Outreach @ Salem
A little about the church in North Minneapolis making a difference inside and outside its walls. You belong and are welcome here, always.
Weekly Community Meal
Join us for a free community meal every Tuesday at 6pm. Come to the 42nd Avenue side of the church for curbside pickup—in your car, on your bike, or on foot. Meals are served to neighbors and members. Each bag includes two servings of a home-cooked, packaged meal.
All are welcome.
To sign up to help, click or tap below. Thank you so much for your time and energy in helping out with this important outreach ministry.
Annual Christmas Store
State Fair Outreach
Salem is famous for our Dining Hall at the Minnesota State Fair, over 70 years running! The Dining Hall serves thousands of people every summer, through both our sit-down dining room and walk-up counter.
The primary mission of the Dining Hall is to serve as an extension of the hospitality Salem offers on a weekly basis throughout the year. The Dining Hall is led by fantastic volunteers, and the sit-down area is typically hosted by youth from our community, creating opportunities for youth development, training, and fun!
In addition to its hospitality, Salem’s Dining Hall is famous for its Swedish Egg Coffee and Swedish Meatballs. View here one of many stories done on the beloved Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall.
NOTE: The 2020 Minnesota State Fair has been canceled, and Salem is not able through other means to sell coffee or food. We are sad to miss the fair, but appreciate the importance of keeping everyone safe.
Community Partnerships
Salem regularly partners and shares space with community organizations, gathering supplies or funds for neighbors in need. We have deeper relationships with these local groups:
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSS) “expresses the love of Christ for all people through service that inspires hope, changes lives and builds community.” At Salem, LSS hosts an after-school program and occasional summer programming.
Appetite for Change
Appetite for Change (AFC) build community capacity to engage with the food system in a fresh and sustainable way, through youth and workforce development programs, social enterprises, and policy initiatives. At Salem, AFC runs a garden at Salem which primarily fuels AFC’s food programs. Additionally, though on pause because of COVID-19, AFC hosts Community Cooks and Youth Community Cooks events through Salem. These workshops offer space and guidance for community members to “explore preparing and enjoying new ingredients and nutritious recipes” all while engaging in “discussions on social justice and how we can make change in our communities.”
Watchmen Outreach Ministries
Watchmen Outreach Ministries has been sharing space and ministry with Salem for almost a decade. Led by Pastor Brenda Walton, Watchmen is a wonderful congregation that worships Sunday afternoons and is dedicated to serving the Northside while proclaiming the Gospel.
The Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement
A new initiative of the Minneapolis Area Synod, the Center for Leadership and Neighborhood Engagement (CLNE) is led by Pastor Kelly Chatman, longtime Northside leader and pastor. CLNE provides training, experiential learning, and hosts conversations around leading faith communities in urban settings, across culture, and in a changing world.
Global Partnerships
Salem is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and supports its work around the globe.
The ELCA works particularly hard to feed people in need, fight malaria, support immigrants, and address natural disasters around the world.
For more information, visit here: https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Global-Church/Global-Mission.
Working Together as the ELCA
Working together as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, we are doing God’s work in ways that no individual or none of the 10,549 congregations can do alone. Salem tithes a significant amount of money which is combined with other congregations to support the whole church. The ELCA has a long history of being present in communities, working to help and serve where the needs are greatest. Participating in this work that God calls us to in the world compels us to be attentive to complex and changing situations, as well as to the importance of both immediate relief and ongoing, long-term assistance for our sisters and brothers and the communities in which they live.
Worldwide Outreach from Our Place in the Neighborhood
Our relief and development work is pursued and accomplished through a variety of bold, active ministries and initiatives:
Each effort strives for justice, peace and change in the world, and draws its strength and effectiveness from working in partnership with others who share a common vision of serving and loving our neighbor and restoring and reconciling communities in Jesus Christ’s name.
