Sunday Forum Schedule
September–December 2024
September 15
Recovery Sunday
Miracles at the 2218 Alano Club
Alano Clubs are not only places for recovery groups to have meetings on a regular basis; they are also facilities that provide social and recreational activities for the recovering addict/alcoholic and their families in a clean and sober environment. And one of the oldest, if not the oldest, of all the Alano Clubs in the world is only a few blocks from Plymouth Church, also known simply as “2218.” Today we will learn about the history of 2218 and also what is happening there today.
Bobby Giancola is the President and Darin Olson is the Treasurer of the Alano Club at 2218 First Avenue South. Both of these guys are recovering alcoholics and grateful members of Alcoholics Anonymous.
September 22
Art and Healing with Devin Larkins
Devin Larkins is a professional photographer and digital artist who used his art to recover from a hit and run car accident that left him unable to walk and work for 4 months. Devin creates contemplative philosophical abstract art to stir inspiration, spark hope and ignite passion.
September 29
Medicare 101 & Senior LinkAge Line
Medicare can be complicated. Understand the basics so you can manage your health care options. The Senior LinkAge Line® is a free, statewide service for elder Minnesotans and caregivers to find answers and connect to the services and support they need.
Mussa Ahmed, Community Outreach Specialist with Trellis, is an experienced community advocate dedicated to empowering and educating immigrant and refugee communities in Minneapolis. He is a respected faith leader and fluent in multiple languages. In addition, he volunteers with youth and promotes cultural understanding through storytelling.
The mission of Trellis is to assist individuals to age well and develop the capacity of communities to care for an aging population.
October 6
Mental Health Connect
October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and research suggests that at least half of us will deal with a mental health concern at some point in our lives. Church is an important place to talk about this! Learn about Mental Health Connect, a newer Plymouth partner, which works on stigma reduction and education around mental illness, specifically within faith communities.
Ann Ellison (she/her) is co-chair of the Mental Health Connect board of directors and recently retired after a 40-year career in health care, most recently as Director of Interfaith Health and Community Outreach for Fairview. Ann has a B.A. in Social Work from the College of St. Catherine and a M.A. in Health and Human Service Administration from St. Mary’s University. Ann is passionate about the role faith communities can play in the health and wellbeing of their members and their communities.
October 13
Trauma Sponges
Dispatches from the Scarred Heart of Emergency Response
Working as a first responder has given the author a unique perspective about life in Minneapolis. He details the personal and social toll this work exacts, from helping the sick and the hurt, the scared and the nervous, to responding to the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
Jeremy Norton is a veteran of 22 years as a first responder. A native of Washington, DC, Norton received a Bachelor’s in Literature from Tufts University & a Master’s in Creative Writing from Boston University. He taught high school English in Chattanooga, TN before landing in Minneapolis.
October 20
What You Can Do About Toxic Polarization
In a follow up to Stock’s presentation last spring on drivers of polarization and political violence, this session will explore tactic and strategies you can employ for bridging these divides in your daily life and in your community.
Nathan Stock and his wife, Kate Taber, are active members of Plymouth. He is a Policy Advocate and Conflict Analyst for the Carter Center. He designed a new Carter Center project to mitigate political and identity-based violence in the United States that began the summer of 2020. Through his work he is building diverse networks of citizens from across the political spectrum to serve as community advocates for electoral democracy and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Nathan has an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict from American University and a B.A. in International Relations from Colgate University.
October 27
Clergy Discussion
As the church year gets underway, we look forward to a yearly discussion with our clergy team.
DeWayne Davis, Lead Minister; Beth Faeth, Minister for Congregational Life; and Seth Patterson, Minister for Justice and the Arts.
November 3
Understanding Christian Nationalism
Its Sources and Dangers
It seems everyone is talking about “Christian Nationalism” these days. But what is it? Where does it come from? This talk will explore both the sources and dangers of Christian Nationalism with the purpose of empowering progressive Christians to speak intelligently, empathetically, and prophetically about this issue..
Dr. Kyle Roberts is vice-president of academic affairs and dean, and holds the Schilling chair as professor of public theology and the church and economic life at United Theological Seminary where he teaches teaches Introduction to Theological and Religious Interpretation, Christian Ethics, Historical Theology (modern period), Senior Capstone Seminar, and various electives—including Evil, Death, and Alienation and Eschatology and Hope. Roberts has been Academic Dean at United since January 2018.
November 10
Green Cremation
Green cremation is a gentle, eco-friendly alternative to flame-based cremation and a relatively new procedure in the funeral industry. It was originally patented in 1888 and has been used medically for years by the Mayo Clinic. Minnesota is the first state to have this option available to the general public.
Jason Bradshaw is Bradshaw Group’s (Bradshaw Funeral and Cremation Services) President/CEO and Chief Operating Officer. Since 2010, Jason has been responsible for the company’s bio-cremation project (Green Cremation), becoming the most experienced provider in the United States.
November 17
We Belong to the Earth
A Conversation about Natural Burial
Learn about various burial options from both a spiritual and an environmental perspective, as well as discuss natural burial as a practice that can forward caring for the earth.
Anne Archbold and Marilaurice Hemlock are long-time leaders within the Land Conservation Natural Burial group. Anne describes herself as a funeral celebrant, social worker, caregiver for elders in her life, person of faith, worm composter, gardener and lover of prairies. Marilaurice is a funeral celebrant, musician, ritualist, death educator, gardener, and lover of the earth.
November 24
Public Church Framework
As part of Augsburg University’s Riverside Innovation Hub’s Thriving Congregations Grant, using the framework of the Public Church, we learned how to leave the spaces of our building, go out into our neighborhood, walk alongside our neighbors, find out their joys, sorrows, worries and wishes, and using this information, determining how to best work with the community to be the good news in the neighborhood. Fifteen congregations took part in the two-year program.
Kristin Fruge, Riverside Innovation Hub Program Manager, Augsburg University, and Nina Johnson, Director of Children and Youth, along with members Jean Tracy and Theresa Voss share their experiences with the Riverside Innovation Hub, what they learned, what they feel called to do, and how you can be part of the experience.
December 8
Housing Justice: Homelessness in Our Community
Members of Align Minneapolis’ Street Voice of Change, individuals with current or past personal experiences with homelessness, will share their work and how they organize for change. Katie Dillon, chair of Plymouth’s Housing Justice Committee and director of Align, will discuss the reality of homelessness in our community. Align Minneapolis is an interfaith collaboration of 18 churches, synagogues, mosques, and people with lived experiences working together to address homelessness and poverty.
December 15
We Were Made To Grieve
Is there a beauty, stillness, and unknown that grief brings into our lives? Why is it that grief needs to be witnessed? Could grief be a form of learning? How do we honor our grief during the holiday season? These questions and more will be explored during our time together.
Birdie Cunningham has twenty years of experience in public health and is currently working in hospice. She received her end-of-life doula training through the International End-of-Life Doula Association and is currently a student at United Theological Seminary. She offers a unique blend of education and population health to the grief field. She is known for creating holistic, evidence-based grief programs that allow space for personal understanding and growth.