 September 2007 PSD PeopleThis fall we welcome Rev. Kent Saleska, newly settled minister at UU Church of Minnetonka at Wayzata, MN; Rev. Kate Rohde, newly settled minister at First Unitarian Church, Omaha, NE; Rev. Sally Hamlin, interim minister at UU Congregation of Duluth, MN; Rev. Charlotte Cowtan, interim minister at First Universalist Church, Minneapolis, MN; Rev. Lisa Doege, interim minister at Michael Servetus Unitarian Society, Fridley, MN; and Rev. Roger D. Jones, interim minister at Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship, Bloomington, MN. We also welcome Matt Alspaugh, Hallman Ministerial Intern at Unity Church – Unitarian, St. Paul, MN; Jacqueline Duhart, Community Ministerial Intern, also at Unity; Steven Protzman, Ministerial Intern at First Unitarian Society, Minneapolis, MN. Kudos to Rev. Mark Stringer (First Unitarian Church, Des Moines IA) and Rev. Brian Eslinger (UU Fellowship, Ames, IA) who conducted the first same sex marriages in Iowa late in August. A Polk County judge ruled that the Iowa law banning same sex marriage was unconstitutional, and for a few hours [until he stayed his ruling four hours later], couples rejoiced as they went to the courthouse to get marriage licenses. Mark said, "It was a very quick decision for me to say 'yes' to them because for so many years I’ve performed same-sex union ceremonies without the piece of paper. It was awesome. Every religion can do what they want, but in my faith tradition, we believe in love and justice and to me, this was an example of love and justice.” Charlotte Stephens (UU Fellowship, Saint Cloud, MN) was awarded the spirit of the River Award by the Great River Interfaith Partnership. GRIP is a caucus of ISAIAH, a faith-based community organizing group associated with the Gamaliel Foundation in Chicago. Charlotte is on the GRIP Leadership Team and has worked on task forces for affordable housing and human rights and helped to create a new organizational structure for GRIP. These PSD Ministers were recognized at the Service of the Living Tradition at General Assembly last June:
The newest and first of its kind seminary program to be offered online through Starr King School of Ministry in Berkeley, California called Seminary for the Laity has accepted Joyce Jones (Pilgrim House UU Fellowship, Arden Hills, MN) in its first class of only 20 students.  Prairie Star participants at UUMN conference Among the almost 200 UUMN (Musicians' Network) members attended the 25th annual UUMN conference, July 31-Aug. 5, 2007 in Clearwater, FL were pictured (counter-clockwise from the left) Carolyn Hildebrandt (UU Society of Black Hawk County, Cedar Falls, IA), Sonja Johnston (MN Valley UU Fellowship, Bloomington, MN), Dave Simmons (Shawnee Mission UU Church, Overland Park, KS), Becky Post (UU Fellowship, La Crosse, WI), Mimi Kuester, (UU Society of Black Hawk County, Cedar Falls, IA), and Warren Park (Minneapolis, MN). PSD CongregationsKay Montgomery, the Executive Vice President of the Unitarian Universalist Association, joins White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church (Mahtomedi, MN) on Sunday, October 14, when a vision of sustainability with reverence for the land is celebrated at WBUUC’s building dedication. Peter Mayer debuts his commissioned hymn “Church of the Earth” when the building is dedicated. |