December Update

It has been quite a while since anyone has posted. This blog has lost its way, 

but Spirit of Truth  is alive and thriving!

Yes we have been acting for justice in a variety of forms. This fall a series of actions were co-created in a large forum while we launched our Love Your Neighbor Campaign

The actions took the form of traditional religious stories or events that could be tweaked to fit a new narrative.

Read about it here. 

_____________________________________________________

What are some other cool things that have been happening around Spirit of Truth this fall?

-thanks for asking (makes it really easy to say this)

 

1. We have started having a monthly potluck gathering the first Sunday of each month. You should join us and bring some grub!
2. We have started reaching out to other community partners, working with Minnesotans for a Fair Economy and the OccupyMN movement. We even had a Sunday Gathering down at Occupy!
3. We started working on the next wave of our strategic plan. A new campaign for Love and Justice and Marriage Equality in the state of MN. 
4. In order to make sure that all of the goals of SoT are accomplished we started a leadership council.  The responsibilities of the council are being worked out slowly but we are eager to create a stronger and more sustainable SoT community. 

Finally if you are new to Spirit of Truth, or you are just looking to periodically remind yourself what we are about here are some inspiring words from a speech that Spirit of Truth organizer Pete Marincel gave this fall.

Hello everyone. My name is Peter Marincel. I’m the organizer for Spirit of Truth. This skit you just saw- we created it because we wanted to be reminded of what’s going on in the world, and what religion has to do with it.  This is going on here every day. Every day.  One million people, good, decent people, being detained and deported, families destroyed.  Fifty million with out healthcare. But what does that have to do with us? With a faith community? 

            That’s what we’re here to answer today. I’m going to propose the beginning of that answer right now.  The faith story - the story of who God is, of who we are, of who is good, who is bad, what is right, and what is wrong - that story has been highjacked.  Taken by people - powers and principalities, some might say, and has been twisted around, and used to justify horrible, oppressive, loveless things. Like deportation, like obscene wealth hording, like exploitation of working people. What does it have to do with us? It’s our responsibility, as people of faith, to take that story back, to take back our faith, and make abundantly clear, that the kind of world you saw in that skit - is not God’s world, it’s not our world. It’s not ok.  

            But first, I need to tell you what I think I’m talking about when I say “faith.” Right? Half of you are probably like: What does that mean? And the other half are probably like: I know what that means - while rolling your eyes. 

            I have to start with my story.  Two years ago, Rev Grant Stevensen - a pastor here in the Twin Cities - came and found me and asked me to help him create a faith community. At the time, I was working for SEIU Local 26, working with Security officers in the Twin Cities to win decent wages and health care from their employers. So I didn’t know Grant very well yet, and I didn’t really think he knew me very well - obviously, considering his request.  I said "Maybe you should find someone else.  Like from a campus ministry or something."  He said to me:

“I know you’re a person of faith.  You know how I know?”

“How?” I said.

“Because it takes great faith to do what you’re doing.  It takes great faith to believe that workers can stand up to their employers.  It takes great faith to think something can change.  In this world, with everything going on, it takes great faith to believe in Goodness.”

So I said yes.  In the last two years, I’ve gotten much clearer about my faith, and what Spirit of Truth is about. My faith is in love. I think it’s the center of creation.  What I mean by that is that I think it’s what should drive our world, our actions, and our lives.  I don’t just mean love as in basic kindness and decency - although that’s part of it - I mean love as a commitment.  I mean the commitment to care for each other, a society that doesn’t let people fall through the cracks, an economy that serves the good of all, and a politics of everyone in, nobody out. That’s the love I mean. So, love is my faith.  To be clear, Christianity is my lens, like some of you.  I was raised in a country where Christianity is the central story, in a family that used that central story to teach me about love. But Christianity is not my faith.  Love is my faith.  Christianity is my lens.  I look with the lens of the Christian tradition, and see love.  We all have different lenses.  You each have a lens, different from mine.  But I’m willing to bet that the reason you are here - is because you see the same thing as I - that Love is the center.

            So back to why we’re here.  We’re here because there is a faith story out there right now that’s not about love.  Not about real love, the love that is commitment to each other and to the world.  We’re here to take that back. What does that love mean?  It isn’t just vague statements.

            Love looks like taxing the rich, and using it to take care of those who need resources.  Not because rich people are bad, but because concentrated wealth is bad, and because concentrated poverty is worse.  And because a society that allows people to be poor because of their education level, the place they grew up, or the color of their skin, has lost it’s soul.  Love looks like an immigration system designed to welcome people who wish to become our new neighbors and community members, without condition, and with gratefulness for the blessing that new neighbors bring.  Love looks like organized workers - so that each working person can benefit from the wealth and abundance they help create.  Love looks like an unconditional health care system, that is about keeping every person healthy, and treating every sick person, not a health care system that makes money off of people’s sickness.  Love looks like an economy that serves people, not the other way around.  Love looks like an economy that provides freedom for each person to discover the gifts God has given them, and to live a life free from economic captivity, and fear.

            This is the purpose of Spirit of Truth.  To be a home for people who have faith in love, and to be a voice of Truth, for what love looks like in the world here and today.  We didn’t start this movement.  There have been people working for love for thousands of years, from every corner of the earth, from ever walk of life. We are next. And you are all working for this love already, in different ways, in different places.  I know it. And that means you all have faith, too. I ask all of you to join us, in taking back the story of our faith in love.  Love can win.  Love will win.  But because of you, and all of us together.  Thank you.

Spirit of Truth Newsletter June 2, 2011

Spirit of Truth Newsletter June 2, 2011

Hello! This is the Spirit of Truth newsletter, to keep us all up to date on what’s going on with our community.  If you know someone who might like Spirit of Truth, forward this on to them.  If you’d like to be taken off the list, or if you’d like to know more about anything you read here, reply and let us know.
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 been going on: Campaign Update

Thanks to all of you who helped us collect receipts is support of the retail cleaners at Cub Foods.  In the end we collected $105,499.68 worth of receipts! We met and exceeded our goal! We also had over two hundred signatures pledging to Cub Foods that our money will follow our values.  On Thursday, May 26^th, a group of thirty of us met outside Cub Foods headquarters in Stillwater, MN to deliver theses receipts, and ask that Cub Foods sit down and talk with the workers.  Click here to see a video of that event.

Our action in support of the people who clean Cub Foods comes during a time when workers have had to take drastic action to get Cub Foods to meet with them.   A group of twelve workers and community allies (including Pastor Grant Stevensen) staged a hunger strike, that last ten days, before it was called off for safety reasons.  It was a powerful action and a strong statement by workers and allies, but Cub Foods has still not moved.  The workers are in the midst of planning the next steps of this campaign.  Spirit of Truth will continue to support the campaign as well, and we will let you know as we have next steps.  In the meantime, join us for our regular Sunday gatherings to explore our faith, and to celebrate our belief in a God of love and justice. For more information about the Campaign for Justice in Retail cleaning, visit CTUL’s website, or the Action page of the Spirit of Truth website.

 What’s up next:

It is time for us at Spirit of Truth to take a minute to step back, celebrate what we’ve accomplished, and envision our next steps as a community.  How do we ant to grow? What actions do we want to take? Are Sunday mornings still energizing? What do we want to change? We are going to talk about these questions on Sunday, June 12^th.  We’ll gather at 11am (location to be announced) and have a retreat, with prayer and song, brainstorming, listening, and planning.  We will also have food and beverages.  The retreat will wrap up by 1:30.  If you’d like to get more connected to Spirit of Truth, and to be part of the conversation about what’s possible for our congregation, and for our world, please join us! If you have any questions, reply to this email, or call Peter Marincel at 651-336-6726. 

It is wonderful being in community and action with you all!

www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org

Newsletter March 31st

Spirit of Truth Newsletter March 31, 2011 (see below for what's coming up!)

Hello! This is the Spirit of Truth newsletter, to keep us all up to date on what’s going on with our community.  If you know someone who might like Spirit of Truth, forward this on to them.  If you’d like to be taken off the list, or if you’d like to know more about anything you read here, reply and let us know.

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:

1.      April 17th – Palm Sunday pot luck and vigil in support of workers that clean Cub Foods – each of you is invited! As many of you know, Spirit of Truth has been organizing with the members of the Justice in Retail Cleaning campaign (click here to learn more about the campaign).  On Sunday, April 17th, we are going to take action to move the campaign forward.  First, we’ll gather together at St Matt’s for a pot luck meal.  We’ll eat together, meet each other, and talk about the campaign.  Then we’ll all go together to hold a vigil near a local Cub Foods.  The vigil will highlight our faith values and what Palm Sunday has to do with this campaign for justice.   This will be a powerful event if all of you join us to make a real, values-based statement to Cub foods, and to the people who clean the stores and have put their jobs on the line to speak up.   Please come join us!  You can RSVP by clicking reply to this email and letting us know.   You also might get a call or individual email from another leader at Spirit of Truth.  See you on April 17th!

2.      Receipt Collection – As part of this same action, we will be launching a period of collecting grocery receipts, and asking people to sign a card that pledges to use our money to follow our values, including the value of dignity for workers.   Why are we doing this?  We want to show Cub Foods that we are people who have strong values for justice, and that collectively, we spend a lot of money on groceries.  It will help Cub understand how important it is to sit down and talk with the workers leading the campaign.  We’ll be collecting receipts all through the month of April, and into May, so start saving them now! Not a Cub shopper? That’s ok.  We are collecting all kinds of grocery receipts, not just Cub receipts.  The point is to show how much economic power we have as a group, regardless of where we get our groceries. Interested in joining us? Reply to this email, and we’ll make sure to get you the pledge card and figure out how to get the receipts.

 We continue to meet every Sunday morning at 11:15.  Please join us to learn more about the people involved, and what Spirit of Truth is all about!

 Thanks,

 Peter Marincel

651-336-6726

www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org

Newsletter 2/23/11

Spirit of Truth Newsletter February 23, 2011

Hello! This is the Spirit of Truth newsletter, to keep us all up to date on what’s going on with our community. If you know someone who might like Spirit of Truth, forward this on to them. If you’d like to be taken off the list, or if you’d like to know more about anything you read here, reply and let us know.

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:

1. Action with workers who clean Twin Cities Cub Foods – February 28^th, 10:30-12:00, St Matthew’s Lutheran Church. So here’s the deal, as many of you know, Spirit of Truth is getting active in the Campaign for Justice in Retail Cleaning (read more about the campaign here). Cub Foods, as well as many other big box retailers are treating those who clean their stores atrociously. Those workers are speaking up to demand decent working conditions. They are asking Cub Foods to agree to a code of conduct, guaranteeing some basic rights and levels of wage and benefits. Spirit of Truth members have decided to take an active role in supporting our fellow community members and help put pressure on Cub to do the right thing. Why? Because we believe this campaign, here and now, is where God’s love and justice is at work. Click here for more information about next Monday's action. Can’t make this one? We are going to be partnering with the workers in this campaign often in the next months, with more actions to be announced. Let us know if you’re interested, and we’ll keep you in the loop.

2. The new online center for Spirit of Truth – Spirit of Truth BLOG. We’ve reinvented the blog, and we’re now using it for almost everything we do online. The blog entries will be a chance for members of Spirit of Truth to talk about their faith and justice work. There will be a new entry about these topics at least once a week. It will also be a place to stay up to date on actions and announcements. Finally, there will be a section on the blog dissecting and discussing the language of religion and faith. If you’re new to Spirit of Truth, and really want to get a feel for what we’re about and what we’re doing, the blog is a great place to check out. You can “follow” the blog by clicking on the icon on the right hand side of the site. You can join the conversation by commenting on existing posts, or getting in contact with us to become an author on the site.

What’s been going on:

1. We continue to meet every Sunday from 11am to noon. Sunday gatherings are a place to explore our faith, and our own stories. Why do we care about justice? What is going on in our communities? What does our faith have to do with all of this? How are we going to act? We have multiple ways at getting at these topics; prayer, conversation, stories, singing and meditation. We’ll continue to try new practices as we feel we need them. Everyone is welcome and invited!

2. Coffee visits – we continue to have coffee visits, also called one to one conversations, depending on your choice of language. We believe learning each other’s stories is a big part of how we create community, and how we build the base on which we can act for justice. If you’d like to know more about Spirit of Truth, meet anyone from our community, or share some of your story, let us know, and we can set something up.

www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org

http://spiritoftruthtwincities.blogspot.com/

Spirit of Truth Faith Community

701 N Lexington Parkway

St Paul, MN 55104

Peter Marincel, organizer:

651-336-6726

petermarincel@gmail.com

Spirit of Truth Newsletter, January 31, 2011

Spirit of Truth Newsletter January 31st, 2011

Hello! This is the Spirit of Truth newsletter, to keep us all up to date on what’s going on with our community. Take a look, and see what you think. If you know someone who might light Spirit of Truth, forward this on to them. If you’d like to be taken off the list, or if you’d like to know more, reply and let us know.

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:

1. Sunday Gatherings: We continue to get together every Sunday at 11am for prayer and celebration. Our gatherings are not formal, and are non-traditional. We sing songs, have discussions, and do some meditative prayer. We often stick to a topic or theme such as freedom, forgiveness, etc. Or someone tells a story. We listen to each other, and the ancestors through readings or quotes. The gathering is about an hour long, and people usually stick around for pastries, bagels, coffee and visiting. If you’ve been interested in checking it out, please do, we’d love to have you there.

2. Action: Spirit of Truth is about acting for justice. We believe that a faith community should exist to ACT on our values, not just talk about them. So, we’re organizing with a group of people in the Twin Cities that clean Cub Foods stores and other buildings in our neighborhoods. We’re partnering with them and the worker justice center called CTUL, to get Cub Foods to act with integrity and treat these workers fairly. They are asking for a code of conduct from Cub Foods so they can count on a decent standard of living. Cub foods and the other big box stores are part of our community, so we have a responsibility to speak up. Click HERE for more information about this campaign. Stay tuned to Spirit of Truth for upcoming actions. If you want to get involved right now, reply to this email, and we’ll get you started with us!

3. Spirit of Truth Blog: We are working to spruce up the blog, and start using it regularly and diversely. We envision the blog being a place where we can have good discussion about our faith and values, where we can keep each other up to date on what’s happening, and where people new to Spirit of Truth can learn about what Spirit of Truth is through the words of the leaders themselves. You can subscribe to follow the blog as well. We will be up and running with at least weekly postings in the next couple of weeks.

What’s been going on:

Things have been moving at Spirit of Truth. New people are joining us each week. We are trying new songs, and new conversations each Sunday. We are also working to set up more conversations about values and action outside of those Sundays. We call these conversations Spirit Moves, because they travel around the cities. If you’d like to have a conversation about values and action, or any issue that is important to your faith, let us know.

New energy is central to Spirit of Truth. Come join the conversation and the action in any way you feel compelled. If you believe in love and justice, we need you!

www.spiritoftruthtwincities.org

Spirit of Truth Faith Community

Peter Marincel, organizer:

651-336-6726

petermarincel@gmail.com

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

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

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