May 30, 2024 | Weekly Newsletter

Ordinands in the Hennepin Sanctuary during the Ordination Service for the Annual Conference.

I am joining Pastors Laura, Roger, and our lay delegates Jan Russell and Barb Ludack at the great United Methodist get-together called Annual Conference.

Every year clergy and an equal number of lay people gather to worship, ordain, pass legislation and celebrate our continued connection.  

Being at Annual Conference is like being at a huge reunion. Even for those of us absurdly extroverted by nature the experience is overwhelming. So much hope and faith in one place is palpable.

This year is particularly powerful for me because Hennepin is hosting ordination on Wednesday evening. In our tradition, all clergy who are set apart for ordained ministry are ordained together. The world is our parish so we celebrate our ordination in community.

Thank you, Hennepin, for the ways you welcome holiness. Our volunteers, staff, and the Spirit are conspiring to offer grace at 511 Groveland. Our spire (more about that in the article below) speaks our conviction that faith worth living joins heaven and earth in joined witness.

And, please join us for a gathering in the sanctuary on June 11th where we will welcome Jim Wallis who holds the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Chair in Faith and Justice at Georgetown University. His recent book, "The False White Gospel" was recently released. As part of our desire to challenge Christian Nationalism we are blessed to welcome him.

We are a Cathedral of the Many in the midst of a world sore hungry for hope, beauty, and connection.

Hennepin Ave United Methodist Church, you welcome holiness. You are grace.

Thank you.

Pastor Elizabeth

Celebrating the 2024 Hennepin Scholars!

Congratulations to the 2024 scholarship recipients.

Every year, Hennepin Scholars are recognized with scholarship funds contributed by generous Hennepin members.

Here are our twelve 2024 Hennepin Scholars. These students are attending institutions across the country, pursuing programs in a variety of subject areas. Their talents and energies are inspiring!

See all 2024 Hennepin Scholars

Art and Spirituality: The Final Lecture with Dr. Wilson Yates

Plus, a United Theological Seminary Closing Reception!

We are so excited to hear the final thought-provoking lecture on Art and Spirituality from Dr. Wilson Yates! This Sunday, he will focus on modern and contemporary art. Stick around afterward for a reception capping off the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities's exhibition on display in Carlson Hall!

Let us know you're coming on Facebook

Hennepin Vitality Report

Sunday, June 9 at 11:15am

The work under our Strategic Initiative completed our community inventory and assessment and incorporated this information into the Hennepin Avenue UMC Vitality Report. The findings will be presented in the Sanctuary on Sunday, June 9 after worship, followed by two educational webinars later in June to provide broader context.



Read More.

Reclaiming Faith, Refounding Democracy

An Evening With Jim Wallis

Hennepin Church is excited to announce that Jim Wallis will be discussing his new bestselling book "The False White Gospel: Reject Christian Nationalism, Reclaiming True Faith, and Refounding Democracy" on Tuesday, June 11 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.

After the discussion and Q&A... Read More.

In Facilities this Week: Spire Climbers

You may have seen images circulating online this week of someone climbing our building's spire. Numerous safety measures in place including alarms and locking mechanisms were dismantled. We cannot condone these actions due to the serious risks involved. Our facilities team is collaborating with authorities to investigate this incident, as it appears to be related to similar climbs on other buildings in the area. Additionally, our team is working diligently on a solution to prevent such incidents from happening again. We are thankful that the individual did not fall and will remain vigilant about this safety concern.

To submit event announcements to be published on the public events calendar, please send all the details to communications@haumc.org.

To plan your event, including reserving rooms, email scheduling@haumc.org.

For story ideas or editorial content, you can email commsdirector@haumc.org. All content is subject to the discretion of the editorial team.

Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church www.haumc.org