| Greetings!
This afternoon at 6:59 pm in Minnesota, summer begins with the Solstice. The first week of summer is a busy time for many UUs as we gather as a denomination for General Assembly in Ft. Lauderdale. Among the activities will be a Valuing ALL Families Public Witness event -- where UU's can join with Floridians in "Standing on the Side of Love with Immigrant and Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Families."
The summer months also offer BGLT Pride events in several cities and towns across Minnesota.
But summer is also a time of quiet renewal, family and friend gatherings, and somewhat fewer UU Social Justice activities. We remind you all that The Connection welcomes suggested items for consideration in our calendar and our feature column. Thank you for contributing to the interconnected web of justice activism!
In faith,
-Ralph Wyman
MUUSJA Director/Organizer
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| MUUSJA & UU Action News: |
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 UUSC's Charlie Clements at First Universalist
Sunday, July 6
10:00 AM Service
3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis
Charlie Clements, President of the UU Service Committee ( UUSC), will be giving the sermon at First Universalist, speaking about the UUSC's response to the Iraq war and what steps can be taken towards peace.
Charlie Clements is a human rights activist and public health physician, who's life journey from a pilot in Vietnam to a physician behind the lines in the civil war in El Salvador have deeply informed his work. The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee advances human rights and social justice around the world, and envisions a world free from oppression and injustice, where all can realize their full human rights.
 SAVE THE DATE! Join us and join us for lunch: MUUSJA Member Lunch featuring Charlie Clements
Sunday, July 6
12:30 - 2:00 PM
Location TBA (either 1st Univ or a nearby home. Detailed invites will be sent ASAP)
You are invited to have lunch with Charlie Clements after his appearance at First Universalist. This event is open to all who have made a recordable contribution to MUUSJA in the past year. We will gratefully accept new memberships/contributions at the event. The UUSC is an invaluable supporter of MUUSJA and we are pleased to have him give brief remarks and be in conversation with MUUSJA members and friends. Please RSVP to Ralph at ralph@muusja.org or 612-998-6624. MUUSJA Board MeetingThursday, July 10 7:00 - 9:00 PM 732 Holly Ave, St. Paul
All are welcome to attend and to join in conversation at our monthly board meeting. Reflections on General Assembly, planning for our major fall activist training event, house parties, and more. Contact Ralph at 612-998-6624 or rwmuusja@gmail.com for more information or to request an agenda.
Sermon by Author/Activist
Marc Adams
July 13
10:00 AM
1727 Walden Lane SW
Rochester, Minnesota 55902
Marc Adams is co-founder of HeartStrong, Inc., a non profit educational organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered students of religious schools, colleges and universities. It is the only such outreach of its kind in the world. Marc wrote the Lambda Literary Award finalist and Silver Pen Award autobiography The Preacher's Son, and more recently, (lost)Found. He will be in Rochester for Pridefest, July 12th at Central Park in downtown Rochester. |
| Allied Social Justice News |
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Twin Cities Pride Picnic
Sunday, June 22
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Como Park, east Picnic Pavilion
St. Paul
Kick off Pride Week with an old fashioned family picnic in the park. Twin Cities Pride Festival provides all the food and drink! FFI visit Twin Cities Pride
Twin Cities Pride Weekend
Sat-Sun June 28-29
Loring Park
Parade Sunday begins 11 AM
Hennepin Ave, Downtown Minneapolis
Several UU congregations are planning booths and/or a spot in the Pride Parade. Contact your church office now to help out!
Register to be an Election Judge!
Deadline coming fast:
July 1, 2008
Due date for applications for fall elections
Being an election judge is easy and important work in ensuring that every vote is counted and every voter has access to the fundamentals of democracy. Visit Minnesota's Secretary of State election judge page to learn more and download an application.
Pilot Program for Plastic Recycling
2551 Central Ave. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55418
This program runs from May until September in the Eastside Food Co-op parking lot, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays
Start Recycling plastics #1-6 today!
Extended hours on Thursday evenings, from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., began June 5. If you haven't been participating in the plastics recycling pilot because you can't make it to the drop-off, now's your chance to start rinsing, sorting and saving plastics #1-#6! |
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Marriage Equality in California! |
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The Rev. Martha Hodges and the UU Community Church Balloon Brigade were among the many UUs helping celebrate the first legally issued same-sex marriage licenses in California this week. (Click the picture for more wedding photos!)
MUUSJA salutes the incredible work that the UU Legislative Ministry of California has done to further the cause of marriage equality and to ensuring that a UU moral voice is present in the civic life of their state.
Much work remains to be done this summer and fall to ensure that this landmark step towards full participation of gay, Lesbian, bisexual and Transgendered people stands.
UULM-CA is a member of the UU State Advocacy Network, a collaboration which includes MUUSJA and other similar state UU Social Justice groups. |
| Thanks to our Funders and Friends! |
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MUUSJA wishes to thank our Funders. We are supported in part by the UU Service Committee, the UU Funding Program, and First Universalist Foundation.
Support the UUSC
Learn about the UUFP
We are sustained by our memberships, gifts and by congregational giving. For membership, gift and congregational giving information, please contact Ralph Wyman at 612-998-6624 or ralph@muusja.org.
The Prairie Star District of the UUA acts as our fiscal sponsor. We are grateful for their support and assistance!
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| ACTION: Urge Diplomacy with Iran |
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Sick of war? Ready for diplomacy? |
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The Unitarian Universalist Association certainly is! They are actively advocating for a diplomatic solution to the ongoing war in Iraq and for unconditional diplomatic engagement in Iran.
Help the UUA realize a future that embodies belief that sustained, direct, bilateral, and comprehensive talks between the governments of the United States and Iran represent a realistic way to resolve long-standing conflicts. | |
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