“Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.” — The Dalai Lama
Curious about langar? Come to our conference to experience it in person!
According to SikhiWiki, the langar or free community kitchen is a hallmark of the Sikh faith. It was established by the first Guru of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, around the year of 1481. It is designed to uphold the principle of equality between all people of the world regardless of religion, caste, colour, 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." (Guru Granth Sahib, 282)
The Sikh Society of Minnesota is graciously preparing a Langar meal as the highlight of our upcoming conference, A Place of Welcome? A Multifaith Gathering on Practicing Hospitality in Minnesota. Please join us on Thursday, November 9, 2:00 - 8:00 pm, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (700 Snelling Avenue S, Saint Paul, MN 55116) for this very special meal and gathering!
The conference and dinner are free; donations are most welcome. Spots are limited so please register now!
If you are an artist and interested in exhibiting your art at our conference, please fill out this form!
If you represent an organization and are interested in tabling at our conference, please fill out this form!
Interfaith Service of Gratitude & Thanksgiving
Monday, November 20, 7:00 - 8:00 pm, Temple of Aaron Synagogue, 616 S. Mississippi River Blvd., St. Paul 55116
Let's come together in unity and gratitude! Join a broad coalition of religious leaders, houses of worship, and practitioners of multiple faith communities for an interfaith service of gratitude and thanksgiving. This event is being co-sponsored by Temple of Aaron Synagogue, Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul, and the Minnesota Multifaith Network. Light refreshments to follow the service. Registration is NOT required but encouraged, to assist with planning. Please note that police officers will be present at Temple of Aaron as part of security protocols.
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, October 27. If you are not yet an Organizational Partner or Individual Member, we encourage you to join us!
Inter-belief Conversation Cafe: Evolution--True or False?
Monday, October 16, 7:00 - 9:00 pm, Online
Evolution teaches that the species of life we now encounter and many that vanished long ago developed through a process of random mutation and natural selection. Divine creation or intervention is not part of the theory. Change is not intelligently designed but occurs through potentialities already in our genetic building blocks. It assumes it has up to millions of years to work with—not seven days. Most scientists accept it as proven, including many who also believe in a divine creator. Evolution has been seen as at odds with faith both by its proponents and opponents. It is accepted by the Catholic Church and other religious organizations but has been subject to laws opposing its teaching or requiring equal time to religious views or possibilities of an intelligence directing the process. It does not yet explain what life came from but only what happened to life after it first occurred. Charles Darwin hesitated before publishing On The Origin of Species because of concerns about its implications for religious belief, including those of his wife. After it was published, the world has never been the same. 164 years later, what do you think? Is evolution true, or false? And why?
On Monday, October 16 from 7-9 PM by Zoom, Inter-belief Conversation Café will try to discern what type of evolutionary pressure Charles Darwin unleashed upon the world. Our agreements of open-mindedness, acceptance, curiosity, discovery, sincerity, brevity, and confidentiality should help us “evolve” a fitter understanding of what evolution truly means. All are welcome, including any interested monkeys!
Spiritual Care and Chaplaincy in Religiously Diverse Societies
Tuesday, October 17, 12:00 - 1:15 pm, Online
The recent open-access volume Complexities of Spiritual Care in Plural Societies: Education, Praxis and Concepts (De Gruyter, 2022) contributes to an emerging field that could be referred to as "plural spiritual care and chaplaincy," by innovatively bringing together contributions from a broad range of contexts and religious traditions. Including empirical work and conceptual explorations, the volume helps to fill the gap between practices and developments related to plural spiritual care and chaplaincy in the scholarly discourse, and their application for practitioners serving religiously diverse populations in health and chaplaincy settings. In this webinar, editor Anne Hege Grung will introduce the book and project, contributor Nazila Isgandarova will discuss female voices in Islamic spiritual care, and contributor Su Yon Pak will explore Buddhist chaplaincy education at a Protestant seminary. Time will be allowed for discussion and questions. Free and open to the public.
Wednesday, October 25, 10:00 - 11:00 am, Foss Center, Hoversten Chapel, Augsburg University
Save the date for a panel with Augsburg faculty! Globally, over 50% of persons experience some sort of trauma during their lifetime. Our convocation panelists will share resources from their specific religious traditions—Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism—that respond to trauma and help foster resilience. Contact Professor Mary Lowe with questions.
What Christians Get Wrong about Judaism and Why it Matters
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.
Friday, October 27, 8:00 – 10:30 am, Marshall Room, Augsburg University
Join Augsburg University’s Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole for breakfast and conversation with compelling leaders from business, the arts, and education who share a common drive to bring greater wholeness and meaning to their organizations. You will hear candid stories of success and challenge at work, from creating space for individuals to thrive as their full selves at work, shaping policies to balance organizational and people needs, and navigating the practical realities of leading organizations through periods of prosperity and economic downturns. The conversation is for anyone seeking to find greater meaning in their work and leadership.
Panelists:
Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri endowed chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg University
Jun-Li Wang, associate director of Springboard for the Arts
Kyle E. Smith, co-CEO of Reell Precision Manufacturing
As a member of the Multifaith network, receive 50% off the registration using the discount code STWHCL50. This supports our ability to offer the panel at no cost to students.
Coffee, continental breakfast, and parking provided.
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
Rev. 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.
9 Religions, 9 Soul Paths: The Enneagram’s relationship to World Religions
Tuesdays, October 31, November 7 & 14, hybrid
The world religions and spiritualities have emerged out of human encounters with transcendence. Each religion has perspectives about what it means to live a sacred life. The Enneagram is a psycho-spiritual system that also points us toward living out of our essence, which is our sacred life. There are fascinating connections between the 9 Enneagram types and aspects of 9 religious and spiritual traditions. For example, we’ll look at how the observing tendency of the Type 5 resonates with the mindfulness orientation within Buddhism. The course will be a creative exploration of how, for example, religions and Enneagram types focus on particular values and virtues. We’ll look at similar fixations and shadow dimensions. And, we will identify how they point us toward transforming connections with the sacred and transcendent dimension.
Wednesdays, November 15, January 17, February 14, 12:00 - 1:00 pm, Online
Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light's Reparations Learning Labs support a community of doers who are committed to repairing the harms of colonization through action. These monthly sessions will help people who are ready to move beyond reading and discussion into doing. Being a part of these labs invites us into our commitment to the forever work of decolonizing ourselves and our communities.
MnMN is seeking artists to submit art for an exhibition taking place at our annual conference. We are thrilled to curate an art exhibition that highlights the significance of bringing people together through art across various faiths, promising a beautifully diverse showcase. Learn more and submit your art through this Google Form!
We are also looking for organizations who are interested in tabling at the conference. Organizations, institutions, and congregations are invited to display material at our conference. Tables are free for MnMN Organizational Partners and $50 for non-partners. Learn more and sign up for a table through this Google Form!
FREC is undertaking an intensive effort called the FREC Reimagined Project to ensure that FREC's mission, vision and values are inclusive, relevant and effective. Please fill out this survey which will take only about 10 minutes of your time.
Did you know that in 2022-2023, close to 2,000 schools were designated as No Place for Hate®, reaching more than 1.5 million students? If schools and districts in your neighborhood have not yet registered for ADL’s free signature No Place for Hate program — a school-climate improvement initiative that fits each school’s unique culture and needs — consider how creating a more welcoming, inclusive and equitable environment, with students leading the way, can positively impact your entire community. Click here to find out how to get your school or district involved, or contact Lara Trubowitz, Education Director, at ltrubowitz@adl.org. We work with public schools, private schools, and faith-based schools and would be thrilled to talk to you about the program.
The deadline is approaching for Collegeville Institute's 2024-2025 Resident Scholars program! This program is open to scholars, writers, pastors, activists, faith leaders, and others who are looking for time, space, and a place to further their work. We offer residencies of a semester or year, as well as short-term residencies of three weeks to three months. The application deadline is Wednesday, November 1.
Who do you turn to for perspective on the thorny problems of leadership in today’s workplace? Are you a leader who would benefit from reflective practice, a framework for accountability, and customized coaching as you navigate organizational challenges? Seeing Things Whole is a disciplined process that embraces the organization’s relationships to the larger world, cultivating whole leaders and thriving organizations to positively impact the common good. This fall, the Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole at Augsburg University will launch a Community of Practice Cohort to support the professional development of three leaders by advancing their strategic thinking toward action. Learn more about this unique professional development opportunity!
More Events
Join the Saint Paul MICAH chapter for their virtual Affordable Housing Bus Tour. "We are covering the continuum to housing, from street outreach with Freedom from the Streets to the Higher Ground shelter, from rent control implementation with Daniel Streeter of HomeLine to additional ownership models with Ianni Houmas of the East Side Investment Cooperative. We will have a tour of different grassroots organizing models, and updates on state and national legislative organizing!" Tuesday, October 17, 8:00 am, Online
India Association of Minnesota and SEWS-AIFW have partnered to bring you a Holiday Bazaar. Just in time for Diwali, a variety of Indian products and services from local businesses will be available for you. Sunday, November 5, 11:00 am, SEWA-AIFW Building, 6645 James Ave N, Minneapolis, MN 55430
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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