Christ Memorial Lutheran Church and Hammer & NER

Our official partnership with Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in Plymouth may have started in 2023, but its roots trace back to the 1990s when Kim Mesun first heard of Hammer Residences. At the time, Kim was serving as a Minnesota Assistant Attorney General in the Human Services Division and worked with the licensing of Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) homes. At the time, Hammer Residences temporarily operated five ICF group homes, which the state had taken into receivership.

Fast forward to the fall of 2023, the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) as part of its Faith Practices and Neighboring Practices program encouraged congregations to reach out to their neighboring communities. Upon visiting the Hammer & NER website, Kim discovered that one of our homes was near her church. She shared this with fellow parishioners and learned that one of them had a brother, Ben, who lived at our 1st Avenue home. Kim reached out to Hammer & NER to inquire about volunteering opportunities and was connected with Brittney Severson, the Program Manager at 1st Avenue at that time. Hammer & NER was also chosen as Christ Memorial Lutheran’s cause of the month for October 2023 and John Estrem was invited to speak to the congregation. We gratefully received an offering from the church.

When Christmas 2023 arrived, Kim and fellow church members organized a Christmas Caroling party at the house, complete with pizza, an electric piano for playing carols, and gifts! The staff at 1st Avenue took everyone to the Children’s Christmas Service at the church. In February, the Sunday school and childcare center children made Valentine’s Day cards for the house which were delivered with treats. For Easter, the church hosted a party for 1st Avenue, including sub sandwiches, Easter baskets, and an Easter egg hunt at the church. Out of the 40 plastic eggs filled with treats and coins, only 39 were found—one egg remains hidden!

Kim and the guys at the church’s Alternative Gift Market

Last October found the 1st Avenue individuals and staff participating in Trunk or Treat at the church, with games and activities for the church and childcare families. On Thanksgiving Eve, everyone was invited to the church service and the pie social that followed. Christmas saw the church host the Alternative Gift Market, attended by the individuals at 1st Avenue who enjoyed getting their photo taken at the Hammer & NER table with Kim. Once again, we received a donation from the church. Later in December, another pizza and caroling party was held at the 1st Avenue home. The church continues to nurture its relationship with the 1st Avenue community.

In addition to their support for 1st Avenue, Kim, her husband, Craig, and friends have volunteered with Hammer & NER in various capacities, including the Cooks in the Kitchen program, Disability Services Day at the Capitol, our annual Luau, the Baker Park Picnic, and the annual Spring Breakfast. And let’s not forget the cookies they have made for our Community Life parties!

Thank you, Kim, for connecting us with Christ Memorial Lutheran Church. And a heartfelt thank you to the congregation for your unwavering support of Hammer & NER’s mission and to those we support. We are so grateful to have you as part of our community!

(In the photo above: Kim and the 1st Avenue guys at the annual Hammer & NER Luau)