“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi
A Place of Welcome? A Multifaith Gathering on Practicing Hospitality in Minnesota
Thursday, November 9, 2:00 - 8:00 pm, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 700 Snelling Avenue S, Saint Paul, MN 55116
Those of us living in Minnesota are all too familiar with the concept of “Minnesota Nice.” Highlighting the welcoming demeanor of its residents, “Minnesota Nice” often conveys the message that we as Minnesotans are inherently hospitable and welcoming. What this cultural stereotype does not address, however, are the challenges involved in developing Minnesota as a welcoming place for all people to settle, create community, and thrive.
This year’s MnMN Convening, A Place of Welcome? A Multifaith Gathering on Practicing Hospitality in Minnesota, invites us to consider the concept of hospitality and what that means for our faith and secular communities throughout the state of Minnesota.
During this convening, leaders and practitioners of Minnesota’s diverse religious communities, interfaith leaders, and young people will gather to discuss and celebrate how different religious and belief traditions practice hospitality.
This event will begin with opening remarks by MnMN Network Executive Jen Kilps on how pluralism can be a means to creating a just and hospitable society. Subsequent plenaries and breakout sessions will focus on how faith traditions practice hospitality, issues around practical hospitality and the challenges we face in creating hospitable communities. Presenters will include faith leaders, non-profit leaders, young people and artists.
This event will culminate in a Langar meal prepared and served by the Sikh Society of Minnesota. “The Langar is a hallmark of the Sikh faith. It is designed to uphold the principle of equality between all people of the world regardless of religion, caste, color, creed, age, gender, or social status; to eliminate the extreme poverty in the world, and to bring about the birth of "caring communities". In addition to the ideals of equality, the tradition of Langar expresses the ethics of sharing, community, inclusiveness, and oneness of all humankind. "..the Light of God is in all hearts." It is this act of seva, or selfless service, which distinguishes Langar as an unparalleled act of hospitality practiced around the world. We hope you can join us on Thursday, November 9 to celebrate and grow together.
Muslim Women and Interfaith Spaces: Pluralism as a Daily Practice
By Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri Endowed Chair and Executive Director of Interfaith at Augsburg
"Muslim women like myself are walking fonts of experience and expertise, in the very lived sense of that word of pluralism. I often talk about it as 'embodied religious pluralism,' linked very much to Muslim women and our experiences of constantly being in spaces of difference. What is often seen as irreconcilable by others is inherently contained in our own bodies, and we learn how to create the capacity to exist with others, internally coalesce these identities and make them functional as whole.
This type of experiential learning is powerful, we can all benefit from hearing the stories of how different Muslim women embody the very real challenges of religious identity and practice with complex social, political and educational contexts. It is not a one size fits all type of pluralism, nor is it dogmatic. It is pragmatic, lived out everyday and material in a very real sense. It is pluralism as a daily practice.
Storytelling and hearing more from a variety of Muslim women helps us see how pluralisms can be nuanced, deeply embedded in context, and how communities can learn from each other." Read more of this thought-provoking piece on Interfaith at Augsburg's blog!
Partner Events
MnMN Organizational Partners and Individual Members are welcome to submit events and news for inclusion in our newsletter. To make a submission, please email us. Submissions for the next newsletter are due Friday, August 25. If you are not yet an Organizational Partner or Individual Member, we encourage you to join us!
Inter-belief Conversation Cafe: How Malleable Are We?
Monday, August 21, 7:00 -9:00 pm, Zoom
The dictionary tells us that, like metals or other materials that can be externally hammered, bent, or pressed into new shapes without cracking or breaking, a malleable person is one that is pliable -- easily influenced or controlled by other people. In our era of social media, communication silos, and fact-free assertions, does that describe us? What makes us “malleable” rather than “persuadable”? Is our susceptibility to bow down to what has been hammered into us distinct from our capability to see what is clearly revealed to us? Are lies & emotional appeals the way to capitalize on our malleability, and facts & reasoned arguments the way to recruit our cooperation? Or does every path to a changed mind signify us as malleable? Is our malleability a deficit within us, or a deficit within those who seek to bend us to their will?
On Monday, August 21, 7-9 PM by Zoom, we'll attempt to strike a balance between being like wet clay or fired ceramic. Our agreements of open-mindedness, acceptance, curiosity, discovery, sincerity, brevity, and confidentiality will be the only thing we have to conform to -- the only beating allowed will be of our swords into ploughshares!
NewGround will convene a panel of experts who will engage with one another in a NewGround-style discussion about Islamophobia in our current context. Both Jews and Muslims in Los Angeles have experienced identity-based violence and harassment in troubling ways in the last several months, and we fear this will get worse. This event will explore Islamophobia in our current context with leading experts, including Najeeba Syeed (Executive Director, Interfaith at Augsburg Univeristy) and Dalia Mogahed (Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy & Understanding). The panel will be moderated by NewGround board member Edina Lekovic.
This will be a tender and intersectional conversation that we hope will deepen our understanding of the challenges we face around Islamophobia and how the harm is often compounded when it is dismissed or minimized. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from this candid and honest conversation.
Sunday, September 10, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Macalester Plymouth United Church, 1658 Lincoln Ave, St. Paul MN 55105
Interested in learning more about how tax breaks can help you or your congregation respond to climate change while saving money? Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light's Buff Grace will be speaking to church members and the public about the tax credits and rebates available for a variety of climate actions from HVAC upgrades to switching out gas appliances to investing in insulation. No need to register ahead of time – just show up!
Morning Altars: Finding Center through Ritual, Nature & the Creative Process
Saturday, September 16, 9:30 am - 12:15 pm, Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality, 1890 Randolph Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
We will center ourselves in nature, returning to a calming space or awareness, playfulness, and appreciation or nature. Explore the interconnectedness of nature, beauty, mindfulness and art as ritual by creating soul circle mandalas (Morning Altars) with organic material found in nature.
Connect and honor your relationship with nature by gathering any garden flowers, leaves, sticks or twigs of similar size, acorns, pinecones, or seed pods from your yard or walks; purchased flowers are good too. Bringing items is encouraged, but absolutely not required! If you have extra, please bring it to share. We will be outside, please dress for the weather, bring a water bottle, a blanket to sit on and a device for taking a photo of your soul circle.
Sunday, October 1, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (multi-church bake sale from 1:00 - 2:00 pm) St. James Lutheran Church, 3650 Williams Dr, Burnsville, MN 55337
In 2023, we continue fighting against disease, disaster, displacement and other challenges that leave people hungry. Join with us as we raise funds to help neighbors near and far get the meals they need for today and sustainable food security for tomorrow!
CROP Hunger Walks are community-based walk fundraising events held in cities and towns across the United States, created to support the global mission of Church World Service, a non-sectarian, faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. 25% of the donations go to Second Harvest Heartland and 75% go to support the domestic and global work of Church World Service in work with refugees and immigrants, disaster response, and global development. Supporters of CWS have one goal: building a world where there is enough for all.
From early on Christians have defined Christianity in relation to the Jewish tradition from which it emerged. But when articulating Christian faith vis-à-vis Judaism, most Christian teachers and preachers down through the centuries have misrepresented Judaism, expressing anti-Jewish perspectives that often have fanned the flames of antisemitic attitudes and behaviors. The result of this has not only been dire for Jews, including in the last several years in the United States where there has been a dramatic increase of hate crimes against Jews, but has also distorted Christian self-understanding and faith. In this presentation, Rabbi Ryan Dulkin will focus on several things that Christians generally misunderstand about Judaism and why this matters for Jews, Christians, and others.
Sunday, October 29, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 100 Silver Lake Rd NW, New Brighton, MN 55112
Ben Connelly will give a presentation hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The format is a 45-50 minute presentation by Ben followed by a 25-30 minute Q&A period.
Ben Connelly is a Soto Zen teacher and Dharma heir in the Katagiri lineage. He also teaches mindfulness in a wide variety of secular contexts including police training and addiction recovery groups. He works with multifaith groups focused on intersectional liberation, and racial and climate justice. Ben is based at Minnesota Zen Meditation Center, travels to teach across the United States, has written for Tricycle and Lion’s Roar magazines, and is author of Inside the Grass Hut, Inside Vasubandhu's Yogacara, and Mindfulness and Intimacy.
Resources & News
Effective community outreach is essential for charities and funders looking to make a positive impact in their communities. However, outreach efforts can sometimes fall short if they are not well-planned and executed. In this post, Network Weaver shares five tips for improving your community outreach.
More Events
Join Muslim American Society of Minnesota at their Weekly Quran Institute, where attendees delve into the profound teachings of the Quran twice a week. Memorize Quran, discover spiritual guidance, gain profound insights, and foster a deeper connection with your faith.
Dar Al-Farooq Center (DFC) and the Muslim American Society of Minnesota (MAS-MN) are partnering to present the 18th Annual Minnesota Muslim Convention, Minnesota's premier gathering of Muslims. Saturday, September 16, 10:00 am, Minneapolis Convention Center
OMNIA trains religious, civic and business leaders, and citizens to become powerful actors for justice and peace in their own communities and around the world. Join these Interfaith Peacemaker Team trainings on Saturdays, September 16 - October 7, 8:00 am, online
Friends for a NonViolent World (FNVW), in collaboration with Twin Cities Nonviolent (TCNV) and many other peace and justice groups are organizing a Walk for Peace and Justice. Saturday, September 30, 10:00 am, Brackett Park in Minneapolis
MnMN Seeking Fall 2023 Intern for Interfaith Mapping Project!
The Minnesota Multifaith Network seeks interns to assist staff and volunteers of MnMN with the following tasks:
Gather information about multifaith groups in Minnesota. Information to be gathered includes nature and purpose of the group, leadership and contact information for leaders, activity.
Update and refine MnMN’s website map of multifaith groups, organizational partners and individual members.
Extend invitations to religious leaders, faith communities and organizations to join MnMN.
Gather information about individual participants in various traditions who have an interest in interfaith relations. Help find ways for them to take action in their own faith communities, organizations, interfaith groups or with MnMN. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Jen Kilps.
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