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The Center for Public Ministry
Advancing the art of social justice ministry |
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The Center for Public Ministry is dedicated to equipping the church to be a powerful and sustained force for social justice.
Interested
in participating
or want to know more?
Contact
Steve Newcom
Director
651.255.6139 |
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About Us |
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History:
Between 2007 and 2010, founding director Steve Newcom researched the state of theological education and social justice ministry in mainline Protestant seminaries. Though a strong affirmation of the centrality of social justice in the life and mission of the church was recognized, significant gaps existed. Most seminaries lacked courses that equip students for leadership in social justice ministry, organizing frameworks, and a curriculum that facilitates student integration of social justice imperatives.
Typology:
To address these gaps, Steve developed a public ministry typology to provide an organizing framework to advance the body of knowledge and practice of social justice ministry. The typology reflects a paradigm shift: from issues to strategies and from knowledge to competencies.
Shifting the conceptual framework of social justice expands the focus to include “how” and moves into the realm of practical theology. The typology provides a framework for organizing and advancing a body of knowledge and body of practice for doing public ministry.
Program Priorities:
The Center for Public Ministry serves as a catalyst to expand and deepen social justice education at United Theological Seminary, increase the public voice and effectiveness of local and regional religious bodies, and advance public ministry as a practical theological discipline within seminary education through:
Education & Capacity Building, which addresses important social issues in ways that highlight the strategic and practical skills required for effective and sustained social justice ministry.
Action Research of academic literature and practitioner knowledge to identify best practices and core competencies and integrate this within a Public Ministry strategy and leadership framework.
Movement Building across diverse communities (faith, identity, social, political, etc.) that builds power and strengthens the progressive voice.
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What’s Happening |
Engaging Congregations Against the Anti-Marriage Amendment
Presented by the Center for Public Ministry
Tuesday, November 29, 12:15 PM
Thursday, December 1, 12:15 PM
Who: United Theological Seminary students, faculty, and staff
Where: Small Dining Room
When: 12:15 PM on Tuesday, November 29th and Thursday, December 1st
Join us for a brief lunch workshop concerning the anti-marriage amendment on the 2012 ballot in Minnesota and the unique voice of faith in the campaign. We will present particular goals and tactics for the campaign and how your congregation can get involved while utilizing its unique gifts. We will also discuss different resources available to churches and how the United community can get involved in the campaign. |
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What’s Happened
Overcoming Racism: Listen, Connect, Commit
Friday, November 18, 2011, 8:00 AM-5:30 PM
Saturday, November 19, 2011, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Metropolitan State University, St. Paul Campus
Download and share the flyer
Register now!
Plenary session info
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Faith-Based Strategic Storytelling
Monday, November 7
7:00-9:00 PM
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
700 Snelling Ave
St. Paul, MN
Lutherans Concerned/North America is offering an opportunity to help folks from ALL faith communities work on your own stories, helping you to craft them into an effective movement-building tool. “Faith-Based Strategic Storytelling for the Minnesota Marriage Moment” will train you to tell your story compellingly and efficiently, honing stories into powerful, two-minute instruments for persuasion. This training will focus on speaking from your own faith, integrating personal stories with talking points and positive frames for engaging the faith community and others to defeat the amendment.
For more details and to register in advance, visit www.lcna.org/news/445-news-2011-10-07.
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Love Your Neighbor Training
Saturday, November 5
10:00 AM-3:00 PM
Richfield United Methodist Church
5835 Lyndale Ave S
Minneapolis, MN
Join with other United Methodists for Love Your Neighbor, co-sponsored by Affirmation, the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) and the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). Jurisdictional Organizer Kristian Clauser will lead this informative and engaging workshop about: Storytelling as an approach to Holy Conversations, the people of faith campaign against the MN marriage amendment, dialogue and relationship building, and much more. Lunch is included and childcare is available by request.
Coming OUT 4 Marriage Equality
Saturday, October 29
9:30AM-2:30PM
Robbinsdale United Church of Christ
4200 Lake Road
Robbinsdale, MN
"Coming OUT 4 Marriage Equality" is a continuation of the break-out group work begun on September 19th at the People of Faith Organizing Kick-Off. Over 90 UCC folks gathered, brainstormed, and made many suggestions of what we can do to support marriage equality and resist the constitutional amendment. Folks felt we needed to gather again to work out more details, and so we will have this time together on October 29th. The event is free and includes lunch and all materials.
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Doing Justice: An Interfaith Panel
on Same-Gender Marriage and Social Movements
Tuesday, November 1
7:00-9:00 PM
Humphrey School
Cowles Auditorium
301 19th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Join panelists from four faith perspectives as they explore theological underpinnings regarding marriage and same-gender marriage, the ethics of a campaign to deny rights to a group of people, and faith teachings about doing justice. Reception to follow in the Humphrey School Atrium.
Speakers include:
Rabbi Michael Latz, senior rabbi, Congregation Shir Tikvah
Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, director of the Institute of Welcoming Resources, a program of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force
Rev. Dr. Carolyn Pressler, Harry C. Piper Jr. professor of biblical interpretation, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities
Farheen Hakeem, Muslim anti-oppression activist
For more information, contact Ross Neely at 612.626.8086.
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God in Public: The Inaugural Event
April 11, 2011
Select this link to view the YouTube video of the event
“God In Public” was the inaugural event put on by Steve Newcom, director of the newly created Center for Public Ministry at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. This ground-breaking event featured the following panelists: Mark Ritchie, the current Minnesota Secretary of State; Peg Chemberlin, executive director, Minnesota Council of Churches, and president, National Council of Churches; Peter Hutchinson, president, Bush Foundation; Sharon Tan, McVay associate professor of Christian ethics, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities; and Doran Schrantz, executive director, ISAIAH.
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Spirituality & Activism
June 6, 2011
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Staff
Steve Newcom, Director
Steven Newcom is an ordained minister in the Community of Christ church, a United alum (1980), and the founding director of the Center for Public Ministry, who’s mission is to advance the church’s effectiveness as a sustained and powerful force for social justice.
Newcom was awarded an Archibald Bush Foundation Leadership Fellowship in 2007-2009 to research the intersection of theological education and social justice ministry. Prior to founding the Center, Steve served as executive director of the Headwaters Foundation for Justice for 18 years. Prior to that, he worked for the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches. Since 1995, he has been an adjunct professor in the Philanthropy and Development Graduate School of St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, teaching organization leadership and management.
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Aaron Lauer, Research Associate
Aaron graduated from United in 2010 with an M.A.
in Religion and Theology. A native Nebraskan, Aaron grew up with a deep interest in politics, history, and religion, and sees the work of the Center as important in advancing the church’s role in orchestrating social change. He is the minister to children, youth, and families at First Congregational Church of Minnesota and enjoys reading, exercising, and indie rock music.
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Cecilia Runge, Program and Administration Associate
Cecilia is an M.Div. student at United with concentrations in Pastoral Care & Counseling and Justice & Peace Studies. Cecilia is an active member of campus life and serves as the student body moderator. She is invested in the fight for LGBT equality and currently volunteers with the Marriage Equality Campaign in Minnesota. Cecilia is the minister for children and youth at Linden Hills United Church of Christ and is a member in discernment of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ. Cecilia is thrilled to be a part of the Center for Public Ministry, where she studies what makes social justice ministry successful and how to equip the church to be a powerful and sustained force for social justice.
She believes the Center is currently the most cutting-edge thing happening at United. Cecilia enjoys singing, cooking, and spending time with her fiancé.
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Pamela Cook, Research Associate
Please check back for Pamela’s bio. |
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