Oak Knoll Lutheran Church of Minnetonka, Minn., is a dynamic Christian community that seeks to live out God’s story of love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and peace in everyday life.

Demonstrating this commitment through congregational engagement, outreach, and mission development with local, national, and international partners, Oak Knoll has partnered with Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry (LPGM) since 2003, making it a 23-year partnership. 

Throughout this decades-long partnership, the congregation has supported LPGM’s work in Tamil Nadu, India, in myriad ways. In India, LPGM supports access to education for Dalit (formerly known as “untouchable”) students at the margins.

Oak Knoll proudly displays their ten sponsored students on a bulletin board to help congregants connect with them.

Over the years, Oak Knoll has sponsored Dalit boarding home students, helped build a boys’ dormitory at a community college, and supported the English+ program – which brings English education to rural schools and the boarding homes. English is the unifying language of India, so knowing English helps students excel in higher education and in the job market. 

According to Oak Knoll’s Senior Pastor, Pastor Jay Rudi, Oak Knoll’s partnership with LPGM helps congregants live out Christ’s calling to be witnesses to the Gospel in all corners of the earth. He explains, “LPGM provides us opportunities to build relationships across the globe that we could never make happen on our own. Through them, we can connect with our neighbors in India, Guatemala, or Tanzania.”  

Pastor Rudi adds, “Our congregation has committed to share our blessings by sponsoring ten students per year to attend school in India. Supporting a student's education is an investment in our global neighbors to grow in their giftedness and then become a blessing in their own community as they share those developed talents and gifts.”

While the congregation currently supports 10 students annually, Pastor Rudi shares that individual congregants support and sponsor individual students on their own.

While most congregations strive to share the Good News, sometimes these efforts are difficult to sustain after a few passionate individuals move on or lose energy. However, Oak Knoll has been able to sustain, and even grow, their mission partnership over the years. Originally, a committee of individuals guided these efforts, and one couple traveled to India regularly and would report back to the congregation.

Pastor Rudi interviews the Rev. Theopilus "Theo" Vinodkumar during worship in September 2025. Theo was visiting from the Arcot Lutheran Church in Tamil Nadu, India.

This has changed over time and after the Covid-19 pandemic. To meet the changing times, Oak Knoll spotlights its partnership with LPGM each April. By promoting this partnership and inviting updates from Executive Director Dan Ruth, visitors from India, and the LPGM Board, the congregation stays informed and understands its impact on global neighbors.

Oak Knoll members have also gone on transformational travel trips with LPGM.

Pastor Rudi concludes, "Jesus said, 'You will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.'" He continues, "Supporting these students is one of the ways we can take this call seriously to be a blessing and a light. It is wonderful to have a partner in LPGM to help us have these relationships with those we otherwise would never meet. LPGM helps our parishioners see their neighbors all over the world as kindred, and this results not only in the students' growth, but our growth as faithful people, too."

Learn about partnering with LPGM