“Love at First Sight”: Clark-Grace UCC celebrates 13 years of groundbreaking history and a vision of radical welcome

Thirteen years ago, two faith communities—Grace Community UCC, an African American congregation led by Rev. Oliver White, and Clark Memorial UCC, a European American church led by Rev. Lisa Bodenheim—fell in love at first sight.

“That love began when each congregation saw one another as fully human when we worshipped together and shared an after-worship potluck dinner,” said Rev. White.

Several weeks before the two congregations met, Rev. White had called Clark to inquire about renting its sanctuary on Sunday afternoons. Grace had experienced a significant drop in attendance and subsequently lost its building, due in part to the global attention Rev. White received for his support for same-sex marriages. The Grace congregation needed a new place to call “home.”

At the same time, Clark was struggling financially to keep its own doors open. Rev. White said that as he and Clark’s moderator at the time, Jackie Boler, began rental negotiations, Ms. Boler threw out the idea of trying to have the two congregations worship together. “She said, we will have a few more people in the pews, and you will have some place to worship if it works out,” says Rev. White, who was subsequently invited to preach. His congregation was invited to participate in a potluck dinner following worship.

Rev. White admits that he was reluctant to accept the invitation. “I kept saying to myself, this idea could never work,” says White. “Given that racism still abounds in the United States, I didn’t think that white people were ready to worship ‘for real’ with black people. They would only sit in their pews with their lips sealed and hands frozen in their laps, and they would never say ‘Amen.’”

Fortunately, the story didn’t end there. As Grace Community UCC entered the narthex of Clark Memorial UCC 13 years ago, they were greeted extravagantly! Rev. White brought his gifts of Motown keyboardist and oratory skills along with 15 worshippers. “I could hardly wait to get into the pulpit and preach to such an eager gathering of white worshippers, who had never before invited a black minister to stand in their pulpit,” he says. And as it turned out, he did surprisingly receive a few “Amens.”

“Instantaneously, both congregations felt the liberating promise we share with Christians of all races, cultures, colors, and non-Christians alike that are literally working to dismantle the barriers of racism brick-by-brick,” says Rev. White. “It was literally love at first sight!”

Today, the merged congregation includes folks from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Music and singing, dancing, and laughter abound in a church filled with creativity, love, joy, and blessings. The congregation has been initiating and providing a safe space for community building, education, and organizing events, such as the South St. Paul MLK Commemoration and the South St. Paul Juneteenth celebration. To foster financial stability, the church also rents its office, kitchen, and classroom space to individuals and organizations who align with the church’s mission to create a truly multicultural community that is radically and unconditionally inclusive.

“This is the antithesis of Clark Memorial UCC during the civil rights era, when people of color were not allowed to purchase or rent a home in South St. Paul,” says Rev. White. “Because of this mission to strive for social activism, Clark-Grace UCC has become a vital part of the community in South St. Paul.”

On September 13, 2026, Clark-Grace will celebrate its 13th anniversary. All are invited to attend the celebration and to support the church’s vision of radical welcome. Clark-Grace is located at 779 15th Avenue North. South St. Paul.