Pilgrim Lutheran Church stands on the northeast corner of Saint Clair and Prior Avenues in Saint Paul's Macalester-Groveland neighborhood, a part of the city where returning World War I veterans and other home seekers once settled in the early 1920s. Today the congregation identifies itself with the phrase "a home for hungry minds and souls," a line that appears on signage, in worship bulletins, and across the church's communications. As a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America through the Saint Paul Area Synod, Pilgrim is both a liturgical Lutheran parish and a progressive, justice-rooted community that welcomes LGBTQIA+ people, embraces antiracism work, and supports reparations and Indigenous land acknowledgement.
Sunday Morning Worship
At the heart of Pilgrim's life is its Sunday morning worship, held at 9:30 am in the Pilgrim Sanctuary. The service is offered in person and livestreamed on Facebook Live and YouTube, with the livestream link sent to community email subscribers on Sunday mornings. Worship is led by Lead Pastor Jen Rome and follows a Lutheran liturgical structure built around the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal, the familiar red book, with hymn numbers printed at the upper outside corner of each page. Scripture is read using the Inclusive Bible.
Music frames the service. The pipe organ supports congregational singing, and choirs of adults and children, plus soloists and instrumentalists, regularly offer their gifts. A children's message based on the same Scripture passage is included each week so that younger worshipers can engage the texts in an age-appropriate way.
Holy Communion is celebrated on the first and third Sundays of each month. Pilgrim practices an open table, meaning all are welcome to receive the sacrament without exception. The typical distribution is by intinction, dipping the wafer into a common cup of wine, though individually packaged elements are available from an usher for those who prefer them. Gluten-free wafers and alcohol-free juice are also available.
At some point in the service, the assembly is invited to share the peace, greeting one another with phrases such as "peace be with you" or "God's peace." A handshake is common, but hugging, bowing, or simply making eye contact are equally welcome; participation is left to each person's comfort.
After worship, the community gathers in the Fireside Room, just west of the Sanctuary, for coffee time, a chance to grab a cup of coffee and a snack and connect with other members of the congregation.
Sunday Morning Forum
Following worship at 10:40 am, Pilgrim hosts a Sunday Morning Forum. These adult education sessions dive into topics that matter to the congregation, including the church's racial equity work, the ministries of partner organizations such as Model Cities, the annual budget review, and current theological or social questions. Forums are scheduled through the program year, with topics shared in the church's weekly newsletter and on the blog.
Contemplative Evening Worship
On the second Sunday of each month at 6:51 pm, Pilgrim offers a contemplative evening service that takes a different shape from the morning gathering. There is no sermon. Instead, the services use Word Weavings, a practice inspired by the ancient tradition of Lectio Divina in which phrases from Scripture and poetry are juxtaposed to invite deeper listening. Celtic Contemplative Communion services include original music and texts composed by Composer-in-Residence Dick Hensold and members of the community. Contemplative Prayer from Nordic and Other Lands draws on Scandinavian traditions with short meditative refrains and guest musicians. Other evenings follow the Taizé model of short songs repeated in a mantra-like way, led by the Contemplative Choir for tenors and basses. Compline, sung almost entirely by the Contemplative Choir, occasionally closes the contemplative season. A prelude by guest musicians often begins at 6:40 pm. These services are also livestreamed.
Evening worship is described by Pilgrim as an especially welcoming entry into Christian and ecumenical worship life, intentionally limiting jargon and complex structure so that people from any background can quickly enter into community. Special evenings have included outdoor services on Prior Avenue and combined Celtic Christmas Eve services with Holy Communion by candlelight.
An Inclusive Community With a Clear Mission
Pilgrim's mission statement reads: "Pilgrim Lutheran Church is an inclusive Christian worshipping community that seeks, nurtures, and empowers hungry minds and souls to live generously in response to God's love." Its core value is described simply as worshiping and singing together, centered in the grace of God and in the congregation's liturgical, scriptural, sacramental, and musical inheritances, "joyfully received and re-visioned for our context."
The congregation takes the phrase "all are welcome" seriously. Pilgrim commits to:
- Antiracism work, decentering whiteness, and making reparations for race violence.
- LGBTQIA+ affirmation and creating a safe space for people of all genders and orientations. Pilgrim is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, in partnership with Reconciling Works.
- Gender equity, amplifying the voices of women and nonbinary or gender nonconforming people.
- Accessible spaces that all bodies can navigate with ease.
- Caring for the planet in a way that supports Indigenous care of the land.
Within the congregation, members uphold commitments to one another: the priesthood of all believers, valuing each person's experience of God without gatekeeping, kind language that does not tolerate hate speech, respecting personal boundaries, and keeping minds and hearts open to being wrong, asking questions, and learning.
Land Acknowledgement
Pilgrim formally acknowledges that the church sits on the ancestral homeland of the Dakota people. Its statement reads in part: "Pilgrim Lutheran Church stands on the ancestral homeland of the Dakota people. They were forcibly exiled from their land starting with the treaties of 1837 and 1851 and were nearly exterminated after the 1862 US Dakota war. We acknowledge the Dakota people, past and present, for their ongoing story and care of this land." The congregation commits to ongoing efforts to recognize, support, and advocate for the Dakota and other Indigenous peoples. Members are encouraged to attend events such as the annual Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Traditional Powwow in Mendota as one way to live into this acknowledgement.
Children, Youth, and Faith Formation
Faith formation at Pilgrim stretches from toddlers through high school and is led by Director of Faith Formation Zach Spirov.
Families in Faith. Shared experiences for children and their parents or caregivers run from toddler through 6th grade. K-6th grade classes meet on Wednesday evenings during children's choir rehearsal time, with pizza available 15 minutes before class. Toddler through PreK classes meet on Sunday mornings at 8:30 am before worship.
Sunday School. Sunday School for preschool through 5th grade runs during the school year on Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:30 am in a divided space. Each week students and leaders explore a Bible story through storytelling, games, and crafts.
Middle School Pathways. Middle school youth in grades 6 through 8 meet Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:30 am, going deeper into the stories that shape the faith, including church history, current social justice issues, the Bible as foundational sacred text, and contemporary literature, movies, and television.
Deep Dive Confirmation. 6th through 8th graders can take part in Deep Dive Confirmation, a collaboration among ELCA Lutheran congregations that meets one Sunday a month from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Activities include an Our Whole Lives retreat, a trip to see a Christmas program, and outings and conversations about redlining, caring for elders, and learning from refugees.
Confirmation Capstone. Students in 9th grade wishing to confirm their baptism participate in the spring Confirmation Capstone, which includes faith conversations with caring adults, a capstone conversation with Pastor Jen Rome, field trips to learn about other faith traditions, and a high school retreat session.
High School Pathways. High school youth in grades 9 through 12 meet Sunday mornings from 10:45 to 11:30 am in the youth room to deepen their faith through the transitions of the four years between confirmation and graduation.
More Than Happy Hour. Once a month, young adults gather for a discussion on a chosen theme. Pilgrim picks up the tab, and anyone is welcome.
Children are welcomed as full participants in worship. Spark children's Bibles are available in the pews. The east and west transept areas of the Sanctuary are equipped with art supplies, rocking chairs, and other family-friendly options. Busy bags are available by the Sanctuary entrance. Parents and caregivers are welcome to accompany children to the basement Fellowship Hall if more space is needed. Chestfeeding, breastfeeding, and bottle feeding are welcome anywhere in the building, and privacy is available in the nursery or bathroom on the west side of the basement Fellowship Hall. Changing tables are located in the main floor bathrooms on the east side and in the Fellowship Hall bathroom.
Music and Art
Music is a defining mark of Pilgrim's identity, and the program is unusually rich for a parish of its size.
Chancel Choir. A non-auditioned choir of adults of all ages, rehearsing three Wednesdays a month from early September through early June. The choir sings at least three Sunday mornings a month and at special services such as Christmas Eve, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday. Repertoire draws from church music around the world, with an emphasis on traditional and classical music of moderate difficulty.
Y'All Come Choir. On several Sundays of the year, any singers who can read music are invited to arrive before the scheduled service time to learn an easy piece on the spot.
Contemplative Choir. An ecumenical choir for tenors and basses that occasionally leads evening worship at Pilgrim and around the Twin Cities. Auditions are by appointment.
Children's Choirs. Rehearsals take place on Wednesdays, with the children singing occasionally in worship.
Choral Scholars. Pilgrim's music programming is also supported by a roster of Choral Scholars, including Tenor Choral Scholar Sam Fouts.
Composer-in-Residence. Dick Hensold composes original music and texts used in Celtic Contemplative Communion services and across the contemplative worship program.
Music Director Graeme Shields leads the music ministry overall.
Public Art. Pilgrim believes that art is an integral part of its faith and life. In 2021 the congregation debuted an interactive public art piece on the west side of the building. The community continues to engage in public art in new ways, including a 2021 west lawn installation titled "Here In This Place."
Justice, Equity, and the Global Church
Justice work is woven into Pilgrim's identity rather than housed in a single program. Several overlapping groups carry it forward.
Advocates for Racial Equity (ARE). Pilgrim's ARE team works to overcome white supremacy by aligning with the congregation's Mission of Outreach and Welcome and its commitment to doing justice, living out the countercultural values of the gospel through education, relationship building, and advocacy.
In My Neighborhood. Pilgrims are invited to contribute to a fund for reparations directed specifically to inequities in homeownership for BIPOC families. With the leadership of ARE, Pilgrim has begun the process of making reparations for its tacit participation in the system of housing segregation by committing to a collaborative relationship with Model Cities, a Saint Paul-based nonprofit, including a financial contribution.
ISAIAH. Pilgrim supports ISAIAH, a multiracial, statewide, nonpartisan coalition of faith communities, Black barbershops, childcare centers, and other community-based constituencies fighting for racial and economic justice in Minnesota.
Joint Church Anti-Racism Team (JCART). JCART is a collaborative study and action effort among four congregations in proximity: Pilgrim Lutheran, Immanuel Lutheran, Fairmount Avenue United Methodist, and Macalester Plymouth United. Current focus is Indigenous and Native understanding and issues.
Reconciling in Christ. Pilgrim's partnership with Reconciling Works marks the congregation as one committed to welcoming, celebrating, and advocating for the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals in Lutheran faith communities.
Pilgrims Caring for Creation. The Caring for Creation group leads the community in stewardship of God's whole creation, including being designated a "Caring for Creation" Congregation by Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light. The group has led efforts to reduce material and energy waste on the church campus and has sponsored educational events on environmental justice.
Tanzania Partner Congregation. The Lutheran Church through the Saint Paul Area Synod has been working with the Iringa Diocese of Tanzania for over 30 years. Pilgrim has had a partnership with Luganga Lutheran since 2002. Pilgrim prays for and corresponds regularly with the partner congregation, and members provide financial support, including school tuition for children of Luganga.
Pilgrim members are also active in direct service. Volunteers have helped at Safe Space, Saint Paul's emergency overnight shelter managed by Model Cities, laundering bedding and organizing the clothing closet on Sunday mornings. The congregation has raised funds for Project Home, part of Interfaith Action of Saint Paul, which provides shelter, employment, and rapid exit housing support for approximately 20 families with minor children. Annual pie sales have raised money for Project Home. Youth and families have packed meals with Every Meal at the Immanuel Lutheran warehouse.
Shared Ministry and Community Life
Pilgrim practices "shared ministry," affirming that each member is a minister both within and beyond the walls of the church, a commitment made in baptism. The congregation is led and supported by a number of standing committees and shared ministry interest groups.
- Missions and Social Concerns coordinates compassion and care, peace, environmental stewardship, and equality work.
- Properties advises the staff and congregation on the physical structure, capital improvements, building repair and maintenance, decoration, and memorial gifts.
- Finance supports the treasurer, Vestry, and staff in all areas related to finance and accounting.
- People advocates for the lead pastor and staff, supporting human resource duties and continuous improvement.
- Congregational Life and Care provides intergenerational community building, often centered around food, including the annual pie sale and other special events.
- Gratitude and Generosity leads the annual stewardship campaign.
- Children, Youth, and Families supports the faith formation ministry.
Beyond committees, several smaller groups offer regular fellowship. The Classics for Pilgrims book club meets nine times a year on the fourth Thursday of the month from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, reading books that are 50 years or older. The Random Readers Book Club meets monthly on the third Thursday. Men's Breakfast has gathered on the first Monday of the month at the Coffee Cup on Randolph Avenue at 8:00 am for more than 22 years, with no agenda other than fellowship. Pilgrim Mamas and Pilgrim Papas each meet approximately once a month in the late evening for those who identify as parents.
A History Spanning a Century
Pilgrim was founded in 1921 as a mission church. After World War I, returning veterans and other Saint Paulites faced a housing shortage and found attractive building sites in what is now the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood. As the area grew, the pastor and congregation of English Lutheran Church of the Redeemer saw an opportunity to found a mission. In 1919 the Mission Board of the English District advanced funds to buy two lots on the corner of Saint Clair and Prior Avenues. The cornerstone of a chapel was laid in June 1920, and Pastor Edgar F. Witte was stationed there as a missionary. In 1921 Redeemer decided not to move, and the little mission church became a full-fledged congregation: Pilgrim, the newest member of the English District of what is now the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church.
From 1921 to 1926 Pilgrim grew as a mission church and received a subsidy. As Pastor Witte later wrote, "We plugged along, picking up 50 or 60 members a year by dint of wearing out shoe leather. I didn't have a car." In 1926 the congregation became self-supporting with 170 communicant members and 165 Sunday school pupils. With that growth, Pilgrim outgrew its small chapel. Leaders chose to go for a larger building, or at least part of it, the basement. The cornerstone of Pilgrim's permanent home was laid in November 1926.
The stock market crash of 1929 ended the rosy economic hopes of the era. Pilgrim carried a heavy financial burden through the Depression years, postponing plans to complete the church structure and trimming expenses. By 1935, the nation's economic barometer began to climb, and Pilgrim began planning the building of the church above the basement. A financial campaign with a goal of $15,000 succeeded in 1939, and the construction of the superstructure was begun. The cornerstone was laid in October 1939.
The peak of postwar church membership for Pilgrim came in 1956, and pressure for Sunday school space sparked a new building program in 1957. An addition built along the east and west sides of the church added 20 classrooms and offices.
A Chronology of Pilgrim's Senior Pastors: Edgar Witte, 1921 to 1942; Herman Winter, 1942 to 1957; Ihno Janssen, 1957 to 1958; Paul Schuessler, 1959 to 1990; Del Jacobson, 1991 to 1997; Carol Tomer, 1999 to 2021; Chris Smith, 2021 to 2022; Jen Rome, 2022 to present.
Changing Synods. At its founding, Pilgrim was a member of the English Synod of the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. In the early 1970s, the synod experienced divisions over the inerrancy of the Bible. The Missouri Synod held firmly that the Bible was without error, while others, including pastors, scholars, and lay people, felt that while the Bible was inspired, informed readers could have differing opinions on portions of it. In 1976 Pilgrim chose to leave the Missouri Synod and join the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Several years later, the AELC, the ALC, and the LCA merged to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pilgrim is a member of the ELCA today, part of the Saint Paul Area Synod.
Visiting Pilgrim
Pilgrim is located at 1935 Saint Clair Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105, on the northeast corner of Saint Clair Avenue and Prior Avenue. Street parking is available, with a few off-street parking spots behind the building reserved for those with accessibility needs. Pilgrim sits along Metro Transit route 70, a weekday-only route. Routes 87 and 134 stop two blocks west at Saint Clair Avenue and Cleveland Avenue; route 87 runs every day, and route 134 is weekday-only. Anyone needing a ride can contact the main office at pilgrim@pilgrimstpaul.org or 651-699-6886 to be connected with a community member who can help.
Visitors can expect a warm welcome. Worship follows the Lutheran liturgy but is described as creative traditional, blending strong choral music, liturgical preaching, the Inclusive Bible, and the ELW hymnal. Dress is whatever feels appropriate to the visitor; there is no formal dress code. Ushers are happy to provide large-print bulletins, assistive hearing devices, gluten-free wafers, alcohol-free juice, or individually packaged communion elements.
The ground floor bathrooms near the main office on the east side of the building are gender-neutral and single-stall. An elevator on the east side provides access to all floors, with entry through the east door on Saint Clair Avenue for those wishing to avoid the stairs.
Children are welcomed as a vital part of the community. Children's Bibles, busy bags, and family-friendly spaces in the transepts are available. The Fellowship Hall basement offers more room for families who want it.
Leadership
Pilgrim is served by Lead Pastor Jen Rome, who also serves as the church's primary preacher and teaching voice. Director of Faith Formation Zach Spirov leads the children, youth, and family ministry. Visitation Pastor Russ Myers provides pastoral care in home and hospital visits. The music ministry is led by Music Director Graeme Shields, with Composer-in-Residence Dick Hensold contributing original music for the contemplative worship program. Tenor Choral Scholar Sam Fouts supports the choral program. The day-to-day operations are carried by Business Manager Cathy Salin, Office Coordinator Jean Longendyke, Communications Specialist Denika Anderson, and custodians Chuck Regal and Mike Schulze. The Pilgrim community is governed in partnership with a Vestry and a set of standing committees that include Missions and Social Concerns, Properties, Finance, People, Congregational Life and Care, Gratitude and Generosity, and Children, Youth, and Families.
Giving and Getting Connected
Donations can be made online through Pilgrim's electronic giving platform. Visitors and newcomers are encouraged to sign up for community emails to receive the Sunday livestream link, weekly announcements, and information about forums and special events. Prayer requests can be submitted through the contact page with the option of sharing them with the pastor only, the pastor and prayer team, or the wider prayer email and newsletter. The main office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 am to 3 pm and can be reached at pilgrim@pilgrimstpaul.org or 651-699-6886.