“Love is a combination of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect and trust.” ― bell hooks
Multifaith Leadership Training Program
September-November 2024. Seminar will meet six times over Zoom for 75 minutes every other week.
The Minnesota Multifaith Network in partnership with the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at the University of St. Thomas is conducting a joint Multifaith Leadership Training. Participants will be non-students from Minnesota to join student Interfaith Fellows from St. Thomas and other Minnesota colleges.
Eligibility: Persons under the age of 35 interested in developing transferable dialogue skills for leadership and for strengthening multifaith relations in the broader community. No prior experience is expected.
Content: Topics include dialogue, interfaith dialogue, identity, key tools of dialogical communication, the righting reflex and motivational interviewing, courage and vulnerability for leadership, and empathy in religiously diverse contexts (e.g., DEI, workplace, public life). Topics subject to change.
Stipend: Accepted participants receive an all-inclusive honorarium ($400 each) to put towards attending the six online sessions and travel/lodging for the in-person workshop.
June 12, 2024, 4-6:45pm , Brookland Golf Park. Registration open now!
Join us for a lovely evening of relationship building and networking while enjoying a 9-hole round of golf at family friendly Brookland Golf Park.
We will begin our afternoon with a shotgun start at 4:00 pm. Each hole will be played in groups of four. After rounds have been played, mulligans taken, and fun had by all, we will gather at the connecting Capitol Park Pavilion for a box dinner, games and awards.
All funds raised will benefit the work of ALL those who make up the Minnesota Multifaith Network - those individuals and organizations dedicating their time and talents to connecting and equipping people of all faith traditions working for a more just and loving Minnesota. This event was inspired and organized with the help of Laila Franklin, MnMN's Intern from the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at University of St. Thomas.
Senior Expo.May 1st, 2024. RRCC Event Center 901 Hat Trick Ave Eveleth, MN. The Annual Senior Expo is an exclusive event dedicated to facilitating connections between aging adults and providing access to valuable services and resources. Buy tickets here.
Cafe Scientifique.May 2nd, 2024. 6:00pm. Duluth Folk School. Once a month, we invite invite experts to share their knowledge with the public in a relaxed, discussion-oriented format. Topics are diverse, and all discussions are designed to be accessible to a general audience. All are welcome to attend.Learn more here.
Community Connect.May 22nd, 2024. 10:00am-2:00pm. Hibbing Memorial Arena. If you or someone you're acquainted with is encountering difficulties linked to homelessness or financial challenges, our support is available! Come join us at the Community Connect—an exclusive, free event committed to offering vital services and resources to those in need. Learn morehere.
MnMN encourages our brothers and sisters in Minnesota to join in Religions for Peace "National Interfaith Prayer Service: Prayers for Our World, Nation, & Us" on May 2 at 1pm CT."
Interfaith Action: Faithful Hospitality Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul.We are looking for overnight shelter host volunteers to provide warmth and hospitality to guests. Overnight hosts are on duty 7pm-7am weekdays and 7pm-8am weekends. Details and shareable resources can be found on our website: https://interfaithaction.org/what-we-do/projecthome/faithful-hospitality. Ready to sign up? Please fill out our volunteer form HERE. On the online volunteer form, please indicate your interest in Faithful Hospitality at the bottom.
MNIPL: Be the Spark Spring 2024 Series Session 4: Wednesday, May 8th, Noon-1 CDT and continues on Wednesdays every other week.
Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light present a five session series of conversation and training that will help you grow your capacity to organize, build your skills through connection with other passionate people, and help you inspire others into climate justice work.
ICJS Minicourse: Muslim Perspectives on Death and Dying
Thursdays May 2nd, 9th, and 16th 2024, 7:00-8:30pm ET. Online via Zoom.
Death is universal. Yet, the beliefs, responses, and rituals around this shared human experience, influenced by religion and culture, vary widely. In this minicourse, we will examine Muslim views and responses related to death. How can Muslim perspectives contribute to our understanding and facilitate a better engagement in facing human mortality? Learn more and get tickets here.
Alternatives to Violence Basic Level Youth Workshop: Last Chance to Register!
May 4th and 5th, Youth ages 10-30, The Hub for Nonviolence and Safety (2143 Lowry Ave N)
AVP youth participants will learn to resolve conflict nonviolently in community with one another, supported by facilitators who recognize the power young people have to create lasting change. Learn more and register here.
International Day of Living Together in Peace
Saturday, May 11, 12:00 - 3:00 pm, Casperson Park, Lakeville, MN
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!
More Events
Retrain Your Lizard Brain: Somatic Singing for Trauma + ResilienceThursday, May 2nd, 6:30-8:30pm, New City Church. Navigating personal, cultural, and systemic trauma can be a daunting journey, but it's a journey we can be on together. Join us for this monthly community song circle inspired by the STAR training. This circle offers a safe space to explore our grief, pain, and conflict through singing and somatic practices. Through simple call-and-echo songs and somatic exercises, we can check in with our bodies and connect with others on a profound level. This isn't about being a perfect singer; it's about the transformative power of song to heal and uplift us. Join us as we journey towards joy, courage, and connection together.
Big View Community Engagement: Sparking Individual & Systemic ChangeTuesday, April 30th, 9:00am-3:30pm, Timberlake Lodge, Grand Rapids, $80. Join us on April 30th for Urgency of Awareness: Creating an Inclusive Environment for Diverse Populations, a full day workshop with Jodi Pfarr. Jodi Pfarr is a nationally recognized motivational speaker who began her work with Ruby Payne, then went independent many years ago to build Jodi Pfarr Consulting. If you haven't been to a Jodi Pfarr workshop you are missing out! Registration: In person or by mail at 811 NE 4th Street, Grand Rapids. Questions: Contact Amy Blomquist at 218-212-2810 or Amyb@kootasca.org
Policy Fellowship at Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public AffairsDeadline to apply is open until Friday, May 31st, 2024 at 11:59 pm CST. The Policy Fellows program is one of the country’s most respected public affairs leadership experiences for emerging and mid-career professionals. The nine-month program is unmatched in its interaction with public officials, leadership training, diversity of participants and perspectives, and opportunity to undertake important projects that benefit the wider community. Apply here.
Mark Your Calendars
Minnesota Orchestra and University of Minnesota Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing Thursday May 9th, 2024. The Music and Mindfulness series explores the intersection of music and mindfulness while allowing audience members to experience performances by Minnesota Orchestra musicians in an intimate and engaging setting. This year, each evening of the series will highlight one of the foundational aspects of mindfulness: intention, attention and attitude. The interplay of music and mindfulness will be explored through Orchestra performances, informative presentations, brief guided meditations and discussion. Learn more.
Under One Roof ConferenceMay 21st-22nd, 2024. 9:00am-4:00pm. The Under One Roof conference is a unique event that will address challenges common among emergency preparedness and emergency management in the Northeast region and beyond. Participation will provide attendees with opportunities to connect with regional preparedness and response partners, learn innovative and effective techniques for future activities, and share lessons learned from recent responses. The conference offers information for all emergency preparedness professionals in the subject areas that include.
Wisdom Ways: Annual Summer Solstice Festival June 21, 2024. Join us for food trucks, music, community, and more! If you are interested in tabling at the Summer Solstice Festival, please enter your information here. If you are interested in volunteering at the festival please complete the form here.
People Camp 2024August 11-17, 2024. Northern Pines Retreat Center in Park Rapids. Early Bird Registration ends May 31st. People Camp is a unique, one week, intergenerational community living experience open to all. Register here. Learn more about People Camp here!
Chag Pesach sameach, to all who observe, from Interfaith America! "Passover is a holiday that celebrates story and memory," wrote IA's Vice President for Higher Education Strategy, Rebecca Russo, in Telling and Retelling at the Seder Table."Each year, we have the responsibility and opportunity to inhabit our texts once again and connect our own stories to our families’ stories and to the story of the Jewish people, and ultimately to the story of humanity."
This week, in the spirit of telling and retelling, we invite you to revisit Passover stories and reflections published in Interfaith America Magazine in years past, including:
On Regression from Freedom this Passover,a reflection from Rabbi Joshua Stanton on the challenges and opportunities of celebrating the collective liberation of Passover at a time that feels like a regression from freedom.
On Counting, and Making Our Lives Count, a call from Interfaith America's Vice President of Public Affairs, Noah Silverman, to consider the spiritual significance of the Jewish ritual of “counting the omer”—the 49 days between the second night of Passover and Shavuot—and the "redemptive act of seeing, appreciating, and counting each other."
ISPU Resources
Educator's Toolkit to Address Religious-Based Bullying. Given the prevalence rates and negative mental health outcomes associated with religious-based bullying, it must be considered a public health issue in need of prevention and intervention attention. This brief provides insights from the first-ever National Interfaith Anti-Bullying Summit held in Washington, DC, on December 2–3, 2017. The summit gathered a multitude of experts on the issue, including advocates, researchers, teachers, parents, physicians, mental health practitioners, and, most importantly, targets of bullying to share their stories of the abuse and how it impacted their mental well-being.
Countering and Dismantling Islamophobia, A Comprehensive Guide for Individuals and Organizations. This document is a comprehensive resource for individuals and organizations alike. Laypeople such as concerned citizens, parents, neighbors, and members of religious congregations will find tools here that empower them to challenge Islamophobia in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities. Educators; political, civic, religious or business community leaders; civic organizations; and any entity looking for guidance to fight bigotry in their ranks, organization, or wider communities can follow actionable items in this guidebook to help them dismantle Islamophobia.
In the News
Menominee Tribe sues tech firms for contributing to youth mental health crisis, and other news from Indian Country. April 21, 2024. Healing MN Stories. "The Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin sues Meta, Facebook, and other tech firms on April 9th in Superior Court in California for creating addictive social media, contributing to a surge in Tribal youth’s anxiety, depression, and suicides. This lawsuit follows a growing body of scientific research, including Defendants’ own (previously concealed) studies..." Read more here.
"You Desperately Need Rest," Author Dalton-Smith on Sacred Rest by Anu Gorukanti. Interfaith America. April 16th, 2024. Read this interview with Saundra Dalton-Smith, internal medicine physician and author of Sacred Rest, which explores the idea of rest from her Christian faith background informed by her own experiences and research.
The Suicide Epidemic in Rural Minnesota: How we got here and how we move forward.Center for Rural Policy and Development. Read this report on the barriers that keep people in rural areas from getting the care they need and what steps can be taken to address these barriers.
Ceasefire Poll 2024: Religious Group's Views on Ceasefire. ISPU.
"The crisis in Gaza has captured the attention of the world. Since October 7, several surveys have captured American public opinion on the situation. The missing voice has been that of religious groups, particularly Muslim and Jewish Americans, who are often perceived as on opposing sides of this crisis. This series of three brief analysis pieces, examined American religious and non-religious groups' support for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and where respondents place blame for the ongoing violence, support for candidates who support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and the experience of religious discrimination in the past year." Read the reports here.
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, May 10th. 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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MNIPL: Be the Spark Spring 2024 Series 
ICJS Minicourse: Muslim Perspectives on Death and Dying.png)
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