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Our Needs

As part of our Next Great Steps Initiative, Hennepin’s facilities are in need of various renovations and improvements to ensure our church’s vibrant future.     

Education Wing Needs

One of our goals at Hennepin is to minister to younger families.  Many of our members and future members commute from the suburbs, and things young families look for in a church are updated Sunday school, nursery and faith formation rooms because their day care and child care facilities have these modernized amenities.  Our Education Wing is critical for faith formation and radical hospitality where we attract and welcome children, youth, adults and families to learn and grow.  The second or top floor of the Education Wing was renovated 15 years ago in preparation for leasing the space to Hamline University.  Today the  second floor is being used by Minnesota Internship Center (MNIC).  So for this campaign, we are talking about updating the 66 year-old first floor and lower level - areas in dire need of renovations:

  • Our space doesn’t have a mechanical system that allows for climate control, which leads to a poor educational environment for the groups that use this space, especially in the sweltering summer months.
  • The electrical wiring in this space is severely outdated, with fuse boxes from the 1950’s, which are no longer code compliant, and the rooms are not equipped with any modern technology.  Lighting in the Education Wing is out-of-date and a drain on our utilities.
  • Our rooms do not meet current fire codes.  
  • The cabinetry, paint and decor have not been updated since the 1970’s and are outdated.
  • The carpet is stretched, stained and is a safety hazard in some areas.
  • The bathrooms are old, musty and not very accessible for smaller children.
  • The configurations and sizes of the rooms are either too small or too large and not conducive to the needs of the various classes and groups that use these spaces.

Parking Lot

Our parking lot is one of the most used spaces on our Church campus - and it looks that way.  The crater-like holes and deteriorating asphalt patchwork is unsafe for our members and guests.  The extreme elements of heat, cold, water and heavy use that the space endures have contributed to its corrosion. There is no longer a solid base from which to repair these holes and cracks and we are in need of resurfacing the entire parking lot.



Technology

As technology continues to improve in our world, our church is behind in utilizing technology that will help us communicate more effectively with this generation.

  • We currently have no audio/visual or video-conferencing technology in our meeting rooms.
  • The current technology in our church offices and surrounding areas is antiquated and in need of upgrading.
  • Hearing assistance in the Sanctuary and Art Gallery is no longer sufficient.

Kitchen

Thousands of meals, from Hennepin Breakfast to Dignity Center meals, are prepared every year at HAUMC which means our kitchen is in constant use.  Unfortunately, our kitchen, due to outdated cabinetry, countertops and key appliances, is unable to get a commercial license.  The industrial-size, walk-in fridge that we use is from the 1930’s, made of wood, and is inefficient.  We need to have a code-compliant kitchen in order to protect ourselves from the liability of potential lawsuits that could be brought on by poorly stored or prepared meals.

Mission Outreach

We are in need of two essential mission outreach programs that will build our church both in our state and in our world.

  • Reach, Renew, Rejoice - We are proud to be a part of the Minnesota UMC Conference’s Reach, Renew, Rejoice initiative – reaching new people by launching new churches, renewing and growing existing churches to increase the church’s vitality, and ultimately rejoicing in what God had done for and through us. In order to be a part of this vision, our congregation has pledged and needs to raise $165,000 over the next five years to renew and start new churches.
  • New Global Ministries Project - HAUMC has a long and rich tradition of leading global mission outreach projects that heal a broken world.  Outreach United is exploring new opportunities for a global project that will energize Hennepin’s global impact. 

Building Maintenance

Finally, the “Envelope” of our church building is in need of maintenance and repair.  The future of our sacred space is dependent on the viability of the building where the congregation worships and we must have reliable walls and roofs.  Now is the time to get started before we experience leakage, which will damage our interior spaces.

  • Our building and facilities have four different types of roofs: rubber, asphalt, slate and lead coated copper.  The rubber roofs are in need of total replacement, the asphalt roofs need to be built up and the slate and lead coated copper roofs need to be repaired.  
  • The mortar joints in between the limestone blocks of our walls that prevent water infiltration are cracked and failing.  Tuck-pointing is needed and should occur every 20-30 years.  For a structure like ours, this work demands a great amount of time, labor and financial resources.