How it all started...
On July 11th, 2010 a group of about 30 people gathered in Cherokee Heights Park on the bluffs of Saint Paul overlooking the Mississippi River and we dreamt about and prayed for a church that we all longed for. Over the course of the summer, a launch team began to form and we started planning for 3 preview services that we would hold that September, October and November. We dreamt of a church that was a safe place for people to be on their journey and that held Jesus at the center. We longed for a church community where there was not only the permission to question - but questions were valued as an honest search for what was true. We aspired to be a community that was waking up to God's dream for the world, our communities and our own lives.
Awaken at the Joke Joint
On Christmas Eve of 2010, we made the transition to weekly worship and the beginning of Awaken's journey in our new home - The Joke Joint Comedy Club. The Joke Joint was quirky and untraditional - and we loved it. It was the perfect place to start a new church community that valued questions and what it means to wrestle with the Bible and God and to do it together. Quickly we went from one gathering to two gatherings at the Joke and Joint and within 5 years, it was time to move out of "our parents basement".
Awaken at St. James
On March 15th, 2015 Awaken worshipped for the first time in the space we now call home - the former St. James Catholic Church. We raised over $60,000 as a small church of 175 people and renovated this old Irish Catholic cathedral and turned it into a space we could and have called our own for the past 8 years.
Since 2015, Awaken has grown and matured in many ways. In 2017 we planted Awaken East which unfortunately only lasted a little over a year. We wrote and adopted our Statement Regarding the Affirmation of Freedom in Christ and our welcome and inclusion of LGBTQ folks. We survived a global pandemic in 2020-2021 while being fully remote for over a year and most recently in 2023 were involuntarily removed from our denomination for our position & practice on gay marriage. All the while, we have endeavored to keep Jesus at the center as the "well" we gather around and found Him to be more than faithful...
Since 2015, Awaken has grown and matured in many ways. In 2017 we planted Awaken East which unfortunately only lasted a little over a year. We wrote and adopted our Statement Regarding the Affirmation of Freedom in Christ and our welcome and inclusion of LGBTQ folks. We survived a global pandemic in 2020-2021 while being fully remote for over a year and most recently in 2023 were involuntarily removed from our denomination for our position & practice on gay marriage. All the while, we have endeavored to keep Jesus at the center as the "well" we gather around and found Him to be more than faithful...
Awaken's Future...
This past year on Christmas Eve we saw over 850 people join us for worship which was 125 more people than Easter of 2023 (which was a record number as well). More and more people keep finding Awaken and a home where they can explore God, themselves and what it means to follow Jesus.
Recently we were made aware that our lease at St. James (which ends Feb 28, 2025) will not be renewed by the Catholic church we rent from, and so we're in a season of discernment and prayer for what's next. We hope you join us as we follow the Spirit where She leads.
Recently we were made aware that our lease at St. James (which ends Feb 28, 2025) will not be renewed by the Catholic church we rent from, and so we're in a season of discernment and prayer for what's next. We hope you join us as we follow the Spirit where She leads.