150th Anniversary Reunion to Draw Descendants & the Curious

Sunday, June 1
12 Noon - 3 PM

For 150 years, Old Salem Shrine has stood as a reminder of the steadfast faith of early settlers to the Saint Paul area. As Minnesota’s first congregation of the Evangelical Association of North America, Old Salem holds a special place in history in our state.

The Old Salem Shrine Trustees are hosting a “Community Reunion” on Founders Day, Sunday, June 1, to bring together descendants of the church’s founders, neighbors, history buffs and curious passersby. The event will include:

• Guided Church & Cemetery Tours

• Children’s Story Time

• Mik Mart Ice Cream Truck (FREE!)

• Kids’ Lemonade Stand

• Bake Sale

• Beverages

Guests will also have the opportunity to visit with descendants of the church’s founders.

New Landmark Sign to be Dedicated

Old Salem has been without a sign visible from the street noting its name significance for many years. Thanks to generous donors, including descendants of one of the founding families, the Kochendorfers, the church will once again have a landmark sign erected in front of the church.

At 12:45 p.m. on June 1, there will be a short ceremony dedicating the new sign.

Participating in the ceremony will be:

• Krista Hutchinson, President, Old Salem Shrine Board of Trustees

• Rev. Michelle Hargrave, District Superintendent, United Methodist Church-Minnesota Conference

• Tony Scales, City Council Member, City of Inver Grove Heights

• Joe Atkins, Commissioner, Dakota County

Lewis Honored by City of Inver Grove Heights

Jill (Zehnder) Lewis, was recently honored by the City of Inver Grove Heights with one of its two inaugural Bridge Builder Awards. Rob Reitberger, owner of Hometown Meats and Hometown Sweets, was also recognized.

City Council Member Tony Scales shared comments about Jill at the State of the City event, where Jill’s daughter Amy accepted the award on Jill’s behalf. Scales, whose family has a deep connection with Jill's, married his wife Kimberly at Old Salem in 2012. Jill devoted herself to the community through many endeavors, including serving as President of Old Salem Shrine's Trustees, until her death in 2020. We are forever grateful for Jill’s dedication to Old Salem and her legacy in the community.

For more on the Bridge Builder Award and the inaugural recipients, please watch this Town Square TV feature.

Old Salem Welcomes Ian Peters

Ian Peters will bring God’s message to Old Salem Church for the Epiphany Service January 5, 2025 at 4:30PM. Ian’s mission is to speak prophetically into the life of the church and reach out to those who do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus.

Born into the home of a missionary and raised in Australia, Ian felt the call of God early in life and began preaching in 1981. His ministry has included pastoral work as well as ministering in camps, seminars, conferences and crusades all over the world. Those experiences have included teaching the Bible at Hillsongs in Australia, from where some of the music we have begun to use in the service has come; as well as our own Red Rock Camp here in Minnesota, where God has used him in a mighty way.

Ian has the passion to see the fires of revival lit in the lives of believers as well as reaching those who have not committed their lives to Jesus. This passion has led to the founding of CityLights Global with a commitment to raise up a generation that will bring the Word of God to those who need it.

Most of his work is overseas in poorer countries, leading meetings to develop, encourage and strengthen newer Christian pastors and churches and leading evangelistic services.

Ian married Maree in 1982 and has 2 sons, Daniel and Stephen.

New Landmark Sign Planned

Old Salem Shrine has been without a "pylon" sign with the church's name and significance since the wood sign dedicated in the 1950s deteriorated beyond repair. The Trustees recently approved the fabrication and installation of a new sign!

Thanks to a very generous donation from a descendant of the Kochendorfer family, one of Old Salem's founding families, we have only about $1,500 left to fundraise to cover the cost of the new sign. Please consider a gift to Old Salem to help us fund the sign without tapping into our general fund!

Donate online today. Please designate "sign" in the note/memo field.

Legacy Trees Planted

This September, two legacy trees were planted in memory of Jill (Zehnder) Lewis, thanks to hard-working volunteers, including Jill’s grandson Kieran Lewis and godson Chris Dinger. The trees were made possible by Jill’s high school classmates, Don Baron and Vern Schaaf. Jill was the President of the Old Salem Board of Trustees for 30 years until her death in 2020. Also that day, branches and debris were cleared and several gravestones were raised and leveled! It was a productive morning!