Frequently Asked Questions
How long has Open Circle Church been in existence?
Open Circle held its first public worship in 1994. In 1996 we moved from our first rental space (a funeral home!) to our current location on Highland Drive. This year we celebrated our 30th Anniversary!
What do you mean when you say Open Circle is progressive?
Open Circle is progressive in several concrete ways. First, we do not read the Bible as the literal, inspired word of God. We read it in its historical context. We understand it as the voice of people of faith who were trying to discern God's presence and will for their lives in the midst of concrete historical situations. Sometimes they caught a grand, transcendent vision; sometimes they were unable to rise above their cultural prejudices. We believe it is necessary and possible to read the scriptures and discern where God is speaking and where historical or cultural situations got in the way. Second, we do not use the language of being born again. We prefer to talk about the Christian journey as following in the way of Jesus. Third, we welcome all as participants in our congregation, including gays and lesbians, curious pagans, and turned off Christians. We are committed to building a congregation where everyone is welcome and where diversity is celebrated. Finally, we also use progressive to talk about a way of approaching faith. To be progressive is to be essentially open to new insights and questions, to hold no absolute positions regarding God and faith issues. The will of God and the way of faith is revealed on a perpetually unfolding horizon that invites us to dig ever deeper as we learn and grow spiritually.
The following prayer shared in March 2026 encapsulates our diverse beliefs very well.
Holy Mystery --
God beyond our naming and beneath our breathing,
Love older than our doctrines and wider than our disagreements --
We come to you today not only for the faithful, not only for those who know exactly why they are here --
but for those who do not pray.
For those who are not entirely sure how they ended up in a prayer right now.
For those who tried once and were met with silence.
For those who were handed certainty when what they needed was compassion.
For those who were told that doubt was weakness,
that questions were rebellion,
that faith meant shrinking their minds in order to save their souls.
We refuse to call that failure.
We call it honesty.
We call it courage.
We call it the stubborn refusal to pretend.
And for those who have found more truth in a laboratory than in a sermon, more holiness in a protest line than in liturgy, more reverence in hospital corridors and long midnight conversations than in sanctuaries that felt small --
Perhaps they have not been far from the sacred at all.
For those who cannot say “Lord” because that word was used to control them,
who cannot say “Father” because father was never safe,
who cannot say anything at all without feeling dishonest --
let silence be enough.
If prayer is performance, free us from it. If prayer is certainty, loosen our grip.
But if prayer is attention --
if it is the turning of a life toward mercy, the bending of power toward justice, the quiet decision to love when fear would be easier --
then they are already praying.
Count their anger at injustice as faith.
Count their refusal to participate in cruelty as worship.
Count their fierce, unpolished love for neighbor as devotion.
Let this be a house with open windows,
Widen us beyond fragile belief. Anchor us in resilient love.
Bend our lives --
how we spend money,
how we wield influence,
how we protect the vulnerable,
how we practice peace --
toward the kind of world we claim to pray for.
And if someone cannot pray,
let them be carried by a community that will.
And if someone cannot believe,
let them be surrounded by a love that does not withdraw.
And if someone is still deciding why they would follow Jesus at all --
let them see the answer not only in our words,
but in our way.
Until our lives themselves become the prayer. Amen.
----Andrew Sun
How do you respond to first-time visitors?
At Open Circle we appreciate the desire of most first-time visitors to remain anonymous. Therefore, we simply invite our guests to drop a form with their e-mail address in our collection basket if they'd like to receive church communications.
What Can I Expect at a Sunday Service?
The Sunday service at OCC is a time to gather with friends, gain clarity, find peace, join in song, and add to your spiritual being.
Our Sunday service is our more "traditional" gathering. We sing from a songbook that includes some contemporary pop as well as more traditional Christian music and hymns. On any given Sunday you might experience an ensemble choir singing, a drama, or poetry. Every Sunday children are involved in some way: through a children's story, a children's choir, or as part of a drama.
Our service is led by members of our worship planning team and Todd Lines. Todd is a gifted musician and vocalist who is a long-time performer in the Twin Cities. Todd has a unique ability to make the worship service come alive with his leadership. Each week there is a theme that is explored through speakers, video or conversation. You can expect to be engaged in thinking about scriptures in light of modern biblical scholarship, other faith traditions, history and politics, or contemporary social issues. A message discussion is offered on most Sundays.
Where do your members come from?
While the majority of church members come from the South-of-the-River suburbs (Burnsville, Eagan, Savage, Rosemount, Apple Valley, Lakeville, etc.) we also have members from Minneapolis, Bloomington, Minnetonka, Woodbury, Golden Valley and others. All are welcome.
Open Circle held its first public worship in 1994. In 1996 we moved from our first rental space (a funeral home!) to our current location on Highland Drive. This year we celebrated our 30th Anniversary!
What do you mean when you say Open Circle is progressive?
Open Circle is progressive in several concrete ways. First, we do not read the Bible as the literal, inspired word of God. We read it in its historical context. We understand it as the voice of people of faith who were trying to discern God's presence and will for their lives in the midst of concrete historical situations. Sometimes they caught a grand, transcendent vision; sometimes they were unable to rise above their cultural prejudices. We believe it is necessary and possible to read the scriptures and discern where God is speaking and where historical or cultural situations got in the way. Second, we do not use the language of being born again. We prefer to talk about the Christian journey as following in the way of Jesus. Third, we welcome all as participants in our congregation, including gays and lesbians, curious pagans, and turned off Christians. We are committed to building a congregation where everyone is welcome and where diversity is celebrated. Finally, we also use progressive to talk about a way of approaching faith. To be progressive is to be essentially open to new insights and questions, to hold no absolute positions regarding God and faith issues. The will of God and the way of faith is revealed on a perpetually unfolding horizon that invites us to dig ever deeper as we learn and grow spiritually.
The following prayer shared in March 2026 encapsulates our diverse beliefs very well.
Holy Mystery --
God beyond our naming and beneath our breathing,
Love older than our doctrines and wider than our disagreements --
We come to you today not only for the faithful, not only for those who know exactly why they are here --
but for those who do not pray.
For those who are not entirely sure how they ended up in a prayer right now.
For those who tried once and were met with silence.
For those who were handed certainty when what they needed was compassion.
For those who were told that doubt was weakness,
that questions were rebellion,
that faith meant shrinking their minds in order to save their souls.
We refuse to call that failure.
We call it honesty.
We call it courage.
We call it the stubborn refusal to pretend.
And for those who have found more truth in a laboratory than in a sermon, more holiness in a protest line than in liturgy, more reverence in hospital corridors and long midnight conversations than in sanctuaries that felt small --
Perhaps they have not been far from the sacred at all.
For those who cannot say “Lord” because that word was used to control them,
who cannot say “Father” because father was never safe,
who cannot say anything at all without feeling dishonest --
let silence be enough.
If prayer is performance, free us from it. If prayer is certainty, loosen our grip.
But if prayer is attention --
if it is the turning of a life toward mercy, the bending of power toward justice, the quiet decision to love when fear would be easier --
then they are already praying.
Count their anger at injustice as faith.
Count their refusal to participate in cruelty as worship.
Count their fierce, unpolished love for neighbor as devotion.
Let this be a house with open windows,
Widen us beyond fragile belief. Anchor us in resilient love.
Bend our lives --
how we spend money,
how we wield influence,
how we protect the vulnerable,
how we practice peace --
toward the kind of world we claim to pray for.
And if someone cannot pray,
let them be carried by a community that will.
And if someone cannot believe,
let them be surrounded by a love that does not withdraw.
And if someone is still deciding why they would follow Jesus at all --
let them see the answer not only in our words,
but in our way.
Until our lives themselves become the prayer. Amen.
----Andrew Sun
How do you respond to first-time visitors?
At Open Circle we appreciate the desire of most first-time visitors to remain anonymous. Therefore, we simply invite our guests to drop a form with their e-mail address in our collection basket if they'd like to receive church communications.
What Can I Expect at a Sunday Service?
The Sunday service at OCC is a time to gather with friends, gain clarity, find peace, join in song, and add to your spiritual being.
Our Sunday service is our more "traditional" gathering. We sing from a songbook that includes some contemporary pop as well as more traditional Christian music and hymns. On any given Sunday you might experience an ensemble choir singing, a drama, or poetry. Every Sunday children are involved in some way: through a children's story, a children's choir, or as part of a drama.
Our service is led by members of our worship planning team and Todd Lines. Todd is a gifted musician and vocalist who is a long-time performer in the Twin Cities. Todd has a unique ability to make the worship service come alive with his leadership. Each week there is a theme that is explored through speakers, video or conversation. You can expect to be engaged in thinking about scriptures in light of modern biblical scholarship, other faith traditions, history and politics, or contemporary social issues. A message discussion is offered on most Sundays.
Where do your members come from?
While the majority of church members come from the South-of-the-River suburbs (Burnsville, Eagan, Savage, Rosemount, Apple Valley, Lakeville, etc.) we also have members from Minneapolis, Bloomington, Minnetonka, Woodbury, Golden Valley and others. All are welcome.