“Let there be justice for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all. Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.” — Nelson Mandela
Partner Events
FEATURED
Multifaith Leadership and Engagement in a Fractured World
Sunday, March 3, 1:00 - 7:00 pm, Buntrock Commons, St. Olaf College, 1521 Campus Dr, Northfield, MN 55057
This year we welcome keynote dialogue speakers Rabbi Dr. Rachel Mikva, Rabbi Herman Schaalman Chair in Jewish Studies, InterReligious Institute Senior Faculty Fellow at Chicago Theological Seminary and Prof. Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri Endowed Chair, Professor/Executive Director of the Augsburg University Interfaith Institute. Other speakers include: Ryan Avenido, Rev. Dr. Jessica Chapman Lape, Dr. Danielle Clausnitzer, Rev. Paul Galchutt, Rev. David Hottinger, Dr. Matt Maruggi, Imam Sharif A. Mohamed, and Dr. Martha E. Stortz.
Wisdom Ways Center's Circle of Trust Retreat Series
February 9 -11 and/or April 26 - 28
This combination of retreats (participants can attend one or both) combine the principles and practices of Circles of Trust and the power of music to help us understand and live into our lives. Developed by Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal, The Circle of Trust® approach is distinguished by principles and practices intended to create a process of shared exploration where people can find safe space to nurture personal and professional integrity and the courage to act on it. In the hands of knowledgeable and skilled facilitators, this approach has the power to transform individuals, families, workplaces and communities.
On Allyship & Accountability: Transforming Ourselves & Our Communities
Tuesday, February 13, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm CST, Zoom
We all have a role to play in transforming ourselves and our communities. Join us for an engaging online event where we will explore the power of allyship and accountability in creating positive change. If conflict is inevitable, then how might we engage with conflict courageously? How can we be more intentional about recognizing who we are as individuals and in relationship to others? How might we repair when we’ve intentionally or unintentionally inflicted harm to those within and beyond our own circles? Join the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign in a virtual event On Allyship and Accountability.
February 15 & 29, 12:30 - 3:00 pm, Progressive Baptist Church, 1505 Burns Ave, St Paul, MN 55106 (or you can call 651-222-5863 starting at 12:30 pm)
Interfaith Action's PowerUp program provides free legal assistance and practical educational opportunities and resources that help people build economic mobility. Our free legal clinic is available twice every month (on Thursday afternoons).
Luther Seminary's 2024 Rutlen Lecture on Faith and Creation: Science, Truth, and Christian Faith in a Time of Eco-Crisis
Tuesday, February 27, 7:00 p.m. Chapel of the Incarnation, Olson Campus Center, 1490 Fulham Street, St. Paul, MN 55108 or Online
Please join Luther Seminary for an exploration of faith and creation with Rick Lindroth, professor emeritus of ecology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. This event is free and open to the public. The ecological polycrisis confronting the world today is unparalleled in human history and threatens to unravel, within decades, the very fabric of civilization. Long battered by the “dominion” theology of Christianity, the global environment has suffered further in recent decades because of entrapment in a vortex of science denialism, political polarization, and cultural tribalism. As a faith system committed to truth, hope, and unity across cultural divides, Christianity also provides a path forward. Rick Lindroth argues for a re-wilding of the Christian ethic of creation care—one that promotes enchantment, connection, reciprocity, and justice—for the betterment of humanity and flourishing of the living world.
Reell Office of Seeing Things Whole's Community Practice Cohort Roundtables
Tuesday, February 27 and March 26, 5:30 – 8:00 pm, Augsburg University
Join us to serve as a temporary trustee for our inaugural Community Practice Cohort. Trustees provide care, wisdom and perspectives, but not solutions to our cohort members. One cohort member will present during each of the Roundtables. The individuals will bring a challenge for the group to explore using the Seeing Things Whole Threefold Model to understand a “whole” way forward. Advice is not given, but questions are asked as the group supports the individual to discover the many dimensions of the challenge.
Augsburg University's Interfaith Spring Symposium: Building Trust in Divisive Times
Thursday, March 7, 10:30 am – 2:00 pm, Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center, Augsburg University, 2211 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454
An annual invitation to build community, foster collaboration, and create a more caring world through learning about religious/spiritual/worldview diversity, participating in enriching dialogue, and networking with exceptional interfaith leaders. As the most ethnically diverse campus in the Midwest, Augsburg University embraces students with a variety of religious beliefs and worldviews. Join us for this opportunity to learn about building partnerships across differences and how to face the future with hope and determination.
Thursday, March 7, 7:00 pm, St. Peter Community Center, 600 S 5th St, St Peter, MN 56082
An annual invitation to build community, foster collaboration, and create a more caring world through learning about religious/spiritual/worldview diversity, participating in enriching dialogue, and networking with exceptional interfaith leaders. As the most ethnically diverse campus in the Midwest, Augsburg University embraces students with a variety of religious beliefs and worldviews. Join us for this opportunity to learn about building partnerships across differences and how to face the future with hope and determination.
Tuesday, March 12, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (specific times TBD) | Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Saint Paul, MN 55155
MNIPL will be participating in this year's Rally & Lobby Day in partnership with Rise & Repair. This is the biggest day of the year when it comes to pushing for Indigenous Rights and climate justice during this upcoming Legislative Session! We need you there! The event will include training, visits with legislators, a march, and a rally in the rotunda to advance the movement around Indigenous rights and climate justice.
Jay Phillips Center's Zen Buddhist Insights for Self-Awareness, Mental Health, and Wellness, Presented by Busshō Lahn
Tuesday, March 19, 12:00 - 1:10 pm, Iverson Center for Faith, Schoenecker Multipurpose Room C (LL16C) University of St. Thomas, St. Paul campus
The benefits of meditative practices have been intuited for millennia, but now science has clearly observed the connection between mental wellness and curious self-awareness. The practice of mindfulness is now mainstream, and we're beginning to ask deeper questions about what it really is, and about what it might be able to show us: What is the relationship between our mental health and our spirituality? What do words like compassion and wisdom mean for me in this age of anxiety? How are qualities like resiliency, courage, clarity, and kindness made available to us? In this program, Busshō Lahn draws upon insights from the Zen Buddhist tradition to address possible approaches to these questions based on his new book, Singing and Dancing Are the Voice of the Law (2022).
Saint Peter Good Neighbor Diversity Council's Festival of Nations
Saturday, May 18, 1:00 - 7:00 pm, 400 Union St, St Peter, MN 56082
Save the date for the 2nd Annual St. Peter Festival of Nations! Brought to you by the Saint Peter Good Neighbor Diversity Council and community partners. Johnson Hall and Nicollet County Fairgrounds for both indoor and outdoor festivities. All are welcome, always. Stay tuned for all the details, performances, foods, arts, music, vendors, international fair, and more!
Friends for a Nonviolent World August 11-17, Northern Pines Retreat Center, Park Rapids, MN
People Camp is a unique, one week, intergenerational community living experience run by FNVW and open to all. Early Bird registration begins today! Sign up now to receive up to $40 off each registration.
MAAHMG Celebrates Black History Month with Series of Events MAAHMG celebrates Black History Month 2024 with a new art exhibition by Azania Tripp titled Okra and Indigo, which is a culinary storytelling art experience that shares the story of historical chefs within the Black community and Black Minnesotan’s relationships with food. The exhibition opens for previews February 6 and an opening reception is February 10, from 2 – 5 pm at the museum, 1256 Penn Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN. Admission and parking are free. There will also food from local vendors at the reception. To learn about Black History Month events at MAAHMG Click Here
PARIVAARSunday, February 18, 3:00 pm, Ordway Concert Hall PARIVAAR is a celebration of community as family. The concert features live music, live painting, film, theatre, food, photo station, coloring station, specially-commissioned sculpture, and the work of over 100 South Asian artists. Shruthi Rajasekar has curated this event with the Schubert Club to highlight that the South Asian community of Minnesota is truly a family. Come dressed to celebrate! To purchases tickets: Click HereTickets are FREE for under 18s and students with ID
Talking Sense Workshop February 27, 6:00 - 7:30 pm, Valley Creek Rooms at Central Park in Woodbury, MNDuring what promises to be a divisive election year, MPR News and the nonprofit organization Braver Angels are partnering to create Talking Sense, an online and in-person platform to help Minnesotans have hard conversations better. This event will be an opportunity for participants from both sides of the political spectrum to explore how polarization is affecting our communities and our families. Participants can expect an interactive workshop that combines large-and-small group discussions about political polarization, its sources and what can be done about it. Sign up here.
Race Equity Now: Strategies for Access & Success Thursday, February 29th, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm, Bethel University; Olson Boardroom Join Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MnEEP) and Bethel University for a FREE event to increase access and success for students of color and Indigenous students in higher education. This event is a must-attend for higher education leaders, staff, faculty, DEI leaders, students, and advocates of racial equity. Participants will have the opportunity to network, collaborate, and exchange ideas and effective strategies for building more racially just college campuses. Register Here.
Start “disagreeing better” Want better conversations with people whose politics aren’t yours? Wish family members and friends on the other political side would hear your views about politics? Then sign up for our new "Skills for Disagreeing Better" workshop this Saturday February 10 at 2 pm ET. (This 90-min interactive event is shorter than the "Skills for Bridging the Divide" workshop it replaces.) You’ll learn about the value of listening – really listening – and about how to make your points in ways that the other person can absorb. Register here. Questions? Mary Beth Stibbins at mbstibbins@braverangels.org
2024 Annual Summit: Rebuilding Community- Developing Alternative Ways to Resolve Conflict Mediation and Restorative Services (MARS) is excited to present timely topics in conflict resolution, mediation, and restorative practice, industry-leading speakers, stellar networking opportunities, broaden your horizon by collecting and sharing information, cultivate and catalyze sustained learning for professional development and CLE opportunities. April 25, 2024, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Coon Rapids. Learn more. Register here.
"We speak out against the rising tide of antisemitism and Islamophobia" - Greater St. Cloud Faith Leaders. The Greater Saint Cloud Faith Leaders, representing diverse religious traditions, raise our voices in unison to promote peace and understanding during these challenging times. As we witness the rising tide of antisemitism and Islamophobia around the globe and in some communities within our nation, we celebrate that we have Jewish and Muslim residents in our Greater Saint Cloud community. Their safety, as well as harmony among all our faith traditions and community members, is of top importance to us.
Fact check: What Rep. Ilhan Omar actually said in viral speech.This free link will be available for two weeks. MnMN does not endorse political candidates. This information is being shared for the sake of clarity and accuracy. Zoë Jackson and Faiza Mahamud Star Tribune Jan 31, 2024 — 2:21PM
Religious ‘Nones’ in America: Who They Are and What They BelieveA closer look at how atheists, agnostics and those wendorse political caho describe their religion as ‘nothing in particular’ see God, religion, morality, science and more. Jan 24, 2024, Pew Research Center.
Resources & Opportunities
Climate Mobilization Toolkit – United Religions Initiative In what ways is your community preparing for climate disasters? Community resilience toolkits and checklists look different depending on where we live. This toolkit (in English) is being shared by some communities in the USA and it can be re-written or changed to better represent the needs that are true where you live.
Joy as an Act of Resistance: How Celebration Sustains Activism “Joy is an act of resistance.” It’s almost a platitude in the Trump era, visible across Instagram on embroidered banners and fine calligraphy, on t-shirts and tote bags. But what does this phrase really mean? Is joy actually a form of resistance to oppression, or is this phrase just a comforting balm to counter the guilt we feel when we find ourselves feeling good in a world that’s burning?
REPORT: State of the Rural 2024 What’s going on in Greater Minnesota? From the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Get Report.
Everyday NonViolence Podcast Every day there are people in our local (MN) and global community who are using the tactics and principles of nonviolence to transform the world around us. Our podcast focuses on telling these stories to highlight those who are joining us in our journey to create a world free from violence and the threat of violence. Podcast by Friends for a NonViolent World https://fnvw.podbean.com/
Submissions to the Newsletter
All 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, February 16. MnMN Organizational Partners and Individual Members have first priority. If you are not yet an Organizational Partner or Individual Member, we encourage you to join us!
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