Author Archive for dandylew
April 2020
Dear Minnesota United Methodist Builders and Friends,
“Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For every one who asks, receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
– Matthew 7:7-8
Every spring and fall, the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders reviews applications and selects one project in the Minnesota Conference to be the recipient of our Call grant. We are very pleased to announce that the 2020 Spring Call is in support of Richfield United Methodist Church addressing their need to provide security for two external doors and one internal door in their building.
Richfield UMC operates an early learning center, serving children from infancy through pre-school age.
Their goal is to have the ELC remain open throughout this Covid-19 situation to provide quality childcare for families with essential workers. In addition to many community activities usually hosted either in their building or outside on their parking lot, the congregation operates the God’s Hands Thrift Store that provides clothing, housewares, and other resources for people in their community. That means secure building access is especially crucial now, as well as later, when they are able to return to their 7-day per week schedule of families, members, and user groups in and out of the building.
At Richfield UMC, this situation is complicated by exterior doors not being visible from the church’s offices. So, the congregation has decided to install keypad entry on their doors to provide both security for children in the early learning center, but also to more efficiently respond to those knocking “in need.”
This MnUMB Call will provide building safety, as people in both the Richfield church and their surrounding community ask, seek, and knock for assistance, guidance, counsel, and celebration in Jesus’ name. The enclosed brochure describes in more detail both the mission and ministry of Richfield UMC and how this security system will provide the assurance of safety as the congregation continues to be in ministry in their community.
To support Richfield UMC for the 2020 Spring Call, you may send your check in the enclosed envelope, making the check payable to the Minnesota United Methodist Builders (MnUMB), with “2020 Spring Call” noted on your check. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, I invite you to be part of this important request.
Blessings,
Rev. Larry W. Mens
Field Director
October 2019
Dear Minnesota United Methodist Builders and Friends,
“I am the vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will,
and it shall be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit,
and so prove to be my disciples.”
– John 15:5, 7-8
Every spring and fall, the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders reviews applications and selects one project in the Minnesota Conference to be the recipient of our Call grant. We are very pleased to announce that the 2019 Fall Call is in support of the Hutchinson Vineyard United Methodist Church to address their need to enhance the sound and video system in their sanctuary as part of the exciting “relaunch” of their congregation.
After consultation with their District Superintendent and the Conference Director of New Church Development, Vineyard UMC began a process in May to “risk boldly to reach new people” in their community through personal and programmatic outreach into their community and by re-creating their building and worship experience to be more welcoming so those new visitors will return (they have already doubled their average worship attendance though this process). This MnUMB Call will provide one more “root” of support for the Vineyard UMC members who are the Christ-centered branches that have already begun to bear even more fruit.
The enclosed brochure describes in more detail both the mission and ministry of Hutchinson Vineyard UMC and how this sound and video system will help visitors to their church become repeat visitors.
You may send your check in the enclosed envelope to support Hutchinson Vineyard UMC, making it payable to the Minnesota United Methodist Builders (MnUMB) and noting on it “2019 Fall Call”.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, I invite you to be part of this important 2019 Fall Call request.
Blessings,
Rev. Larry W. Mens,
Field Director
Columbia Heights, MN
November 2018
Dear Minnesota United Methodist Builders and Friends,
“You are the light of the world.
A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Let your light so shine before all people, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
– Matthew 5:14-16
Every spring and fall, the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders reviews applications and selects one project in the Minnesota Conference to be the recipient of our Call grant. We are very pleased to announce that the 2018 Fall Call grant is in support of the Glenwood United Parish and their need to remove the black mold from the entire lower level of their building, including their Sunday School classrooms so that they are usable again.
This Glenwood United Parish building has stood on a hill overlooking the town of Glenwood and Lake Minnewaska since 1977. Their Healthy Church Initiative process called for a major rehabilitation of the building and parking lot to make it more welcoming for potential new members and usable for outreach ministries in their community. The 2018 Fall Call will be step one in helping Glenwood United Parish truly shine God’s light from their hill throughout their community, calling everyone to both share in God’s love and be served by God’s people.
The enclosed brochure for the 2018 Fall Call describes in more detail both the mission and ministry of Glenwood United Parish and their plans to both remove the black mold in their lower level and their commitment to an entire church facility rehabilitation project.
You may send your check in the enclosed envelope to support Glenwood United Parish. Please make your check payable to the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, noting on it 2018 Fall Call. You may also donate online by visiting our website at https://MnUMB.org.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, I invite you to be part of this 2018 Fall Call request.
Blessings,
Rev. Larry W. Mens, Field Director
Minnesota United Methodist Builders • 122 West Franklin Avenue, Room 400 • Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404 • (860) 306-2625 • www.mnumb.org
May 2018
Dear Minnesota United Methodist Builders and Friends,
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.”
– Psalm 90:1
Every spring and fall, the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders reviews applications and selects one project in the Minnesota Conference to be the recipient of our Call grant. We are very pleased to announce that the 2018 Spring Call grant is in support of Cannon Falls Christ United Methodist Church and their need to upgrade their entrance foyer to be more welcoming to new families entering the church for the first time, as well as for the after worship fellowship, Bible study, and meetings that take place there.
Christ UMC has stood on the road between Randoph, where the congregation had been worshiping, and Cannon Falls, since the new building was constructed in 2002. After that time they have been able to create new classroom space and upgrade their childcare and nursery areas. Now Christ Church is asking for our support as they continue to enhance the foyer of their facility, before they begin a new capital campaign to build an educational wing onto their sanctuary.
The enclosed brochure for the 2018 Spring Call describes in more detail both the mission and ministry of Cannon Falls Christ UMC and their plans for the rehab of their foyer area.
You may send your check in the enclosed envelope to help Cannon Falls Christ UMC be the “dwelling place” for all the generations in their part of Minnesota. Please make checks payable to the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, noting “2018 Spring Call.” You may also donate online by visiting our website at https://MnUMB.org.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, I invite you to be part of this 2018 Spring Call request.
Blessings,
Rev. Larry W. Mens, Field Director
Dear Minnesota United Methodist Builders and Friends,
“Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not minister to thee?”
Then he will answer them,
“Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.”
– Matthew 25:44-45
Every spring and fall, the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders reviews applications and selects one project to be the recipient of our Call grant.
We are very pleased to announce that the 2017 Fall Call grant is in support of Mankato Centenary United Methodist Church and their immediate need for
a new freezer before they begin a complete kitchen remodeling next spring to both bring their kitchen up to code, but also to feed the many who are hungry and cometo their building every morning, six days a week for a meal, a shower, usage of a phone, and fellowship with the many volunteers who serve breakfast through their Holy Grounds outreach program.
The Centenary UMC building has stood on the same corner in Mankato since 1853, calling their city to worship and reaching out to those in need throughout their community.
The enclosed brochure for the 2017 Fall Call describes in more detail both the mission and ministry of Centenary Church and their Holy Grounds outreach program that serves between 50 and 110 people daily, six mornings each week, in coordination with many other social service agencies and programs in their city.
You may send your check in the enclosed envelope to help Mankato Centenary UMC be the “home” for so many who are strangers or are ill, who hunger or thirst. Please make checks payable to the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, noting “2017 Fall Call”. You may also donate online by visiting our website at https://MnUMB.org.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the MnUMB, I invite you to be part of this Fall Call request.
Blessings,
Rev. Larry W. Mens
Dear Minnesota United Methodist Builders and Friends,
For every house is built by some one, but the builder of all things is God.
And we are his house if we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
– Hebrews 5:4, 6b
Every spring and fall, the Board of Directors of the Minnesota United Methodist Builders reviews applications and selects one project to be the recipient of our Call grant. We are very pleased to announce that the 2017 Spring Call grant is in support of Peace United Methodist Church of Richfield and their plans for the installation of a new rooftop heating unit that will bring all-season comfort directly to their building’s lower level and radiate upward to support 
seasonal comfort to their sanctuary, nursery, and common areas.
The Church of Peace was built on the Richfield and Edina borders and was dedicated in 1958. Additions were made to the building in 1961 and 1989 to accommodate the needs of the growing congregation. This Call will help support the comfort of the congregation as they worship and carry out their ministries in the community. Even more importantly, it will also greatly assist the Christian values-focused daycare center housed within their building that also provides after-school supervision for grade-schoolers whose parents are working when those children get out of school.
The enclosed brochure for the 2017 Spring Call describes in more detail both the mission and ministry of the Church of Peace, but also the hope of their members to be even more effective builders with God in their missional outreach to the changing needs of the community surrounding their church facility.
You may send your check in the enclosed envelope to help the Church of Peace in Richfield be the house of God in word and deed in their community. Please make checks payable to the Minnesota United Methodist Builders, noting “2016 Spring Call”. You may also donate online by visiting our website at https://MnUMB.org.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the MnUMB, I invite you to be part of this Spring Call request.
Blessings,
Rev. Larry W. Mens
Field Director