Two Churches Combine to form Robbinsdale Parkway United Church of Christ
Robbinsdale’s oldest church has now become Robbinsdale Parkway United Church of Christ, merging two churches into one.
On Sept. 15, a couple hundred people gathered to make this important decision.
“This is literally an historic occasion,” Greg Merz said to the congregation. “You’re here today giving witness to the creation of a brand new church.”
That Sunday morning, members of Robbinsdale United Church of Christ voted to combine with nearby Parkway United Church of Christ to form the new Robbinsdale Parkway United Church of Christ.
“This is really exciting because it is two congregations who both are strong,” said Rev. Kathy Itzin. “Excellent new programs, new people, doing a lot of work, coming together so they can do more.”
Rev. Kathy Itzin was the pastor at Parkway UCC in north Minneapolis, which had struggled financially in recent years.
“The North Side is economically disadvantaged in many ways, so while we continued to get new members, generally speaking, the money was going downhill,” Itzin said.
So the church decided that consolidating with Robbinsdale UCC, which is less than two miles away, was the best path to long-term sustainability.
A New Beginning for Robbinsdale Parkway United Church of Christ
“I am only excited about the possibility and sharing ministry with Kathy and all the new people that are gonna be here,” said Rev. T. Michael Rock.
Rev. T. Michael Rock will now share the stage with Rev. Kathy Itzin, in front of a congregation that now numbers about 300 people.
In the process, they hope to expand their outreach programs and continue providing a sense of community.
“There’s always going to be people who are poor, and people who are on the margins, and people who are disenfranchised and oppressed,” Rock said. “And we can, with this new ministry, be more present for all of those needs in the world.”
Parkway UCC will complete the sale of its north Minneapolis church at the end of the month. Developers will eventually turn that land into senior housing.
