Pastor Dave Glesne knew his Fridley church needed a new direction. He just didn't think it would lead 10 miles away.

Four years ago, Redeemer Lutheran Church was at a crossroads. Now, the church is opening a second campus in Coon Rapids.

"Redeemer is a 94-year-old congregation," said Glesne. "I believe from time to time a congregation of that age needs a fresh vision."

Redeemer is following the admonition in the New Testament's Book of Acts urging believers to be faithful witnesses in their own communities and reach out to the ends of the Earth.

The church already had some of that model down by serving in Fridley and opening a community center in Afghanistan, but church officials weren't sure what to do next. The church, which started nearly 100 years ago with 25 members, has grown to a congregation of 2,100. Redeemer's size and growth became a factor and made the idea come naturally: start another church.

"We built onto the Fridley campus so many times that you kind of don't know where the entrance was," said church board member Diane Baardson.

Size wasn't the only factor, Baardson said; it was the notion of having a higher calling. "We're called to go into the world, not just be this group huddle."

When the church had its new vision, Glesne started a fund-raising campaign to pay for an additional church. Three years and $250,000 later, Redeemer finally found its location. Getting there, however, didn't prove to be an easy task.

"Everywhere we looked it didn't seem to be going as planned, so we definitely don't have this big church, well-oiled machine going on," Baardson said. "But we do have a lot of hands and feet for God, and we're just going to do this."

While Glesne was looking for a location, he discovered that another church in Coon Rapids had dwindled to 15 members and was looking to sell its building. The timing couldn't have been better.

"We needed a site, and they needed someone to take over the place so it would continue to be used for the kingdom of God instead of becoming a strip mall," said Baardson.

Redeemer found the location in October, made the purchase in February, and in June started Saturday evening outdoor services to last throughout the summer. In the current difficult financial times, Glesne said he was glad he started the fund-raising three years ago. Otherwise, another location might not have been possible.

"My hope is that people in [the Coon Rapids] community would realize this is a totally new start," said Glesne.

It's not that common that churches open an additional location, , Baardson said.

"We might not be an Eagle Brook Church (one of the largest churches in the state), but we're drawing people within the congregation that have the skills to come alongside each other to get things done."

Coon Rapids isn't without churches. In fact, Redeemer's location also will become the home of another Filipino congregation of nearly 80 members.

"They're not Lutheran, but that doesn't concern us," said Glesne. "We're in a post-denominational world, and Christians need to work socially, and we can't let these dividing lines stand between us doing work together."

The church will move its outside services indoors for its official grand opening Sept. 12.

"Every church has its own vision and mission, and I think God blesses all of them," said Baardson. "There's so much variety in each one of us, and some will be drawn to one style of worship or teaching, so there's plenty of opportunity for all of us."

Hannah Gruber • 612-673-4864