|
Update from the Executive Director
W
e've all heard the old adage -- "The only constant is change itself," attributed to the Greek philosopher
Heraclitus.
We know it is true -- things change, people change, places change -- yet sometimes it's still hard to roll with the punches. I also appreciate the sentiment, "Many prefer a familiar problem to an unfamiliar solution." As Mill City Commons moves forward with our strategic planning process, we will be considering what kinds of changes we want to make. I found our first strategic planning committee work session last week energizing and inspiring. We've got intelligent dedicated volunteers on our committee and I look forward to sharing more about this work with all of you.
On a smaller scale, one change we might make sooner rather than later is the transition to a new email template for Musings! I'd love to get feedback from MCC members and friends on what you like or don't like about our weekly newsletter. What would you like to see? What ideas do you have? Are there any problems with our current format? Do you read Musings on a computer, tablet, or phone? Or all of the above? Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions; email me or give us a call: 612-455-3329.
Here are a few more quotes from Heraclitus which struck me as worth your time:
- The road up and the road down is one and the same.
- Much learning does not teach understanding.
- You could not step twice into the same river.
Have a great week! Keep on reading...
MILL CITY COMMONS: We learn. We share. We engage. We give.
~ Sara J.B. Foster
|
|
|
MCC Women Connect
Thursday, November 21, 10:00 - 11:30 am
Mill City Quarter Club Room, 322 2nd St S
 The topic for this month's MCC Women Connect is "Climate Change: What You Can Do to Make a Difference." Five MCC members with a strong interest in climate change will lead a discussion on why dealing with climate change is urgent and how recycling and composting correctly are important first steps. They'll also provide a handout on other things you can do and solicit interest in an ongoing informal discussion group on climate change. Come with questions and suggestions.
MCC Women Connect's purpose is to gather to connect and grow, sharing our experiences and learning from each other as we adapt to life's changes and transitions. Discussion ideas come from members, volunteer facilitators and a list of suggestions being developed. We meet once a month, from 10:00-11:30 a.m., on the third Thursday.
MCC members sign up here; guests email [email protected]. |
|
Meditation Circle
Tuesday, November 26 & December 3, 9:30 - 10:30 am
Mill City Quarter Club Room, 322 2nd St S
Mill City Commons members are invited to join in a weekly drop-in meditation hour. This is a time for self-guided meditation; if you're new to meditation, we'll provide a brief explanation to help you get started. Our hope is that meditating with each other may help each of our practices and create a shared energy among participants. Drop-in sessions are on Tuesdays from 9:30-10:30 am at Mill City Quarter, across the parking lot from Abiitan. An MCC member will be there to greet you at 9:30 a.m. Please register for sessions you plan to attend so we have an idea of how many to expect. All sessions are free.
MCC members sign up here for the November 26 session; members sign up here for December 3 session.
|
|
Last Tuesday Happy Hour
Tuesday, November 26, 5:00 - 6:00 pm
Bar Moxy in the Moxy Hotel, 247 Chicago Ave S
Join us for Last Tuesday Happy Hour at Bar Moxy in the new Moxy Hotel in Downtown East. Hosted by Ginny & Will Craig and Jan & Linda Willette, this gathering is a time to catch up with friends and neighbors over drinks and small bites. Dutch treat--no reservations required!
Our group will be gathering on the mezzanine level, where there are tables and comfy chairs. Order your drink at the bar, then take the elevator up to the mezzanine.
MCC members and guests. No registration required.
|
|
Men's Dutch Breakfast
Wednesday, November 27, 8:00 - 9:00 am 
Elsie's Restaurant, Main Dining Room, 729 Marshall St NE
MCC men are invited to gather for a special dutch-treat breakfast on the day before Thanksgiving in the main dining room at Elsie's. There's no program, just fellowship, and a different start time than the usual Thursday Coffee & Conversation breakfasts. Please register if you plan to come.
MCC members sign up here. |
|
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Monday, December 2, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSalle Dr, Room D104
 It's been 100 years since the League of Nations promised an independent state of Palestine and 71 years since the state of Israel was established on the greater part of that promised land. As a result, conflict continues to dominate in this part of the Middle East despite decades of efforts at diplomacy and several major wars. What are the prospects today that an agreement can be reached that will meet the needs of all parties involved? Speaker Gary Prevost is professor emeritus of political science and international relations at the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University. He regularly teaches a course and gives lectures on the Politics of the Middle East.
MCC members sign up here. |
|
Technology Workshop: Privacy and Security
Thursday, December 5, 1:00 - 2:30 pm
American Academy of Neurology, 201 Chicago Ave, Training Room A
Many people today are tired of endless robot-calls, frustrated by Facebook's ongoing privacy concerns and worried about being hacked or scammed. Join us for a privacy and security workshop where we'll discuss some of the most frustrating and pressing technological problems today. Learn how to protect your privacy and personal information, safely browse the web and check emails, store and create passwords securely, and understand the risks you may face over the phone and online. Note: seating is limited!
MCC members sign up here.
|
|
MCC Program Calendar
View the full calendar of MCC's November events here.
Plan ahead! View the full calendar of MCC's December events
here.
|
News from Members
So you think you can dance like a fifth grader? Heart of Dance Founder and
MCC member Ember Reichgott Junge and Board Vice Chair and
MCC member Cecily Hines invite you to volunteer at the
Colors of the Rainbow Team Match on Sunday, December 8 from 11:00 am to 5:30 pm at the Intercontinental Hotel Mpls at the airport. Teams of elegant Dancing Classrooms 5th and 8th graders from 17 schools around the state will compete before professional ballroom dance judges and a ballroom full of cheering families and teachers. They'll showcase Respect and Teamwork through the Tango, Rumba, and Swing (among other dances)--you will be inspired! Dozens of volunteers are needed as team coordinators, greeters, registrars, etc. Cecily will host a volunteer group from 11:00-1:30 and Ember will host a group from 3:00-5:30. Contact Ember at
[email protected] or call (612) 750-1262 to join either volunteer group, and indicate your preferred start time of 11:00 am or 3:00 pm. It's a great opportunity to connect with other MCC members and serve another local organization. You will have great fun and Waltz on home with a big smile on your face!
|
Ar
ound Town
All is Calm
November 27-December 29, various times, Theater Latte Da, 345 13th Ave NE
The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence comes a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man's Land singing "Stille Nacht." Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. A remarkable true story, told in the words and songs of the men who lived it. Tickets can be purchased
here.
Tellabration!
November 30, 10:00 am-9:30 pm, Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave S
The day-long event, which is free to all, features a dozen panel discussions, classes and workshops that explore a wide-range of topics about storytelling, narrative techniques in other disciplines, and how to craft, promote and refine stories for audiences and print. The event will conclude with a powerful and eclectic evening concert in the Target Performance Hall featuring the donated talents of Kevin Kling, Amie Durenberger, Barbara Schutzgruber, Danny Klecko, Jim Stowell, Khary Jackson, Maria Vorhis and Nothando Zulu. For more information, click
here.
1850s Holiday Party
December 1, 12:30-3:30 pm, Ard Godfrey House, in Chute Square Park at corner of University and Central
Enjoy light refreshments and guided tours of the oldest remaining wood frame residence in Minneapolis, built in 1849. The home will be decorated for the holidays in the modest style of the era, and the Woman's Club guides will be dressed in period costume. See how the Godfrey family might have celebrated the holidays in the new community at St. Anthony Falls. Admission is free (but donations are welcome).
Mill City Times
is a local website devoted specifically to our neighborhood and a place to go to find out what's happening, whether it's a new restaurant opening, a local event, proposed construction, volunteer opportunities and more.
|
|
|
|
2019 Turkey & Extra Helpings Drive
Join us in raising $3,500 to provide holiday groceries for 50 families at Ascension School. We're also collecting small gifts for two transitional housing programs. Click
here for details on how you can get involved.
|
|
Volunteer Opportunities
Click
here
for community volunteer opportunities on the MCC website!
|
|
MCC Ongoing Social Opportunities
Dutch Treat
Social Hour
Mondays, 4:00-5:00 pm
Jefe Urban Hacienda
219 Main St SE
Drop in for an afternoon coffee or drink and a casual chat. No registration required.
Rendezvous
Readers' Book Chat
1st Wednesday of the month, 10:00-11:00 am
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
No reservations required. The next
book is
by Delia Owens
Click here to see what books we're reading at future Book Chats.
Rendezvous on 5
Wednesdays, 9-10 am
Guthrie Theater Level 5 Express
Drop in and join your friends and neighbors for fellowship at this neighborhood haunt. This weekly adventure requires no reservations!
Guthrie Play Reading
RiverWest Group
Tuesday, November 19,
6:30-9:30 pm
North Star Group
Wednesday, November 20, 6:30-9:30 pm
Groups are reading Noura this month.
Social Bridge
Men's Coffee and Conversation
Elsie's Restaurant,
729 Marshall Street NE
Caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC! This group meets every other Thursday at 7:30 am and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going.
MCC Women Connect
Join MCC women as they connect and grow, sharing experiences and learning from each other as they adapt to life's changes and transitions. This group meets the third Thursday morning of the month.
|
|
Mill City Commons
Ongoing Fitness Opportunities
G-Werx Fitness,
An exclusive opportunity for members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance
and stretching to keep you fit and strong.
First time participants, please contact G-Werx Fitness at (612) 767-4415 and arrive 20 minutes early to complete paperwork. Cost varies depending on commitment.
River Walkers
Tuesdays and Thursdays,
7:30-8:30 am
Stone Arch Lofts Riverside Parking Lot
All levels of walkers are welcome for this early morning walk along the banks of the Mississippi River. An MCC volunteer leads each walk.
Meditation Circle
Tuesdays 9:30-10:30 am
Mill City Quarter,
322 2nd St S
Join us for a weekly
self-guided meditation hour.
|
|
Ongoing Member-Led Activities
MCC Caregivers' Support Group
2nd and 4th Wednesdays,
September-December
10:30 am-12:00 pm
A way to support members and non-members who are in a caregiving role.
Men's Dutch Lunch
Abiitan's Porter Cafe
428 2nd St S
Alternating Thursdays at 11:30 am
November 21 & December 5
This casual, dutch treat lunch alternates weeks with Men's Coffee and Conversation. No reservations required! Questions? Contact
Allan Burdick.
|
|
