If you come to visit us, we hope that you will feel warmth and acceptance. Whether it is with us, or with another church, we wish you the best in finding a place to nurture your faith.
Here are a few thoughts that capture more about our faith community:
A desire to go deeper spiritually. People who are drawn to St. Matthew’s tend to ask many questions about their faith, from fundamental questions about who God is, to specific questions about what God wants us to do in this particular time and place. This questioning is no coincidence. Located close to the University of Minnesota and Luther Seminary, we might have more advanced degrees per capita than any other congregation in the Twin Cities. Among our numbers are faculty, ordained clergy, seminarians, and oblates.
We are people with diverse lifestyles and opinions. Most of us were not raised as Episcopalians, and many of us were disenchanted with organized religion before coming to St. Matthew's. What we have in common is a desire to reach a deeper understanding of our relationship with God, and what it means to be a person of faith in the 21st century. Go ahead and bring your questions here. They’ll be taken seriously.
A global perspective. The Episcopal church is part of the Anglican Communion, which has affiliates all over the world. Our congregation includes a number of people from other countries who have found our church an inviting place to worship. We try to reach out to international students, immigrants and refugees. In turn, we are enriched by the infusion of different cultures and perspectives, including some challenges to our Western cultural assumptions. We also work to find places to help in the great sea of need in the world, most especially by supporting the Blue House, a home and school for AIDS orphans in Uganda.
Artistic expression. St. Matthew's is a congregation that very much values and encourages artistic expression. Many of our members are artists, musicians, and actors. Our parish hall includes the Undercroft Gallery where we regularly host community art exhibits. And the rest of our historic church building, with its original stained glass windows and a newly remodeled altar, encourages contemplation and worship.
Our music program is a delight for those who love church music. It supplements the music of the traditional Episcopal hymnal with songs and music from other countries, often incorporating hand bells and other instruments. Our outstanding choir sings at our 10:30 service. A less traditional music vibe with guitar, piano, mandolin and drum is offered at our 7:00pm service.
Community leadership. St. Matthew's is a place that draws and develops community leaders. St. Matthew's members hold an especially large number of leadership positions in community, civic, and church organizations. Many of these community leaders offer their talents to the parish's own service efforts, which include offering the church as an overflow homeless shelter for Project Home, feeding the hungry in the Loaves & Fishes program, and helping the Saint Barnabas Apartments for homeless youth.
A desire to be hospitable. When asked recently what they liked most about the church, many members talked about the spirit of hospitality they felt, including the good food served by our passionate cooks, the greeting they received when they first came here, and the support and acceptance they have enjoyed over time.
To find out more about the Episcopal church, please visit the Episcopal Church USA Visitor's Center.
