EMerge: The Blog

Scholarships Available for Youth Peace Conference

The Peace and Justice Task Force of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area would like to offer five scholarships for youth from our Presbytery to attend the POWER Summit, a youth conference this summer in St. Paul.  Anyone interested should contact Jevne Kloeber at jevne5@msn.com or 952-496-9140 no later than June 1.  You can find out more about the POWER Summit by going to the following website:  http://www.csjstpaul.org/content.asp?id=1684.

Caring for the Vulerable During the Winter Months

Minnesota has long been called the "nation's icebox."  While we prepare for the bone-chilling temps by dressing warmly, many of us only have to hop from our cars to our places of work and homes there are many who have to brave the elements without a place to call home. 

The Office of National Health Ministries has put together a valuable list for individuals and congregations to help those during the Winter Months.  For more information, please go to: http://www.pcusa.org/nationalhealth/careteams/vulnerable-people-cold-weather.htm

Jim Wallis to Speak in the Twin Cities

Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourner's Magazine, has a new book on faith and politics called, The Great Awakening. Wallis will be in Minneapolis talking about the book at the following locations:

Feb. 20, 2008:Minneapolis MN
The Great Awakening
University of Minnesota (4 p.m.)

Feb. 20, 2008:Minneapolis MN
The Great Awakening
First Universalist Church (7:30 p.m.)

Feb. 21, 2008: St. Paul MN
Westminster Town Hall Forum
Macalester College (12 p.m.)

Feb. 21, 2008: Wayzata MN
The Great Awakening
Wayzata Community Church (7 p.m.)

For more information go to: http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=get_connected.events

Environmental Share Fair @North Como

From Carole Rust, Chair of the Environmental Stewardship Task Force:

We want to really encourage EVERY church to come to send representatives to our first big event, an Environmental Share Fair on Sat., Feb. 16 at North Como Presbyterian Church in Roseville from 9:30 - 12:00.

If you don't have an environmental group at your church send a member of the staff, Session, Education Comm., or other reps so you will not be left out of this fantastic opportunity for your church to network with other Presbytery churches, get resources, learn about the General Assembly's 2006 Resolution 09-22 "On Calling All Presbyterians to Take Positive and Immediate Steps to Live Carbon Neutral Lives", as well as hear a great panel of speakers which will include:

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  Lisa Herschberger who is a board member for Congregations Caring for Creation, and research scientist who is qualified to provide info on the report by the Governor's MN Climate Change Advisory Group. She will point us toward actions we can take and let us in on some things currently going on.
  
  


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  Cheryl Miller is Project Coordinator of the Minnesota Terrestrial Carbon Sequestration Initiative, a scientific-public policy forum designed to improve understanding and management of carbon stocks in the state's forests, agricultural areas, and natural areas. Her interest is in Green House Gas emissions as they effect the environment and she will discuss a new report from the U of M and ideas for funding multiple-benefit sequestration activities locally and in the state.
  
  


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  Sean Gosiewski, Executive Director of the Alliance for Sustainability will be on hand to talk about some future opportunities for action and learning including a gathering at Augsberg College and legislative action . 
  
  

Churches will have a chance to share what they have been doing and plan to do environmentally and we encourage people to bring both ideas and resources to share! We'll have light refreshments if you haven't had time to eat breakfast that morning. Hope to see you on Sat Feb. 16th!! 

Presbytery Office Closed on January 21

The Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area will not be available on Monday, January 21.  The office will be closed to honor the Martin Luther King Holiday.  We will reopen on Tuesday, January 22.

Kwanzaa Raises Its Voice in Song in the Fight Against AIDS

Last month, members and friends of Kwanzaa Presbyterian in North Minneapolis gathered to record a CD that would help bring awareness to the the threat of AIDS in the African American community.  Called "Love Songs For Those Infected and Affected by HIV/AIDS," the proceeds from the CD will go to help the church's outreach efforts to help prevent the disease.

The Twin Cities Weekly, City Pages, wrote a brief blog entry last month that you can view here. Below is a video showing Kwanzaa's choir and friends in action, singing the childhood tune,  "Jesus Loves Me."
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ps3IT_I_c4&rel=1&border=1]
You can see photos from the event by going here. We will let you know when the CD becomes available.

New Peace and Justice Task Force Webpage

The Peace and Justice Task Force of the PTCA now has it's own webpage. If you have an peacemaking event you would like added , please contact Commuications Specialist Dennis Sanders at communications@ptcaweb.org. Go here to visit the task force's website.