LEC began as the Center for Earth Spirituality and Rural Ministry (CESRM) in 1996 as a way for the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) to support rural parish communities and focus on care for the land on Good Counsel Hill. CESRM also oversaw the creation of the Good Counsel Hill Community Gardens from an area used solely by Sisters to the thriving community growing space it is today.
Over the years we have seen growth and change: moving from focus on rural ministry to youth education - from Sprouts Preschool classes to our current Seed to Sauce Program, and from being solely a community garden to running a food donation program - from its beginning as a Partner Plot Program utilizing extra garden plots to grow food for donation to our current Produce Donation Program at the Community Farm. Throughout this transformation, LEC has remained true to the SSND charism of right relation with the land and care for all creation.

SSND tasked CESRM with becoming an independent 501(c)3 so that their legacy and work would continue long after the SSND had left Mankato. In 2017, LEC was formed as the nonprofit that would continue CESRM’s work and SSND’s legacy. While LEC is an independent, non-denominational nonprofit, we remain a Sponsored Ministry of SSND, with SSND representation on our Board and oversight from the SSND Provincial Counsel. LEC has continued to grow and develop programming and relationships with the larger community that reflect SSND charism and deep commitment to both education and Care for Creation.

When sale of the Mankato Good Counsel Property was announced in 2021, LEC began work to locate a new permanent home. It was around this time that CESRM Co-Founder, Sr Mary Tacheny said to LEC Executive Director Laura Marsala Peterson, “There is a plan, though we may not know what it is - there is a plan.” She encouraged Laura to have faith that the path forward would eventually emerge. Just as she predicted, the opportunity of a lifetime presented itself when the Wortels approached LEC about purchasing their property on Pohl Rd.  (If you would like to read the history of CESRM and LEC in Sr Mary Tacheny’s own words click here.)

SSND is fully supportive of the purchase of the Pohl Rd property. They understand that in order to continue their legacy, LEC needs to expand beyond the Hill and into the community where the need is greatest. They have given their blessing and financial backing for LEC to take this next step.