When the Church shows up: ‘Praying Together as a Family’ brings prayer, food and unity to Bloomington Covenant Church
Last Saturday afternoon at Bloomington Covenant Church in Bloomington, MN, something beautiful happened. Pastora Edith Soto-López, who coordinates Latino Ministry for the Northwest Conference, brought people together for what was billed as a prayer service—but it turned out to be so much more than that.
The room filled with people ready to pray and serve. Worship got loud. And practical love showed up in the form of over 3,000 pounds of food from Manna Market—Food Rescue Ministry, plus donations from Minnehaha Academy and individual attendees. Students from Minnehaha Academy had collected much of it. All of this support went directly to Latino churches in our Conference network—churches that are walking with immigrant families who need dignity and hope right now.
But this was not just a nice gathering. The lineup told the story: Kara Stromberg and Scott Nelson from the Northwest Conference leadership were there. Paul Robinson, Executive Minister of Serve Locally, showed up. Northwest Conference staff members Jon Kramka, Sandy Norris and Greg Ellis joined as well. Dave Hugare, who chairs our Executive Board, came with board members Sharon Ardon and Mike Mrosko. Rev. Dr. Donna Harris, President of Minnehaha Academy, joined. Chief Brian O’Hara from the Minneapolis Police Department not only attended but shared openly about his own faith and asked for prayers for an understaffed and exhausted police force. And pastors drove in from Duluth to Rochester to Alexandria, and everywhere in between.
The worship hit different. Liturgical dance brought color and movement into the prayers. People prayed over the city, over families, over churches, over the people who lead our communities. Civil leaders and church leaders laid hands on each other and interceded together.
“It was one of those moments that reminds me why I still believe in the Church,” said Greg Ellis, Latino Laison for the NWC.
The service was livestreamed on Bloomington Covenant’s Facebook page, where it remains archived for anyone who wants to see what happened when the body of Christ decided to show up.
Pastora Soto-López wrapped it up by calling the day an invitation to “live a faith that embraces, serves and transforms.” The Latino community in the Covenant is showing the rest of us what strength looks like—what a living and present Church can do when it decides to be compassionate instead of just comfortable.
The day ended the way good church events should—with hugs, with gratitude, with people feeling like they had done something instead of just talked about doing something. Prayer became action. Love for neighbor became tangible. And somewhere in the middle of all that, hope showed up too.
Maybe that’s what it looks like when we pray together as a family—not just saying the right words, but showing up for each other, carrying each other’s burdens, and believing that God meets us when we gather in His name.
