From Twelve Families to a Worship Center for 1,100
St. Michael's Lutheran Church sits on a 17.5-acre property along Normandale Boulevard in Bloomington, Minnesota, where it has served the southwest metro since the Minnesota South District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod planted the mission in 1962. The first worship service was held in March 1964 at Ridgeview Elementary School, with twelve charter families. Over the following decades the congregation built four worship centers on the same property. The first structure now houses offices and the preschool, the second is the current lobby, and the third is a large fellowship hall. The present worship center, with seating for 1,100, was dedicated in June 2003.
The congregation's motto is "We love because God first loved us." Members describe their work as a lifelong process of making disciples, lived out by knowing and growing in God's love, living joyful hope with neighbors, and supporting and equipping one another. The work of ministry, the church teaches, is simple: love God and love neighbor.
Two Weekly Services, Contemporary and Traditional
The congregation gathers twice each week for worship. Sundays at 10:00 a.m. feature a contemporary service led by a praise band, with occasional classic hymns on organ or piano. The same service is livestreamed and is available on demand afterward. Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. is a traditional hymn service led by the organ, followed by a fellowship lunch at 12:30 p.m.
Each service runs about an hour and includes announcements, music, prayers, an optional offering, a brief children's message, Scripture reading, and a Bible-based message. As a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation, the services include a time of silent confession of sins followed by a spoken pronouncement of Christ's forgiveness. Holy Communion is celebrated together on the first, third, and fifth Sundays of each month. The church teaches that in the Supper the Lord gives into the communicant's mouth not only bread and wine but his very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Ushers invite each row of pews to come forward; children are welcome to come with adults to receive a blessing.
Music ministry is led by Worship Director Natalie Trzeciak. A 25-voice choir sings an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional music, prepares one large work each Christmas, and offers special music throughout the year. Rotating worship teams welcome vocalists and instrumentalists of all ages and abilities. Volunteers also serve as Scripture readers, on the media and tech teams, on the livestream production team, and on the Art of Passage Gallery committee in the lobby.
Children, Youth, and Confirmation
Children and youth are woven into the life of the congregation rather than separated from it. They are always welcome in worship, and a quiet nursing room in the back of the sanctuary is available for parents with little ones. A staffed nursery opens at 8:30 a.m. A short children's sermon during the service welcomes children forward for a time of teaching designed just for them.
Connect Kids, the Sunday school program for ages 2 through 5th grade, meets at 9:00 a.m. September through May in the lower level. The check-in system uses the Church Center app or a kiosk downstairs, and all teachers have cleared background checks and training. Aaron Finkel serves as Director of Christian Education and oversees the program.
For 6th through 8th graders, Connect Confirmation meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. throughout the school year, with separate monthly outings for fellowship and fun - laser tag, tubing, trampoline park, and similar events. Sunday morning Bible study for grades 6 through 12 meets in the youth room from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m. High schoolers also gather for a Wednesday evening Bible study from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. led by Aaron Finkel, with additional monthly fellowship events.
The Preschool on the Lower Level
St. Michael's Preschool is a Christ-centered, state-licensed program for children ages 3 through 5, run as a ministry of the church and open to families throughout the Twin Cities. Three-year-olds may attend a foundational two-mornings-per-week class on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with optional longer days that include lunch and outdoor activities. Four-year-olds expand to three-mornings-per-week with enrichment options in science, art, and literacy. The school year runs September through May, and a fenced outdoor playground, gym time, music and movement, and local field trips fill out the week. Daily Bible stories, chapel times, and praise songs anchor the program in Christian teaching. Kim Link, a graduate of Concordia University Mequon, was recognized in 2021 as the Minnesota Lutheran Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher. Preschool Director Brielle Wineberg can be reached at psdirector@smlcb.org or (952) 230-2025.
Adults: Bible Studies, Quilters, and Senior Saints
The adult ministry is built around a wide rotation of Bible studies. On Sunday mornings during the education hour, three parallel classes meet from 9:00 to 9:50 a.m.: a Jeremiah study led by Pastor Hunde Takele, a Revelation study led by Pastor Pat Simmons, and a C.S. Lewis "Mere Christianity" discussion led by Pastor Ryan Alvey. A men's Wednesday morning group studies a book of the Bible from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. with a Zoom option. On Wednesday evenings, a women's study of "Women of the Bible" meets the second and fourth Wednesdays, and a study of Malachi with Pastor Hunde meets the remaining Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Life Light, a more in-depth Thursday morning study, runs from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. with a new series each September and January. A Saturday morning group for men and women meets from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., partly in person and partly on Zoom, and Pure Desire meets Saturdays from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Two long-running needlework groups meet Wednesday afternoons from noon to 4:00 p.m. in Room 32. The Mission Quilters have made and donated more than 350 quilts since 2008, sent to organizations such as Healing House, Ronald McDonald House, Cornerstone Women's Shelter, and the Center for the Victims of Torture. The Mission Stitchers knit, crochet, sew, embroider, and loom knit items - hats, scarves, mittens, baby blankets, prayer shawls, and pillowcase dresses - that are given to ministries locally and abroad.
Senior Saints is a fellowship for older adults that hosts potlucks, day trips, and outings; many members gather on Wednesdays for the 11:30 hymn service and the lunch that follows. Men's Ministry hosts two or three gatherings a year. Connect Women, the women's ministry, organizes a fall breakfast, an Aspire Women's Conference, retreats, and small-group Bible studies.
GenConnect: A Ministry for 1.5-Generation Immigrants
GenConnect is St. Michael's ministry to 1.5-generation immigrants - people who came to the United States as children with their parents or who were born here after their parents immigrated. The ministry's promise is "You belong, and we're glad you're here." A young-adult Bible study meets Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the lower level.
The ministry is led by Pastor Hunde Takele, who grew up in Ethiopia, was raised by German Lutheran missionaries, and was ordained at St. Michael's in February 2023 after completing studies at Concordia Seminary. His vision is to reach and raise the next generation and to foster faith in Christ through relationship building and worship. The church's broader welcome also extends to Power of Gospel Oromo Church, an Oromo-language congregation that meets at St. Michael's and that Pastor Hunde serves as a youth faith leader.
Gideon the Comfort Dog
Gideon is St. Michael's LCC K-9 Comfort Dog, a purebred Golden Retriever certified by Lutheran Church Charities and triple-vested to serve in comfort, military, and police ministry roles. He visits churches, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and community events, and joins his handler in disaster response. The team is adding a second comfort dog. To request a Gideon visit, contact handler Pam Lienemann. A Facebook page keeps the community updated on his work around Bloomington and the wider Twin Cities.
Trail Life and Family Discipleship
Trail Life Troop MN-619 is a chartered boys' troop for kindergarten through 12th grade that meets at the church on the first, third, and fifth Thursdays of the month from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. during the school year, with a Saturday outing each month, camping weekends in warm weather, and high-adventure trips for older boys. The troop combines outdoor skills and leadership development with Christian discipleship. Tom Solberg serves as the troop's ministry liaison.
Prayer, Care, and Visitation
Pastoral care runs through several channels. A staff and elder prayer list receives confidential requests through Connect Cards in the pews, by email, or through the Church Center app. Stephen Ministry pairs trained lay caregivers with individuals going through grief, job loss, divorce, or health challenges; the relationship is confidential. The Visitation Team, led by Visitation Minister Jack Stanek, visits members who are homebound, in transitional care, or hospitalized. Cards are sent to those hospitalized or having surgery, to homebound members, and to members over 84 on their birthdays. A Transportation Team can drive members to worship, medical appointments, or church events. An Alcoholics Anonymous group meets at the church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m.
For those seeking additional support, the church points to a GriefShare group, the LCMS South District's counseling resources, and START Senior Solutions for aging-related practical help. The church also keeps a funeral planning form on file for members who want to record their wishes in advance.
Mission Partners and the Wider Community
St. Michael's rotates its financial and volunteer support among six mission partners each year. Recent and current partners include Special Connections (a faith-based ministry for adults with special needs that meets at Holy Cross Lutheran in Prior Lake), Trinity First Lutheran School in Minneapolis, Jonathan House (supportive housing for asylum-seekers in the Twin Cities), New Life Family Services (pregnancy support and adoption), Good in the 'Hood (groceries and meals for Minneapolis neighbors), and Care Portal (a platform connecting churches to families in need).
Other ongoing supported ministries include Every Meal, a weekend food program serving students at Normandale Hills Elementary; VEAP, the Bloomington-area food pantry and social services hub; POBLO International, which serves immigrants and refugees through International Friendship Centers; Lutheran Braille Workers, which St. Michael's supports through an on-site Large Print Center; and Bethany Prison Ministry, which distributes Christian literature. Member missionaries Dave and Luz Maria Ernst run a Lutheran preschool and worship services in La Caramuca, near Barinas, Venezuela. The congregation also supports the Tim Tebow Foundation's Night to Shine.
The Pastoral Team
Pastor Pat Simmons has served St. Michael's since September 2015. A graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, he previously served New Creation Lutheran in Shakopee and worked sixteen years in finance and management for Dun & Bradstreet before entering full-time ministry. He and his wife Beth have two grown children.
Pastor Ryan Alvey joined the staff in August 2019. A graduate of Concordia University, Irvine, and Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, he previously served Peace Lutheran in Sacramento and Trinity Lutheran in Wahiawa, Hawaii, and has experience in revitalization, school ministry, and ministry to military families. He and his wife Juliette have three children.
Pastor Hunde Takele leads the GenConnect ministry. Raised in Ethiopia by German Lutheran missionaries, he was ordained at St. Michael's in February 2023 after completing studies at Concordia Seminary. He and his wife Martha Oumer have two young sons.
Visitation Minister Jack Stanek is a former hospital, hospice, and long-term care chaplain and an experienced interim pastor. Aaron Finkel serves as Director of Christian Education, and Natalie Trzeciak leads the music ministry as Worship Director.
What to Expect When Visiting
The building is open Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sundays from 8:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The office can be reached at (952) 831-5276 or office@smlcb.org. There is no dress code; jeans and suits are equally at home. Visitors are not asked to stand or introduce themselves. Optional "connect" cards in the pew racks let newcomers share a bit of contact information so a note can be sent during the week.
One driveway entrance is on Poplar Bridge Road, and a one-way entrance is on Normandale Boulevard (northbound only). The large main parking lot sits on the east side of the building near the main entrance, with two smaller lots to the southwest and southeast. Handicap parking is available near the main entrance, and the building has accessible restrooms and an elevator. The preschool office can be reached at (952) 230-2025.