Walker Church Mission

We are a community

First and foremost this is a church of the community. Everyone brings their gifts to the table. Members coordinate outreach, provide pastoral care to each other, and facilitate the Sunday Celebration. At the end of the sermon, everyone is invited to participate in an open discussion.

We nurture spirituality

We have small groups that facilitate both rational and spiritual development.

We are inclusive

Our community is honored as it welcomes people of all ethnicities and nationalities. The extended Walker Community includes persons of different faith traditions, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Wiccan, Muslim, and Sufi who wish to walk with us for a while on their spiritual journey.

We are feminist

God is neither male nor female. As such, we at Walker Church do not confine God to the male or female pronoun, but use both interchangeably. Whether our pastor is male or female or neither, we ensure that non-male  voices are heard regularly from our pulpit.

We are reconciling

We welcome gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender persons. Walker Community is an active Reconciling Congregation within the United Methodist Church.

We welcome the differently abled

We welcome persons who have physical disabilities and persons with mental illness. You will find a caring community here.

A Brief History of Walker Church written by Conrad deFiebre can be found here.

The History of Walker Church, a poem by local poet, the late Larry Williams, can be found here.

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Rev. David B. Wheeler

A twenty-five-year resident of south Minneapolis, David has served United Methodist churches for nearly 30 years in rural Minnesota, the suburbs, his hometown of Duluth, and as Minister of Invitation at Hennepin. Additionally, he has worked as a Director of Development and Communications in several non-profits and was Executive Director of the National Parkinson Foundation of Minnesota.

A former member of the Duluth City Council David recently completed 12 years as a city-wide elected member ofthe Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation. He has a great passion for civic engagement and is committed to accessible, transparent, and compassionate local government. Deeply committed to social justice and equity, David worked tirelessly in forming Duluth’s Human Rights Commission over the veto of a conservative
Christian mayor in the 1990s, and in recent years was a leader in establishing
marriage equality in Minnesota.

A Rotarian since 1981, David has also organized and led tours and mission groups to the UK, Palestine/Israel and Greece, Costa Rica, Russia, and India. He is married to Edward Summers and they live in the East Harriet neighborhood of Minneapolis.

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All Are Welcome!

Walker Church Statement approved June 5, 2011

Whereas: Walker Community UMC has a welcomed Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Bisexual members for several decades and has been a long time member of the Reconciling Ministries program.

Whereas:  Walker Community UMC has been intentionally learning and striving to welcome people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Whereas: Walker Community UMC has a history of challenging the status quo and working courageously for peace with justice and mercy.

Whereas: Walker Community UMC has received instructions from the United Methodist Bishop in Residence that it is against church doctrine to perform same sex marriages, and following this instruction has left a lasting wound on the community over the many years.

Whereas: Walker Community UMC is located in a neighborhood with a vibrant community that includes a variety of sexual orientations and gender identities.

Whereas:  Walker Community UMC wants to lead in the work to make marriage accessible and meaningful for all members of the community.

Whereas: The Doctrine of the United Methodist church is a direct hindrance to the authentic expressions of welcome by Walker Community UMC.

Therefore Be it Resolved:  Walker Community United Methodist Church will welcome all people to use our facilities to have ceremonies of marriage or other appropriate union services as approved by the pastor.

Be it Further Resolved:  Walker Community United Methodist Church calls upon and supports our pastor’s participation in these services.

Be it Further Resolved: Walker Community United Methodist Church recognizes that it stands outside the polity of the United Methodist church on this issue.  It is our intention to expand and affirm the sanctity of marriage and to lead our denomination in the journey to welcome all people into the circle of our community.