Dialogues

First Tuesday Dialogues

"The Good Society: Beyond Shutdowns"

Dialogues' 2011-2012 Series continues

THIS TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6

7:00 p.m.

"The Role of Late Night Television and the Funny Man in a Civil Society"

with

Minnesota Supreme Court Association Justice Paul Anderson

The state of MN and the nation itself are divided and in turmoil in the ancient dilemma of principle and compromise. First Tuesday Dialogues invites you to examine the causes and the remedies in this series and to.The 2011 - 2012 series looks at representative democracy in the wake of last summer's 21 day state government shutdown in Minnesota.

The shutdown raised the questions of what happened and how do we prevent it from happening again.

An old adage says that if you see a turtle sitting on a fence post, you can be be sure it didn't get up there by itself. Our representatives were put there by the people who elected them to office. The question, then, is ours to answer: What do we expect of them?

A constitutional republic governed through representative democracy is as healthy and functional as its representatives ability to advocate for their positions and to compromise effectively on behalf of the larger whole. In the push and shove between principle and compromise, what do we, the people, expect of them once they are elected to the fence posts?

St. Francis Regional Medical Center joins Shepherd of the Hill Church in Chaska as the corporate sponsor for FirstTuesday Dialogues new series. Thanks to St. Francis and to partners The City of Chaska, Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area, and the Beacon Council. Special thanks to the planning team: Bob Roepke, Chuck Lieber, Dave Pokorney, and Jackie Johnston.

Read feature "New Dialogues Focus on the Voter" in the Chaska Herald

Here's the Series:

Watch Tuesday, Oct. 4: "Representative Democracy: Beyond the Shutdown"
Jim Schowalter, MN Commissioner of Management and Budget, informed us of the budget compromise that followed the state gov't shutdown. Dave Pokorney moderated a vigorous discussion of of:
"What do we - you and I - expect from those we elect to represent us in the halls of representative democracy?"
Tuesday, Nov. 15: "Polarization & Civility: a Pollster Looks at Recent Trends in Voter Attitudes"
Professional pollster, Bill Morris (Decisions Resources), presented polling data that describes "The New Normal" reflected in the tracking polls of Minnesota voter attitudes
Former U.S. Congressman the Hon. David Minge (now serving as Judge, M Court of Appeals) refelcted on the current state of polarization and civility in light of his experience in Congress and the longer history of intense, and sometimes bloody, conflict in the history of the republic.
Tuesday, Dec. 6: "The Responsible Citizen and Informed Electorate"
The Hon. Paul Anderson, Associate Justice, MN Supreme Court leads the discussion on developing an informed electorate and responsible citizenship. District 112 School Superintendance Jim Bauck serves as respondant.
Tuesday, Feb. 7: "The Good Society: Religious Visions"
An Interfaith Panel of Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders (TBA) offers different traditions' visions of "The Good Society" that inform and shape an electorate's presuppositons about principles and compromises.

About First Tuesday Dialogues
It's the new name for Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues, a program that began in May 2005 as a kind of Chaska town hall forum to examine critical public issues locally and globally. At SHPC we hear the Sermon on the Mount as a summons to reflect self-critically and thoughtfully about the unconscious assumptions that shape our private and public lives in the 21st Century. As Socrates challenged the hidden assumptions of Athens in his day, First Tuesday Dialogues offer a platform for speakers who challlenge the collective mind of our time. First Tuesday Dialogues began with single events. Kosuke Koyama, John D. Rockefeller Professor Emeritus of World Christianity, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, inaugurated the program with a look at "Jesus and the Buddha: Pilgrim or Tourist?" Single presentations followed by Carver County Attorney Mike Fahey, family life educator Ada Alden, Guantanamo defense attorney Joseph Margulies, and MN Supreme Court Associate Justice Paul Anderson.
The success of these events led to the creation of series around central themes. The inital First Tuesday Dialogues series - "Religion: Balm or Bomb?" - featured historical theologian Paul Capetz of United Theological Seminary; Imam Makram El-Amin; Senior Rabbi Zimmerman; and Senior Minister Bruce Robbins (Spring 2006). The Fall 2007 Series dealt with "The Spiritual Roots of Terror and Hope" featuring Macalester College historian Mahmoud El-Kati; Rabbi Joseph Edelheit; American Indian Movement co-founder Clyde H. Bellecourt; Puerto Rican Hennepin County Chief Public Defender Leonardo Castro;and Kwanzaa Community Church Co-Pastor Alika Galloway. The 2008 Spring Series addressed "The Good Green Earth: Sustainability" featuring meteorologist Craig Edwards; former Los Alamos museum curator, Professor Robert Seidel; Upik ('Eskimo') activist and artist Richard LaFortune; and Sustainability Associates' President and VP of Congregations Caring for Creation Terry Gips. The 2008 fall series focused on community. "The Community of 100: Restoring Community in a Lock-Down Society" addressed a Pew Center report that one in 100 people in the United States are in the criminal justice system. Speakers included retired MN Supreme Court Associate Justice Esther Tomljanovich; Professor of Psychology Emeritus and restorative justice advocate Mona Gustafson Affinito, Ph.D. of Forgiveness Options; Chaska Chief of Police Scott Knight; and former Chaska Mayor and leading citizen Bob Roepke.
Each First Tuesday Dialogues event begins with the speaker's followed by a 30-40 minute presentation, and 45 minutes of participant dialogue with the speaker and other guests. SHPC jazz-gospel pianist Momoh Freeman often offers a half-hour concert from 6:30 to 7:00 PM prior to the speaker's introduction. Pastor Gordon Stewart serves as moderator.
Click here for Chaska Herald interview with Pastor Gordon Stewart prior to the 2008 fall series "One in 100: Restoring Community in a Lock Down Society" or here for Chaska Herald piece in advance of the 2008 fall First Tuesday Dialogues series on sustainability and the good green Earth. Below are photos of some of the previous Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues speakers.
"Spend an Evening with a Neighbor" a series of dialogues in March and April, 2010 marked the inauguration of a year of creating communities of belonging for people with disabilities in Carver County. First Tuesday Dialogues was pleased to partner with the Carver County Library, the Beacon Council, and the Chaska Human Rights Commission in the series of events featuring the work of Rachel Simon, author of Riding the Bus with My Sister.
Dialogues' 2010-2011 series "Toward a Sustainable Abundance" began with Terrry Gips, offering "A Model for Sustainable Abundance" using Chilean economist-philosopher Max' Neef's model of human needs satisfaction. "Lessons from Deepwater Horizon: Ecological Economics" featured Kristina Peterson and Richard Krajeski from coastal Louisiana where they serve the Bayou Blue Presbyterian Church of Gray, LA and work as researchers for the Center for Hazard Assessment, Response, and Technology at the University of New Orleans. Toward Sustainable Energy: Beyond Oil Addiction brought Ken Bradley, Program Director of Environment Minnesota, and Rebecca Lundberg, CEO of Sustainably Green to discuss sustainbable energy sources. The Rev. Gwin Pratt, pastor of the St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Minnetonka, led the discussion "Toward a Responsible Spirituality: Holy Earth." Jim Weygand, former Mayor of the City of Carver, ended the series with a masterful fact-based presentastion on Sustainable Transportation.

About First Tuesday Dialogues It's the new name for Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues, a program that began in May 2005 as a kind of Chaska town hall forum to examine critical public issues locally and globally. At SHPC we hear the Sermon on the Mount as a summons to reflect self-critically and thoughtfully about the unconscious assumptions that shape our private and public lives in the 21st Century. As Socrates challenged the hidden assumptions of Athens in his day, First Tuesday Dialogues offer a platform for speakers who challlenge the collective mind of our time. First Tuesday Dialogues began with single events. Kosuke Koyama, John D. Rockefeller Professor Emeritus of World Christianity, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, inaugurated the program with a look at "Jesus and the Buddha: Pilgrim or Tourist?" Single presentations followed by Carver County Attorney Mike Fahey, family life educator Ada Alden, Guantanamo defense attorney Joseph Margulies, and MN Supreme Court Associate Justice Paul Anderson. The success of these events led to the creation of series around central themes. The inital First Tuesday Dialogues series - "Religion: Balm or Bomb?" - featured historical theologian Paul Capetz of United Theological Seminary; Imam Makram El-Amin; Senior Rabbi Zimmerman; and Senior Minister Bruce Robbins (Spring 2006). The Fall 2007 Series dealt with "The Spiritual Roots of Terror and Hope" featuring Macalester College historian Mahmoud El-Kati; Rabbi Joseph Edelheit; American Indian Movement co-founder Clyde H. Bellecourt; Puerto Rican Hennepin County Chief Public Defender Leonardo Castro;and Kwanzaa Community Church Co-Pastor Alika Galloway. The 2008 Spring Series addressed "The Good Green Earth: Sustainability" featuring meteorologist Craig Edwards; former Los Alamos museum curator, Professor Robert Seidel; Upik ('Eskimo') activist and artist Richard LaFortune; and Sustainability Associates' President and VP of Congregations Caring for Creation Terry Gips. The 2008 fall series focused on community. "The Community of 100: Restoring Community in a Lock-Down Society" addressed a Pew Center report that one in 100 people in the United States are in the criminal justice system. Speakers included retired MN Supreme Court Associate Justice Esther Tomljanovich; Professor of Psychology Emeritus and restorative justice advocate Mona Gustafson Affinito, Ph.D. of Forgiveness Options; Chaska Chief of Police Scott Knight; and former Chaska Mayor and leading citizen Bob Roepke. Each First Tuesday Dialogues event begins with the speaker's followed by a 30-40 minute presentation, and 45 minutes of participant dialogue with the speaker and other guests. SHPC jazz-gospel pianist Momoh Freeman often offers a half-hour concert from 6:30 to 7:00 PM prior to the speaker's introduction. Pastor Gordon Stewart serves as moderator. Click here for Chaska Herald interview with Pastor Gordon Stewart prior to the 2008 fall series "One in 100: Restoring Community in a Lock Down Society" or here for Chaska Herald piece in advance of the 2008 fall First Tuesday Dialogues series on sustainability and the good green Earth. Below are photos of some of the previous Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues speakers. "Spend an Evening with a Neighbor" a series of dialogues in March and April, 2010 marked the inauguration of a year of creating communities of belonging for people with disabilities in Carver County. First Tuesday Dialogues was pleased to partner with the Carver County Library, the Beacon Council, and the Chaska Human Rights Commission in the series of events featuring the work of Rachel Simon, author of Riding the Bus with My Sister. Dialogues' 2010-2011 series "Toward a Sustainable Abundance" began with Terrry Gips, offering "A Model for Sustainable Abundance" using Chilean economist-philosopher Max' Neef's model of human needs satisfaction. "Lessons from Deepwater Horizon: Ecological Economics" featured Kristina Peterson and Richard Krajeski from coastal Louisiana where they serve the Bayou Blue Presbyterian Church of Gray, LA and work as researchers for the Center for Hazard Assessment, Response, and Technology at the University of New Orleans. Toward Sustainable Energy: Beyond Oil Addiction brought Ken Bradley, Program Director of Environment Minnesota, and Rebecca Lundberg, CEO of Sustainably Green to discuss sustainbable energy sources. The Rev. Gwin Pratt, pastor of the St. Luke Presbyterian Church in Minnetonka, led the discussion "Toward a Responsible Spirituality: Holy Earth." Jim Weygand, former Mayor of the City of Carver, ended the series with a masterful fact-based presentastion on Sustainable Transportation.

Previous First Tuesday Dialogues speakers

Kosuke Koyama, John D. Rockefeller Professor Emeritus, Unition Theological Seminary in the City of New York, Richard LaFortune, Eskimo artist and activist, Imam Makram El-Amin, Masjur(Mosque) Al-Nur, Dr. Strangelove cancelled at the last moment. He's still somewhere out there.
Clyde Bellecourt, American Indian Movement, Rev. Bruce Robbins, Senior Minister, Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman, Sr. Rabbi, Temple Israel, Jim Weygand
Mahmoud El Kati, Historian, Macalester College (retired), Chaska Police Chief Scott Knight Dr. Mona Gustafson Affininto, Prof. Emeritus, So. Conn. State University, Justice Paul Anderson, MN Supreme Court,
Bob Roepke, former Chaka Mayor, Joseph Margulies, author, Rabbi Joseph Edelheit, Professor Paul Capetz, United Theological Semiary,
Terry Gips (center), Mayor Gary VanEyll (right) Justice Esther Tomljanovich, MN Supreme Court (retired), John Stanoch, President, Qwest MN
Craig Edwards, U.S. National Weather Service (retired) Gafar Lakanwal, MultiCultural Diversity Center Terry Gips, Sustainability Associates, in Dialogue
Paul Klauda, City Editor, StarTribune Kristina Peterson, Bayou Blue Presbyterian Church, Gray, LA Photo of Richard Krajeski Rebecca Lundberg, Sustainably Green
Jim Schowalter, MN Commissioner of Management and Budget

Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church - host of First Tuesday Dialogues, formerly Shepherd of the Hill Dialogues - is the only Presbyterian Church in Chaska and Carver County, feeding the soul and challenging the mind with worship, education, mission, and public gatherings that contribute to the recovery of the public square and civil dialogue regarding critical public issues locally and globally. An MPR commentary by SHPC Pastor Gordon Stewart frequently airs on "All Things Considered" (KNOW 91.1FM) SHPC Jazz-gospel musicians Momoh Freeman and organist on Linda Livers lead us in worship Sundays at 9:30 AM. Every First Tuesday Dialogues event is a community program for the general public without charge.