Church recommendations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area

February 5, 2010 8:24 PM

Can anyone recommend a church in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, preferably with one with a lot of young people (20s-30s). I'd really appreciate if current members or visitors could chime in with their experiences.

I've recently come to the realization that I need to broaden my circle and meet more people. I haven't been a regular churchgoer for at least a decade, but for the last few years I've wanted to join one, though I've been procrastinating horribly. But it's better late than never.

So, I'm looking for recommendations for churches in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

About me:
* I'm a man in my late 20s
* I live in the South Metro, but I'm willing to drive.
* I'd really like to meet more people my age, so I have a strong preference for a church that has a lot of people around my age and more than just a Sunday service.
* I was raised in a Presbyterian church, but I don't have any strong denominational attachments.
* I'm interested in Catholic churches too (though that would be a much bigger step for me), but I'm not really interested in Unitarian Universalism.

posted by cosmic.osmo to religion & philosophy (7 answers total)

You might try Bethlehem Baptist Church. It's the church where John Piper works and I've really enjoyed his books.
posted by shesbookish at 8:31 PM on February 5, 2010 [1 favorite]

Definitely check out Solomon's Porch some Sunday night. The second gathering has more singles, while the first has lots of families. Most people are in their 20s-30s.
posted by belladonna at 9:27 PM on February 5, 2010

I second Solomon's Porch, if Metafilter was a church, it would be that church! And I have been there off and on nearly since the beginning
posted by wheelieman at 11:10 PM on February 5, 2010

It is not uncommon for colleges to also have churches serve that population. I'd look around college's clubs webpage or even call them for info along these lines.
For instance, down in Mankato, there's the Newman Center which is specifically geared towards a younger population. It's purpose is to serve college students, but there are definitely 20s and 30s there. Same thing when I was in college at Georgia- there were churches whose intent was to serve the college crowd, and it naturally drew your demographic much more than a normal Diocesan church.
posted by jmd82 at 9:10 AM on February 6, 2010

I am a member of a nondenominational church that meets usually 2-3 times a week. There are a lot of people in the 20s-30s range here in the Twin Cities and we tend to socialize quite a bit outside of church meetings. We're pretty informal, compared to most denominational churches, meeting in homes or renting halls. More importantly, our beliefs are pretty simply that Jesus is our example and the Bible is our guide. It's not just "going to church," but a way of life. If you have any questions, email me.
posted by BradNelson at 1:02 PM on February 6, 2010

I'm Catholic and celebrate Mass at St. Peter Claver in St. Paul, but I don't know if that's the best fit for what you're seeking. St. Cecilia in St. Paul is younger and really active, particularly around charity and justice issues. If you're looking for a Catholic experience, you might try there. Also, St. Joan of Arc in Minneapolis is legendary for it's more liberal Catholic theological bent, and I know some younger, progressive Catholics are drawn there. I work in the Catholic community, so if you'd like to chat about different churches, MeMail me.

On the Protestant/Free Church side of things, I have a lot of friends that are really are moved by The House of Mercy services and community. I've always wanted to attend, but have yet to make it over there.

I spent a ton of time church shopping when I moved to the Twin Cities. While I mainly focused on the Catholic churches, I discovered a lot of really great faith communities out there. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
posted by elmer benson at 2:15 PM on February 6, 2010

This year the Catholic church is putting on a push to welcome back people who grew up in the faith and have *cough* drifted away, so maybe it would be easier to take that step now if you want ot go back.

My parents & siblings and their families go to St. Mark's church in St. Paul (near St. Thomas University). Lots of familes and activites, but many activites are tied to family stuff (Scouting, the school, etc.). They're pretty young overall.

I don't live in the Cities any more, but as a teenager I found that St. Thomas, being a Catholic college, had more interesting Masses than IHM [now shuttered] up the street. I went to Boston College, and the presence of the Jesuits made for a better faith community: if you're older than college kids you might not blend in with them, but the homlies might be more relevant.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:40 AM on February 8, 2010