Our Mission, MPUC Groups and Committees

Our Mission

We seek to serve both our neighbors in and around our corner in St. Paul and folks who may come to us from farther away. Our programming for children starts with Sunday School and enrichment during the worship service. Our tradition of education extends to adults, too, with Lectionary study weekly along with lectures, seminars, and speakers [see upcoming events] for other adult education opportunities.

We have four choirs, for elementary school kids, middle school kids, senior high teenagers, and adults. We also have a long tradition of ministry through a bell choir, and we are always welcoming new members to worship with us through the gift of music.

We work on ways to foster spiritual growth, recognizing that our daily walk as faithful Christians can at times be difficult. We look to each other for help and support, encourage the formation of small groups to study, pray, and share, and our staff and lay leaders are always willing and eager to provide what support they can.  

Our mission and outreach efforts include work for the homeless and hungry, such as serving meals at the Dorothy Day center. Every year both adults and teens embark on a mission trip, a spiritual journey for us as we follow God’s will to help others.

God is still speaking to us, and we continue to look for the unmet needs of our congregation and community—one reason we have hired an American sign language interpreter to be present during our worship services. Please contact us at office@macalester-plymouth.org for a schedule of what is going on at our church.

MPUC Groups and Committees

Our work is led by the Session, a board of elders, and the ministry to others, friends and members, is led by our board of Deacons. The work of our church is organized by committees of the Session:

Worship, Mission & Social Justice, Congregational Fellowship, Youth Ministries, Growth, Evangelism and Membership, Finance and Stewardship, Operations, Adult Education, Children’s Ministry, More Light/Open and Affirming, Peacemakers, Caring for Creation, Senior Wellness

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Mission and Social Justice Committee

Our Committee's Mission : Guided by faith, the Mission and Social Justice Committee shall help members and friends of the congregation find ways to respond faithfully to God’s call to mission service and social justice, to peacemaking, and to caring for creation. 

For more information contact:  currently assigned elders – Connie Lindberg at lindb245@umn.edu, Rob Ramer at robramer@mm.com, and Ron Germundson at ronphoto@comcast.net

Major Responsibilities

1. Make mission and social justice opportunities, both “hands-on” and/orfinancial, possible. 

2. Assist in mission and social justice interpretation through oral, written, and visual means.

3. Uphold the work of and maintain dialogue with its subcommittees – Peacemakers and Caring for Creation.  Provide funds to ensure their work.

4. Empower and guide others into mission and social justice leadership for such purposes as: 

- Coordinating on-going long term missions

- Managing short term or one time projects

- Researching new mission plans or directions

5. Help alleviate hunger and provide shelter by disaster relief, restore justice, prevent violence, and assist self development globally, nationally, and locally by means of the general mission dollars entrusted to our care through our stewardship through denominational and nondenominational giving

2007 MPUC Mission Social Justice Annual Report

To view a detailed narrative of the 2007 activities and major disbursements of the Mission Social Justice Committee and subcommittees, Caring for Creation & PeaceMakers...2007 ANNUAL REPORT CLICK HERE

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Caring for Creation  Subcommittee

Committee members: Paula Fischer, Judy Helgen, Ellen Johnson, Jan Johnson, Jane Livingston, Pam Newsome, Pat & Bob Penshorn, Molly Redmond, Julian Sellers, Jerry Storck, Dale Thompson, Roger Westall, Leslie Reindl

Our Mission: The Caring for Creation Committee endeavors to:

1 integrate active care of God's wonderful creation into the spiritual life and social justice work of Macalester Plymouth United Church

2 encourage the church as an institution and the congregation as its members to live in ways that protect and sustain the earth's natural systems upon which all life depends

3 help all church members better understand the connectedness between caring for creation and living justly

GO TO THE MPUC CARING FOR CREATION WEBSITE

- CLICK HERE -

http://www.mpuccaringforcreation.org/

For more information contact Leslie Reindl at alteravista@earthlink.net.

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Peacemakers Subcommittee

Committee Name: PeaceMakers of Macalester Plymouth United Church, a subgroup of the Mission and Social Justice Committee.

Chairperson/Contact: No formal chair. Contacts: Molly Redmond, Roger Westall, Roberta Olson.

Committee Members: Active members include Al Aeppli, Don Christensen, Ed Steinhauer, Elin Skinner, Irene & Jay Harris, Jan & Jim Johnson, Leslie Reindl, Lois Anderson, Molly Redmond, Paula Fischer, Ray & Roberta Olson, Roger Westall, Bob & Elaine Willis, Jim & Shirley Dahlgren, Margaret Dillener. More are on our email list, and other church members participate in our various projects.

Mission Statement: We are a small group that meets monthly. Within our church community, our purposes are:

- to connect people with peace activities in the community

- to initiate / facilitate education and advocacy events and actions

- to provide leadership in peacemaking for our own church & the larger church denomination

- to “be the leaven in the bread to call MPUC to faithful peacemaking”

Click here to download the Macalester Plymouth United Church Peace and Non-Violence Resolution.

For more information contact Molly Redmond at msring@earthlink.net.

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Senior Wellness

Senior Wellness is a subcommittee of the Congregational Fellowship Committee.

Our mission: To improve the health and quality of life of senior adults through education, activities and group fellowship.

Fellowship, fun and learning at the Senior Wellness Program every Tuesday afternoon, 1:00 -2:30 p.m. from September to May.  This non-sectarian program offers a chance to laugh, learn and socialize.  Free.  Open to all seniors who are interested in building friendships and leaning with an educational and spiritual focus. 

The program includes weekly presentations and group discussions and occasional community outings.  No reservation needed, just come!

For more information or please call the Macalester Plymouth Church office, 651.698.8871 or e-mail office@macalester-plymouth.org. 

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More Light/Open and Affirming

Mission Statement: Whereas one does not choose to be Gay, but one chooses to be a Christian, the Open and Affirming—More Light Committee shall endeavor to develop and provide the process and support assisting people to work through the perceived conflicts of being both gay and a Christian in today’s world and today’s church. This Committee shall assist Macalester Plymouth’s continued commitment to be inclusive of all persons without regard to sexual orientation by welcoming citizens of the GLBT community into the full life and ministry of the community of faith.

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More Light Presbyterians celebrate ...

the decision on January 26 by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities to restore ordination to Dr. Paul Capetz. As an openly gay man, Capetz had set aside his ordination in 2000 to protest the anti-gay discriminatory ordination policy of G-6.0106b added to the Book of Order in 1997. Capetz teaches historical theology at the United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, MN and serves as faculty advisor for the More Light Chapter at UTS.

Press Release, Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, www.ptca.org:

On January 26, 2008, at a Special Called meeting of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, meeting at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minnesota the Presbytery voted on the following motions: “The Committee on Ministry recommends that Dr. Capetz declared departure from G-0106b be not found to constitute a failure to adhere to the essentials of Reformed faith and polity under G-6.0108 of the Book of Order.” On the Motion of the first recommendation from the Committee on Ministry: 197 yes, 84 no, 2 abstentions. “The Committee on Ministry recommends that Dr. Paul Capetz be restored to the exercise of ordained office of Minister of Word and Sacrament.” On the Motion of the second recommendation from the Committee on Ministry: 196 yes, 79 no, 3 abstentions. "The Committee on Ministry recommends that Dr. Capetz service as Associate Professor at United Theological Seminary in New Brighton, MN be validated.” On the Motion of the third recommendation from the Committee on Ministry: Passed by voice vote.

Download Presbytery News Service article - "Twin Cities presbytery restores Capetz’ ordination"

Download Paul Capetz statement - "Capetz Statement"

MORE LIGHT PRESBYTERIANS WEB LINK - www.mlp.org

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For a complete listing of MPUC events and announcements, visit our This Week At Our Church page.