compliance forms for volunteers and drivers, accident reporting procedures, and guidelines for reporting unsafe or inappropriate activity.
Music at St. Luke
Music holds a central place in the life of St. Luke. The St. Luke Choir rehearses on Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary and sings most Sundays. All ability levels are welcome.
The Theology of Broadway, an ongoing music series hosted by St. Luke, has become a signature offering. Under the direction of the Minister of Music and Worship, the series features local performers examining spiritual, ethical, and moral issues through the lens of musical theater. Past performances have included music from shows such as Into the Woods, Frozen, and Wicked. Pick-up choirs occasionally gather on Sundays to make music together, including a long-running Pride Sunday sing.
Music is also woven into the life of the wider congregation through Luke's Folk, a folk music group that gathers for sing-alongs before worship and on special Sundays. A virtual choir recording of Night of Silence / Silent Night was produced in 2021.
Justice as Spiritual Practice
St. Luke understands its justice commitments to be central to Christian discipleship rather than an optional add-on to congregational life. The core values adopted by the congregation are explicit on this point: when confronted by injustice, the community takes action; together, members comfort, celebrate, and challenge one another across generations; and they follow the life and teaching of Jesus, who models extravagant love for all, active nonviolence, and solidarity with the poor, the hungry, and the outcast.
The Social Justice Collaboration Team uses a process of study, service, advocacy, and benevolence to focus the congregation's outward work. Long-term partner organizations include the 21st Century Academy at Liberty Community Church, which provides after-school and summer programs for youth in Northeast Minneapolis; Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, advocating for affordable housing and wrap-around services; the Division of Indian Work, supporting urban American Indian people through culturally based education, traditional healing, and leadership development; the ICA (Intercongregation Communities Association) Foodshelf, which serves five local communities; Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, promoting environmental stewardship; and Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, a relationship of more than forty years in which annual trips of sewing, beading, and construction help establish and maintain personal relationships identified by tribal leaders.
St. Luke has been a More Light congregation since 1988, and the Session's LGBTQ+ Justice and Support work is woven throughout the life of the church. St. Luke repeatedly brought an amendment to the Presbytery to ordain all people regardless of sexual orientation; in 2010, the Presbytery passed the amendment, and St. Luke cast the vote that put it over the top. The following year, the amendment was ratified by the denomination. On August 17, 2013, St. Luke became the first Presbyterian church to host a same-sex wedding. Members have been active in advocating for marriage equality, with rainbow flags distributed across the western suburbs in the lead-up to the 2012 ballot fight.
Racial justice work at St. Luke includes a long-running Dismantling Racism Dialogue series that grew out of monthly Zoom gatherings with Minnetonka United Methodist Church and other partner congregations. Topics have included white identity, the history of whiteness in the United States, characteristics of white dominant culture, microaggressions, and building alliances with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities. Materials include Prepare-Talk-Act handouts, a Dismantling Racism Action Resource Guide, and a Circle of Influence diagram.
Eco-Justice is another focus area. In 2024, St. Luke was awarded the NSDAR Conservation Committee Award by the Lake Minnetonka Chapter in recognition of its environmental leadership. The congregation's ecological work includes a comprehensive restoration plan for its 4.29 acres, removal of buckthorn and other invasives, planting of thirty-five native shrubs and trees, pollinator and rain gardens, solar panels on the roof, a community food garden and apple orchard that supply local food banks, and the long-standing relationship with the American Indian sweat lodge. The church is one of thirty-five congregations and spiritual communities across Minnesota that have been certified as Climate Justice Congregations.
Caring for One Another
St. Luke maintains a pastoral care network that includes prayer support, BeFrienders, and ongoing support groups. Prayer requests can be sent to prayer@stluke.mn or left by voice message at the church office. BeFrienders are trained in intentional listening and offer compassionate, non-judgmental conversations, either one-time or ongoing.
The Depression and Anxiety Support Group meets on Thursdays from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. at St. Luke. It is not a therapy group but a welcoming weekly gathering in which members share gratitude, talk about personal struggles, and support one another in an environment built on respect and non-judgment.
The West Suburban Grief Coalition, an extension of sixteen area churches, meets on Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Messiah Church in Plymouth, offering understanding, support, and education for people grieving the death of a loved one.
The Building and Grounds
The St. Luke property includes the sanctuary, classrooms, the Garden Court where coffee is served before worship, and a number of outdoor spaces that reflect the congregation's commitment to creation care. A woodland restoration of 1.5 acres has been underway since 2020, removing buckthorn and other invasives and planting native species to provide wildlife habitat, increase biomass, sequester carbon, and serve as a model for other restorations.
A community vegetable garden and an apple orchard on the property supply fresh produce to local food banks. The American Indian sweat lodge, built on the grounds in 1986, continues to be shared space. A columbarium on the property is the setting for occasional memorial gatherings.
The building is accessible. The upper parking lot and the west door provide level access to the sanctuary and community spaces, with ramp and lift access to the bathrooms and the church office. St. Luke hosts weddings, funerals, memorials, and baptisms.
Library, Library, Library
The St. Luke Library is an unusual feature of the congregation's ministry. Curated by volunteers, the library offers curated reading lists tied to the church calendar and to social concerns: Aging, Dementia, and Caregiving; Black History Month; Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa; Earth Day and the Environment; Easter, Lent, and Passover; Grief and Loss, Illness and Death; Immigration/Migration; LGBTQ+ Pride Month; Native American Heritage Month; Race in the U.S.; and Women's History Month. Each section includes books for adults, teens, and children, along with DVDs and videos. Books are checked out for three weeks and returned to the bin just inside the library door.
Getting Involved
St. Luke offers a number of entry points for newcomers and longtime members alike.
Adult Education forums meet most Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. before worship. Recent topics have included updates from Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, water issues in Haiti, healthcare reform, the history of Christian Nationalism, the Theology of Broadway, and a documentary on the Hun clan commissioned by the Earth Stewards team. A weekly Bible discussion with the pastor gathers on Sundays at 9:15 a.m. and, in some seasons, on Thursdays over Zoom.
The 4x8 Dinners program is a popular way to meet other St. Lukers. Eight people gather at one another's homes for four casual dinners between October and December. Each group sets its own schedule, dates, and homes. The dinners are open to any adult, including singles, and substitutes are welcome.
A book group meets monthly to discuss novels tied to current church themes. The Pick-up Choir gathers for occasional Sundays, especially on Pride Sunday. Annual intergenerational events include a Sacred Sites Tour led by Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, the Once-a-Year Progressive Dinner, a family picnic at Groveland School Playground, and the Blessing of the Backpacks on Come Together Sunday each fall.
Members and friends who want to take their faith into the wider community can join the Fall Pine Ridge Trip, where volunteers help with sewing and beading at Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, or serve at one of St. Luke's partner organizations. Volunteers can also help with the St. Luke Veggie Garden in the spring, the Fall Grounds Cleanup in October, or the choir.
Membership and Governance
St. Luke welcomes everyone, whether or not they choose to become formal members. Those who wish to join meet one-on-one with the pastor, attend three brief orientation classes, and are received during a Sunday morning service in a simple, graceful ceremony that affirms their commitment to justice, equity, and love. New members who have never been baptized are asked to do so before formal membership. Members are eligible to vote at congregational meetings and to serve on the Session, the governing body of members that meets monthly to conduct the business of the church.
Giving and Stewardship
St. Luke accepts gifts in four ways: through a secure online portal, through the Vanco Mobile app (available on Google Play and the App Store), by postal mail to the church address, and by direct deposit from a bank or donor-advised fund. Members may also make an annual pledge during the stewardship campaign. The church's benevolence giving flows in part through long-term partners such as the Division of Indian Work, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, the ICA Foodshelf, Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, and Pine Ridge Reservation ministries.
Leadership and Staff
The pastor and head of staff is Rev. Dr. Kristin Riegel, who previously served churches in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Kansas City, Missouri. She enjoys crafting community gatherings that incorporate storytelling, art, and almost always food, and is passionate about building intergenerational relationships and teaching about God's liberating love.
Curtis Kettler serves as the Interim Director of Music Ministries, returning to St. Luke after ten years away. Curtis holds a Master of Music in Choral Studies from the University of Cambridge, where he studied under Stephen Layton of Trinity College. He has previously served as Music Department Chair and Choir Director at Southwest Christian High School, Assistant Director of Choral Activities at Crown College, Director of Music at St. Luke Presbyterian Church, and Assistant Director of Music at Wayzata Community Church. As a singer, he has performed with the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, the Minnesota Opera, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Chorale, and the Minnesota Beethoven Festival Chorale. As a composer, his works have been commissioned and performed by the Harvard Choral Fellows, the Malone University Chorale, the Saint Cloud State Men's Chorus, the Music Association of Minnetonka, and the Wayzata Symphony.
Doug Freeman serves as Administration and Communications Manager. Originally from New England, he relocated to the Twin Cities in 2006 and previously worked at Plymouth Congregational Church.
The Music Director is David Lohman, a progressive Christian songwriter, singer, and activist at the intersection of music, faith, and the LGBTQ+ community who spent more than three years conducting the Broadway tour of The Phantom of the Opera before joining St. Luke.
Beliefs and Identity
St. Luke is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a progressive mainline Protestant denomination. Its members include progressive individuals from Minnetonka, Wayzata, Plymouth, Eden Prairie, and surrounding communities. The church's mission statement reads: St. Luke is a joyful, inclusive, and compassionate community on a spiritual journey seeking to do justice, make peace, act mercifully, and walk humbly with God.
The vision is a world in which all are welcome at the table of God's abundance, all creation flourishes in balance and wholeness, and all live in peace. The four core values are: inclusive and authentic community, action in the face of injustice, comfort, celebration, and challenge across generations, and following the life and teaching of Jesus. Members include believers, doubters, seekers, and those healing from prior religious trauma; atheists and agnostics are explicitly welcomed.
St. Luke is one of the first More Light congregations of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), supporting and welcoming LGBTQ+ people into the full life and leadership of the church. It has been certified as a Climate Justice Congregation by Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light. The congregation acknowledges that its property is located on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of the Dakota people, and works to educate itself and its community about that relationship, particularly with the Native community.
Practicalities for First-Time Visitors
Sunday worship begins at 10:30 a.m. at 3121 Groveland School Road in Minnetonka, less than a quarter mile north of Minnetonka Boulevard. There are two parking lots, both accessible from Groveland School Road; the upper lot by the church sign offers level access to the west door of the sanctuary. Coffee is served in the Garden Court before the service, and beverages are welcome in the sanctuary. The congregation dresses casually, and children of all ages are welcome throughout the service, with a Kid's Corner at the back of the sanctuary offering books, fidget toys, coloring sheets, and snacks. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, and all are welcome to participate. The service is also livestreamed on YouTube with live captioning. Office hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 952-473-7378 and the email is office@stluke.mn.
The Wider Web of Relationships
St. Luke maintains connections with a broad network of organizations. In addition to its long-term social justice partners, the church supports Pine Ridge Reservation ministries, the West Metro Climate Hub (a consortium of faith communities supporting conservation), and ISAIAH, a Minnesota faith-rooted organization. Members are encouraged to engage in civic advocacy on a wide range of issues: protecting wild rice waters from pesticides, shutting down the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center trash burner, defending immigrants and refugees, funding hunger relief, and engaging the Presbyterian Church's Public Witness advocacy work.
St. Luke hosts a number of special offerings throughout the year. Sacred Sites Tours, led by Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, take participants through places of religious significance in the Twin Cities. Theology of Broadway evenings pair Broadway show tunes with theological reflection. Pick-up choirs gather on Pride Sunday and other special Sundays. Seasonal intergenerational gatherings include the Once-a-Year Progressive Dinner, a Maypole celebration in September, a Christmas Pageant, and a Christmas Gift-Making Workshop for children. A men's retreat is held each fall at Clearwater Camp.
St. Luke's library, social justice work, environmental restoration, music program, children's ministry, and pastoral care are not separate categories so much as different expressions of the same calling: to be a progressive, inclusive community in which all are welcome at the table of God's abundance, all creation flourishes in balance and wholeness, and all live in peace.