I’m New Here

Southminster is an open and affirming community seeking a caring and just society. We are a progressive and slightly irreverent congregation on Boise’s South Bench. We know we don’t always get our words right, but we are committed to being a community of faith that is unapologetically open and affirming of LGBTQIA+ people, has many women in leadership, and is working toward being an antiracist community.

You will often find Southminsterians out and about in the community. We volunteer at our neighborhood school, Grace Jordan Elementary. We also pray at the Capitol and speak out in the community on behalf of others. We eagerly participate in Boise PRIDE each year, and many of us are working to make Idaho a safer place for all Idahoans, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. ​People of all gender identities and sexual orientations are welcome here, in both worship and in leadership.

Please join us for Worship in-person or online on Sunday mornings at 9:30am. The second Saturday of each month, however, worship is at 5:00pm and we take the following Sunday morning as a day of Sabbath rest.

Our congregation values intergenerational community, so all ages are warmly invited to participate in the worship service. Children’s bulletins and a “prayground” are available with age-appropriate activities to assist families in worshiping together with children 5 and up. There’s also a staffed nursery (we call it “The Nest”) with plenty of toys and a live video feed of worship for children ages 0-4. For more information, click here!

A note on our dress code: in short, there isn’t one. A few people do dress up for worship, but most come in casual attire. Come as you are, and know you will be welcomed.

We get it. Visiting a new church for the first time can be equally exciting and terrifying, so you may not feel like drawing extra attention to yourself. Don’t worry! If you’re visiting our worship service, we promise not to make you stand up to introduce yourself or perform any unexpected liturgical dance moves. That said, we’re a friendly bunch! So we encourage you to stick around after worship for coffee hour to get to know folks. (We also hope you’ll include some contact information on our Friendship Pad so that our pastor can be in touch!)

As a visitor, we consider your presence among us to be an offering to God! Please do not feel like you should give an offering or make a donation during a worship service. (By the way, most of our members give online or by mail, so you definitely won’t be the only person passing the plate without dropping something in).

Our sanctuary, fellowship space, and bathrooms are all located on the ground level and are universally accessible for people with disabilities. Ramps and lifts are available to access other parts of our building. Additionally, our church building has several all-gender bathrooms so people of all gender identities may be fully welcomed and included in our space.

Southminster’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic centered on the intersection of science, medicine, and theology, sharing Jesus’ special concern for those who are most vulnerable and marginalized. Specifically, even now as the pandemic has reached “endemic” stage we will continue to monitor the Idaho Crisis Standards of Care, current hospitalization and infection rates, and the particular needs of immunocompromised individuals.

While we are now worshiping in-person, we are fully committed to livestreaming all of our worship services so that those who, for any reason, desire to worship from home are able to do so. While the use of face masks is no longer required, anyone who wishes to wear one will be warmly received.

For the latest updates and recommendations, please click here.

We are located at 6500 W. Overland Road (between Cole and Curtis) in Boise, Idaho. You’ll find plenty of parking in our lot on Hummel Road. For major events, overflow parking can be found at Grace Jordan Elementary School next door. If you prefer public transit, our church is located next to a bus stop for Valley Regional Transit’s #29 Overland route. (Note that at this time, the route does not operate on Sundays).

Church updates, pastor musings, and more can be found in our monthly newsletter, called The Messenger. To be good stewards of church resources and the environment, folks receive a digital newsletter via email by default. (Paper copies are available at the start of each month in the Narthex/office. We also mail physical copies of the newsletter by request.)

To receive our church newsletter by email attachment, click here!

​Interested in learning more about joining the community of faith at Southminster? Anyone may become a member, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnic origin, or class. If you are interested in becoming a member, please contact Pastor TJ for information and details.

The truth is, becoming a formal member of the church does not come with significant perks. There’s almost nothing that a “member” can do at the church that a non-member cannot!

What this means is that the decision to join Southminster is really about your own faith journey, and the sign of commitment you make within it. We believe that choosing to join a church is a signal to God, the congregation, and yourself that “this community” is where you are being called to practice living out your faith, and these are the people who will walk alongside you amid the journey. In this way, we believe church membership is vitally important—and strongly encourage it.