Written by Phil Wala
1896 (March 9)
This month’s “Mosaic” at Hennepin Church features a Japanese sword drill and a whistling solo.
1928 (March 11)
The present church building was dedicated in 1916, but the stained glass windows, all designed by Charles J. Connick of Boston, were added later. Most of the windows on the east and west walls were installed in 1927-1928, and dedicated in a series of Sunday sermons preached by Hennepin pastor Dr. Lucius Bugbee during Lent 1928. March 11 featured the dedication of the Four Evangelists windows in the west transept (balcony). Documents from the archives of Charles Connick’s company (available online) show that the price for the Four Evangelists windows was $7000 (equivalent to about $128,000 today!) (Minneapolis Star)
1932 (March 6)
Hennepin Avenue Church is among the many churches praying for the safe return of the 20-month old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh, who was kidnapped from the Lindbergh home on March 1. Unfortunately, the child’s body would be found two months later. (Minneapolis Star)
1954 (March 5)
Dr. Harold W. Ruopp, who succeeded Dr. Richard Raines as Hennepin pastor in 1948, was a gifted seminary professor and preacher, greatly admired by other pastors. After poor health forced Ruopp to resign as pastor of Hennepin, the Minnesota Council of Churches created a new position for him, naming him “minister-at-large,” a position which allowed him to provide teaching, advice, and counseling to other pastors, without the responsibility of pastoring a church. (Minneapolis Star)
1966 (March 9)
Lent 1966 is celebrated with a Lenten arts festival called “Revelation ’66.”
1995 (March 5)
Rev. Martha Postlethwaite was an associate minister at Hennepin Church from 1987 to 1992. She later became chaplain at United Theological Seminary, and pastor at Recovery Church in St. Paul. She returned to preach at Hennepin on March 5, 1995, which was the first Sunday of Lent, the first Sunday of Women’s History Month, and also “Women in the Pulpit Day.” Her topic was “Nameless Women.” Listen to her message below.
