Written by Phil Wala
1861 (July 20)
In 1861, the Civil War had just begun, and in the still unincorporated village of Minneapolis, there is only one Methodist church — simply called “the Methodist Church.” (It will later be remembered as “the little white church). This week, the church hosts a visual presentation of a recent arctic expedition, 48 years before Peary reached the North Pole. The presentation is not on movie film (motion pictures are yet to be invented) and not even on lantern slides, but painted on a 30,000 square foot canvas which depicts various views as it is scrolled across the stage. One would suppose that a large amount of white paint was used. (Minnesota State News}
1868 (July 22)
“The Methodist Church” of Minneapolis now has a name — Centenary Church — and a new building, a stone edifice at the corner of 7th and Minnetonka (now Nicollet). This is the church that will give birth to Hennepin Avenue Church. We have photos of the building’s exterior, but none of the interior. The only clue we have about what it looked like inside is this article which describes the just completed frescoing. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1869 (July 20)
Local churches are taking up a collection for a new horse for the Methodist pastor in Brooklyn. Why raise money for a church in New York? Well, this happens to be Brooklyn, Minnesota — a township west of Minneapolis that will later become the cities of Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1875 (July 16-17)
There is a conflict within Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church of Minneapolis, and apparently you have to read at least four local newspapers to keep track of it. A Methodist pastor at the center of the conflict is expressing his views in a column he writes for the Evening Mail. He accuses a second newspaper, the Minneapolis Tribune, of siding with the “sanctified gang,” an association the Tribune finds amusing. Meanwhile, one of the members of the so-called “sanctified gang” writes a letter to a third newspaper, The Gopher Mirror, expressing his own view of this pastor, in response to articles which have appeared in a fourth newspaper, the St. Paul Dispatch. What is going on Centenary Church to provide such an opportunity to sell newspapers? And what does this have to do with the history of Hennepin Church? Read the full story in the new book, Aspire! 150 Years at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, available this September. (Minneapolis Tribune, Gopher Mirror)
1893 (July 16)
The children of Hennepin Avenue Sunday School have raised money to purchase a horse-drawn ambulance for Asbury Hospital. The will be the fourth ambulance in Minneapolis, but the only one which will operate free of charge. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1942 (July 19)
Sunday morning of the Aquatennial celebration is marked by an outdoor church service at Powderhorn Park. Hennepin pastor Dr. Richard Raines preaches a sermon to a crowd of 12,000. (Minneapolis Star-Journal)
1948 (July 18)
After eighteen years as pastor of Hennepin Church, Dr. Richard Raines, who was recently elected to the office of bishop, preaches his farewell sermon. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1959 (July 19)
Rev. J. Carlton Forshee was hired as associate pastor in June 1954, and served through June 1963, under lead pastors Dwight Loder and Chester Pennington. On this day, in one of the oldest reel-to-reel tapes in the church archives, Rev. Forshee preaches on the topic, “Dimensions of Discipleship.” Listen below.
1966 (July 16)
On the Minneapolis Tribune food page, Amy Herman, restaurant manager at Donaldson’s, and former secretary at Hennepin Church, shares some recipes and talks about the inspiration she got from her mother, Theresa Herman, who worked in the church kitchen preparing Sunday evening meals for the University of Life. The staff photos are from 1944.
1971 (July 23)
Hennepin Church is participating in a pastoral exchange program this summer. For the next five Sundays, Rev. Ronald Pearce of the Promenade Methodist Church on the Isle of Man (between England and Ireland), will preach at Hennepin Church, while Hennepin pastor Jerald Jackson will be in the U. K. preaching at Pearce’s church. Both Jackson and his predecessor, Rev. Chester Pennington, participated in several such exchange programs during the summer. (Minneapolis Star)
