Written by Phil Wala
1877 (July 11)
Crops have been devastated by grasshoppers, and Hennepin Church member T. B. Walker comes to the rescue with turnip seeds for the needy farmers–because it’s one of the few crops that can still be harvested after being planted this late. And because one can never have too many turnips. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1899 (July 11)
Rev. James F. Chaffee, Hennepin’s third pastor, was a larger-than-life figure in the early history of Methodism in Minnesota. Without Chaffee’s tireless efforts, beginning in the 1850s, Hennepin Church would likely not exist today. In 1899, Chaffee, and his wife Calista, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The Minneapolis Tribune published an article about the couple, and Hennepin Church honored them with a special celebration, the program for which can be found in the Hennepin church archives.
1902 (July 9)
The National Education Association is holding its national convention in Minneapolis this year. General meetings take place in the Industrial Exposition Building, while department meeting are spread among several other downtown venues. Hennepin Avenue Church at 10th and Hennepin has been selected as the site for all the meetings of the Special Education Department. Prominent at the meetings in Hennepin Church is the president of the Department of Special Education, whose name has a ring of familiarity. (Minneapolis Journal and Tribune)
1909 (July 11)
Ten years after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at Hennepin Church, James and Calista Chaffee are celebrating their 60th anniversary. Only this time, the celebration is in Pasadena, California, where they retired eight years ago. The Los Angeles Herald quotes Rev. Chaffee saying, “We have both, I think, given up definitely any idea of getting a divorce.”
1912 (July 10)
Hennepin’s bachelor assistant pastor Rev. Howard H. Hare and Miss Maud¹ Gertrude Bush have had TWO close calls with lightning in four days. There’s no record of this affecting their plans to get married in December of the same year. By the way, if you’re wondering about Howard H. Hare’s middle name — it’s Hurlbet. (Minneapolis Journal)
¹ Genealogical records spell her name without an E.
1916 (July 11)
Hennepin pastor Rev. Andrew Gilles has been absent for much of the past two years due to poor health. Believing that the church needs a full-time pastor when the church dedicates it’s new building in October, Gillies resigns. His hand-written resignation letter resides in the church archives. Gillies eventually recovered and went on to pastor a church in Rochester, New York, where he died in 1942. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1968 (July 13)
Rev. Howard Thurman, civil rights activist and mentor to Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be at Hennepin Avenue Church for three consecutive Sundays. (Minneapolis Star)
1992 (July 12)
Rev. Chris Jackson was on staff at Hennepin from 1989 to 2011 as a diaconal minister. If you don’t know what “diaconal” means, Jackson explains it in his sermon “God’s Best Friend,” which he preached on Sunday, July 12, 1992. > LISTEN HERE
2004 (July 11)
Rev. Bruce Robbins was Hennepin’s 23rd lead pastor, serving from March 2004 to June 2013. In this sermon, entitled “A Plumbline for the Heart,” Robbins uses the story of the Good Samaritan to reflect on the standard by which we are to measure ourselves. > LISTEN HERE
