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Plymouth Church in Minneapolis announces 2015 retirement of
Senior Minister James Gertmenian
June 17, 2013
Minneapolis—The Senior Minister of Plymouth Congregational Church, Rev. Dr. James
Gertmenian, announced yesterday his plans to retire in early 2015. “To everything there is
a season,” he said, adding that “I have been mightily blessed in my time at Plymouth.”
Gertmenian, 66, has served as senior minister at Plymouth Church in Minneapolis for 17
years. “Few clergy get the opportunity to preach regularly to such a stimulating and
discerning congregation,” he wrote in a letter to church members.
“Jim is a true visionary,” said Lynn Moline, who as Moderator is the top lay leader at
Plymouth Church in Minneapolis. Gertmenian, she said, is “a leader who has inspired this
congregation to advance the work of progressive Christianity in the community. His
passion for justice shines through his very being. With his leadership, we proved to
ourselves the loving difference we can make in this world, whether battling homelessness
or any other social injustice.”
Gertmenian was among the people responsible a decade ago for the founding of the
Plymouth Church Neighborhood Foundation, now known as Beacon Interfaith Housing
Collaborative. Having grown from one to more than 20 congregations, Beacon addresses
the problem of homelessness through supportive housing and advocacy. Gertmenian also
co-chaired Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak’s 2006 Commission to End Homelessness and
served with Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness.
A promoter of interfaith dialogue, Gertmenian received the 2009 Temple Israel Interfaith
Award for Commitment to Interfaith Understanding. Makram El-Amin, Imam of Masjid An-
Nur (Mosque of the Light), said of Gertmenian: “[He] is a dear friend and compassionate
leader whose work and influence go far beyond Plymouth Congregational Church. . . .My
personal interaction with him has made me a better Muslim.” In 2010, he received the
Lawrence D. Gibson Interfaith Social Justice Award. He also promotes mentoring of young
progressive pastors through Emerging Leaders Institutes.
His colleague in the downtown Minneapolis churches group, Rev. John Bauer, pastor at
Basilica of St. Mary, said of Gertmenian: “He is able to engage in dialogue without
surrendering his principles. His presence, wisdom, insights and humor are great blessings
for our ministerial group.”

Past Plymouth Moderators Mike Monten and Phebe Haugen state: “He coaxed us to be a
‘radically inclusive’ family that could use its best talents in the service of the poor, the
weak, the rejected.”
Known for the excellence of his sermons, Gertmenian also is an accomplished hymn writer.
Gertmenian decided to give substantial advance notice to the congregation so that, if it
wishes, it may search for a successor while he is still serving.
Plymouth Congregational Church is one of the oldest and most progressive churches in
Minneapolis.
Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Ave. (at Franklin), Minneapolis; 612/871-
7400; www.plymouth.org; www.facebook.com/PlymouthCongregationalChurch;
@PCCmpls; churchinfo@plymouth.org
Media contact: Allison Campbell Jensen, 612/977-1269; allisoncj@plymouth.org