Jesus said, “Go make disciples of all nations!” Matthew 28:19 The Local Mission Partner Team reminds us that “The Nations are Here!” CTK’s Local Mission Partner ministry is culture/language specific congregations in the Twin Cities. Pastor Vern Rice, chair of this team, tells of ministry opportunities with Spanish, Hmong, Chinese, African American ministries in the Twin Cities. The stories of these churches are truly heart-warming. There is a real need for partnership with in each of these churches.

The Story behind the Egg Rolls

Hmong Central Lutheran Church, just west of the state capital in St. Paul, has youth and young couples who get up at 4 a.m. every second Sunday of the month to prepare egg rolls for Christ the King. 500 to 700 are sold, and often, some of us don’t get any. Thanks for the great response!

Why do the Hmong youth and young couples do this? Last year their goal was to earn money for a youth retreat where the youth asked the question “Who Am I? Hmong youth continue to adjust to the American culture while they also retain their Hmong heritage. Combine that with the realization of their Christian identity; all this made for a dynamic retreat.

Last winter CTK sponsored a Hmong Fellowship Dinner. Proceeds from the dinner matched by a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutheran resulted in $1600 to begin a young couples’ ministry at Hmong Central. Recently a young couples’retreat brought 40 young adults together to discuss faith and life. This year’s egg roll sales will continue to help build this young couples’ ministry.

Local Mission Partners share their story on a special Sunday every year.

In 2007 Local Mission Partner Sunday brought Jennifer Hilde, Director of the Hospitality Center for Chinese (next to the U of M St. Paul campus), to our pulpit. This center welcomes and ministers to Chinese students and their families at the University of Minnesota where there are more Chinese students than any other university in the country. Click on the link to find out more information on this Partner.

We also partner with Pueblo de Fe (Community of Faith) Latino Lutheran Congregation in West St. Paul and Redeemer Lutheran Church, a multicultural Lutheran congregation northwest of downtown Minneapolis.

Members of the Local Mission Partner Team are:

Marilyn Eibs, Pastor Deb Birkeland, Jim Benson, Pat Blake, Dale Erickson, Betty Funk, Bob Meyer, Neal Mortenson, Pastor Richard Mork, and Vern Rice-Chair. If you want information or are interested in being part of the Local Mission Partners ministry, please call Vern Rice at 763-785-4013 (vernrice2000@yahoo.com). 

What's coming up next in Local Mission Partners? Here is the link. . . . .

Our Local Mission Partners in the Twin Cities

GUIDED BY THE GOSPEL: GATHERING • GROWING • GIVING