post 70

Northwoods Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Brainerd/Pine River MN   June 19, 2015u

Greetings! several items today of interest....

Thanks to David Jurgenson and the crew for work on the Pride Picnic for tomorrow, Lum Park, Brainerd. See the Peace Fair booths as well, and we will have a presence.

Thanks to Melissa for her work on outreach to other faith groups on Goodbye Columbus; a great response so far from Catholic sisters groups, Episcopal's Department of Indian Work, and links to other denominations we will follow up. Some surprising information here, and good to know we are not alone in our thinking and efforts!

We received an invitation to participate on a list of UUs working on native issues from Bellingham WA, being prepared for General Assembly by Beth Brownfield. She is hoping to provide links useful to those of us in the field. Bellingham and other UUs of the area are active in working with Lummi tribal members on several issues, including the effects of coal transport through the region.

Union Church in Hackensack will host a meeting with Honor the Earth on July 15 at 7pm. More on this after the social justice meeting on July 1st, I will attend.

The Reverend Suzanne Wasilczuk will present a sermon on September 13; we welcome her back and look forward to her visit, always a joy.

Work continues to develop the video conference on Sept, 1st at 2pm, to follow up on Goodbye Columbus efforts; this will involve knowledgeable people who can talk about strategies for the future. This is coming to be a long term effort; but worth it in the end, if we can achieve the goal of refocusing on the ongoing problems for native people.

Respectfully submitted, Mary DeYoung, Social Justice Chair, 218-587-2543

Post 69

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Brainerd/Pine River 6/6/15

Greetings! We are working on Goodbye Columbus, contacting particpants for a video conference September 1, 2 to 3pm +-.  This will be hosted by Ashley Horan, MUUSJA director. The discussion will center on strategies for the future change of the holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day .

Meantime, the  Pride Picnic is on for June 20, and other summer activities will be coming up.

Pat and Melissa and I attended a Gathering in Deer River May 30th with other native friends, and were given an opportunity to talk about GC, with a positive response...

This is a short note today as an interim update....

Respectfully submitted Mary DeYoung, Social Justice Chair  218-587-2543