Post 62

Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Brainerd/Pine River MN 2/20/15

Greetings UU friends: this is a short update on items going on. We have not yet received notes from the last Truth and Reconciliation meeting at BSU, but will post as soon as received. That was held Jan. 28. We were advised that the director of the American Indian Center, Dr. Anton Treuer is resigning, to return to teaching, but he will still be invovled in T&R.

We were advised that the Grand Rapids city council adopted a resolution on renaming Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day, December 15th, 2014.

Good work, and congratulations! one more notch in the belt for MN.

Speaking of which, there are several things to mention in this respect. Our request to MUUSJA (Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance) in Minneapolis for assistance with Goodbye Columbus resulted in several offers to use their platforms to disseminate information to UUs across the state, including a webinar and access to newsletters, etc. If the webinar is set up, it would be for mid to late summer, and invitations will be sent to Dr. Treuer, Jay Bad Heart Bull, and other native persons to participate on a panel at that event. Becky LaPlant, Grand Rapids Human Rights Commission, has already agreed to be a panelist, one of the authors of the above resolution.

To sort out strategy and actions, and do some more planning, Melissa and I met today to start setting up a FaceBook page just for Goodbye Columbus information, to be open to general supporters in the community, not just UUs. We are going to call it "Goodbye Columbus MN" (no surprise there!), write a mission statement, and add events and information as it comes up. For instance, we sent exploratory letters to the DFL delegation at the Legislature, asking if they or colleagues would introduce a bill to make the holiday change. Too early for responses at this writing. The page will contain updates as they occur.

Respectfully submitted, Mary DeYoung, News Director NUUF 218-587-2543

Post 61

Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship  February 8, 2015

Greetings UU friends: Your editor has returned from a monthlong vacation and therefore was offline during January. I promised to follow up with information on the Truth and Reconciliation meeting held on January 28, and will do so as soon as the official notes come out. As mentioned in the Newsletter for this month, one of our members did attend, and made comments on the number of participants, exceeding that of the original meeting, and the establishments of groups to study various aspects of problems between the native and white cultures in the local area. Barbara said she was intending to attend the group on education. I am guessing there will be others on relations with law enforcement, health, economics.

Today our service was conducted by Melissa Birch, and, from the UUA Tapestry of Faith, talked about the Eight Spheres of Spiritual Growth, in which the practices are personal, communal, spiritual, mind, body, soul, life, and justice. We were invited to write out our thoughts on each of these realms, and combine them to make a coherent guide. Melissa will be publishing results on the website. One of the songs played today is called "Mango Thoughts in a Meatloaf Town," on a CD by Meg Barnhouse, member of the Underwood UU Church, whom we have met, and a very talented musician.

Best wishes go out to David Edgerton, just home from a bout with septic pneumonia, with hope for a steady recovery.

Our next meeting will center on the book, "The New Jim Crow".  And I am getting "Brain Pickings" online, a site promoting books in philosophy, history and more, that would be of interest to most UUs if I am not mistaken. At least, go and have a look!

Respectfully submitted, Mary DeYoung, news director NUUF 218-587-2543