Our Mission

We are commanded by Jesus through scripture to “go…make disciples of all nations”(Mat.28:19). This is our primary mission as a church, as part of the Body of Christ.

We must seek out, find, identify, connect with, and ultimately bring to the lost the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is the Gospel that must be preached “to all nations”. By accepting God’s gift of grace through the crucifixion for all our sins, and resurrection of Jesus Christ signifying our new life in Him, and by repenting for and turning away from the sins in our lives.

This mission is not easy as Jesus told his disciples: Mark 13: ⁹ “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. ¹⁰ The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹ When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”(NASB)

After Jesus’ resurrection he appeared to his disciples who still didn’t understand what Jesus was about, and left them with instructions to preach the gospel.

Mark 16: ¹⁴ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. ¹⁵ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.(AKJV)

Our Community Challenge

Our church community is embedded in the larger Lake City community which is centered on Lake Pepin, the largest natural lake on the Upper Mississippi River.

• Lake City is largely a tourist town and the marina is home to many boats that belong to folks that do not live in Lake City. Consequently, a lot of people come and go seasonally as well as weekly. 
• Another community growing within  Lake City is made up of those who commute to Rochester for work.
• A third community is made up of those rural folks that live on farms and ranches surrounding Lake City.
• Finally, there are those who live and work within Lake City at jobs in manufacturing, services, and health care.
• We still have a fairly vital city of about 5500 but with the trend to becoming a retirement community, the average age is almost becoming a senior citizen. 
• Each of these communities have their own needs and interests, and it is the challenge of our church community to reach out to each of them and bring to them the Gospel.

History of our Church

Growing from small roots to serve the wider community

Early History

Our church, formerly known as Lake City United Methodist Church, has its roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church that was founded in 1864? in Lake City, MN and the original church was built on the corner of  North Oak St and Chestnut St. That church building was used until 1962 when it was replaced by the current building. Many pastors have served this charge over the intervening years. The Methodist Church has what are called “itinerant pastors” because they are appointed by the Conference and are moved from charge to charge every few years.

Name Change in 2022

While our congregational beliefs and understanding of our relationship to God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit have not changed since its founding, for many years, roughly beginning early this century, 2008-9, a vision team was assembled to consider changing the name of our church to something more definitive of our congregational community. This effort was on and off for several years, but interest in it was renewed in about 2015. The vision team was reconstituted and the work was completed and approved by the congregation in 2021. The new name, Redeeming Grace Community Church became official on January 1st, 2022.