Our mission is radical discipleship in the footsteps of Jesus. What that means at Missio Dei is that everyone—and their ideas, insights and experiences—are welcome.
Our congregation primarily consists of people experiencing homelessness or who are precariously housed.
We do not have a traditional sermon. Sam Picard, our minister, chooses a Biblical passage or story each week. We take turns reading the text and discussing it as a congregation, guided by questions Sam provides. We hear from everyone who wants to speak: from theologically trained people, from people whose theology comes from a lifetime of faith, from affluent people, and from people who depend on their faith to help them survive on the street. It is a mix of views that you cannot get from a church where everyone looks and lives the same.
After the sermon, we celebrate Communion. The celebrants are chosen from the congregation by our minister of social justice, G. W. Rolle. You might receive the bread and juice from well-housed congregant, or one who will be sleeping under a bush that night. The Communion portion of the service is a reminder of the challenge living out what it means to be the Body of Christ, and an attempt to break down some of the walls that the world builds between us.
Following Communion, we all sit down to a Sunday dinner prepared by congregation members under the direction of G. W., who is also a master chef and street minister.
Currently Missio Dei meets at 900 MLK Jr St S, downtown Saint Petersburg at Praise the Lord Minisitries. Our worship music is a mixture of traditional and contemporary songs.
Missio Dei creates a space where people who are separated from each other the other six days of the week can meet, worship and eat together. We hope you will join us.