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Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance
 
The Connection: Events, Announcements and News
June 16, 2009
Greetings!

The next two weeks may make or break climate legislation in the US Congress this year.  The stakes really are high.  Many in the environmental community now recognize that if this bill fails in the House, prospects for re-introduction in future years looks poor.  And the US would go to Copenhagen for the next round of international climate change negotiations empty handed.

Please take a moment now to contact your representative with this UU-specific message to urge her or him to help move this bill to the floor for a vote.  All our Representatives need to hear from us.  If you live in Collin Peterson's district, it is imperative that you contact him - his current opposition to key elements may play a crucial role.

The UUA and several State UU Networks also partner with 1Sky on climate issues.  They are offering a fax-your-rep service with a message to strengthen Waxman-Markey, if you want to add a secular option to your tools for helping move this bill.

MUUSJA also urges you to help protect vulnerable Minnesotans as the Governor's unallotment process gets under way.  The Minnesota Council of Churches is organizing an action on June 30th.  Please help strengthen our voice with one more trip to the Capitol!

Want to know more about the two candidates for UUA President?  Even if you are not attending GA, you may want to know how they view MUUSJA and the other UU State Advocacy Networks.  We asked them, and here are their answers (pdf)!

Finally, we hope you will join us in having fun by doing good participating in the many LGBT Pride activities!


In faith,
Ralph Wyman
MUUSJA Director/Organizer
 MUUSJA Action News:

Balik Marriage BannerPride Banner-Making Day
Saturday, June 20th, 9am - noon
Unity Church Unitarian
732 Holly Ave, St. Paul

UUO4M is co-hosting a day of art to prepare a colorful and engaging presence in Pride parades and events. Artist Mary Jo Nikolai will lead a program including batiking colorful ribbons and individual banners like the one pictured.  Children and families VERY welcome!  $1 per person requested to defray materials costs.  Snacks provided.  Wear painting clothes.
Contact Ann Hite for more info: [email protected]


Twin Cities Pride Parade
Sunday, June 28th, 11 am
From Hennepin Ave @ 3rd to Loring Park
(Click map for larger view)
Parade Map
UUs everywhere are invited to join together as we march along Hennepin Avenue to Loring Park, in the Twin Cities Pride Parade. 

Show off your banner from art day!  If you have a Standing on the Side of Love T-shirt or a royal blue Tee, please wear it.  Congregational banners, drummers, everyone welcome.

We are coordinating with White Bear UU so that we may all proudly proclaim our UU message of love, hope, and equality.  We are calling for drummers and other joyful noisemakers to join our parade group.  Look for the White Bear UU parade slot # and block location at www.tcpride.org, to be announced June 17.

More Minnesota Pride events are at the UUO4M page.


MUUSJA EcoMinds
All summer
Anywhere in Minnesota

Help EcoMinds produce a summer photography project: picture yourselves on your summer vacation, at your cabin, working in your garden, fishing your favorite lake.  The plan: YOU take photos of you and/or family and friends -- and a sign saying
Photo Project"Don't let global warming impact my _____" (garden, lake, family vacation, forest...) or
"I'm working to keep global warming from damaging my _____"
or other related slogan that carries the message for action to protect the places you love from the risks of out of control warming.
We need your assistance!
This will be a fun and impactful project.  We'll make a web slide show, posters, postcards to send to legislators and more with your summer vacation pics!  Take and save the photos and we will collect them in September.
FYI next MUUSJA EcoMinds meeting is Thur, Aug 6th.  Details in July.


MUUSJA Board Meeting
Wednesday, July 15
7 - 9 pm
Fundraising Committee meets at 6 pm
Unity Church Unitarian
732 Holly Ave, St. Paul 55104

All are warmly welcomed to attend and to join in conversation at our monthly board meeting and/or our fundraising committee.  Contact Ralph at 612-998-6624 or [email protected] for information or to request an agenda for either meeting.


Save the Date: Walk for MUUSJA on Sunday, September 20th
Celebrate the last day of summer with an afternoon fund raising walk to support MUUSJA's work building a UU moral voice for a just and sustainable world.  Official roll-out will be August 1. 
Send an e-mail Carol Johnson if you would like to help.

UU & Allied Social Justice Events

Final Push to move Waxman-Markey Climate Bill
Now thru end June
Online action

The UUA has a 'click-activism' page set up for action to help move this very important legislation on climate change.  Many in the environmental community now recognize that if this bill fails in the House, prospects for re-introduction in future years looks poor.  And the US would go to Copenhagen for the next round of international climate change negotiations empty handed.  Please contact your legislator right now to affirm our message that we want this bill passed.


Homegrown MovieHomegrown Movie: Midwest premiere!
Saturday, June 20th at 5PM and 7PM
Minnesota College of Art and Design (MCAD) Auditorium
2501 Stevens Ave., Minneapolis, MN
$10 suggested donation

Two public showings of Homegrown Movie, a Midwest premiere.  Get inspired by the phenomenal harvest from this small urban backyard farm.  See the Permaculture Research Institute: Cold Climate for more info.


healthWitness of Lament:  Urge Governor not to cut health care!
Tuesday, June 30 at 10:45am
State Capitol, St. Paul

As people of faith we will send the message that this not the Minnesota we are called to be. Abandoning the poor is against the teachings of all our religious traditions. Minnesota has historically been a state that cared for all its citizens. Cutting health care for the poor to balance the budget moves us away from our religious and civic traditions. We want to remind Gov Tim Pawlenty that he is governor of all the people and must care for all!  Minnesota Council of Churches is organizing this event.


C3 Networking Dinner
Thursday July 16th, 5 to 8pm
St. Joan of Arc Church
4537 Third Ave. S
Minneapolis, MN 55409

Summer Congregational Networking Gathering of Congregations Caring for Creation (C3):
- Share ideas and get resources for your congregation's projects
- Hear from three congregations that are doing wonderful creation care projects: Mayflower United Church of Christ, Pilgrim Lutheran and White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church.
Details soon to be posted at www.c3mn.net
MUUSJA is dedicated to building the UU social justice movement in Minnesota.  Please contact us with your event suggestions, questions about how to get involved, or to update your information with us.
 
Sincerely,
 
Ralph Wyman, Director/Organizer
MUUSJA
612-998-6624
[email protected]
In This Issue
MUUSJA Events
UU and Allied Action
August 5th Workshop
Writing Workshop:
Telling Our
Stories
PP MultiFaith Service
All of us, gay and straight, have something to tell about our truest selves, which when revealed will contribute to the larger community and, in turn, nurture our own spirituality.

Some of these truths are rooted in LGBTQ identity, our own or that of people we know and love; some reveal other shining facets of identity that we have kept concealed for one reason or another.

In this session, a guided process of questions and prompts will open gateways into our personal stories and truths, inviting us to record them in our own words on our own pages.

This telling of our stories, first for our own eyes on the empty page, can help us find our voice for other times when we wish and choose to share our stories out loud with others. Sharing in the writing sessions is always optional.
 
Karen Hering is assistant literary minister at Unity Church-Unitarian.  She has been writing professionally for over 25 years and her creative writing has been published in numerous periodicals as well as three Skinner House Press meditation  anthologies.

Wednesday, August 5th, 6-9 pm.
$10-20. 
Please register by July 24th.
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