The members of Church of the Redeemer have spent the past 15 years without a permanent home.

They’ve met on Sunday afternoons — so as not to interfere with their hosts’ Sunday-morning worship schedules — at churches in Roseville, Arden Hills and St. Paul.

Two years ago, church officials learned that a St. Paul-area church would be put up for sale, said Rev. Paul Calvin, who has served as a pastor at Church of the Redeemer, an Anglican church, since 2007. Not long after, someone offered to give them an interest-free loan to purchase the building.

And then, last May, the sellers informed Redeemer officials that they had changed their minds. After more than a year of planning for the opportunity, “this closed door was discouraging,” Calvin said.

But the Lord works in mysterious ways.

This summer, a member of the Church of the Redeemer happened to have a fruitful chat with a neighbor: The neighbor said he heard St. Stephanus Lutheran Church, in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood, was going to close. The neighbor happened to be the brother-in-law of a St. Stephanus member.

Church of the Redeemer officials toured St. Stephanus in August, and they decided to move forward with a plan to buy the building.

When Redeemer officials asked how much St. Stephanus hoped to sell it for, they got the shock of their lives, Calvin said. The sale price — of the building and its contents — was $1.

‘A blessing’

The Rev. Andy Thompson, pastor for St. Stephanus Lutheran Church in St. Paul, talks about his own history with the Frogtown church. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

The members of St. Stephanus on Sept. 28 unanimously voted to approve that plan.

“We’re not greedy people,” said Rev. Andy Thompson, the pastor at St. Stephanus. “We have enough. You can monetize your thing and get every last bit out of it, or you can be a blessing to other people.”

Thompson said he’s been at St. Stephanus for 16 years and his goal was for the church to be a blessing to the people of Frogtown.

“This building was a blessing to us. It will be a blessing to Redeemer. And I am absolutely convinced, after my interactions with the Redeemer people, that they are going to be a blessing to this community.”

St. Stephanus will hold its last worship service on Dec. 28 and close its doors on Dec. 31. Church of the Redeemer will take ownership on Jan. 1, and their first Sunday worship — their first-ever morning service — will be at 9:30 a.m. Jan. 4.

Thompson said he and other members of the church are thrilled that the building will continue to be a church.

“It gave our people a lot of comfort to know that there was going to be another church here,” said Thompson, who was married at St. Stephanus 25 years ago next week. “The sadness that it’s not ours is real, but it’s a beautiful church. I am incredibly glad that we were able to gift this space to them.”

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The timing of the sale is especially poignant, he said.

“How glad I am that the heart of Christmas is kept in all of this,” he said. “The gift of Jesus didn’t stop with the shepherds in the fields, it didn’t stop with Magi from the East, it didn’t stop with Joseph or Mary, but went into the world to be a gift for all. In the same way, the gift of Jesus and the gift of community lived in this building doesn’t have to stop with St. Stephanus, it can go out as a gift to the people of Redeemer as well.

“Jesus, when he’s sending his disciples out to bear witness to who he is in Matthew 10, has a line about ‘freely you have received, freely give,’” he said. “What a gift to us that, with our last act as a church, we get to do that.”

Aging congregation

St. Stephanus, a Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, has about 220 members, with 50 to 60 regularly coming to Sunday service, Thompson said.

Children’s artwork on display at St. Stephanus Lutheran Church. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

The congregation is aging, and “attendance is shrinking, giving is shrinking,” he said. “We’re not, despite our efforts, getting any younger. We’re not connecting as well to the community, despite trying. The reality is that most of the work was being shouldered by a very small group of people for a very long time, and they were getting very tired, and there was nobody to really step up and do anything.”

The church, built in 1890 at Lafond and Grotto to serve a German Lutheran congregation, “always (has) something that needs to be repaired,” Thompson said. “Not having the resources to be able to take care of everything all the time has been hard.”

The closure of the church, which also used to have a school, has been discussed for years, he said. In 1951, a new school — Central Lutheran School — was built at 775 N. Lexington Parkway, and St. Stephanus School was demolished. Central Lutheran School closed in 2018 because of dwindling enrollment, he said.

“People move away, people go to other churches, people do all sorts of things in the world,” Thompson said. “What started as a very white Germanic congregation in Frogtown back when there were white Germans moving to the area … stayed pretty white and Germanic, with a little bit of Scandinavian thrown in.”

St. Stephanus tried doing Hmong ministry, and an Eritrean congregation has used the space, but there was not a critical mass to keep it going, he said.

“Frogtown is Frogtown, and you have to appreciate Frogtown,” he said. “The neighborhood changes all the time. Some 60 percent are renters, so there’s an instability to the community here. People just vanish.”

The church “probably could have continued on for another year or two or three, but people were saying, ‘It’s OK. It’s OK,’” he said. “It’s hard, and it sucks. I feel terrible for my 80-year-olds and 90-year-olds, but here we are.”

Everyone welcome

Some members of St. Stephanus will worship at Jehovah Lutheran Church on Thomas Avenue following the closure, but some plan to continue worshiping at 739 Lafond.

The Rev. Paul Calvin, rector of Church of the Redeemer. (Courtesy of Paul Calvin)

Everyone is welcome at Church of the Redeemer, which was “planted” in 2010 by Church of the Cross, an Anglican Church in Hopkins, Calvin said.

“There’s a sadness to (the closing), but we’ve also tried to say, ‘The door is open. This remains Christ’s church.’ We’re stewards of it as Church of the Redeemer. But it’s really exciting to feel like we’re taking up a mantle that has been there and is not going to just be dropped.”

“We are incredibly thankful and, frankly, are often left speechless by the beauty and the resources of this building,” Calvin said. “But even more than that, we’re grateful for the grace of God shown to us through the generosity of St. Stephanus Lutheran in the midst of scarcity, even in the midst of them closing their doors. They have given freely, generously and joyfully, giving themselves first to the Lord, and then by God’s will to us.”

Church of the Redeemer, which has about 140 members, began worshiping at St. Stephanus at 4:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30.

“As we celebrate Christmas for the first time in our new home, we remember that Jesus lacked a home at his birth,” Calvin said. “Thanks to the generosity of St. Stephanus, 739 Lafond will continue to be a place where our sojourning Savior is worshipped, where gifts received are freely given, and where the weary find a place of settled rest.”

During their search, Church of the Redeemer members turned to Psalms 84, he said. “It starts, ‘How lovely is your dwelling place,’ which I think is how we see St. Stephanus. There’s a lot of loveliness to it,” he said.

The nave, looking towards the vestibule, is seen at St. Stephanus Lutheran Church. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

It continues: “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!”

“It has felt like we have flitted around all kinds of different places,” said Calvin, noting that church officials kept materials on two big rolling cabinets. “We’ve been sojourners in lots of places, and it just feels like a miracle that the Lord has provided us with more than we can ask or imagine. The church is its people, but buildings are just a valuable resource and a visible sign of that church. We’re excited to put down roots in Frogtown.”

Investing in Frogtown

A poster communicates that the Church of the Redeemer will begin its worship services at St. Stephanus Lutheran Church in St. Paul starting the first Sunday in January. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

When Redeemer officials offered to pay for the building, St. Stephanus officials said they would prefer to have that money invested in Frogtown, Calvin said.

“Their board president said, ‘Well, what would we do with the money? We’ve voted to dissolve as a congregation. We would have to allocate those resources — whatever you pay us — to someplace else,’” Calvin said.

Redeemer officials plan to spend the first part of the year getting a sense of how to be good stewards of the building and getting to know other local churches and organizations, Calvin said.

“There are things that we bring as a congregation, but we’d really like to get a sense of our particular calling,” he said. “We want to learn about other things that are happening within the neighborhood, too.”

The Redeemer congregation takes pride in its Christian hospitality. “We’re very hospitable people,” he said. “We are people who love one another. Worship is a really significant value, and I think a strength of our congregation. … We’ve tried to be faithful with what we’re doing, and it’s made it fruitful.”

Calvin said he loves that the church is on a corner in the midst of the neighborhood. “For us, in terms of values, we really feel like being a faithful presence within (Frogtown) is an important part of our calling as Christians,” he said.

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Thompson’s favorite part of St. Stephanus is a bulletin board in the lobby area that lists all of the church’s activities in the neighborhood. “These are things that we worked at, worked towards, helped support,” he said.

One flier — “Being the Hands and Feet of Christ” — advertises the church’s monthly food distribution. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me – Matthew 25:40,” it reads.

“This has been a blessing. It has been a gift,” Thompson said as he packed books into boxes in his office last week. “This place, this congregation has been a gift to me. It has been a gift, I think, to our community. It has been a gift in so many people’s lives. And I am forever grateful to the people here, to God, to them both for, for giving me that gift. I hope that I got to be a gift to them.”

By MATT OTT, AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage ticked down modestly this week, remaining in the same narrow range of the past two months.

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The average long-term mortgage rate fell to 6.18% from 6.21% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.85%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, rose this week. The rate averaged 5.50%, up from 5.47% last week. A year ago it averaged 6%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The 10-year yield was at 4.15% at midday Wednesday, up modestly from last week’s 4.12%.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has been mostly holding steady in recent weeks since Oct. 30 when it dropped to 6.17%, its lowest level in more than a year.

Mortgage rates began easing in July in anticipation of a series of Fed rate cuts, which began in September and continued this month.

The Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, but when it cuts its short-term rate that can signal lower inflation or slower economic growth ahead, which can drive investors to buy U.S. government bonds. That can help lower yields on long-term U.S. Treasurys, which can result in lower mortgage rates.

Even so, Fed rate cuts don’t always translate into lower mortgage rates.

Home shoppers who can afford to pay cash or finance at current mortgage rates are in a more favorable position than they were a year ago. Home listings are up sharply from last year, and many sellers have resorted to lowering their initial asking price as homes take longer to sell, according to data from Realtor.com.

Still, affordability remains a challenge for many aspiring homeowners, especially first-time buyers who don’t have equity from an existing home to put toward a new home purchase. Uncertainty over the economy and job market are also keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in November from the previous month, but slowed compared to a year earlier for the first time since May despite average long-term mortgage rates holding near their low point for the year. Through the first 11 months of this year, home sales are down 0.5% compared to the same period last year.

Economists generally forecast that the average rate on a 30-year mortgage will remain slightly above 6% next year.

By JOEY CAPPELLETTI, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a March presidential memorandum to revoke the security clearance of prominent Washington attorney Mark Zaid, ruling that the order — which also targeted 14 other individuals — could not be applied to him.

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The decision marked the administration’s second legal setback on Tuesday, after the Supreme Court declined to allow Trump to deploy National Guard troops in the Chicago area, capping a first year in office in which President Donald Trump’s efforts to impose a sweeping agenda and pursue retribution against political adversaries have been repeatedly slowed by the courts.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in Washington granted Zaid’s request for a preliminary injunction, after he sued the Trump administration in May over the revocation of his security clearance. Zaid’s request called it an act of “improper political retribution” that jeopardized his ability to continue representing clients in sensitive national security cases.

The March presidential memorandum singled out Zaid and 14 other individuals who the White House asserted were unsuitable to retain their clearances because it was “no longer in the national interest.” The list included targets of Trump’s fury from both the political and legal spheres, including former Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former President Joe Biden and members of his family.

The action was part of a much broader retribution campaign that Trump has waged since returning to the White House, including directing specific Justice Department investigations against perceived adversaries and issuing sweeping executive orders targeting law firms over legal work he does not like.

In August, the Trump administration said it was revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former national security officials. Ordering the revocation of clearances has been a favored retributive tactic that Trump has wielded — or at least tried to — against high-profile political figures, lawyers and intelligence officials in his second term.

Zaid said in his lawsuit that he has represented clients across the political spectrum over nearly 35 years, including government officials, law enforcement and military officials and whistleblowers. In 2019, he represented an intelligence community whistleblower whose account of a conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy helped set the stage for the first of two impeachment cases against Trump in his first term.

“This court joins the several others in this district that have enjoined the government from using the summary revocation of security clearances to penalize lawyers for representing people adverse to it,” Ali wrote in his order.

Ali emphasized that his order does not prevent the government from revoking or suspending Zaid’s clearance for reasons independent of the presidential memorandum and through normal agency processes. The preliminary injunction does not go into effect until January 13.

Zaid said in a statement, “This is not just a victory for me, it’s an indictment of the Trump administration’s attempts to intimidate and silence the legal community, especially lawyers who represent people who dare to question or hold this government accountable.”

Associated Press reporter Eric Tucker contributed to this report.

PHOENIX — Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh detailed his favorite regular-season throws from quarterback Drake Lindsey this year. Then Harbaugh spun it forward into the Rate Bowl in Arizona on Friday and into the 2026 season.

“I want him to always go out there and be feared,” Harbaugh said. “That’s what our goal is.”

Lindsey completed 63% of his passes (228 for 361) for 2,235 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. The redshirt freshman’s total attempts and TD tosses rank within the top 10 single-season numbers in program history. He can add to those marks against New Mexico after the 3:30 p.m. CT kickoff.

One of Harbaugh’s favorite passes from Lindsey this season came in the 31-28 win over Rutgers on Sept. 27. It was a guard-pull play-action pass with tight end Jameson Geers’ crossing route serving as the first read. Receiver Le’Meke Brockington’s post route is not even considered in the progression.

“Funny thing on that is, I can tell you how many times I said to Drake to throw the post on that: Zero,” Harbaugh said. “He saw the grass and threw it. It’s that type of throw.”

Lindsey feathered in the right touch over Scarlet Knights defensive backs, and Brockington came down with it for a 9-yard score to tie the game at 14-14 at Huntington Bank Stadium.

“That’s not necessarily a read in the play,” Lindsey said. “(It’s) kind of clear-out route. And I just kind of felt the space and felt the grass and trusted Le’Meke to be there. We’ve never even thrown that one time, so that was a really cool feeling. Harbaugh kind of gave me some (grief) for it, kind of messing with me.”

Lindsey would throw two more touchdowns in the Rugters win, but his 78-yard bomb to Jalen Smith — the U’s longest pass play of the season — jump-started the U’s comeback from a 14-0 hole. That, too, was on Harbaugh’s list.

Harbaugh also mentioned a crucial third-down conversion on a four verticals route to Brockington during a two-minute drill comeback in the 23-20 overtime win over Michigan State on Nov. 1. Plus, a sideline out to Brockington in the 38-35 loss to Northwestern on Nov. 22.

“(Lindsey) let the ball go before Le’Meke hit a break point,” Harbaugh said. “I mean, it’s a ridiculous throw; like, you can’t teach it.”

Harbaugh added a post route touchdown to Javon Tracy in the Northwestern loss. That play was designed to lead to the check-down options, not necessarily take a shot down the field.

“(Lindsey) saw split safety, (and the) safety (back) pedal; Javon ended up running into the post,” Harbaugh explained. “He threw it before Javon was looking. Javon made a great catch.”

Lindsey added on his own list the 52-yard completion he had to Malachi Coleman in the Wildcats game. “(Coleman) made a great catch on it,” he said. “That was a good ball, good protection.”

Lindsey had one heck of a game at Wrigley Field that crisp afternoon, throwing a career-high four touchdown passes. But both he and Harbaugh alluded to passes they would like to have back. That centered on his three-interception showing in the 41-3 loss at Iowa on Oct. 25.

“There’s a few throws that you know you always want again, and maybe not have thrown your best, but maybe threw your best as well,” Lindsey said. “The season is always fun.”

Former Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan said Lindsey showed off his arm with the first throw of the season, a sideline out to Koi Perich in the 23-10 win over Buffalo on Aug. 28.

“You saw his arm talent and just natural ability to throw the football pop,” Morgan told the Pioneer Press.

That type of trust is what Harbaugh has been emphasizing with his to-be redshirt sophomore QB. “You want to continue to build off of it. You want to continue to let him know, ‘OK, you can make any throw,’ ” Harbaugh said.

After diving into his own throws, Lindsey was asked by a reporter if he had a favorite run, a tongue-in-cheek joke because Lindsey isn’t known for his speed.

He chuckled.

On a naked bootleg, Lindsey’s stiff arm of a Michigan State defender led his way to the end-zone pylon and won Minnesota the game in overtime. His fourth-down scramble against the Boilermakers aided that 27-20 comeback win on Oct. 11.

“Not a lot. Maybe get a few more next year,” said Lindsey, who had four rushing TDs this season. “Probably the Michigan State one. That was a cool experience. I like the Purdue one, as well. But then again, didn’t run the ball much. I’ve got to do a better job of that.”

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