Many people are looking for a place to belong. We belong together! All it takes is the willingness to make yourself known.
Here are some ways to get involved. If you don’t see something you’re interested in, contact us and learn how to set up something new.
Partners in Giving
Spirit Garage seeks to be a Compassionate Community believing that God calls us to live out the love of Christ by caring for all creation, including each other. Our 2019 partners include Seward/Longfellow Restorative Justice, which provides the opportunity to repair harm by involving the victim, offender, and community in solutions that promote healing, accountability, and reconciliation. International Justice Mission, a global effort to end slavery and human trafficking, and Crescent Cove, Minnesota’s first hospice home for children.
Music
Spirit Garage has four bands playing on a rotating basis, and some weeks where musician John Kerns works with one or two others. Auditions are required to be a part of the music scene at Spirit Garage, and song suggestions are always welcome! The songs just have to be singable, playable, and fit with the theme for the day.
Children’s Ministry
Children, just like adults, are welcome to participate in whatever ways make sense for them. Toddlers to 6th Grade are invited to attend Children’s Ministry during the message where they will experience the message geared towards a younger crowd. This happens in a room down the hall, and is led by one of our parent volunteers. Children are invited to return for communion and the close of worship. All parents volunteering have passed a criminal background check.
Melissa Johnston serves at the Parent Coordinator. To learn more, contact Melissa Johnston.
Communion Bread Bakers
These folks love to bake and supply Spirit Garage with communion bread. Any bread is welcome, and we also have a recipe you could use. Each volunteer makes every few of months.
Hosting
Hosting is the most important job in helping make Spirit Garage the church with the really big door. No experience is necessary. Consider volunteering for 1 Sunday per month. Choose to help with one or more of the following: Set up, Greet, Bring Treats, Clean Up.
PACA – (Prayers, Announcements, Communion Assistants)
As a Grassroots Ministry we welcome lay leaders to participate in leading worship. Interested in helping out with small but important portions of worship? We need people to say the community prayers, give announcements, and be communion assistants.
Pit Crew
The Pit Crew is a group of stage hands that set up sound equipment, haul rugs, connect cables to mics, and decorate the worship space. No previous experience is necessary, but any experience is welcome. Setup time: 8:30am. Done by 12:30pm. Please contact John Kerns.
Sound Engineers
Help set up the stage and help people experience worship live in person or online. On the job training helps, but experience is necessary. We use Mackie Master Fader 4 and a Mackie DL32r to amplify the band for worship. If you are interested, please consider signing up for one Sunday a month. Contact John Kerns.
Third Thursday Theology on Tap
Once a month we gather for drinks and conversation at Sisters’ Sludge, a local coffee shop and wine bar/tap room. We gather around a topic with open questions on theology, life, and culture. All are welcome — bring your whole self. Show up, put on a name tag, share your lived experience and hear what others have to say. Past topics have included:
What is the purpose of forgiveness?
Are things getting better or worse?
What might a “Christian response” to guns be?
Where is God in suffering?
What is evil (and other hard questions)
What is changing about love and marriage?
Book Discussions
Once a quarter a new book is selected for conversation. Conversations happen once a month at Moon Palace Books and you are welcome to come to one or all of them. Past books have included: Braving the Wilderness, by Brené Brown, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water and Learning to Love the Bible Again, by Rachel Held Evans.
Garage Ladies’ Aid
Back in the civil war days, women started these “Ladies Aid” groups to help soldiers. We don’t all consider ourselves “Ladies” and we generally aren’t volunteering for soldiers, but this group of volunteering women resides under this title in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. A throwback to an earlier time of women volunteers, this group gets together to socialize and volunteer in the community.
Much More!
Many other activities come up, like Longfellow community events, bonfires, picnics, ball games, hiking and biking, special worship services and more. Find a way to belong. We belong together!