From Our Partners 

MNIPL: Winter Session for Quarter Community Gatherings

Thursday, January 30th, 7-8:15pm,  

As we figure out how to navigate new political realities, we want to make sure that you can stay connected to our work, and that you know how you can take action in ways that matter.

That’s why in 2025, we’re launching our Quarterly Community Gatherings, with each one tied to rhythm of the seasons around the time of solstice and equinox. These Quarterly Community Gatherings will:

1. Offer a framing of the climate justice movement in Minnesota;
2. Provide an orientation to MNIPL’s work and campaigns in ways that speak to seasoned activists and new folks who are wondering how to become involved; and
3. Invite you into opportunities for concrete and meaningful action. 

We are so excited to launch this new experiment in January, and we hope you’ll join us. Details and RSVP below – please spread the word, tell your friends, and invite your community!

More Events

Bakken Center For Spirituality: Claiming a Life of Intention and Meaning in the New Year with Mariann Johnson

Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, 11:30 am- 1:30pm

This workshop will invite participants to set aside the drafting of traditional New Year’s resolutions, and instead explore and identify what matters most to them - the core values and intentions they wish to guide and inspire their daily lives. We will then take a deeper dive into establishing New Year’s resolutions that are in alignment with our deepest values and intentions, that support and give meaning to our life transitions - big and small - and make our goals and aspirations more alive and purposeful.

Religions for Peace: Interfaith Prayer 

ICJS: Unpacking Bonhoeffer's Legacy Today 

Wednesday, January 15th, 12:00pm-1:00pm EST, Zoom 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer has long been celebrated as a powerful symbol of moral resistance to the Nazi regime, with his legacy claimed by Christians across the religious spectrum, from liberal Protestants to Christian Nationalists. Historically, though, he was not a major figure. What do his writings mean in that context?

In this online conversation, Dr. Victoria Barnett will delve into the historical complexities of Bonhoeffer’s life and legacy, warning against the dangers of reducing his life and work to simplistic, “momentary” lessons for contemporary Christian activism. Instead, Barnett will argue for a deeper, more nuanced engagement with Bonhoeffer’s theology, emphasizing his unwavering commitment to faith and ethical action in the face of injustice and crisis.

Interfaith Circle: World Religion Sunday 

January 19th, 2025. 6:30pm, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Bloomington Chapel. 

World Religion Sunday 2025 will take place on January 19 at 6:30 PM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Bloomington Chapel. With the theme "One Humanity: Many Paths to Harmony," the event will feature a diverse program celebrating the richness of various faith traditions. Attendees will experience a vibrant mix of song, prayer, sacred text readings, and dance, highlighting the unity and diversity of spiritual practices. This special evening invites all to come together in peace and understanding, fostering interfaith dialogue and community connection. More details to follow!

If you and your community would like to offer a song, word, prayer, sacred text reading, dance, etc. from each of your faith traditions, please email jhowe-pullisd@paxchristi.com

Mark Your Calendars

• Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast January 20th, 2025. Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul is partnering for the 24th year with General Mills and  UNCF to bring to the greater twin cities communities the live broadcast feed from the Minneapolis Convention Center of this annual event. This event will be a community based effort in honoring the legacy of Dr King. Keynote Speaker: Michele Norris. This year’s event will also feature musical entertainment by Grammy award winning Sounds of Blackness and a special collaborative performance by Threads Dance Project and Vocalessence. More information here. 
• ICJS: Christian Theologies of Power and Resistance January 22nd, 29th, and February 5th. 7:00-8:30pm EST, Zoom, Free. 

  With the 2024 election behind us, it is clear that Christian nationalism and the empowerment of conservative Christians will play prominent roles in American politics and policy. How does Christian theology intersect with Christian nationalism, and how can it also inform Christian resistance to it? In this course, we will explore the theological foundations and traditions that have supported much of the Christian backing for Donald Trump over the past decade. At the same time, we will examine theological voices from within the Christian tradition that challenge the ideas of Christian nationalism, Christian supremacy, and Christian hegemony. Register Here. 

• Joint Religious Legislative Coalition: 2025 Day on the Hill Thursday, February 27th, 2025. The morning session will be held at Central Presbyterian Church in Saint Paul, followed by a rally in the Capitol rotunda. Our focus for 2025’s Day on the Hill is Women, Children, and Families. We are so excited to gather with you to advocate for women, children, and families living in poverty and bring JRLC’s unique voice to the Minnesota State Capitol. Registration for this event will open later this month. In the meantime, please mark your calendars! We hope to see you there!
• Training: Animating Antiracist Ways of Being Friday, February 28th, 9-5pm. For people invested in institutions and committed to race equity, it is critically important to understand what this work requires of them and their institutions. This work includes understanding how systemic racism operates, to be effective catalysts and organizers for transformation. The workshop is designed for institutions who want their staff as well as their leadership to understand the systemic nature of racism and the role institutions play in its
  maintenance.  Email anna.stamborski@crossroadsantiracism.org for more information and registration. 
• Culture of Encounter Ideas Festival April 6-12th, 2025. In partnership with the Minnesota Multifaith Network, the Jay Phillips Center is pleased to host the 2025 Culture of Encounter Ideas Festival, April 6-12, 2025, at the University of St. Thomas, which brings together community members, students, Minnesotans, global thinkers, and cultural enthusiasts to engage diverse perspectives, foster cross-cultural dialogue, and build leadership for the common public goods. Click here view the schedule or to propose a session!

Resources and Opportunities

 Article: Exploring the Contours of Systems Change

At the Minnesota Multifaith Network (MnMN), we are more than just a community—we are a vibrant network of individuals and organizations united by our shared values and commitment to fostering positive change. We understand that real systems change requires both collective insight and an openness to new practices. In this spirit, we are pleased to share an article that explores the evolving contours of systems change, drawing from Illuminate's Learning Weaving team. This reflective piece highlights key trends from 2022, including the shift away from rigid systems frameworks towards more fluid, relational approaches that value care, healing, and emotional intelligence. The article also emphasizes the growing recognition of power dynamics and the critical importance of justice-centered practices in systems change. 

The evolution of systems practice

The work of systems change calls for both expansion and contraction, to let go of old ways and embrace new practices; including somatic, emotional, and psychological work. It involves constellating communities in new and innovative ways, through relational organizing for change.

Collectively, we are witnessing a shift away from rigid systems frameworks and towards a more fluid and process-oriented approach, which values the softer arts of change. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the importance of care and created the conditions to open up to deepening. During the pandemic we collectively have had to surrender to chaos and crisis while managing our own mental well-being. In a world where the deep was once perceived as ‘fluffy’, there now is an opportunity to value this work as a critical part of systemic change.

There is a calling forth for a different type of leadership and a deepening of understanding humanity, life and care. One that can be tuned into different ways of being and knowing, and at the same time connect to questions of the political and power. One where the softer embodied practices and healing arts can be legitimized, where it may be easily dismissed in the past.  Read more here...

Could You Use Some Hope?: Podcast Recommendation

Our friends at Religions Geek and Encountering World Religions recommend a podcast called How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality 

"The podcast How God Works (hosted by a non-believer) is very good but their most popular episode ever was on hope. The host interviews two people, one a New York Times journalist who has covered many wars (Nicholas Kristoff) and the other a Buddhist teacher who speaks of "wise hope" which they distinguish from optimism in its realism. I found their discussion really thoughtful in giving practical advice about how to nurture hope without ignoring real pains."

🎆❄️ Wishing You Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year from the MnMN Community! ❄️🎆