Minneapolis-area church borrows from MIF, and a new sense of fellowship results

Successive building additions left Normandale Lutheran Church with many chopped-up spaces. The thriving congregation set out to become even more inviting to worshippers.

Normandale’s renovations created multiple beautiful spaces for congregants to gather.

It’s no accident Normandale Lutheran Church in Edina, Minnesota, is home to a vibrant ministry and upwards of 2,500 members.

“When you walk into our space on a Sunday morning or on a Wednesday at any time,” said Normandale pastor, the Rev. Paul Pettersen, “you encounter joyful people meeting together and looking forward to seeing each other.”

Due to several building renovations over more than three generations, however, the church’s gathering spaces were actually making it harder for the congregation to come together as a community.

“It was because of the way the facility had been pieced together over a number of projects,” Pastor Pettersen said. Due to poor traffic flow in and out of the worship space, “people would leave worship and they’d go left, they’d go right and they’d leave. We were losing a lot of what it means to be community.”

Then the congregation undertook a strategic visioning process, “All Together in One Place.” This multi-year effort included plans for the facility, important outreach activities and future ministry work.

The visioning process resulted in a two-phase renovation project, and the congregation secured a loan from the Mission Investment Fund to help fund the work.

“The Mission Investment Fund’s service has been personal and present, from our groundbreaking to the dedication,” Pastor Pettersen said. “They’ve come through and affirmed the work we’ve been doing from a ministry standpoint and what it means to the church. They’ve been great on the relationship side as well.”

The church’s 40-year-old fellowship hall was among the first places given new vibrance in 2015, and the Fireside Room, formerly a large divided room outside of the main worship space, was opened up, with a vaulted ceiling and a grand west-facing window that offers spectacular sunset views.

“When you update space,” Pastor Pettersen said, “and give it new life, new lighting and openness so there’s air in the room and exterior light, people want to be there–and stay there.”

The church broke ground on the second phase of the project in the spring of 2017. Plans call for construction of a new chapel and physical activity spaces. Based on the impact of Phase I on the renewed sense of community at Normandale Lutheran Church, the completion of Phase II can’t come soon enough. “There’s a life and a spirit and a joy in these spaces,” Pastor Pettersen said. “It’s not just new. It’s a joy that has grown.”