About Us

The Community of St. Martin is a small, close-knit ecumenical Christian community based in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. It was founded in 1984 by a dozen or so individuals, who shared a connection to Holden Village, a retreat center in Washington State. Since then it has been building belonging in the heart of Minneapolis, and engaging in a variety of ministries stemming from a love of justice, peace, and the care of God’s creation. The Community has supported its members in collective endeavors while also encouraging individual pursuits of living lives of faith and social justice. For 26 years until its closing in 2010, we operated St. Martin’s Table, a vegetarian restaurant that also offered a selection of books and fair trade items that reflected the values of our community.

The Community recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and continues to be rooted in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. We hold weekly worship services with 15-35 individuals each Sunday evening. Members can also engage in book studies and day and weekend retreats. We have annual rhythms of a Spring Day of Renewal held at Common Harvest Farm and a Fall Day of Reflection where we gather for an extended time as a community. We also are invited to take a vow of nonviolence in November. One project we are involved in collectively is sponsoring paid summer internships for youth to work with social justice organizations.

Here are a few ways we describe the Community:

• An ecumenical, Christian community that worships regularly together with spirited liturgies rich in music and inclusive language

• Committed to the work of nonviolent peacemaking and social justice

• Upholding decision making by consensus

• Enabling one another to use individuals’ diverse gifts

• Commitment to inward spiritual journeys through solitude, study, prayer, and spiritual direction

• Engaging in shared leadership in worship and other responsibilities

• Open and affirming, celebrating the diversity of all creation