St. John is located in Belle Plaine, Minnesota, a small town approximately 40 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis on U.S. highway 169. As a church originally founded in 1877 by German immigrants, we are an established member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and therefore mirror its teaching and values in our congregational purpose of being “called to worship, committed to serve, and connected in faith.”
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
ELCA mission
Together in Jesus Christ we are freed by grace to live faithfully, witness boldly, and serve joyfully.
ELCA vision
A world experiencing the difference God’s grace and love in Christ makes for all people and creation.
ELCA values
Our values are grounded in faith, in our biblical and Lutheran confessional sources and in our love of God and neighbor. They speak to the way this church lives and practices this faith, and they will guide how we journey forward in Christ as church together.
- Forgiveness and reconciliation
- Courage and openness to change
- Dignity, compassion and justice
- Inclusion and diversity
- Faithful stewardship of God’s
creation and gifts
Our Faith Has No Boundaries
At St. John, we recognize that faith must extend beyond the church building. Each year, our youth members take part in mission trips across the country. The congregation partners locally with other churches in town for Ecumenical Thanksgiving Services and community outreach to those in need through, Belle Plaine Food Shelf, and the Good Samaritan Fund.