Our History: Providing Homes and Services to Seniors in Our Community since 1894.

Meet Sister Annette Relf, the soul behind the mission that we serve to this day.

What has now long been known as Episcopal Homes of Minnesota was originally a single residence known simply as “The Church Home.” It was founded in 1894 by Sister Annette Relf, a nurse and Minnesota’s first Episcopal Deaconess.

Moved by the plight of the destitute “aged and infirm,” Sister Annette committed the rest of her life to serving these vulnerable souls. She rented a small home in Saint Paul and raised funds by going door-to-door. Although Sister Annette’s mission received the blessing of the bishop, it has never received any funding from the Diocese (now called The Episcopal Church in Minnesota).

When Sister Annette died in 1915, her example of undaunted courage and commitment inspired others to continue her mission. In 1920, that mission found a permanent home with the purchase of what is now the site of our continuing care campus in Saint Paul’s Midway.