Oak Knoll News

In a continuing effort to keep the congregation informed on the issue of affordable housing, the Oak Knoll Beacon Housing Committee likes to share relevant housing articles, information and events.     “Light the Way” Beacon Annual Fundraiser   On September 9th, 2025,  Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative held their annual fundraiser. Over 600 people attended. Beacon has been an Oak Knoll mission partner for a number of years. A number of Beacon committee members attended

Thank You!   Thank you to the Oak Knoll community for your kind donations of food items in the past month. Your demonstration of sharing the fruits of the kingdom is evident in your deeds. Your generosity is sincerely appreciated, particularly during this time of increased financial difficulties experienced by many. We extend a special thanks to Oak Knoll Christian Preschool and our Sunday school children for hosting additional ICA drives that contributed to our donation. We

Written by Matt Cerar, Music Director Join the Choir for Christmas! Everyone is welcome to join the Oak Knoll Choir as we prepare for our beautiful Christmas Eve services. Rehearsals will be held on December 3rd, 10th, and 17th, and we’ll sing at both services on Christmas Eve. The more voices, the merrier—come share in the joy of music this season!   Music in December December will be filled with wonderful music during our Sunday services. The Oak Knoll Choir will sing on th

Did you know there are other Oak Knoll giving opportunities in addition to our regular monthly offering?   Tax-Efficient Giving Via IRA   If you are at least 70.5 years old and donate to charity, you should become familiar with qualified charitable distributions (QCDs). This could reduce your income tax bill!   The QCD rule allows people over the age of 70 to avoid income tax on up to $100,000 (per year) of distributions made directly to a qualified charity, such as Oak Knoll

An estimated 6,000 youth experience homelessness on any given night in Minnesota. About half of these youth live in the Twin Cities area. They live on the street with just a backpack or nothing at all. Through Lutheran Social Service, we reach out to homeless youth.   Winters are cold in Minnesota and being homeless is a chilling experience. That’s why we want to help keep everyone warm this winter.   Through Oak Knoll we are collecting hats, gloves, scarves, socks and underw

As we begin to plan for another upcoming holiday season, many of us gather with heavy hearts as we remember individuals in our lives who have died and whose presence we miss.   As a way to honor and give thanks to God for all the Saints, we invite you as people of Oak Knoll to purchase an ornament in honor/memory of your loved one(s) and bring it to church between December 7th and Christmas Day. As you bring your ornament(s) to church, simply fill out one of the tags provided

Preschool   The washer and dryer in the Preschool area was replaced. This replacement was funded by the Preschool operating budget.   Office   The chairs in Pastor Jay’s office were replaced. This replacement was funded by the Church Operating Budget.   The furniture and supplies have arrived to complete the office upgrade. This project that is funded by the Dedicated Building Fund, should be completed in the next couple of months.   Building Exterior   The nonworking exterio

Written by Christina Black, Children, Youth, & Family Ministry Director Thank You!   We had another great year of selling butter braids. Thank you to everyone who purchased from the youth. The money will help fund summer camps.  Thankful at Dinner & Family Night   Sunday schoolers and their families once again enjoyed a mixing of the ages with a shared dinner during Wednesday night confirmation. After, the Sunday school group learned about being thankful by reading Ten Men He

In a continuing effort to keep the congregation informed on the issue of affordable housing, the Oak Knoll Beacon Housing Committee likes to share relevant housing articles, information and events.     This Is a Defining Moment for Supportive Housing   Supportive housing is more than just a home. It combines affordable housing with on-site services to help individuals and families stay housed and work toward long-term stability.   Supportive Housing is built off the values an

Hello OKLC!   Time just keeps flying by! It is hard to believe that I have just completed month three of my internship! Thanks to everyone’s guidance and support, these past three months have been an amazing experience.   November was a busy month! Between continuing with our Confirmation programming, catching up with fellow interns at my Fall Internship Cluster Retreat, and coming up with a full Thanksgiving worship liturgy for the first time, this month has been full of lea

In a continuing effort to keep the congregation informed on the issue of affordable housing, the Oak Knoll Beacon Housing Committee likes to share relevant housing articles, information and events.     This Is a Defining Moment for Supportive Housing Supportive housing is more than just a home. It combines affordable housing with on-site services to help individuals and families stay housed and work toward long-term stability. Supportive Housing is built off the values and da

In November, we held parent- teacher conferences and celebrated each child’s success. In the classroom, we reflected on the word “thankful.” The children enjoyed making Thanksgiving themed art and centerpieces for our classroom Thanksgiving feast. At our feast, the children worked together to create a special meal to share with their friends. We also collected food to donate to the local ICA food shelf last month. This was a wonderful learning opportunity for our children to

At the Council meeting in November, we continued our discussion about updating our bylaws and constitution. This work will continue into 2026. Pastor Jay and the Executive Committee are preparing to implement the new Minnesota Paid Family Leave program that is required by the state. We reviewed our financials and find ourselves in good shape as we finish up our year. Thanks for your reliable support and your continued giving during our generosity campaign.   Heading into Than

Oak Knoll’s ministry partner Our Saviour’s Housing is a community of hope for those who need a home. Their Emergency Shelter serves homeless adults who are in immediate need of a safe place to sleep and access resources - the first step in transitioning from homelessness to home.   In late 2023, Our Saviour’s Community Services was awarded a capital grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services to renovate and expand their Emergency Shelter. With these funds, they hav

Hello OKLC!   Another month has passed now for my internship! And what a month it has been! I have been enjoying spending time with the youth. From kicking off Preschool Chapel with Pastor Jay to Confirmation Sunday and Trunk or Treat, it has been such a blessing to spend time with the youth and continue to watch them learn and grow in their faith journeys.   Pastoral Care has also been a big part of this past month. I had the honor of serving as one of the ministers for the

At our October Council meeting we caught up on all our property projects. The EIFIS repair is complete and looks fabulous! The office remodel is in progress as the furniture has arrived. After a breakdown, a new freezer was ordered and replaced in the kitchen. Fred Moore has been out with his caulking gun, sealing the sidewalk all the way around the church! Thanks Fred!   Over the next few months, we will be reviewing and updating the church bylaws (which hasn’t been done in

Written by Matt Cerar, Music Director As we move toward the end of 2025, we hope you’ve enjoyed the first few months of this new season of music at Oak Knoll. October marked an exciting step forward in our choral skills as we welcomed Parker Degerness into the role of choral conductor. It has been a joy to bring him into our music-making community, and we’re grateful for the energy and talent he brings. Reformation Sunday is always a highlight of the fall season, and we hope

In October we learned about the life cycle of an apple and taste tested apples. We also learned about pumpkins through various hands-on activities. The children enjoyed going on nature walks collecting colorful leaves for art collages and picking the last of the vegetables from our preschool garden boxes. We started Chapel with Pastor Jay and Vicar Chantal in October, learning about Creation and Noah’s Ark. We ended the month with our annual classroom pumpkin parties where th

On October 1st, 2025, we joyfully welcomed the Rev. Yehiel Curry as he began his six-year term as presiding bishop of the ELCA. Church leaders and ecumenical, interreligious and global guests gathered in Minneapolis for his installation service on October 4th.   Delivering the sermon at the installation, the Rev. Kevin Vandiver urged ELCA members to answer the divine call and stand alongside Bishop Curry in these uncertain times: “It is a call that you may have to say yes to

Written by Stephen Murray, Streaming Director   When I ask someone to share a story for The Knoll Podcast, they are usually surprised. “Why me?” they ask. “There’s nothing special about me.” A week later, however, they’ll come back and ask how to get set up to record and when we do record, they share story that is both profound and simple. Like the little bits of wisdom you’d hear if you were catching up with a friend and sharing a cup of coffee.   That’s how I view The Knoll

Written by Christina Black, Children, Youth, & Family Ministry Director Birth of Jesus at Dinner & Family Night   During our first Dinner & Family Night, we welcomed several confirmation parents, students, Sunday schoolers, and their families. After enjoying dinner together, we broke into groups to read about the birth of Jesus. Then, each group was challenged to depict part of the story using a unique set of art supplies. It was a fun time—thanks to everyone who attended!  

Plymouth Christian Youth Center (PCYC) is a voluntary health, education, and welfare organization that was founded in 1954 to serve children and youth in the inner city of Minneapolis. Their mission is to enrich the skills, prospects, and spirit of North Minneapolis area youth and adults, in partnership with families and communities. Your donations go toward paid internships and job training opportunities, free year-round academic and social-emotional enrichment of K-5 schola

Thursday, November 20th   All members of the public are invited to a Candlelight Memorial Service hosted by the West Suburban Grief Coalition to honor our lost loved ones as we enter the holiday season.   This meaningful service helps to bring comfort, hope and healing to attendees who have experienced the death of a loved one. You needn’t be a Grief Coalition participant nor a church member to attend. All grieving hearts are welcome to honor and remember their people.   Serv

Watch Your Mailbox for an Invitation to GATHER, GROW, CELEBRATE   Arriving in your mail soon is Oak Knoll's invitation to participate in our 2026 generosity campaign.   Since 1932, this congregation has been building "a house where love can dwell and all can safely live."* As we approach our current facility's 30th anniversary in 2026, we celebrate this latest chapter in our congregation's nearly century-long story of faithful ministry.   As Christians, we know that generosit