Caring and Healing Ministries

Blood Drive Volunteer
Blood Drive Volunteers assist in planning and supporting tasks assigned on the day of American Red Cross blood drives hosted at Gloria Dei each year.

Card Ministry Team
Card Ministry Team members gather about once a month to make greeting cards for various church needs. Card-making materials are made available. Completed cards are used by staff and ministry leaders for distribution.

Diamond Jubilee Volunteer
The Diamond Jubilee is an annual celebration dinner and program usually held in May or June and hosted by the congregation. It honors members seventy-five years of age and older. Diamond Jubilee Volunteers plan the menu, shop for groceries, prepare food, serve the meal and provide clean-up. Servers may include youth working under adult supervision. Volunteers are also needed to provide transportation for guests if needed.

Faith and Food Volunteer
Faith and Food Volunteers are maintained on a mailing list. When a food need is requested, the volunteer can match the need. Volunteers typically respond to requests from the pastoral staff and Parish Nurse.

Funeral Reception Volunteer
Funeral Reception Volunteers prepare for, serve, and clean up after funeral reception luncheons. They provide warm hospitality to funeral guests.

Grief Support Ministry Team
Members of the Grief Support Ministry Team connect with members of the congregation grieving loss. Contact is made at the time of loss and 4-6 weeks after the loss to express sympathy on behalf of the congregation and provide listening and compassion.

Hope in Recovery Team
The Hope in Recovery Team meets with the Mental Health Ministry and organizes educational opportunities for youth and adults. Volunteers and staff work together to promote Gloria Dei Lutheran Church as a safe place to discuss substance use and abuse, addiction, and related issues. Volunteers are also available to talk with anyone who seeks non-professional support and to identify resources.

Mental Health Ministry Team
This Mental Health Ministry Team strives to promote emotional and mental well-being by educating and increasing awareness of healthy practices and lifestyles, as well as increasing understanding of mental health disorders. Members bring mental health resources to Gloria Dei via eblast, blog, forums, and classes for all ages. This team meets monthly.

New Arrival Ministry Team
New Arrival Ministry Team members identify individuals who have had recent additions to their families by birth or adoption. They reach out by sending a handmade card, emailing, phoning, or visiting in person. They offer meals, prayer shawls, or other items to welcome the child.

Post-Hospitalization Ministry Team
The Post-Hospitalization Ministry Team acts as the heart and hands of the congregation, expressing care and concern to individuals following a hospitalization or release from a transitional care unit. On behalf of the congregation, team members make visits or phone calls or send cards to congregation members recently hospitalized.

Prayer Shawl Ministry Team
Prayer Shawl Ministry Team members (“Prayerful Knitters”) knit or crochet prayer shawls donated to congregation members who are going through difficult times in their lives. The Grief Ministry Team, Post-Hospitalization Team, pastors, and parish nurse often give prayer shawls, though anyone may request a prayer shawl.

Quilting Ministry Team
The Quilting Ministry Team includes members of all skill levels who gather in fellowship on Thursday mornings and/or work from home to make or contribute to the creation of quilts. These quilts are distributed to Lutheran World Relief, ELCA Disasters, Lutheran Social Service, and organizations supporting people in need, such as hospitals, shelters, and camps for the disabled.

Visitation Ministry Team
Visitation Ministry Team members visit and bring communion to individuals who cannot be in church in person.

Facilities Ministries

Facilities Committee
Facilities Committee members meet as a committee monthly to plan for maintenance, upkeep, and future use of the Gloria Dei building and grounds.

Landscape Gardening Volunteer
Landscape Gardening Volunteers help care for the foundation plantings, perennial gardens, and the container plantings in the courtyard.

Faith Formation Ministries

Faith Formation for All Ages

Art Committee
The Art Committee’s mission is “to enhance our spiritual growth and expand our faith by experiencing the transcendent power of the arts.” The committee continually explores new ways to introduce church members and visitors to art that reflects Gloria Dei’s mission and identity as a Reconciling in Christ congregation. This can include exhibitions, gallery discussions, Forum presentations, and docent-led museum visits. The committee also manages non-liturgical art in the church building.

Library Volunteer
Library volunteers staff the library on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings on a rotating basis. Volunteers greet patrons, assist with book selection, check books in and out, accept donations, shelve books, design topical book displays, and assist with special projects.

Adult Faith Formation

Sunday Forum AV Support Volunteer
AV Support Volunteers offer technical assistance to leaders in running Zoom meetings, PowerPoint presentations, and hybrid meetings. They assist in connecting projectors to laptops, making sure they communicate with each other, manage sound, and/or locate other cords and equipment as needed.

Sunday Forum Planning Team
Sunday Forum Planning Team Members work together to identify and schedule speakers to lead and address topics during Sunday Morning Forum. They support the mission of Faith Formation at Gloria Dei, which strives to meet people where they are by providing sustained opportunities to discover connections between God’s story and their own stories within the context of various communities.

Third Chapter Planning Team
Third Chapter Planning Team members work with others to plan events and ministries for people aged 55 and older, celebrating this age group’s unique spiritual, emotional, and physical gifts and challenges. They support the mission of Faith Formation at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, which strives to meet people where they are by providing sustained opportunities to discover connections between God’s story and their own stories within the context of various communities. 

Children and Family Faith Formation

GAPP Co-Teacher
GAPP stands for “Grace and Promise People.” GAPP co-teachers have the tremendous opportunity to offer their energy, abilities, knowledge, skills, and gifts to 5th and 6th graders during our Sunday School hour. The teacher’s primary responsibility is to teach young people using a prepared lesson plan, which engages them in interactive and delightful learning activities. These lessons aim to nurture understanding, spiritual growth, and transformation in young people and help them fall more deeply in love with God.

GAPP Small Group Leader
GAPP stands for “Grace and Promise People.” GAPP small group leaders have the tremendous opportunity to develop personal, trusted relationships with 5th and 6th graders during our Sunday School hour. The small group leader’s responsibilities are to nurture friendships with and among young people, seek their spiritual growth, help them make a personal application of the lessons, help them see how God is active in their lives, and model an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ.

Preschool Sunday School Assistant
Preschool Sunday School Assistants help create a safe, loving, warm, and engaging environment for preschoolers. Assistants help with lessons and activities when requested by classroom teachers. Assistants ensure that each child feels they are an integral part of the Gloria Dei community, helping them know and trust God and love Jesus.

Preschool Sunday School Co-Teacher
Preschool Sunday School Co-Teachers help create a safe, loving, warm, and engaging environment for preschoolers. They teach stories of faith, songs of faith, and prayer.

Sunday School Song Leader
Sunday School Song Leaders facilitate a welcoming and worshipful large group gathering for Sunday School kids in 1st – 4th grades from 9:30 -9:45 A.M. before they move to Water Tower rotations.

Vacation Bible School Volunteer
A team is developed each year to plan and facilitate one week of summer Vacation Bible School, which operates on a rotational model. Children visit five stations each day. Teachers prepare a new lesson every day for elementary and preschool children. Vacation Bible School assistants help teachers with lessons and activities. Other volunteers serve as managers, each responsible for the overall function and safety of a group of approximately 20 children. Managers also supervise youth who help the younger children.

Water Tower Guide
Water Tower Guides play a vital role in the Water Tower program for children in 1st – 4th grades. Children travel to different workshops and different teachers every week. Guides accompany the same group of children for an entire year, providing continuity and a personal, trusted relationship with the children.
 
Water Tower Teacher
The Water Tower Sunday School program serves children in Grades 1-4. Water Tower Teachers have the tremendous opportunity to offer children their energy, abilities, knowledge, skills, and gifts. The teacher’s primary responsibility is to teach children within their area of interest, nurturing knowledge, understanding, spiritual growth, and transformation of children and helping them to fall more deeply in love with God. The Water Tower consists of several rooms, each used to offer a different learning experience during a rotation of 3-4 weeks. A teacher repeats the same experience in the same workshop during the weeks of rotation, with adjustments made for age appropriateness. Each week a different age group or class experiences the workshop. It is the task of the teacher to be prepared for the lesson, to make sure the workshop is ready for the experience, and to teach the children.

Youth and Family Faith Formation

Confirmation Mentor
Confirmation Mentors meet with one mentee from 9th or 10th grade to foster faith formation throughout the school year. Mentors commit to helping the mentee nurture peer friendships, seek their spiritual growth, help them make personal application of the lessons, help them see how God is active in their lives, and model authentic relationships with Jesus Christ.

Confirmation Small Group Leader
Confirmation Small Group Leaders meet with small groups of 4-8 students throughout the school year to nurture peer friendships, seek their spiritual growth, help them make personal application of the lessons, help them see how God is active in their lives, and model authentic relationships with Jesus Christ.

Youth Mission Trip Chaperone
Youth Mission Trip Chaperones serve as adult guides for the week of the summer mission trip, leading teens in various friendship-strengthening activities that lead up to the trip, including fundraising, driving, Bible study, and conflict resolution.

Finance Ministries

Budget and Finance Committee
Budget and Finance Committee members oversee the congregation’s financial records and affairs, regularly reporting on the financial status to the Congregation Council.

Stewardship Committee
Stewardship Committee members help plan and execute the annual philanthropic efforts of Gloria Dei. Members emphasize, promote, and engage this congregation in an understanding of the stewardship of our lives as a response to God’s grace.

Music Ministries

Alleluia! Choir
Alleluia! is a choir for children in kindergarten through 2nd grade. Members sing and help lead worship at four or five Sunday morning worship services each season.
 
Chancel Choir
The Chancel Choir is the principal adult choir at Gloria Dei. Chancel Choir members rehearse on Wednesday evenings and help lead worship at the 10:45 a.m. Sunday morning worship service each week. They also sing at significant church festivals and perform at special musical events.

Gift of Music Recital Team
Members help organize, promote, and host Gift of Music recitals and post-recital receptions.

Handbell Choir
The Handbell Choir provides special music at worship services one Sunday a month.

Matins Choir
Matins singers come together monthly to sing and help lead worship at the 8:15 a.m. Sunday worship service.

Schola Cantorum Choir
Schola Cantorum is a choir for children in grades 3 – 6. Members sing and help lead worship at Sunday morning worship services at least once a month.

Outreach Ministries

Beacon Housing Team
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative is a collaboration of congregations united in action. The Gloria Dei team works with the collaborative to support the development of affordable homes and advance equitable housing. Members meet monthly and participate in various activities and trainings through the collaborative.

Caring for Creation Team
Caring for Creation Team members promote more sustainable practices in individual lives and around the Gloria Dei facilities, and advocate for public policy addressing climate change and other environmental issues.

Food Market Delivery Driver
Food Market Delivery Drivers deliver food donated by members of Gloria Dei to the Francis Basket Food Market, serving hungry neighbors in our community.

Giving Garden Volunteer
Giving Garden Volunteers plant, tend, and harvest the raised vegetable garden beds in the boulevard along Highland Parkway. The vegetables grown in the Giving Garden are donated to Francis Basket Food Market, providing fresh produce for hungry neighbors living along West Seventh Street.

Global Mission Team
Global Mission Team members facilitate the congregation’s global relationships in Guatemala and Tanzania, planning trips and coordinating communications and support. Members provide educational and outreach opportunities for the congregation.

Habitat For Humanity Volunteer
Volunteers assist with the on-site building or rehabilitation of a Habitat for Humanity home. Volunteers who may choose not to help with construction are needed to provide lunch for one of the build days. 

Immigrant Justice Team
Members plan and coordinate Gloria Dei’s activities in support of immigrants, primarily by overseeing Gloria Dei’s Room 99 Ministry, which provides housing for a family of asylum seekers. The team partners with the Saint Paul Area Coalition on Immigrant Justice, the Advocates for Human Rights, the Center for Victims of Torture, Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, ISAIAH, ICOM, and others. They coordinate congregational service and advocacy on behalf of immigrants and refugees.

ISAIAH Core Team
ISAIAH is a multi-racial, multi-Faith, state-wide, non-partisan community organizing organization, not an advocacy organization. This means that we achieve social justice through leadership development, relationship building within our institutions, and building power for personal and societal transformation. ISAIAH equips people of faith across the state to organize and collaborate for racial, economic, and climate justice.

Loaves And Fishes Volunteer
Loaves and Fishes Volunteers prepare and/or serve an evening meal at the Dorothy Day Center every other month (on the fourth Wednesday of even-numbered months) or as needed.

Mass Produce Distribution Volunteer
Mass Produce Distribution Volunteers serve as representatives of Gloria Dei, assisting with Neighborhood House’s distribution of thousands of pounds of fresh produce at the Francis Basket Food Market. Shifts last about three hours on a weekday afternoon, approximately 2-3 times per summer.

Project Home Volunteer
Project Home Volunteers choose various services to provide to our guests at a specific time during the month of December, when Gloria Dei hosts the Project Home overflow homeless shelter, or during the month of June, when Mount Zion hosts the Project Home overflow shelter.

Racial Justice Committee
Racial Justice Committee members develop a strategic plan and coordinate Gloria Dei’s activities to support racial justice and equality. There are monthly meetings with additional meetings and participation in activities as needed.

Weekend Backpack Program Volunteer
Weekend Backpack Program Volunteers collect, pack, and/or deliver bags of nutritious food to children in need at Highland Park Elementary.

Welcoming Community Committee
Welcoming Community Committee members work with other ministry areas to evaluate and enhance our external and internal signs of welcome and build and sustain relationships within the church. They build relationships with the community, all while promoting and delivering our congregational mission of welcoming within and beyond Gloria Dei.

Worship Ministries

Altar Care Team
Altar Care Team volunteers make sure the altar, choir, and baptismal font areas are clean and prepared for use in worship; dress the altar, the pulpit, and the lectern in paraments appropriate to the liturgical season. They set up for communion and clean communion ware after services of Holy Communion and launder communion linens, as needed.  

Assisting Minister
Assisting Ministers aid in leading worship services at Gloria Dei.

AV Technician
AV technicians operate the AV system for worship services in the sanctuary.

Communion Assistant
Communion assistants distribute bread, wine, or grape juice at Holy Communion during worship at Gloria Dei.

Communion Bread Baker
Communion Bread Bakers bake communion bread for worship services as needed at home or at church.

Hospitality Team
Hospitality Team members welcome people to worship, collect and secure offerings, direct the flow of participants in Holy Communion and help worship function smoothly and gracefully.

Lector
Lectors read lessons from the Old and New Testament in worship at Sunday morning worship services and other occasions.

Prayer Team
Prayer Team members serve with a partner to pray confidentially for and with individuals who seek prayers for themselves, loved ones, or the world. The Prayer Team participates in the services on one Sunday each month, and team members are scheduled online.

Sacristan
Sacristans assist with the logistics of worship services and guide acolytes.

Sanctuary Attendant
Sanctuary Attendants ensure that the sanctuary appears fit to welcome Sunday worshipers by tidying the chairs, straightening hymnals, and anything else that needs replenishing or placed in order.

Worship Committee
Worship Committee members support the congregation’s worship life by attending committee meetings to coordinate worship services and seasonal observances. This includes overseeing the recruitment, training, and support of all worship assistants, including lectors, communion assistants, ushers, altar care, and acolytes.