Greetings!
October is turning out to be a major month for LGBT equality. National Coming Out Day is October 11, and there are lots of ways to celebrate, engage and act.
- This Thursday, faith leaders and allies will proclaim support for marriage equality at the capitol. Join us!
- If you haven't seen the Oscar-winning film Milk, Unity Unitarian is hosting a special screening this Saturday.
- Several of our Minnesota UU congregations are commemorating National Coming Out Day.
- The UUA's Standing on the Side of Love campaign is participating in the National Equality March and asks you to sign their petition.
- Our MUUSJA Fall General Meeting on October 18th will focus on marriage equality, too. Special guests will be two of the Unity couples who married in August in Iowa!
LGBT equality is a significant legacy issue for Unitarian Universalists. We believe that this goal of equality may be closer than you think - support at the capitol is increasing, a new governor will be in place in just over a year, and much grassroots organizing is under way. Please attend one or more of these important actions to help us build towards that goal!
Walk for MUUSJA. Walk for Justice.
Thank you to everyone who participated: volunteers, walkers, refreshment donors, and of course the many pledgers. We raised over $2,000 towards our work together. Funding systemic change work is critically important, and a big challenge in this economy. Your support is deeply appreciated.
If you still need to pay your pledge (or wish to make a contribution of support), our contribution page offers online giving options as well as check-writing information. Thank you.
We look forward to being with you on October 18th - our Fall MUUSJA meeting. See you there!
Ralph Wyman
MUUSJA Director/Organizer
|
| MUUSJA Action News: |
Fall MUUSJA General Meeting - Marriage Equality
 Sunday, October 18th 1:30 - 3:00 pm White Bear UU Church, Social Hall 328 Maple Street Mahtomedi Map (very helpful)Come hear WBUUC's Rev. Victoria Safford on the ways that LGBT marriage equality is a legacy issue for our faith. We will be joined by two couples - and their kids - who traveled to Iowa in late August to marry on the Unity Love Bus. Also:
> G.A. 2010 will be in Minneapolis on Pride weekend! Hear about this exciting opportunity > Our MUUSJA working groups will present plans for the year for climate change work, voting rights, reproductive health and education, and MUUSJA invites new issue work, too! Contact us for issue group guidelines > We will get a special preview of an art opening: WBUUC together with the Immigrant Freedom Network will debut a special show on Sunday, Oct. 25th. See it early at our Fall Meeting! MUUSJA Board Meeting
Wednesday, October 21st
7 - 9 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. Contact Ralph at 612-998-6624 or rwmuusja@gmail.com for information or to request an agenda.  UUs Out 4 MarriageMonday, November 9th - date and venue update!7:00 - 9:00 pm
Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship 10715 Zenith Avenue South, Bloomington visit www.mnvalleyuu.org for directions As we swing into marriage equality campaign mode, we'll be visiting UU congregations with our monthly UUO4M meetings. Get ready for Valentines Day (yes, we're planning ahead) to get our Minnesota UU congregations to send marriage equality Valentines to legislators and gubernatorial candidates! We are also mobilizing to ask our congregations to take a public position supporting marriage equality through a resolution campaign. Also, preparations are under way for linking GA 2010 to T.C. Pride. Join us. Looking for calendar items on Voter Rights, EcoMinds or Sacred Choices? Meeting dates for these three working groups will be announced soon. Come to the Fall Meeting on October 18th to get connected to any of our campaigns!
|
|
UU & Allied Social Justice Events
|
Faith Leaders Come Out for Marriage Equality
Thursday, October 8th
1 - 1:30 pm
Room 125, State Capitol Press Room
75 Constitution Ave
St. Paul, MN 55155
People of Faith Allies is a statewide multi-faith roundtable working
for marriage equality. POFA will hold this media event to come out in favor of full civil marriage equality. Retired ELCA bishop Lowell Erdahl, Mandy Carter - self-described "out, southern, black,
lesbian, social justice activist", and many local clergy will speak. The message will show that faith voices are speaking out in support of equality. Media, clergy and all other
marriage equality supporters are invited to attend and stand in witness
to love.
 HIRE Minnesota Quarterly Meeting
Thursday, October 8th
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Summit Academy OIC
935 Olsen Memorial Hwy, Minneapolis
www.hiremn.org
Make your voice heard on climate justice:
come to the next quarterly HIRE Minnesota coalition meeting. Hear
updates on what HIRE Minnesota is working on, and help set the agenda
for 2010! Food and beverages will be served from 6 - 6:30 pm. The
program will begin at 6:30 pm.
Using the Arts as Tools of Social
Analysis and Action:
Popular Education and Organizing
 Friday, October
9
1:00 - 6:00 pm
First Unitarian Society
900 Mt Curve, Minneapolis
A Headwaters sponsored gathering for activists, community members,
educators and anyone who wishes to expand the use of the arts in
improving their work against oppression and violence and for democracy,
sustainability, justice, and peace. Popular education uses various
hands-on techniques and methods to encourage attendees to examine their
lives critically and take action for social change and liberation.
The mini conference will feature workshops with local artists and activists including: Sha Cage and e.g. bailey, Ricardo Levins Morales, Alejandra Tobar-alatriz and Amalia Deloney. $25/$10 students. Limited scholarships available. MUUSJA is a co-sponsor.
Film: Journey to Freedom
Guest speaker Charlie Clements, UUSC President
Friday, October 9th
7:30 pm
First Univestalist Church
3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis
Local premiere of a brand new documentary, Journey to Freedom, which tells the World War II story of UU
humanitarian heroes Martha and  Waitstill Sharp, who risked their lives to rescue others' children from the
Nazis in Europe. First Universalist will host this movie and discussion as
part of the 2009 Dietrich Bonheoffer Lectures in Public Ethics.
Discussion after: Dr. Clements is extremely
knowledgeable and will host a discussion of the film as
well as answer any questions you have about current UUSC programs.
Free event, refreshments served.
 Film: Milk
Saturday, October
10th
7-10 pm
Unity Church Unitarian - Parish Hall
732 Holly Avenue,
St. Paul, 55104
In celebration of National Coming Out Day,
please join the Interweave team for a special showing of last year's
Oscar-winning film Milk, starring Sean Penn and Josh Brolin. Milk
chronicles the life story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected public
official in the United States. It is a moving and inspirational film for
those who seek justice and equality for all GLBT people. Free event. Film is
rated R. All are welcome, but for youth under 17 we ask for parental guardian.
Faith and Freedom Banquet
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice MN
Tuesday, October 20th
Mt. Zion Temple
1300 Summit Avenue, St. Paul
Keynote by Rev. Dr. Rebecca Ann Parker, president and professor of theology at
Starr King School for the Ministry, a UU seminary. A strong advocate for reproductive justice, Parker has compassionately
addressed the often tragic conflicts women must negotiate in facing a pregnancy
decision, moving the abortion debate beyond a pro-life/pro-choice either-or
conflict. AUW will be among the honorees at this event!
Info & Tickets ($60/$25 low income)
 Focus
on immigration issues: Aviva Chomsky
Saturday, October 24th
6:30 - 9 pm
First Unitarian Society
900 Mt. Curve, Minneapolis
Author of They
Take Our Jobs and Twenty Other Myths About Immigration,
Aviva Chomsky is professor of
history and coordinator of Latin American Studies at Salem State College.
She has been active in
Latin American solidarity and immigrants' rights issues for more than 25 years. Music program at 6:30, Ms. Chomsky speaks at 7:00 pm, book signing & reception 8:15-9 pm.
Story Project Art Opening
Sunday, October 25th
12:30 - 2:30
White Bear UU Church
328 Maple Street, Mahtomedi, MN
You are invited to the opening of
The Story Project, a photo exhibit
organized by White Bear UU Church in collaboration with the Immigrant Freedom
Network.
Guest speaker - Aviva Chomsky. Light refreshments will be served.
4th Annual Bioneers Conference
October 24-25
Willey Hall
West bank of
the U of M, Minneapolis
www.nbconference.org
Bioneers Conferences inspire a shift to live on Earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations. Event will include keynote speakers Dr. Jonathan Foley, director of the Institute on the Environment at the U of M, and Susan Hubbard, Co-founder and Co-president of Eureka Recycling, as well as local workshops and national plenaries. Registration ranges from $10-60.
|
|
|
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
rwmuusja@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE DAY OF ACTION - OCTOBER 24, 2009
Starting December 7th, 2009, for a span of eleven days, world leaders will meet at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
This conference must reach new agreements so that action to reduce greenhouse gasses will start in time to avert catastrophic warming.
The United States needs to be on a new footing after our lack of leadership in the earlier Kyoto round.
The US House has passed climate legislation, and the Senate now has a bill introduced.
Passing and signing a climate bill before the Copenhagen meeting is essential to sending an empowered and credible US delegation to Copenhagen.
Attend an October 24th Climate Day of Action to help show your support. (You can enter your city to find the closest event).
And contact your Senators with your message demanding strong legislation via UUA coalition partner 1Sky.
Thank you.
|
|
Like seeing UUs take action on your issues?
|
Support us!
Help make MUUSJA a clear moral voice for justice with your donation to MUUSJA. We accept secure, tax deductible, online donations via Paypal: Thank you to the Prairie Star District of the UUA, our fiscal sponsor. |
National Coming Out Day events
|
 |
October 8th
People of Faith Allies Come out for Marriage Equality at the Capitol, 1:00 pm. Details here.
October 11th
First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis
10:30 am
"Standing On the Side
of Love: UUA Association Sunday"
Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship
10:30 am
Rev. David Breeden: "Growing
Our Diversity"
Michael Servetus Unitarian Society
10:30 am
Rev. Dana Reynolds:
"How Gay Marriage May Be A Threat (a sermon based on irony)"
First UU Church, Rochester
9 and 11 am
Marriage Equality: Equal Rights for All
|
|
|
