Hennepin Happenings
News & Events @ Hennepin Avenue UMC
December 6, 2019
FEATURED EVENTS
Make Love Our Aim--Turn in Your Commitment Cards!

During this holy season, we are grateful to you for making love our aim! Through your financial commitment, we can raise the funds necessary to support our ministry. As of Sunday, Dec 1, 52% of our total 2020 budget has been committed. If you have not yet made your commitment to support our church ministry in 2020, please find extra Commitment Cards in the pews and at the reception desk.
Hennepin Kids
Family Advent Festival
December 7, 10am in the Social Hall

Join us for the Hennepin Kids Family Advent Festival in the Social Hall. Gingerbread creations, holiday ornaments, and so many cookies! Cost is $20/family. Your registration includes lunch and 6 dozens cookies that you will bake, decorate, and take home. Please bring a donation of baking supplies for Groveland Food Shelf. Children 12 years and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Register at haumc.org/register.
The Angel Tree Gifts are Due Sunday!

Gifts for our Angel Tree recipients are due Sunday, December 8. Please bring your angel ornament and unwrapped gifts to the East Entry.

We are also looking for helpers to sort and check-in all 120 gifts, and drivers to deliver gifts to Refugee Services on December 12. If you are able to lend a hand, please contact Lynne Carroll at lynne@haumc.org.

Hennepin Marketplace
December 8, 9:30am in Carlson Hall

Come to Hennepin Marketplace and see the world of good that the Outreach Ministries of Hennepin have been promoting. Support this work by purchasing crafts and goodies from across the world--some exotic, some familiar, all beautiful. Wander through Carlson Hall before and after worship to peruse the offerings and discover ways to get involved in supporting our neighbors in Minneapolis and around the world.
Entry Point: Becoming a Member
December 8, 11:30am in the Harrison Room

If you are interested in becoming a member of HAUMC, please join us at Entry Point to meet Rev. Judy Zabel and have your questions about membership answered. Child care is available. RSVP to Larry Duncan at 612-435-1309 or larry@haumc.org. New members will join December 15.
Adulting 101: Christmas on a Budget
December 8, 12:30pm
in the Longfellow Room

Adulting 101 is a fun, casual way for young adults to engage in topics they care about. Each session features a topic expert, an opportunity to discuss the day's topic, and a chance to connect with other people with shared interests.

On December 8, we'll discuss how to manage Christmas expenses on a limited budget.
Poinsettia Dedication
Dedications due by Dec 8

Poinsettia Presence and Presents! Honor the special people in your life and make the sanctuary Christmas-card beautiful with a poinsettia dedication! Dedications received by Sunday, December 8 will be printed in the Christmas Eve bulletin. Poinsettias are $20 each. Five names may be listed with each dedication.

Stop by the Reception Desk to make your dedications or use the online form:
MUSIC & ART AT HENNEPIN
Copper Street Brass
Christmas Concerts
December 12 & 22, in the Sanctuary

There’s no better time for brass than the holidays! Resident Artists Copper Street Brass' popular holiday concerts celebrate the stories and sounds of the season performed with passion, humor, and virtuosity. Hear music ranging from classical to carols, childhood movies to rock and pop, and much more. Two performances at HAUMC:
  • Thursday, December 12 at 10am
  • Sunday, December 22 at 3pm

Purchase tickets at https://copperstreetbrass.org . $25 for adults, Kids 17 and under free, $10 for college students with ID.
A Great and Mighty Wonder: A Musical Celebration
December 21 & 22, in the Sanctuary

Join our marvelous musicians in a musical celebration of Advent and Christmas at "A Great a Mighty Wonder" featuring our Sanctuary Choir, soloists Mark Billy & Mikah Meyer, harp and orchestra.

The concert will feature holiday favorites, including carol settings old and new: Silent Night, The First Noel, Good Christian Friends Rejoice--and featuring the choral gems "In Terra Pax" by Gerald Finzi, "Dona Nobis Pacem" from J. S. Bach's B-minor Mass, and Holst's "Christmas Day."

Performances will be
  • Saturday, December 21 (4pm)
  • Sunday, December 22 during 10am Worship

Please be sure to invite friends and neighbors to enjoy this beauty-filled celebration of Christmas!
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS
Holy Surprises!
Open Yourself to the Miracles of Christmas

Advent is a time to wait and to prepare. As we ready our homes and our hearts for the coming of the Christ child, we wait with expectant hearts, filled with curiosity and wonder as we open ourselves to God's holy surprises. During Advent you will hear the ancient lectionary texts for this season, our prayer is that we will hear them anew. 

Blue Christmas
Sunday, Dec 15 | 4pm in the Art Gallery

Feeling Blue this holiday season? Gather to share words and songs of comfort, consolation, and hope at this subdued service of soothing music and gentle prayer. 
 
A Great and Mighty Wonder: A Musical Celebration
December 21 | 4pm in the Sanctuary and
December 22 | 10am in the Traditional Worship service

Celebrate the joyful surprises of Advent & Christmas with the Hennepin Avenue UMC Sanctuary Choir, soloists and orchestra. Free and open to all.
 
Christmas Eve Worship Tuesday, December 24
 
Contemplative Christmas
2:00pm in the Art Gallery

Walk the labyrinth and be uplifted by carols and poetry of the season in this contemplative worship service.
 
Christmas Pageant
4:00pm in the Sanctuary*†

Lively, family-friendly worship service featuring our children's and youth choirs and nativity pageant.
 
Carols & Candlelight
7:30pm in the Sanctuary*† (7:00pm Prelude Concert)

Traditional worship celebration featuring Hennepin Singers and carols by candlelight.
 
Candlelight Communion
11:00pm in the Sanctuary† (10:30pm Prelude Concert)

Traditional worship celebration featuring our Sanctuary Choir, brass and handbells, carols by candlelight and Holy Communion.
 
* Free nursery care available.
† Worship from wherever you are! Watch the live stream at  haumc.org/live .
For directions and parking info, find us on Facebook @HennepinAvenueUMC
MINISTRY NEWS
MN Methodists:
Enacting Our Inclusive Vision
December 7, 9am in the Art Gallery

Join Minnesota Methodists from across the state as we move forward in building the inclusive church. This is a day of strategy and planning. All are welcome. Registration is available at minnesotamethodists.org/making-vision-plain/ . Please contact Becky Boland (bolandbecky@gmail.com) for additional information.
Christmas Eve Pageant Casting Call

Help our Christmas Pageant come to life at the 4pm Christmas Eve Service! We are welcoming shepherds, wise people, and angels of all ages and stages. If you would like to be a part of the time-honored tradition of our Live Nativity, please email Lynne Carroll at lynne@haumc.org by December 13 .
2020 Flower Donations

The 2020 flower donation chart is now available on the announcement kiosk in Carlson Hall.  If you wish to provide a chancel floral arrangement for a 10 AM worship service in the sanctuary, sign up on an available Sunday.  Questions?  Contact the Flower Coordinator, Sarah Schwartz at 832.655.8666 or  sarahds319@gmail.com .
Making Sense Class
December 8, 11:15am in the Conference Room

This diverse group meets weekly, with occasional breaks to re-group or between discussion topics, for lively discussion, study, and friendly debate about what it means to be a Christian in a world that is increasingly complex. John Guy serves as facilitator. The class uses the Bible, along with other topical books to explore how the message of Christ speaks to the challenges of today for the church and for the church in the world.

Join us in December as we spend some time in reflection on Holy Surprises with a Southern Spin!
Progressive Christianity
December 8, 11:15am in the Harrison Room

Everyone is welcome to this discussion group. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month.
Life Adventures
Krista Riedel: Christmas Bells
December 13, 12pm in the Social Hall

Come celebrate this special time of year with HAUMC member Krista Riedel, who will ring in the season with songs you will remember. Krista has rung bells in Hennepin Avenue UMC’s worship services and currently directs Hennepin's youth bell choir. 

Prepaid reservations are due by noon Monday, December 9. Cost is $18 and includes lunch.
Hennepin Kids Dinner Theater
December 21, 1pm in the Social Hall

Parents enjoy an afternoon out. Kids spend the afternoon creating a Dinner Theatre experience to share with their parents when they return. Ages 3 years-5th grade. Older kids and teens are welcomed to attend as helpers and sous chefs. Cost is $20/child or $30 family max.

Register at haumc.org/register.
New Year's at Koinonia
December 30, 2019 - January 1, 2020, at Koinonia Retreat Center

Ring in the new year in a cozy, comfortable setting! New Years at Koinonia is a decades old event where campers of all ages say farewell to 2019 and hello to 2020 in the company of friends and family. Arrival is anytime after 10 AM on December 30th, and departure is after a fun New Year’s Chapel Service and brunch on January 1st.

Cost:
  • Age 18+: $120 - 2 nights; $60 - 1 night
  • Age 6-17: $60 - 2 nights; $30 - 1 night
  • Under age 6: FREE!

Questions or to register, contact Kevin Dahlen or Teresa Ring at 888-801-4476, email Kevin at kevin.dahlen@haumc.org or register at haumc.org/register.
End-of-Year Giving

Giving at year-end enables you to complete your 2019 pledge, consider an additional gift to Hennepin, pre-pay on a 2020 operating pledge, or complete payment on a Steps of Faith campaign pledge. For tax purposes, allow ample time to complete your gift transactions and save all receipts and acknowledgments.
 
Checks:  Mail your gift postmarked on or before Dec. 31
 
Credit Card : Make your gift by December 31 through the Hennepin website
 
Securities: Stock and securities transfers need to be initiated in time for broker’s processing, and to ensure the transfers are executed and hit our Charles Schwab account by December 31. Please advise us of your pending transfer so we may track the transfer.
 
IRA Charitable Rollover (for those age 70 ½ or older):  Instruct your IRA administrator to send a check directly to Hennepin, postmarked by Dec. 31.
 
Even if you do not itemize deductions on your 2019 federal tax return, the State of Minnesota allows a partial deduction for charitable gifts on Minnesota returns. Check with your financial advisor for details.
 
As needed for giving documents, please use:
Full legal name – Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
Federal tax ID# 41-0694729
 
For questions or additional information on year-end giving options, contact Brian Seim, Director of Finance, at brian@haumc.org or 612-435-1302 or Jack Fistler at jack@haumc.org, (612) 435-1321 or (651) 353-6942 (cell/text). There is still time for more Extravagant Generosity in 2019.
Save the Date!
Conversation with Dr. Grace Pak
January 25, 2020, 9am in the Social Hall

Please save Saturday, January 25 for an event led by Dr. Grace Pak from the General Commission on Religion and Race of the United Methodist Church. Dr. Pak will facilitate a conversation and learning to bring people together across cultural differences in order to live more fully into God's Kingdom.

Please contact Becky Boland at bolandbecky@gmail.com with questions.
Save the Date!
Youth Winter Lock-In
January 25, 2020, 6pm at the Escape Room
923 Nicollet Mall #375, Minneapolis

On January 25th the youth are invited to the Winter lock - in. We're kicking our night off at Escape the Room in downtown Minneapolis at 6 pm, and will head back to church for a night filled with fun, food, and great time with friends. Cost of the event is only $45, and is due by Sunday January 19th. 

Register at haumc.org/register.
ACTIVISM & OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
Serve on Christmas Eve

We're recruiting a team to provide radical hospitality to our guests on Christmas Eve. If you have the gift of helping, this is your sweet spot!
  • To acolyte or help with parking contact Cheryl Gibbons at cheryl@haumc.org.
  • To greet, contact Steve Boyd at tandsboyd@gmail.com.
  • To usher, contact Ellen Sundell at ellen@haumc.org.
Parking on Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, let’s welcome our guests by reserving the Hennepin parking lot for them! If you need to park near the building entrance in one of the handicapped parking spaces, please don’t hesitate to do so. But if you can park elsewhere, we invite you to choose one of these alternatives:

  • Park for free in the Walker Art Center parking ramp. On your way out of worship, pick up a parking voucher from an usher or at the front desk. Use the voucher as you exit the ramp.
  • Park in the Alliiance parking lot just across Groveland Avenue at 400 Clifton Avenue.
  • Park in the White Earth Nation parking lot at 1730 Clifton Place.
Update on Eurasia Partnership

The Eurasia Partnership is ending early next year because of the difficulties in dealing with Russia & the region, and dwindling membership. HAUMC has had a presence in the region since the early 1990s and the partnership has had a 21 year run.

Therefore, the marketplace on December 8 will be our last sale. Everything will be 50% off and there will be a dollar table.

We have had many successes:
  • In the Dmitrov region we have supported orphans, troubled teens, & the elderly.
  • Supported the Methodist church with salary, expansion, and helped remodel the Seminary in Moscow.
  • Long term cooperation with Courage-Kenny supporting special needs children, including the training of teachers and parents with the latest methods.
  • Supported youth exchange mission trips including the HAUMC youth group trip in 2004.

We have been working with ‘True Hope Ukraine’ for the last few years. They are working in a similar fashion in the Ukraine, especially on issues for orphans. All remaining proceeds from our sales this year will go to the Methodist Church Eurasia Partnership & True Hope Ukraine equally.

We thank all of those who have actively worked on the Eurasia/Russia partnership over the years and those who have bought arts & crafts. We have sold over $44,000 in the last 20 years. THANK YOU !!!
2019 Homeless Memorial March
December 19, 5pm at the Hennepin County Government Center
3rd Ave S & 5th Street S, Minneapolis

Honoring people who have died while homeless in Minnesota. Timeline of events:
5pm: Vigil and Silent March 
  • Hennepin County Government Center 3rd Ave S & 5th St S, Minneapolis 
  • The march will follow 5th St S westward to Nicollet Ave and proceed south to Plymouth Congregational Church

6pm: Service of Remembrance 
  • Plymouth Congregational Church 

7pm: Community Meal
  • In the lower level of Plymouth Congregational Church

What to wear: Please wear appropriate footwear and clothing, keeping in mind the weather conditions (e.g., snow, ice and wind) in mind. 

Please visit simpsonhousing.org for additional information.
Old School by Steeple People

Old School by Steeple People can help you with your holiday gift-giving. Your shopping budget will stretch like the loaves and fishes!

Come visit us at 1901 Nicollet Ave S. We're open every day (except Tuesday = closed) from 11 am to 6 pm. Shop. Donate. Volunteer.

Old School by Steeple People will be at the Hennepin Marketplace on Sunday December 8 from approximately 8am-1pm. We'll have a lovely variety of jewelry and books for your holiday shopping pleasure. Please bring a credit/debit card as we'll have limited cash on hand (and we don't take checks). Can't wait to see you! #oldschoolthrifty #shopsecondhand
Volunteer to Enhance Worship

As technology plays an even bigger integral role in worship, opportunities to volunteer time and passion are growing quickly. There are current opportunities to help with slides, sound and cameras. Don't worry about any areas of expertise you have or don't have; we will provide training.

Please contact Royd at royd@haumc.org to become part of the technical team that enhances the Sunday worship experience for everyone at Hennepin Avenue UMC!
Volunteer for Our Food Ministries!

You are invited to share in Hennepin's amazing and delicious food ministries! Every Sunday, you can provide radical hospitality to Hennepin members and guests.

On the first and fifth Sunday afternoons of each month, feed our hungry neighbors at Community Meals.

On the second through fourth/fifth Sunday mornings of each month, help to host the best Sunday Brunch in town.

Contact Cheryl Gibbons to sign up! Cheryl@haumc.org.
SEND US YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS

Do you have news to share in Hennepin Happenings?
Please fill out an announcement form at www.haumc.org/events .
The deadline for announcements is 12 Noon on Monday for announcements to be included in the following Friday's newsletter. 
Submissions are subject to editing for space and content.
Thanks for sharing your news!
511 Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis MN, 55403 | 612-871-5303