MnMN 5th Annual Conference

From Our Partners

"Fire in the Village" Outdoor Art and Music Concert at the Community Harvest Camp 2024

September 20th-22nd. Long Lake Conservation Center, Palisade, MN

Join Fire in the Village and friends for an outdoor art & music concert at Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade (Aitkin County) on September  20th!This free concert will help welcome local residents and visitors to a weekend-long  “Community Harvest Camp” led by artists and educators with the Mississippi River Open School project and Macalester College.

Gather with new and old friends for an inspiring weekend of learning about harvest time in the northland. This autumn culture camp is for anyone who wants to deepen their connections with place and community through time together outdoors. Activities will center around seasonal harvest in our water-rich northern climate. Indigenous and local land and water stewards, as well as artists, scientists and community organizers will introduce visitors to manoomin or wild rice, to connections with wetlands and fisheries, food sovereignty efforts, and creative ways to preserve and prepare local foods, save seeds, and honor relationships. Click the button below to learn more and register!

Your Energy Transition: Making Your Home Work for the Earth 

September 23rd, 7:00-8:00pm, Zoom 

Our homes have amazing potential to reduce carbon emissions and save us real money. A typical Minnesota household can receive $10,000 for insulating and switching to electric options, plus you get a more comfortable and safe home to live in. Join us to hear from homeowners who have made these changes and the many resources available to help you upgrade your home. We'll unveil the digital audit tool created by our UNC intern team, connect you to energy experts that offer in-person audits, and walk through the tax credits and rebates and how to get them.

Jay Phillips Center: Author Talk with Colum McCann 

September 24th, 7:00pm,  OEC Auditorium. Woulfe Alumni Hall
Join us for a conversation with the award-winning author, Colum McCann, co-sponsored by the College of Arts & Sciences, the Jay Phillips Center for Irish Studies. Apeirogon is a unique exploration of the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This book is named after a shape with a countably infinite number of sides, reflecting the myriad perspectives and stories within this conflict. At its core, the novel is centered around the true stories of two fathers— one Israeli and one Palestinian— whose daughters were killed in the conflict. Register here.

Jay Phillips Center: The Way of Abraham Joshua Heschel and His Legacy for Jewish-Christian Relations

September 26th, 12:00pm, Iverson Center for Faith, Schoenecker Multipurpose Room (LL16) University of St. Thomas, St. Paul

"No religion is an island," Abraham Joshua Heschel poignantly observed, capturing the interdependency of the diverse religious worldviews and ways of life. In this program, drawing from this foundational belief, Dr. Merkle, interviewed by Rabbi Dulkin, will explore the theological and practical depth and breadth of Heschel's impact on Jewish-Christian relations and interfaith relations in general. Rabbi Dr. Abraham Joshua Heschel was a prominent 20th-century Jewish theologian and philosopher, originally from Poland, who became deeply involved in American civil rights activism and interfaith relations, renowned for his work in ethics and spirituality.

Clouds in Water Zen Center: Election Processing Circles 

Oct 29th, Nov 5th at Clouds in Water, 6:30-8:00pm 

More Events

Learning to Disagree Kickoff Event - Author Talk with Scholar and Improv Comedy Group

September 19th, 7:00-8:30pm, Stephen B. Humphrey Theater

In collaboration with the McCarthy Lecture, all are welcome to attend an engaging evening featuring author and professor John Inazu in collaboration with The Theater of Public Policy improv-comedy group. Inazu is professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He’ll dialogue with Tane Danger of the Theatre of Public Policy about his latest book Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect (2024), after which the TPP improv actors will delight us with their thoughts and reactions. It will be an evening of important discussions mixed with joy and much laughter. No registration required. 

Welcoming Week 2024  "We're All In"

September 16th-21st

Welcoming Week is an annual campaign and celebration to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Launched in 2012 by Welcoming America and its members, Welcoming Week provides individuals and communities the opportunity to proclaim welcoming values through events and local initiatives that foster mutual understanding between immigrants and non-immigrants, as well as deeper belonging for all.  Welcoming Week is an opportunity for communities across our region to host programs or activities to support more welcoming and inclusive communities. Check out the Welcoming Week Toolkit for ways to bring programming to your community and keep an eye out for updates on events happening in Duluth with the Welcoming Community program and Iron Range areas with Hello Range!

Click here  to see a list of local Welcoming Events in the Northland.

4th Annual Equity Summit 

October 1st, 2024, Iron Trail Motors Event Center, Virginia, MN

The annual Equity Summit is an opportunity for residents, newcomers, elected officials, law enforcement, environmental advocates, community leaders, and business owners to gather with workforce and economic development, government, philanthropy, and other sectors. As part of Northspan’s Welcoming Community program, the goal of the Equity Summit is to help forge a more inclusive future in northeast Minnesota. Learn more here. 

United Theological Seminary: Fall 2024 Convocation 

Thursday, September 26th, 2024 

Taking place in the United Chapel and online, join us September 26th as we celebrate the installation of Dr. Demian Wheeler into the Sophia Chair in Religious and Theological Studies. Dr. Wheeler's installation address is titled “Religious Studies and the Opening of the Theological Imagination: Honoring and Extending the Legacy of Mary Farrell Bednarowski.”

Mark Your Calendars

• Interfaith Action: Annual Bringing Faith to Life Breakfast Fundraiser Tuesday, October 29th, 2024, Centennial United Methodist Church. From its beginning, Interfaith Action has been inspired by our faith partners whose eyes are always open to the needs of the community. Our world is better when people of all faiths connect and commit to building opportunity for our neighbors. Join us to celebrate and support the work our faith compels us to do. Register here. 
• Clouds in Water Zen Center: Meditation Public Talk & Retreat with Anam Thubten Rinpoche. November 1st-3rd, Clouds in Water Zen Center. Join on Friday, November 1st, 7:00-9:00pm for a public talk, open to all.  The retreat will be on Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am-4:30pm. Registration is required for the retreat. Overview of Retreat: There are four important aspects of meditation: self-inquiry, mindful attention, open awareness and lovingkindness. By practicing these, we can let go of negative mental patterns and expand our heart and mind, bringing about joy, peace and inner freedom.  Not only will we be transformed within but our inner transformation can have a positive impact on our world. Anam Thubten will teach and guide participants in developing these four aspects of meditation and share Buddhist wisdom on working with our thoughts and emotions. Register here. 

Resources and Opportunities

Interfaith Action: Faithful Hospitality Volunteers Needed

We have an urgent volunteer need for August and September. Faithful Hospitality, our mobile shelter for asylum seekers, is in need of overnight volunteers (2 per night) to help host our shelter guest families. We have partnered with two houses of worship who have generously offered their space, and we are looking to fill spots for overnight hosts. Click below to learn more and sign up. 

In the News

The Museum of World Religions, ReligionsGeek Newsletter, September 12, 2024. The Museum of World Religions is a really unique structure devoted to exploring and educating about human religiosity. Founded by a Buddhist monk and located in Taiwan, the video at the link gives you a sense of its combination of video and physical exhibits that seek to educate and curate curiosity about the diverse peoples on this globe we share.