Today! MnMN Charity Golf Tournament at 4:00 PM

See you on the pitch!📍 Brookland Golf Park 

In the words of the selection committee, "We recognized the stellar contribution of its seven essays, so personal and yet too so insightful on larger issues in India and the West, in academic and interreligious circles today. Needless to say, we appreciated how it also captures the wisdom and insight of your long career in Hindu-Christian learning."

The book will be honored at the 2024 meeting of the American Academy of Religion (San Diego), with a book panel on Friday 22, November at 7.00 pm.

Partner Events

Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God
Thursday, June 13, 1-3pm, In-Person, Carondelet Center, $20

We usually pray with words and song. Sometimes we pray by walking or other movement. Seldom do we use doodling in color as a way to draw closer to God. Praying in Color can change the way you pray and how you experience God, by using the right side of your brain. This is not about coming up with a finished product, or being an artist. If you are looking for a new way to communicate with God, Praying in Color could be right for you.  

Spirit of Water

June 15, 2024, 5:00-8:00pm. 

Join us for a celebration with Mississippi River! Gather with us to connect, play, learn, pray, celebrate, and honor the spirit of water. This year, we will meet at Hidden Falls Regional Park in St. Paul for a community celebration featuring speakers, music, booths, food, art, and play areas for children. The event is co-presented by R.I.S.E. Coalition, United Theological Seminary, and Friends of the Mississippi River. Learn more here!

Improv Benefit

June 18th, 7:00-9:00pm, Faith Mennonite Church

What do a bike ride, an improv troupe, and climate justice organizations have in common? They're all features of this event! Join us for Laugh & Learn, an improv show benefit with Tane Danger and the Theatre of Public Policy! This is an opportunity to enjoy some improv and learn more about Donna Minter (aka Grammy) who is planning to bike from San Diego, CA to Saint Augustine, FL this summer to raise $500,000 for climate justice non-profits!

Please join us for some laughs and to support Donna and the five amazing organizations her bike ride will benefit: MNIPL, Climate Generation, Third Act, Climate Ride, and Climate STARR.

Policy Webinar Series

Thursday, June 20th, 12:00, Zoom

This is the first of our four session Summer Policy Series, where you’ll learn more about four big policy considerations MNIPL is paying close attention to in our work to transition Minnesota into a safe and equitable green future! Each session will offer important context and information about the topic and offer ways to get and stay involved this summer and beyond!

This webinar will cover the dangers of these pipelines to people and ecosystems,  where and why they are being proposed,  the process for approval, and how we can engage to stop them!

Minnesota Humanities Center: Juneteenth Events

June 19th-21st

Known as Emancipation Day and America’s second Independence Day marking the end of slavery in the United States, Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 and a Minnesota state holiday in 2023. The day presents an opportunity to celebrate, educate, agitate, and create.  As we have for the past several years, the Minnesota Humanities Center has co-created a series of Juneteenth program offerings that invite audiences to learn and engage with the past and imagine and create a more just and equitable future. From school-age children to elders, corporate leaders to scholars, and across our citizenry, our in-person programming and online resources offer opportunities for learning and connection. MHC’s commemoration of Juneteenth programming this year spans several days and includes a documentary film, a community breakfast and conversation, and a theatrical performance. 

More Events

• Institute on Theology and Disability Annual Conference Registration Open! June 17th-20th, 2024, Boston MA or Online. Register here.  We invite you to join us, in person or virtually, as we explore this critical intersection as academics, practitioners, and interested others. This conference seeks to be as accessible as possible to as many as possible, so if you find registration to be inaccessible for any reason, please email info@theologydisability.org – we look forward to a fruitful time together!
• ICJS: Serving our Immigrant Communities Tuesday, June 25th, 11:00am-12:00pm CST. Zoom. Welcoming the stranger and ministering to migrants is central to many religious traditions. Baltimore has historically been an entry point and first home to many immigrant communities. Today, there are an array of social service agencies, both locally and nationally focused, that operate or are headquartered in Baltimore. In this online event, ICJS Muslim scholar Zeyneb Sayilgan, herself an immigrant to the United States, will engage in conversation with Giuliana Valencia-Banks, chief of immigrant affairs for Baltimore County, on how she approaches her work and how her faith motivates her.
• MPLI: In Person STAR Training June 25th-June 29th, Twin Cities Metro Area. The STAR Training teaches best practices to strengthen the capacity of caregivers, community activists and organizers, leaders, and organizations. It helps you understand and address psychological trauma, break cycles of victimhood and violence, and build resilience with restorative justice strategies. It is a 38-hour, multi-day evidence-based trauma awareness, resilience, and restorative justice training with a 20+ year reputation of national and international success. Learn more and register here.

Mark Your Calendars

• 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.
• Friends for a NonViolent World People Camp 2024 August 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!
• Transformative Family Dispute Mediation Training Program 
  August 19th -23rd, 9:00am-6:00pm, Adath Jeshurun Congregation, Minnetonka, facilitated by Dan Simon. A weekdays only opportunity that qualifies for court certification to practice in Minnesota under Minnesota Rule 114. Early bird pricing is $1,500 until June 1st, and $1,900 after. Read more about transformative meditation as an approach here. Register for the course here.
• Jay Phillips Center, Co-Pilgrims on the Journey to Truth: Hinduism and Christianity in Dialogue Thursday, September 12, 12:00-1:10pm. Iverson Center for Faith, University of St. Thomas. How can dialogue across traditions deepen understanding of humanity's shared quest for truth? In this conversation between two scholar-practitioners, Fr. Yann Vagneux and Prof. Anantanand Rambachan, explore the intersections between Hindu and Christian traditions. Learn more here. 

Resources and Opportunities

Interfaith Connect: Make Rag Bunnies For Seniors

Are you interested in art, crafting, and community? Interfaith Connect has an ongoing project to make handcrafted gifts for seniors! These rag bunnies can be made with just a few supplies and can be filled with stuffing or with treats. Watch this video for instructions.

Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative: Donation Drive

We have an exciting year ahead as two more Beacon homes—Vista 44 in Hopkins and Emerson Village in North Minneapolis—near the end of construction. You can assist the families moving into these family-supportive homes by donating household items to our supply drive! 

Please contact Mohamed Jama at mjama@beaconint​erfaith.org for details on how to donate items. 

You can also invest in Vista 44 and Emerson Village residents by making a Seed of Home Gift. A donation of any amount helps Beacon welcome families to their new homes and to the stability needed to pursue their goals for career, education, and overall well-being.

Podcast Recommendation: Rural Food Traditions

The Rural Food Traditions podcast series explores the culinary traditions that connect us — kitchen to kitchen — across a diverse rural America. This series begins where many meals begin: with bread. Host Teresa Collins interviews home and professional chefs about the breads that grace their tables and the traditions they carry. 

In the News

• "Interfaith Action Recognized with 'Community Hero Award'" The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has recognized Interfaith Action with a 2024 Community Hero Award for its innovative work to welcome newcomers. The Faithful Hospitality initiative, launched in spring 2024 in partnership with area houses of worship, provides shelter for asylum-seeking families who are experiencing homelessness. Read more here.
• "Hinduism and national identity in India" Pew Research Center. June 5, 2024. One of our findings from that survey was that Hindus in India tended to see their religious identity and Indian national identity as closely intertwined: 64% of Hindus said it is very important to be Hindu to be “truly” Indian. Far fewer respondents in other religious groups in the country answered the same way. For example, 27% of Muslims and 20% of Christians said being Hindu is very important to being truly Indian. Read more here.