Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church

At Hennepin we seek to bring faith to life. One of the foundational gifts of our United Methodist heritage is the belief that we are best supported in faith and life development in small groups. At Hennepin, we call them LYFE Groups.

As we live through the lead-up to the election and the need for building hope, we are reading together a book with an oddly hopeful name: “Life after Doom” by Brian McLaren.

We have many options for meeting times and places and trained leaders this fall. Register for a LYFE group online, or by calling 612-871-5303, or in person on Sunday after worship!

Register here: https://onrealm.org/HennepinAvenueU/PublicRegistrations/Event?linkString=YmJmZmM3OTAtZmU5NS00ZTRlLWFlZjYtYjFlZTAxMWRlZGE0

Grounding in Faith with Pastor Elizabeth

What we do, think, and say matters.

Perhaps you join me in head-shaking despair over the state of our national political discourse. Truth seems elusive, practiced civility a cherished memory, and collegial vision-casting a foolish dream.

Well, we are dreamers, are we not?

God's dream for a peaceable world is no trifling thing. We believe it is possible to live in such a way that it is clear that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Love begets love. There are no outsiders or others. We are all one in Christ Jesus.

Sneering, strutting and sensationalism are full of sound and fury and they signify nothing more than tangible evil.

We are the people of Jesus the Christ. We are a people in solidarity with the poor. Jesus was born into want, cultivated community with all, knelt at the feet of his followers and intentionally tore down walls of fear, mistrust, and hatred between peoples.

We are the people of Jesus the Christ. What we do, think, and say matters.

This coming Sunday we continue in our exploration of "What's a Methodist?"

It turns out that United Methodists are people who "resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves". (From UM Membership Vows).

We are the people of the United Methodist Church. We are committed, passionate dreamers of a new day and we are powerful beyond the telling.

We will not be silenced by despair.

See you in church!
Pastor Elizabeth

This message from Pastor Elizabeth was a part of today's edition of our weekly newsletter, Hennepin Happenings! If you'd like to sign up for any of our newsletters, you can do so at haumc.org/email

A celebration of life for former Hennepin Avenue UMC pastor Rev. Dr. Bruce Warren Robbins will be held in our Sanctuary this Saturday, September 21 at 1pm.

The service will be live streamed on our page, YouTube channel, and website. A service prelude will start at 12:45pm. The entire service will be available on our YouTube page afterwards.

Livestream: https://haumc.org/live/

https://obituaries.startribune.com/obituary/bruce-robbins-1090692567

Today is National Voter Registration Day! Election day is on November 5th and Faith in Place put together a Non-Partisan Faithful Voter Reflection Guide to make sure you are ready - you can read it here:https://www.faithinplace.org/_files/ugd/ff0f53_6d97ef91e97549bf88a61b1d8394c562.pdf

Check your Minnesota registration status or register to vote here: https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/

The HAUMC Virtual Book Club added another banned book to our little free library this month - Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison!

The book club is spending 2024 reading banned books - and you can join in on the fun! The next discussion will explore William Golding's Lord of the Flies on September 19th at 7pm.

Be sure to visit haumc.org/events to keep up with the year of banned books!

Kick-Off Sunday was only just the beginning! This Sunday will be jam-packed with all sorts of enriching and delightful gatherings.

Before worship, stop by the Longfellow Room for "Faith's Imagination" with Rev. Dr. Nancy Victorin-Vangerud. Enjoy a thought-provoking sermon by Pastor Laura Hannah and discuss it over brunch after worship in Koinonia Hall!

Don't worry, there are opportunities for kids of all ages after worship, too. If you are interested in confirmation, learn more about the process from Pastor Laura. Other kiddos are welcome to join in on the Joyful Noise rehearsals!

But wait... there's more! Pastor Judith Gaima will join us to discuss all things Richard Ormsby School and our Garden Give and Take Table will be up and running.

There is something for everyone at HAUMC!

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Grounding in Faith with Pastor Laura:

This past Saturday I was at an extended family gathering. And a miracle happened! Ok, maybe that is a bit of an overstatement, but it felt like it in the moment. There was a family rift that had happened years ago, and like most relationship breakdowns there was much pain and it rippled outwards into the rest of the family tree. After a while you resign yourself to the new reality of tension and complexity.

After years of tension and hurt, a rift that had kept family members apart for far too long began to mend. It wasn’t a grand moment, no dramatic speeches or sudden epiphanies, just small steps—a shared meal, a few awkward but honest conversations, and laughter where silence once stood.

What struck me most was how natural it all felt. Despite the history and the pain, grace seemed to work quietly in the background, softening hearts and bridging gaps that once felt impossible to cross.

It's funny how grace works like that. It doesn’t always show up in big, bold gestures. Sometimes, it sneaks in through the cracks, working in the most ordinary moments—like passing the mashed potatoes or sharing a story around the table. This weekend reminded me that grace is always at work, even when we think reconciliation is out of reach.

So, if there’s a rift you’ve been carrying—whether in your own family or elsewhere—know that healing may come when you least expect it. Grace has a way of moving where we can’t.

This message from Pastor Laura was a part of today's edition of our weekly newsletter, Hennepin Happenings! If you'd like to sign up for any of our newsletters, you can do so at haumc.org/email

This Sunday after worship, Pastor Judith Gaima, the Director of the Ormsby School in Sierra Leone, will share through photo and story how God has worked through her to develop a model school in a remote rural community.

In 6 years, the Ormsby School has grown from 120 students in the 7th and 8th grades to nearly 500 students in 12 grades. Learn about what the school offers and what the teachers and students say about their school. Hear Pastor Judith’s inspirational story about what motivated her to develop a school in her home town of Baiwalla

In case you missed it, our new Faith and Community Building Engagement Guide is now available! Learn how you can be deeply rooted in community through Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church - we are guaranteed to have something for everyone.

Stop by the church to pick up a copy or view online here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1W1nIGigyAcNuwbDr6vpLGzbNDNDcKedw/view?usp=drive_link

Kick-Off Sunday was an ABSOLUTE BLAST! We love hosting our community for all sorts of fun.

During worship, we enjoyed the return of Hennepin Chime and welcomed new members! Afterwards, we were blessed with live music, a delicious lunch, free ice cream, a bounce house, and puppy yoga (which turned out to be more puppy than yoga)!

We couldn't have asked for a better Sunday with the folks that make HAUMC great.

🔔 Hennepin Chime is back! 🎶 Join us this Sunday during worship as our talented handbell ensemble, Hennepin Chime, returns to fill the sanctuary with beautiful music. Led by conductor Jennifer Cadwell, our bell ringers are ready to create a resonant and joyful atmosphere.

📅 Interested in ringing? You're invited to rehearsal on Sept 15th at 6:30pm. Hennepin Chime is open to adults and youth (8th grade and up), whether you're an experienced ringer or brand new to handbells. Come join the fun and be part of this welcoming musical community!

The Hennepin United Women in Faith recently sponsored a school supply drive to support the students of Emerson Dual Language School! Here is a heartfelt thank you from Janet Jacobs and the rest of the UWF:

"Thanks to our generous Hennepin Church community, we delivered boxes and bags of school supplies to nearby Emerson Dual Language Elementary School. Adorable backpacks, strongly requested computer paper, markers, crayons and a hefty supply of notebooks will help these students and teachers have a great beginning of school! Thanks to all who donated money or supplies. It was greatly appreciated."

Grounding in Faith with Pastor Elizabeth:

I went to the State Fair this year on the hottest day of the year and on Labor Day.

I was aware this year of a sense of Minnesota niceness of the most lovely variety.

People seem excited to be Minnesotans (or maybe I am just projecting on a massive crowd of people).

I made the requisite pilgrimage to the Hamline Church Diner where more communal goodness was on display. Church folk of all ages poured coffee, greeted folks and provided a sense that each tired and hungry fairgoer was a welcome guest.

This Sunday we invite you to the Great Hennepin Get Together. It's the time of year when we kick-off programming with fun and the sheer joy of sharing with each other what it means to be part of a community that lives, loves, and learns together.

To undergird the power of our justice and faith movement, we will focus on "What's a Methodist?". We are a people who welcome the stranger, create systems to counter injustice and we are a people who delight in each and all.

Come for the party, stay for the transformation!

See you Sunday!

Pastor Elizabeth

This message from Pastor Elizabeth was a part of today's edition of our weekly newsletter, Hennepin Happenings! If you'd like to sign up for any of our newsletters, you can do so at haumc.org/email

Robbins was ‘shining light’ for ecumenism The Rev. Bruce W. Robbins, advocate for Christian unity and interfaith dialogue, dies at 73.

With the Great Minnesota Get-Together wrapping up, we want to invite you to the Great Hennepin Get-Together! Kick-Off Sunday is this Sunday, September 8th from 10am-1pm.

Join us for worship and enjoy a community party afterwards including a bouncy house, food, puppy yoga with Healing Hearts Rescue MN, and more!

Join the Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/t3MQBRfLT3umU9R9/

Hennepin Avenue UMC has been cleaning out our spaces and getting ready for fall programming. We are offering our items that are duplicates and extra to our neighbors for free!

Give away dates are September 3 from 4-8pm and September 4 from 10am-2pm. We have kids’ stuff, kitchen stuff - both commercial and residential, Christmas decorations, office supplies, file cabinets, and other misc furniture.

Everything is first come, first served. Nothing will be held back, and we will not have staff or volunteers available to help load anything into your vehicle, so please come prepared!