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Healing Minnesota Services

Everyone is invited to services of song, speakers and spiritual reflection that inspire love, respect and healing in a time of division about the proposed constitutional amendment on marriage rights. Read the ministers' op-ed, "A Call for Healing," in the Southwest Journal.

These services started Sept. 25, 2011, with preacher Barbara Lundblad. She said: Gay marriage hasn't hurt marriage in Massachusetts, which has a very low divorce rate, "and it won't in Minnesota, either."

Healing Minnesota services take place 5 p.m., fourth Sundays (except December) through October 2012. A final service is planned for 7 p.m., November 11.
Oct. 23, 2011 Edwin Kelley

Nov. 27, 2011 Rebecca Voelkel speaks

Jan. 22. 2012 Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak speaks; actor Sally Wingert reads

Feb. 26, 2012 State Senator John Marty speaks; Jearlyn Steele sings

March 25, 2012 Senior Minister James Gertmenian speaks; Connie Evingson sings.

April 22, 2012 Mary Albing speaks; Bradley Greenwald sings (bios at right)

May 27, 2012 Service of words and music; Maria Jette, soprano

June 24, 2012 Speaker is Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, from Temple Israel; dancer Justin Leaf contributes; Linda Kelsey reads

July 22, 2012 Javen Swanson and Oby Ballinger speak; Steve Harlan Marks sings; Charlotte Sullivan reads

Aug. 26, 2012 Don Shelby speaks; trumpeter Charles Lazarus plays

Sept. 23, 2012 Sharon Sayles Belton speaks; James Lenfestey reads; the Plymouth Choir provides the music

Oct. 28, 2012 Marilyn Carlson Nelson speaks; One Voice Mixed Chorus sings; Sam King reads

Nov. 11, 2012, 7 p.m. Rev. Grant Stevensen, faith director for Minnesotans United for All Families, is the speaker; music to be announced.

Supporters of marriage for all gathered for a post-election Celebrating Healing Minnesota service, Nov. 11, 7 p.m., with Rev. Grant Stevensen, faith director for Minnesotans United for All Families, Rabbi Jennifer Gertman, pianist Sanford Moore and singer Dennis Spears (pictured). Message audio and opening remarks audio and PDF are posted here. Co-sponsored with OutFront Minnesota, Westminster Presbyterian Church, First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Temple Israel, Unity Church-Unitarian, Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer, Shir Tikvah Congregation and Minnesota Conference United Church of Christ.

Oct. 28, 5 p.m., Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chair of Carlson, spoke eloquently; listen to the recording or read the PDF of her talk; One Voice Mixed Chorus: Minnesota’s GLBTA Chorus sang; Sam King read her poetry.

Marilyn Carlson Nelson has appeared on Forbes magazine’s list as one of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.” She has been named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by U.S. News and World Report, and in 2007, Ethisphere Magazine called her one of the “100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics.” She is the best-selling author of How We Lead Matters: Reflections on a Life of Leadership.

One Voice Mixed Chorus: Minnesota's GLBTA Chorus unites gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people and straight allies to build community and create social change by raising our voices in song. As one of the largest GLBT chorus in North America, One Voice is known for its musical excellence, diverse programming, and deep commitment to community outreach. The 110 singing members range from ages 17 to 77, and the “Fifth Section” boasts more than 50 non-singing volunteers. Whether performing in schools, at community events, or on stage for marquee concerts, One Voice inspires transformation through passionate, vibrant and creative performances. The award-winning chorus, under the direction of Artistic Director Jane Ramseyer Miller, has performed for thousands of people throughout the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota and beyond and is described by Chorus America as “one of the region’s best ensembles.”

Sept. 23, 5 p.m.
Sharon Sayles Belton, former mayor of Minneapolis, spoke; writer, poet and Plymouth member Jim Lenfestey read three poem; Sanford Moore played piano improvisations, and the Plymouth Choir sang.

Aug. 26, 5 p.m.
Renowned journalist and former news anchor Don Shelby
spoke, Charles Lazarus (pictured), a trumpet player with “bedazzling technique” (Newsday), played.

July 22
"Hearts are Hearts," and "When You're Gone," Steve Harlan-Marks led the music during the service. Click here for the entire service recording.

Oby Ballinger and Javen Swanson, pictured, spoke from their perspectives as a married couple and people of faith. Oby Ballinger was called to be pastor of Community United Church of Christ in St. Paul Park in 2009. Prior to this position, he worked as a religious organizer for Love Makes a Family, a nonprofit LGBT advocacy organization in Connecticut. Along with his pastoral work, Ballinger is currently employed part-time by Minnesotans United for All Families to organize Minnesota UCC members in opposition to the proposed marriage amendment.

Ballinger and his husband Javen Swanson, a future pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, were married in Connecticut in May 2009. Swanson says his belief in “the inherent dignity of every person teaches him to challenge man-made systems that perpetuate oppression.” Swanson is Outfront Minnesota’s faith organizer and is currently working on the faith department at Minnesotans United for All Families on the campaign to defeat the marriage amendment.

June 24
Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman (at left) of Temple Israel, spoke on the evening of Pride Sunday. Pictured at right, Justin Leaf danced and actor Linda Kelsey read.

Rabbi Marcia A. Zimmerman has been the senior rabbi of Temple Israel since 2001 and she holds the Alvin & June Perlman Senior Rabbinic Chair. She is the first female rabbi at Temple Israel and the first female rabbi to serve a congregation of Temple's size as a senior rabbi; one of the ten largest synagogues in the country. She also served as assistant and associate rabbi at Temple Israel after her arrival in July 1988. Rabbi Zimmerman was recently named one of the top 50 most influential Rabbis of 2012 by Newsweek and The Daily Beast. More.

Justin Leaf is a performance artist, choreographer, dance teacher and yoga teacher based in Minneapolis. He received his B.F.A. in Dance Performance from the Juilliard School in 2001 and has been a company member of James Sewell Ballet (2002–2008) and Minnesota Dance Theatre (2008–present). His choreographic commissions include new works for Minnesota Dance Theatre, James Sewell Ballet and the Minnesota Orchestra, as well as for his own performance company Junkyard Theater, which brings a blend of dance, music and theater to the cabaret stage. He received the 2001 Zaraspe Prize for Outstanding Choreography, a 2007 Minnesota SAGE Award for Best Performance and a 2009 McKnight Fellowship for Dancers funded by the McKnight Foundation and administered by the Southern Theater. More: www.justinleaf.com

April 22

[MP3 recording of the April 22 service]

Bradley Greenwald has performed opera, theater, music-theater, concert and recital repertoire with such Twin Cities’ arts organizations as Jungle Theater, Children's Theatre Company, Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Dance Theatre, VocalEssence, Minnesota Orchestra, Lyra Baroque Orchestra, A Prairie Home Companion, 10,000 Things, Skylark Opera and Ballet of the Dolls.

Mary Albing is a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Ordained for Word and Sacrament ministry in 1988, she has served parishes in eastern North Dakota and Minneapolis, and as a chaplain and Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisory candidate at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. She was adjunct professor in homiletics at Luther seminary. She has published a number of parish education materials for the ELCA and a book, Called Into Ministry (Kirk House Press).
Mary has served Lutheran Church of Christ the Redeemer in Southwest Minneapolis, a congregation devoted to social justice and worship, since 2003. She was technically on leave from call, and the congregation technically vacant, for seven years as the ELCA struggled with its policies with respect to LGBT rostered ministers. Her ministry was formally recognized in 2010 as the first partnered lesbian pastor in the ELCA. She and her partner Jane have two grown children, Hannah and Dan, a daughter-in-law, Bethany, and two spoiled dogs, Bubbles and Bianca.

 

Jazz artist Connie Evingson (above) joined Senior Minister James Gertmenian for the Healing Minnesota service, 5 p.m., March 25.

On Feb. 26, 5 p.m., State Senator John Marty spoke about love overcoming fear, Jearlyn Steele sang "How Great Thou Art" and "This Day" at the Healing Minnesota service.

Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak spoke on the theme "You are not alone," at the 5 p.m., Jan. 22 Healing Minnesota service. Sally Wingert, actor, read poetry and prose, and Plymouth Church soloists Maria Jette, Jenny French, Dan Dressen and Jim Bohn sang.

 

"Rooted in God's Love" was the topic Nov. 27 for the Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. [Video excerpt from talk.]

Singing at the Nov. 27 Healing Minnesota service were Anders Eckman, Andrew Kane, Ryan French and Ray Noble, members of VocalEssence Ensemble Singers.

Healing Minnesota bulletin, Oct. 23, 2011

Po Cheng (Ritual Bell), artist unknown, China, late 6th–early 5th century B.C.E., Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

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