26-person Bloomington congregation helps 300,000 others before closing church doors

Before closing their doors, a 26-person Bloomington, Minnesota, church congregation did one final good deed for 300,000 others.

Pastor Jennifer Jaimez ministered to the congregants of St. Mark's United Church of Christ for 26 years. But in 2023, she realized that the church would need to close.

"It was a membership issue. It was not a financial decision. We did have money," said Jeff Remer, the former treasurer at the church.

"That was hard because church is people, church is community and so church is a building but it's more so people and saying goodbye to people that we've loved and have known for generations is difficult," Jaimez said.

When it was official and they closed their doors, they opened their hearts in a beautiful way to the Loaves and Fishes food program.

They received a donation from St. Mark's for $114,000.

"You don't get that type of contribution every day, and so it caught me off guard," said Michael Tankenoff, the executive director of Loaves and Fishes. 

They gave $600,000 to different food ministries after selling their property to the city to make 13 new affordable homes. 

With a donor match, they'll feed nearly 300,000 people. 

"It almost approaches a month's worth of meals all across the Twin Cities that we're able to provide, so it's incredible," said Tankenoff.

The church donated $600,000 to 21 different nonprofits.

Construction will begin soon to make St. Mark's into affordable homes. The City of Bloomington promised the parishoners they can keep a time capsule placed inside the cornerstone in 1956.