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February 22, 2012
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Building Update Lyndale Church is in a partnership with Salem Lutheran and First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, owning together and sharing space in Salem's beautiful limestone sanctuary at 610 W. 28th St. Lyndale and Salem moved in December 21, 2001. First Christian January 15, 2012. We'll rotate about every 3 months through the three different sanctuaries. Check here for pictures of the construction.
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"We've Been Here Before" The sermon preached by Don Portwood at the Farewell to the Building Service on March 22, 2009 as we prepared to leave our building at 810 W 31st after 85 years there. Psalm 107:1-5, 17-22 Give thanks for YHWH’s goodness; God's love endures forever! Let those be the words of YHWH’s redeemed, those redeemed from the oppressor’s clutches, Those brought home from foreign lands, from east and west, from northern lands and southern seas. Some lost their way in the wilderness, in the wasteland, not knowing how to reach an inhabited town; They were hungry and thirsty, and their courage was running low. Some were fools who suffered because of their rebellion, because of their own sins, until they were so sick, nearly at death’s door, that food became repugnant. Then they called to YHWH in their trouble and God rescued them from their sufferings, sending a word to heal them, and snatching them for the Pit. Let them thank YHWH for this great love, for the marvels done for all people. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and recount what God has done in joyful song. Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. This morning, I’m taking the positive approach, practicing the AA “living as if”, as if the building is going to close on March 31st. Everything about this long process has been a matter of discernment and trusting God – but then, that’s much of the history of Lyndale Church for our 125 years. Most of the history you’ll hear was written by Lawrence Cattron. When the street car line running on 31st street connected downtown Minneapolis with Lake Calhoun, city dwellers, bound for a days outing to the lake, began to realize that the suburbs of Lake and Lyndale might not be such a bad place to live. Where fields and pastures had been, housing was springing up and the Congregational Home Missionary Society saw an opportunity for a new church. The closest Congregational Churches were Plymouth at Nicollet and 8th St. and Park Avenue at Franklin.A portable chapel was erected on the ne or nw corner (we’ve seen both written) of Lake and Lyndale and Lyndale Church unofficially began with the first service held on May 18th 1884. On July 16th, 31 people became charter members of the new Lyndale Congregational Church. Before that first summer was over, they realized that chapel wasn’t working for their ministry and that a larger place of meeting would soon be necessary. On September 5, 1884 a committee was appointed to select a site for and to plan a new church building on the corner of Lake and Aldrich, one block west. By October 3rd, 1884 a new chapel had been finished at Lake and Aldrich and 4 years later, on June 3rd, 1888 the new Lyndale Church building, costing $17,000 and including a gym and swimming pool was dedicated. Bill’s Imported Foodsis now on that corner. 5 years later the congregation was called on to deepen their trust through a trying time. The debt for the new building was heavy and, with the country in the clutches of a wide-spread depression in 1893 (you don’t hear much about that depression), the out-look began to appear hopeless. Cattron writes, “Then came an experience that inspired the Church to renewed efforts and impressed upon its members forever the priceless value of Christian solidarity and good will. Sister churches from all parts of the city – together with The Congregational Church Building Society – came to Lyndale’s aid with generous financial assistance and made it possible for her life and work to continue in the community. Lyndale Church was later able to repay these kindnesses in some measure by cooperating in the establishment of Lynnhurst and Linden Hills Congregational Churches further South.” By 1918 with the mortgage paid off , Rev. Bunger back from World War I and the congregation continuing to grow, there came again the realization that their building on Lake and Aldrich was not meeting their ministry needs. There seemed to be enough interest and enthusiasm, and also wealth enough in membership to warrant a drive for funds to build a larger church on the lots which Lyndale Church owned at 31st Street and Aldrich Ave. S., one block south. About $85,000 in pledges was raised, enough to initiate the project, and 4 years later, ground was broken on Oct. 22, 1922. This building was completed at a cost of $135,000 and was dedicated on Sunday, January 20, 1924. (85 years ago, last January 20.) Members and friends gathered at the old church for a prayer, and then, led by three charter members, formed a procession to the new church, where the new coal boiler provided warmth in the lovely sanctuary, which was very welcome on such a bitterly cold morning. Taking off on the words of the psalmist, people over the past 85 years have gathered “from east and west, north and south” in this building, to be baptized, taught the love of God, confirmed, received into membership, received the sacrament of communion, heard the good news of the gospel preached, had their relationships joined in marriage and blessing ceremonies, and been buried from this beautiful sanctuary. And that’s just the church. Others have used this building for a myriad of reasons…all of whom often sense the love and acceptance that this place has provided so many people in the community. Standing on the edge of selling this building I think it’s important for us to remember that, “We’ve been here before”. At least three times we’ve discerned that the building we are in doesn’t fit with our current ministry. This time recognizing not that we need more room, but that in order to be a sustainable congregation into the future, we need less room, less space, less beautiful ceiling to heat. We’ve been here before. We copied an early picture of this building in the bulletin. Take a look at it. What do you see? The belfry of our previous building on the right. We’ve been here before. We’ve moved before. And so after many meetings, prayers and discernment, this congregation voted to leave this building…partner with Salem Lutheran Church and develop a sustainable ministry center just two blocks north of where we originally started 125 years ago. And here we are, the 4th Sunday of lent, preparing…preparing for Easter, preparing for moving, waiting together. In 1985 we did our first Easter Vigil, a service of waiting for the Resurrection. And while we wait we remember the entire Biblical drama from creation to Revelation. As was said at the Annual Meeting in January, we’re not doing an Easter Vigil this year. We are living the Easter Vigil. Waiting together, practicing community, trust and non-attachment and carrying on our ministries of hospitality through Families Moving Forward and Simpson Shelter and Human Immigration Reform. All that in the midst of packing and sorting and tossing and teaching and worshiping. In this time we’ve also been remembering. It has been a 3 ½ month long vigil since the purchase agreement was signed. There’s been a crew of people in the history room nearly every Saturday going through what we display, what we store, what we give to the Minnesota Historical Society. Trying to figure out who those people are in that picture. This time of waiting has also been a time of remembering that we have been here before. That those 31 charter members were real people…with real concerns for Lyndale Church, with difficult decision they too had to make about where best they could minister into God’s future. Lent is a perfect time to be going through this as a congregation. For we are reminded in various gospel stories, that even if Jesus knew what was coming as he journeyed to Jerusalem, his disciples didn’t know what was going on. Didn’t know what was coming. They simply trusted the one who walked with them, the one whom they followed. And so do we. We walk faithfully – in the midst of uncertainty. Will this building sale close on March 31st or not…or April 31st or not? We’re all practicing living with trust in the midst of uncertainty. Not a bad this to practice at church – for this time we are living in is it? Two weeks ago we had a forum with Salem Church on how we were doing with all this transition and Paul Wharton from Salem asked the gathered, “What will you miss the most”. People mentioned, the big east window, the south window with the light streaming in, the wood in the ceiling, but then Kathryn Lee said, “I will miss looking at that pew over there and remembering that’s where Ray and Catherine Myers sat, or that pew over there and remember that’s where Dan Rothenberg sat, or that pew over there and remembering that’s where Fern Smith and Peggie Corlette sat”. And let me add that pew over there where Ernie and Ann Larson sat, and Bumps and Gertie Swanstrom. And one of the elderly angels from Salem raised his hand and said, “but they are now part of the great cloud of witnesses that are cheering us on”. Wow! They still have the best seats in the house. I have to tell you the story that happened this morning. While cleaning out my office this week I found a gift certificate that Ariel Lopez gave to Lyndale Church, probably 10 years ago. A $15 gift certificate from Lunds. I needed to buy lemonade for the coffee hour this afternoon, so I thought I’d try and use that gift certificate and say that Ariel Lopez provided the drinks. I went to Lunds and bought 10 cans of lemonade for $1.39/can. Then I picked out two organic lemons, to slice up and make the bowl look pretty. I gave the check-out person the gift certificate and she said, “This is old, I’m not sure we can take this. A man behind her said, “I haven’t seen one of those in a long time. They called over the manager who heard my story about Ariel being a member of Lyndale Church and it was our farewell to the building celebration today and we hoped to move into Intermedia Arts by April 1st. They let me use the certificate. It was only as I was driving to the church that it hit me. 10 cans of lemonade at $1.39/can and two lemons at $1.49/lb and the total came to exactly $15.00. I could have picked any two other lemons that weighed a little less or a little more and it would have cost a few cents less or more. Ariel was not only in the great cloud of witnesses. She was buying the lemonade and lemons for the party using her $15 gift certificate. No more and no less. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us. In the 125th year of Lyndale Church, let us press with vigor on, moving forward in whatever new or old ways God has for us, in this neighborhood around Lake and Lyndale, trusting in the God of the psalmist and the God of all, who gathers people from north and south, from east and west….who’s steadfast love endures - not just for the 85 years of this building…or the 125 years this congregation has ministered in this neighborhood, but forever! |
© 2012 Lyndale United Church of Christ
