On the east side of St. Paul, just off Minnehaha Avenue, Hazel Park Congregational United Church of Christ has long served as a neighborhood gathering place. The congregation calls itself a progressive Christian community shaped by values of openness, inclusivity and generosity, and it is widely recognized for being an Open and Affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ that welcomes the LGBTQIA+ community. Its stated mission is to offer extravagant welcome to all, and its building is handicapped accessible so that welcome can be lived out in practice.
Sunday Worship and the Online Sanctuary
Worship at Hazel Park UCC takes place on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. The service is offered in the sanctuary and is also livestreamed on the congregation's YouTube channel, where past sermons are archived for later viewing. An annual Blessing of the Animals service is part of the worship calendar, reflecting the church's care for all of creation.
Music plays a central role in the Sunday gathering. Music Director Dr. Asako Hirabayashi, who has served since 2015, is a harpsichordist, composer and arranger whose repertoire spans Renaissance to contemporary music, including Japanese traditional folk, Latin, jazz and pop. She has performed at Carnegie Hall and on A Prairie Home Companion and brings that range to the congregation's worship. Audio Visual Coordinator Nolan Rose, who joined the team in October 2025, oversees the live audio, video and online experience for those worshiping in person and at a distance.
A Progressive, Open and Affirming Identity
Hazel Park Congregational UCC describes itself as called to be a church of extravagant welcome. The congregation's published statement names four commitments: to celebrate God still speaking, to share the Gospel of Christian love, to serve the tapestry of God's creation, and to welcome all into the full life and ministry of the church regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental and physical ability, marital status, age, or ethnic or socio-economic background.
The Open and Affirming designation, voted by the congregation and recognized by the UCC, signals a long-standing commitment to LGBTQIA+ inclusion. The church's own summary of its vision is to live out Jesus' teaching to love thy neighbor by serving as a community catalyst, connector and convener, and by creating a space to serve as a prophetic witness.
Meet the Pastor
Rev. Sara Morse has been the pastor of Hazel Park UCC since January 2009. A native of rural Wisconsin who grew up on a dairy farm, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Medical Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison before answering a call to parish ministry. She completed her Master of Divinity at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and was ordained in 2003. Pastor Sara is supported in ministry by an Office and Media Coordinator, Laurie Tanner, whose background spans music, worship leadership, communications and graphic design.
Four Mission Priorities
The congregation channels its energy, talent and resources into four mission priority areas: Faith Formation and Spiritual Life; Community Outreach; Children, Youth and Young Adults; and Seniors. Each of these areas has its own rhythms and leaders, and together they shape the life of the church beyond Sunday morning.
Children, Youth and Young Adults
Hazel Park UCC maintains programming for children, youth and young adults as one of its four core mission priorities. The congregation previously ran the Hazel Park Learning Center, an early childhood program that operated for eight years before closing. The transition prompted significant financial stewardship on the part of the congregation and helped shape its current deficit-reduction efforts, even as the church continues to invest in the next generation.
Seniors and Northeast Seniors
Senior ministry is a particularly visible part of Hazel Park's outreach. The church partners with Northeast Seniors to host gatherings in the building, including a weekly Memory Cafe and Cafe Connect on Thursdays at noon and a Hobby Hour. Free wellness checks are periodically offered in the church building by nursing students from St. Thomas University, open to older adults and to families and children. Off-site outings, such as a Stillwater stroll and a Como Park gathering, round out a calendar that treats seniors as full participants in the church's life.
Growing Through Loss and Women of Faith
Hazel Park UCC hosts Growing Through Loss, a grief support gathering that meets on Tuesday afternoons at Cerenity Marian of St. Paul. Women of Faith, a women's ministry, gathers on select Tuesday evenings at the church. Together these small groups reflect the congregation's emphasis on companionship through every stage of life.
Community Outreach Beyond the Walls
The church is an active partner in hunger relief. Volunteers gather on the first Friday of each month at Eastern Heights Elementary School for the Every Meal food distribution, a program that resumed in November and is open to new volunteers. The Good Samaritan Fund offers emergency financial assistance to individuals and families in crisis, often helping neighbors stay in their homes. Through these efforts, Hazel Park UCC seeks to be a hands-on presence in the surrounding neighborhoods of St. Paul.
Spiritual Life and Wider Mission Giving
Spiritual Life at Hazel Park UCC weaves local ministry into the wider work of the United Church of Christ. The congregation lifts up three annual offerings: Church World Service, which addresses hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster relief around the world; One Great Hour of Sharing, a UCC special mission offering providing disaster relief and sustainable development; and Strengthen the Church, which invests in new church development, revitalization, youth ministry and leadership. Year-round giving also supports Our Church's Wider Mission, connecting Hazel Park UCC to UCC conferences and national ministries that promote inclusivity and justice.
Visiting Hazel Park UCC
First-time visitors will find a one-story, handicapped accessible building on East Minnehaha Avenue with Sunday worship at 10:00 a.m. and an active online sanctuary for those joining from home. The church office can be reached at 651-735-2555 or churchoffice@hazelparkucc.org, and an electronic newsletter goes out every Thursday. Whether someone arrives for worship, a senior's lunch, a food distribution or a grief support group, Hazel Park Congregational UCC aims to be what it has called itself for years: a neighborhood church of extravagant welcome.