Emmanuel is a growing, intergenerational family that offers big church quality with a small church feel. People appreciate our devotion to God and His Word, our commitment to authenticity, the purposefulness behind all that we do, and the substantive ways that we address real needs. Together, we’re discovering what it means to love God and love people in a more Christ-like way.

Our Story

Every church has a story. Here’s a very small portion of ours. more...

Emmanuel was God’s idea from the beginning.

A bedtime devotional set in motion a series of events and divine appointments that can only be attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit. There are “God stories” behind our name, our denominational affiliation, the facilities we’ve met in, and more. We’d love to share these remarkable stories with you over a cup of coffee sometime.

We held our first Sunday service on September 9, 2007 at Chippewa Middle School. In 2009, we moved to the Shoreview Community Center. A second service was added in 2010 to accommodate our growing church family. About 500 people attend one of our services each Sunday.

Many of us feel like we’re rediscovering church! We’re learning what it means to be a church without walls, we’re watching God open doors before we knock, we’re experiencing what it means to be part of an authentic church family, we’re discovering new models for effective ministry, we’re helping to launch new churches, and we’re becoming transformed through missional partnerships that are a mile-deep rather than a mile-wide.

Each passing month continues to confirm that Emmanuel Covenant Church was truly God’s idea. We invite you to experience God’s unfolding story with us.

Our Invitation

We invite people to experience God with us. more...

The name Emmanuel means God with us.

Jesus commissioned His disciples to go and spread the good news.  As they did, they discovered that God was with them in a unique way when they gathered in His Name.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.  And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Christianity was never meant to be something that you experience alone.  We invite you to experience God with us.

Our Mission

Emmanuel exists to help more people become more like Christ in authentic community. more...

Our mission comes from the Great Commission that Jesus gave His disciples.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Mathew 28:19-20)

Our mission isn’t a vague ideal.  We do our best to help people grow in six specific ways.

DISCOVERING a more transformational walk with God

Curious → In Christ→ Maturing → Purposeful Witness → Disciple-Maker

CONNECTING with others in more meaningful ways

Neighbor → Guest → Regular → Friend → Family

SERVING our Christian brothers and sisters as Christ modeled and taught

Consumer → Volunteer → Faithful → Multiplier → Leader

REACHING OUT in Jesus’ Name to those who are lost and hurting

Insulated → Introduced → Engaged → Effective → Advocate

GIVING as God intended

Keep all → Share some → God first → Tither → Joyful Steward

Leaving a LEGACY by handing off a brightly-lit, well-fueled torch to the next generation

Shining → Welcoming → Equipping → Entrusting → Learning

Our Vision

We envision a growing church family that helps people grow. more...

As we increasingly live lives worthy of the name God gave us, we envision a growing church family through whom: the Gospel is proclaimed, godly leaders are developed, hope is restored, the lost are welcomed home, believers are challenged, resources are well-stewarded, strangers become friends, relationships are reconciled, those in need find a helping hand, ugly church politics find no foothold, singles and families thrive, young people are trained in the way they should go, our neighbors are blessed, skeptics become curious, and God is honored (Matthew 5:16).

Our Affiliation

Emmanuel Covenant Church is a member of the Covenant family of churches. more...

While our affiliation with Christ supersedes any denominational connection, we acknowledge that there are some things that individuals do best, there are some things that small groups do best, there are some things that churches do best, and there are some things that denominations do best.

Our covenant with the Covenant denomination does at least four things.

  1. It provides real, external accountability for our pastors
  2. It provides real, external accountability for our lay leadership and congregation
  3. It unites us with a global network of believers who share resources and ideas
  4. It empowers us to accomplish things together that none of us could accomplish alone

Founded in 1885 by Swedish immigrants, the Evangelical Covenant Church is a rapidly growing, multi-ethnic partnership of 830+ churches in the US and Canada. We’re part of a worldwide movement impacting more than 500,000 people in more than 30 countries on five of the world’s continents.

The Northwest Conference is our regional conference and includes about 140 churches in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our expanding global network is on the leading edge of racial reconciliation, church revitalization, development initiatives among the world’s poor, and the fight against modern slavery.

The Covenant Denomination plants roughly two new churches a week.  Covenant World Mission sends missionaries to people who haven’t yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ.

When the tsunami struck India, when the hurricane ravished New Orleans, when the earthquake devastated and already devastated Haiti, and when Russia invaded Ukraine, Covenant World Relief and Development provided both emergency aid and ongoing support and development.Covenant Camps and Residences welcome and care for thousands of people each year.

Covenant churches believe the Bible is the Word of God, share the Good News of God’s grace, help people develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit, and extend God’s love in tangible ways to our hurting world.  Membership in the Covenant Church is open to all believers by confession of personal faith in Jesus Christ.

One of the defining characteristics of the Covenant is freedom within boundaries.  While the Covenant unwaveringly affirms the Bible is our only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct, we acknowledge that God’s truth is sometimes revealed in paradox and shrouded in mystery. We focus on what unites us as followers of Christ and “agree to disagree” when the Bible itself appears to allow for a variety of interpretations.

Learn more:

The Evangelical Covenant Church (www.covchurch.org)
The Northwest Conference (www.northwestconference.org).

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