About Us

Vision: We seek a thriving world created by unconditional love and grace. 

Mission: The love of Jesus inspires us to praise God, grow in faith, and serve our neighbor.

Core Values:

  • Living Faith-We use the gifts God has given us for God’s glory and the world’s benefit.

  • Belonging- We welcome and accept all into our community of faith.

  • Creativity- We foster musical and artistic expressions for the glory of God.

  • Generosity- We readily give more of our time and resources than is expected.

St. Barnabas Staff

  • Pastor Tom Olson

    Email Pastor Tom

    Pastor Tom has 30 years of experience as an ordained pastor and has been at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Bloomington for the last 17 years. We think he is a good fit for St. Barnabas and will help lead us through the process of calling a new pastor.

  • Pastor Stephanie Luedtke

    Email Pastor Stephanie

    Stephanie Luedtke is a minister, educator, and artist. She often combines the three, weaving education and arts through her ministry or ministry into arts education. Stephanie is a rostered Pastor in the ELCA with 25 years of experience in ministry of various sorts, and holds a Master’s Degree in Worship Arts. She enjoys helping people of all ages find meaningful ways to worship, learn, and to be in faithful community together. Through her work in schools, private settings, churches, and at the judicatory level, and independent work as a consultant, coach, and curriculum writer, Stephanie has always tried to follow her passions and assist others in doing the same.

  • Karl Smith | Lay Minister for Property

    Email Karl

    Karl Smith joined the St. Barnabas staff as Lay Minister for Property in 2019. He is enjoying the responsibility of keeping the St. Barnabas building and grounds in excellent condition with the assistance of a team of skilled volunteers and staff. Karl, his wife Kristen and their three children have been members of St. Barnabas since 2007.

  • Brenda Ericson | Office Administrator

    Email Brenda

    Brenda worked at the Minneapolis Convention Center for over 31 years and retired in April 2022. Her jobs included event set-up, admin support and Program Assistant.

    Brenda is a MN gal, having grown up in Northeast Minneapolis. Currently, she and her husband, Keith, along with their son Zack, reside in Blaine. Keith and Zack have both been in the Army National Guard for many years. When not working, Brenda enjoys nature centers, photographing wildlife, fishing, cooking and building puzzles.

  • Malcolm Burke | Director of Music Ministry

    Email Malcolm

    Malcolm Burke is a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, pursuing a degree in conducting, with a wind band emphasis, under the tutelage of Dr. Emily Threinen. Burke is the director of the North Star Campus Band. His graduate teaching assistant responsibilities include working with the concert ensembles, athletic bands, conducting courses, and aiding with special events and administrative duties. He recently completed a Master of Arts in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Central Florida. While at Central Florida, Burke worked with concert and chamber ensembles, and athletic bands, and assisted with administrative duties. Before his graduate studies, he served as Director of High School Orchestras for five years at Mason City High School in Mason City, IA.

  • Noah Carlson | Organist

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    Noah provides excellent accompaniment on organ and piano during our worship services.

  • Cheryl Oie | Bell Choir Director

    Email Cheryl

    Cheryl has a storied career in music and directs St. Barnabas’s wonderful handbell choir.

  • Rob Merry | Custodian

    Rob has taken great care of our building for many years.

St. Barnabas Council

  • Colleen Lutz | President

    president@stbarnabaslutheran.org

    The President, in conjunction with the rest of the Congregation Council, has general oversight of the life and activities of the congregation, and in particular its worship life, to the end that everything be done in accordance with the Word of God and the faith and practice of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The President presides over council meetings, and ensures that the congregation is in compliance with all laws and regulations.

  • Jeff Carter | Vice President & Property

    The Vice President fills in for the President when the President is unavailable. The Vice President also acts as liaison between the Council and the Staff Support Team.

    The Property Chair coordinates with the Lay Minister for Property to provide for the care and maintenance of the church building and grounds.

  • Bill Welshons | Treasurer

    finance@stbarnabaslutheran.org

    The Treasurer is (currently) an unelected volunteer position, who works closely with the Accounts Payable and Receivable volunteers, as well as the Finance Chair to steward the congregation’s finances.

  • Audrey Faust | Secretary & Hospitality

    The Secretary keeps accurate and timely minutes of all official Congregational and Council meetings, making them available to the members.

    The Hospitality Chair encourages and lead all members of St. Barnabas in the continuous effort to reach out to those who do not realize they are part of God's family. They work to help visitors feel welcome and to extend the welcome to spaces outside the physical church building.

  • Kala Keefe | Finance

    The Finance Ministry ensures that the church's finances are managed successfully to support its ministries and to comply with regulations. This will be accomplished largely through dedicated volunteers with the requisite financial skill sets who will work collaboratively with pastors, staff, other ministry groups, and outside parties. These dedicated volunteers include Treasurer , General Accountant, Financial Secretary, Endowment Team, Finance Advisory Team, and Offering Counter Team.

  • Barb Johnson | Christian Education

    Education is a ministry that supports Christians of any age to grow in their faith. It includes adult education such as Word for Women and the Pastor's Class as well as Sunday School and Confirmation for our youth.

  • Linda Eckman | Worship

    The Worship Chair assists the Pastors and Worship staff in seeing that the services of God's house are conducted regularly and with excellence. They will coordinate communication, training, and recognition for all worship volunteers, and acts as liaison to worship-related teams, such as Sanctuary Care and Banner teams.

  • Beth Grosen | Outreach & Justice

    The Outreach and Justice Committee seeks to minister to the needs of our members and the community at large out of the love of Christ for us. It sponsors appropriate serving activities and encourage member participation, particularly with our Ministry Partners who receive our Gifts of Love The Committee oversees Outreach and Justice related teams, such as RIC Exploration, and Riverside Innovation Hub.

  • Christen Conrad | Fellowship

    The Fellowship Chair oversees the events and small groups that care for the individual and communal well-being of congregational members and visitors

  • Brett Turnquist | Stewardship

    The Stewardship Committee fosters a healthy understanding of Christian stewardship within the congregation. Through education and interpretation, it makes the congregation aware of the ministries its offerings support. Each year it leads a stewardship program to encourage pledging and proportional giving by the members of the congregation.

Who is St. Barnabas?

In the spring of 1985, the Minneapolis Synod of the Lutheran Church in America (which later merged to become the ELCA) called Pastor Wayne Peterson as pastor and developer of a new congregation in northwest Plymouth. Pastor Wayne officially started on September 1, 1985. The first worship service was November 24. 1985 at Greenwood Elementary School. Groundbreaking took place on January 11, 1987, and the building was occupied in August. On October 18, 1987, St. Barnabas officially organized as a congregation of the LCA with 202 charter members. Ten weeks later, it became a congregation of the newly formed Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on January 1, 1988. The new sanctuary was dedicated in September 1997. Under the leadership of Jim Cook, a kitchen was finished with volunteer labor within a year and quickly became a central part of the life of St. Barnabas and its ministry of hospitality. The front of the sanctuary was transformed in 2001 by the addition of a 19-rank Nordlie pipe organ, a gift from Brad & Jane Miller. In 2004, the Building Committee came up with an ambitious plan, proposing a lower level under the entire addition. Construction began in May 2005. Though some of the exterior parts of the project were not completely finished until May, the new space (which tripled the size of the building) was dedicated in January 2006.

About the Building

Although Saint Barnabas is not among the most well-known of early Christian figures, he was very influential. Born a Cypriot Jew named Joseph, Barnabas traveled with Paul and introduced Christianity to both Jewish people and Gentiles. In the Book of Acts, he is described as a “good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith,” and his name, given to him by the apostles, means “son of encouragement.” Barnabas introduced Paul—then known as Saul—to the apostles and provided testimony to Paul’s faithfulness when the apostles were doubtful of it. Barnabas and Paul went on to work together for many years until they parted ways over a disagreement regarding a colleague, but even after that, Barnabas continued to help the good word spread.