Newsletter 11/29

Spirit of Truth Newsletter 11/29/10

Our Conviction: God is Love, Love is the center of all creation, and Justice is the public expression of that Love.

Our Vision: The vision of Spirit of Truth is a Minnesota and world where love and justice are at the center of our community and society, and where people, through spiritual nourishment, real relationships, dignified work, and public voice, live valued, meaningful lives.

Our Mission: The mission of Spirit of Truth is to be central to realizing that vision. To be a community of people that through spiritual practices, community relationships, action for justice and faith live into the belief that love and justice are actually at the center, and to create a society that lives up to that belief as well.

What’s up next: This coming Sunday, December 5^th, Spirit of Truth will be joining with 1500 other people of faith in Minnesota for the Shining the Light event. It will be a conversation about how the next governor’s administration can work with us to create a more racially equitable and healthy community. Mark Dayton and his transition team are confirmed participants. Tom Emmer and his transition team have not yet responded to the invitation. Why are we participating in this event and in this movement? Because we believe that we are all sisters and brothers, but we have lost sight of that. Racial inequity, the gap of opportunity for people of color, is part of the reason why, and must be closed. We are not whole as a community until each person is valued and has the same opportunities for success and a meaningful, hopeful life. Please join us from 3-5pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center!

We also continue to gather weekly at 11am for celebration and worship. On Dec 12^th, Donna Pena will be telling the story of Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is a powerful story of God being on the side of those who desire freedom. Check it out!

What’s been going on: We have had lots going on as Spirit of Truth. We had been acting together as a community with a group of people who are cleaners of Cub Foods/Jerry’s Foods here in the Twin Cities. Although Cub is a good employer, the people they have cleaning their stores, where we shop for groceries, are subcontracted employees, and so their working conditions are really poor. So those workers are coming together, with the organization called Centro De Trabajadores Unidos De Lucha to demand that Cub Foods/Jerry’s Foods treat them better. Spirit of Truth joined them on their March for Justice, and also on a day of action on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We joined other churches all over the Twin Cities and fliered and took other actions at Cub foods all around the metro.

Spirit of Truth is a movement for love and justice, and is welcoming to everyone. Please join us!

Spirit of Truth

www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org

651-336-6726

pete@spiritoftruthtwincities.org

701 N Lexington Parkway

St Paul, MN 55104

Grounding

This last Sunday, our community decided to start using our blog in a new way. We’re going to use it for discussion and reflection with the whole community. It was pointed out that we talk about some big questions at the Sunday gatherings, and that it’s not enough time to reflect and digest the questions. So we’ll use the blog to do just that. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to respond.

One of the things that came up at our meeting was how a “grounding” exercise is really important to start our celebration gatherings. That led to a couple questions: What do you do to ground yourself? and then a more basic question: What is “grounding”?

So these are the questions I’m going to throw out today, answer any or all of the ones you’d like to: What does it mean to be grounded? What do you do to ground yourself? Why do you looked to ground yourself? What does it have to do with your faith? With justice work?

Have at it!

Spirit of Truth Newsletter

Spirit of Truth newsletter 9/28/10

Our Conviction: God is Love, Love is the center of all creation, and Justice is the public expression of that Love.

Our Vision: The vision of Spirit of Truth is a Minnesota and world where love and justice are at the center of our community and society, and where people, through spiritual nourishment, real relationships, dignified work, and public voice, live valued, meaningful lives.

Our Mission: The mission of Spirit of Truth is to be central to realizing that vision. To be a community of people that through spiritual practices, community relationships, action for justice and faith live into the belief that love and justice are actually at the center, and to create a society that lives up to that belief as well.

What’s up next: This Sunday, October 3rd, at 11am, we’ll gather for our fourth Sunday gathering. We’ll share stories and experiences, and explore and celebrate our faith in love and justice through prayer and song.
After the celebration, we’ll have our first all-community co-creation meeting. We’re going to talk about what steps we’ve taken so far to live out our vision in the world, and what steps we want to take next. We have nothing but opportunity in front of us: In what new ways do we want to pray, and to reenergize ourselves? How do we want to build community with our neighbors in the Twin Cities? How will we act for justice in the world?
Join us for the celebration, and stay after to be part of waling this exciting path!

What’s been going on: We’ve had some really moving powerful stories and experiences in our first few weeks of gathering as a community. Our first week, Spirit of Truth leader, Cirien, shared her story. She told us about her experience, as a Jordanian-American, of becoming Arab the day after the September 11th attacks. She said that people started to look at her differently, and consequently, she started having to be different in the world as well. Out of this new way of being, she’s been part of a community of Arab Americans working for peace in the world. Others have shared their stories as well – about faith, about life, looking for meaning, and working for justice.
We have also been exploring music with Twin Cities artist Donna Pena, singing songs about justice and the promise of a new way of living together and of a God of love. At each gathering we try different prayers of silence or speaking, to ground ourselves in our faith.
While these gatherings have been happening, we’ve continued to build relationships with each other, and to build new relationships, and invite people to join us on path of Spirit of Truth.


Spirit of Truth
www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org
651-336-6726
pete@spiritoftruthtwincities.org
701 N Lexington Parkway
St Paul, MN 55104

Jingoistic Hell

The news this week has been such a powerful reminder of why we are creating Spirit of Truth. You can't turn on the radio or open Yahoo without news of Pastor Olson, a would be Koran burner from Florida. The news of course can't give up on this for to turn away from the disaster that is Pastor Olson is like trying not to look at a car accident, it's scary and perhaps even repulsive but you can't tear your eyes away.

When this story began I was angry as hell at this pastor but as the media has hammered this thing to death, he and this story just seem more and more pathetic. What we should be talking about is not how one pastor can go off the deep end but how much of the faith community that calls itself Christian is just a few steps away from that end of the pool. You can't drive down the street without reading bumper stickers that imply "my god is bigger and better than your god". If you're like me you get unsolicited mass emails from family and friends that make the same point. It's as if the question of religious pluralism and understanding was nothing more than a school yard pissing contest.

It's really a sad state of affairs. One popular option is to take the whole notion of faith and decide it is irrelevant or maybe even dangerous. I think, though, that that misses the reality of what's happening here with Pastor Olson and all the bumper sticker hate mongers. These sentiments don't come from the deep traditions of freedom and liberation of Jewish and Christian faith. Those sentiments are pure jingoism justified and promoted through a twisted and perverted version of those faiths. I'm in favor of calling it what it is, ignorant hatred in the name of God. I'm not in favor of walking away from the grand narrative of freedom and liberation and handing it over to those who would twist it into its opposite message.

Spirit of Truth exists to create a space where love is possible. It exists to create a space where community can be grown. And it exists to create a space where we can hear the voice that speaks sometimes so softly in our own hearts that God is good. A community like that, would change everything.
Grant

Where we've been and where we're going

Last night some of the leaders of Spirit of Truth gathered to have a conversation about where we’ve been and where we’re going next. There was a lot of excitement and anticipation about what’s in front of us. As we begin our weekly celebrations, we want to be intentional that our community is always acting on this belief: That God is love, love is the center of creation, and justice is the community expression of God’s love.

Here’s what we came up with:

1. So far, Spirit of Truth has been in a period of discernment through relationship building. That means that through meeting with each other, sharing our stories and ideas, we’ve listened to God and learned about what Spirit of Truth should be. Read about our vision here.

2. Now it’s time to start trying out practices and activities that live into that belief. First up is our weekly gatherings. Starting this Sunday at 11am at St Matt’s (701 N Lexington Parkway, St Paul, MN 55104) we’re going to gather as a community to explore our faith in love and justice. This will not be our only practice, and this one will continue to change as grow as well. But we’re excited to get started, to have something tangible to gather around.

3. We also made a list of what we have and what need to live out this vision.
a. What we have: A group of committed leaders that have helped envision Spirit of Truth; a set of a few hundred relationships, many of them excited for this new phase to start; Facebook page, website, blog, all up and running; the support of the ELCA, members of St Matt’s and all sorts of allies; space in which to gather; and a clear vision for Spirit of Truth.
b. What we need: A program, and some structure around which to keep building, experiencing; more co-creationors, members interested in coming and creating what Spirit of Truth will be; a more diverse group, and practices that are intentionally invitational across cultural, racial, age and gender lines; evaluation tools and practices; and enough money to be sustainable.

4. Next steps:
a. Weekly gatherings where we try out celebration together
b. All of us to make invitations to Sundays
c. Next leadership meeting: Directly after celebration (around 12pm) on Sunday, October 3rd.

Join this Sunday, at 11am at St Matt's (701 N Lexington Parkway, St Paul 55104), and see what all this is about!

Pete Marincel

This is the first blog for Spirit of Truth and that's kind of exciting. It would be intimidating if anyone was actually reading the blog yet. The idea behind Spirit of Truth is simple: A faith community (sometimes known as a church) dedicated to love and justice. We are inspired by the idea that love is at the center of creation and that justice is the public expression of love. We see ourselves as living as a part of God's grand narrative of freedom and liberation. Those are the places I am grounded in my own thinking.

So much of what's around us, however, is a different message.

I've been listening to the debate the last few weeks about whether or not a mosque should be built three blocks from ground zero in New York City. I think we all feel that the place where so many people died senselessly and cruelly is holy ground. When you think of the families who were hurt, the children who had parents who never came home, ground zero feels like a personal and national scar, and honoring all those who died there, we won't ever forget what happened. Now plans are underway to build an Islamic community center and mosque three blocks away and some people are feeling hurt and offended by the idea.

Finally the president spoke and he said what we would expect any American president to say. He defended the constitution and the deep American values of the separation of Church/mosque and state. He defended the right of any religious group to build on private property and practice their religion in peace without interference. I don't know how any one could disagree with that, but I will admit, I wish there had been more.

Here's what I wish the president would have said, "My fellow American's there has been a proposal to build a mosque three blocks from the site of one of our greatest American tragedies, and while there has been debate about this, I think the distance is too far. The pain we have suffered as a country at the hands of terrorists might only be healed by the prayers for peace from all faithful people. I would like to ask those building to mosque to find a way to build closer, if possible on the site of ground zero and, if I may be so bold, name that mosque Sal am. Further I call on leaders in the Jewish tradition to find space at ground zero and build a synagogue where beutiful prayers for peace in hebrew can be added to those in Arabic. And if I could be so bold, name that synagogue Shalom. And I call on Christian leaders to find space at ground zero so that Christians can gather for prayer and if I could be so bold, consider naming that church, Peace. There are others who worship in other ways but whose hearts prayer is for peace, find space to honor your hearts, to honor your faith there at ground zero because we need your prayer. And please, those who don't use words like worship or God at all, we need you. Make the space that you need for your hearts message to be heard at ground zero.

Three blocks away is too far from our national sacred space for our people's sacred response."

I know that no president would ever make such a speech. He or she would be slaughtered from many directions. Still, I hope our national discussion about this can change. We were not attacked by Islam. We were attacked by terrorists who insulted every faithful peace loving Muslim. The rest of us who believe in a God of love and peace and justice should be offended by their violence too but our response must be love and a joining of our hands to the others who were also hurt by that day.