Belgrade Avenue United Methodist Church

Information may not be reliable

As a United Methodist congregation, we welcome everyone with Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors. Belgrade Avenue United Methodist Church currently has 582 full members, or 250 family units. We are located in south central Minnesota in Nicollet County, about 90 miles southwest of the Twin Cities, just across the river from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Our church is wheelchair accessible, and a nursery is provided for small children. We also have a "quiet room" available at the back of our Sanctuary for parents with restless children.
Our Church Council adopted the BAUMC mission statement, Every Member a Minister: Proclaiming, Inviting, Nurturing, Sending, in 1990, believing in the vision of shared ministry. The heart of ministry is relations between God and people, people and people, and church people and those in the community and world. Ministry takes place through the church as our human needs encounter God's desire to meet those needs through love. This church has discovered the miracle of ministry, and as a result the relationships involved are highly valued. The people of this church fully expect to encounter God, one another, and the world as we engage in ministry together. The result is truly life-giving!
The life-giving, nurturing and maturing BAUMC tree logo was adopted by the Church Council in 1991, symbolizing that we are a community of people growing together in faith. As people of God seeking God's will for our lives, we come together to grow in God's love and spirit.
PINS help us remember who we are and what we are about. In our mission statement, we agree to proclaim the good news of God, invite all people to hear this word, nurture them as they mature in their faith, and send them forth as disciples to do the word. PINS - proclaim, invite, nurture, and send.

The Reverend Bart A. Fletcher was appointed to serve as the Pastor of Belgrade Avenue United Methodist Church in June 2006.

Daniel Dempster joined our team in September of 2009 and came to us after serving in two other church settings, one in Sioux Falls and the other here in Mankato. Daniel is married to his college sweetheart Ann. They have no children yet but they do have a 100 pound Bernese mountain dog named Anakin. Daniel was born in Lakefield, Minnesota. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Ministries at Sioux Falls Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD. Daniel loves playing basketball, hiking, playing and teaching guitar, and is no stranger to video games. As Minister of Spiritual Growth - Children, Youth, and Adult at Belgrade Avenue UMC, you will often see Daniel building relationships, enabling ministries, and empowering the people of Belgrade to reach others with the love of Christ. Daniel's passion is playing a role in helping people of all ages grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Shawn Tweten joined our team in March of 2010. As our Minister of Invitation, Shawn focuses on new members, outreach, and visitations. He had experience working with youth and families in prior churches and non-profit organizations. Shawn was born and raised in Warroad, Minnesota and has lived in Bemidji and New Ulm. In Bemidji Shawn attended Oak Hills Christian College, where he received Bachelor degrees in Biblical Studies, Youth Ministry, and Psychology. He is now also enrolled at Minnesota State University Mankato in a mental health counseling graduate program. Shawn is married to Toni, and they have three young daughters. Shawn enjoys traveling, baseball (Go Twins!), baseball umpiring, pheasant hunting, Rook, strategy board games (Risk, Axis and Allies), and even video games.

Our Administrative Assistant is Pam Harbarth. Lowell & Jean Johnson and Glen Seigfried are our Newsletter Assistants. Glen Seigfried and Teresa Pratt are our Financial Assistants. Our organists are Mary Purrier, Della Luing, and Susan Palmer. Our Custodial Staff is led by Merlin Seitzer, and our Nursery is lovingly supervised by Evelyn Adams, Katie Burton-Smith, and Margie Royer.

The BAUMC office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM, except for a brief period over the lunch hour. The church and office are closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Presidents Day, Easter Monday, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Information for the semi-weekly newsletter should be in the church office by 4:00 PM on the Monday preceeding the newsletter.