Spirit in Action

Ralph Jacobson founded Innovative Power Systems in 1991, giving him 20 years on the learning curve. His outlook & views have been significantly changed by the experience of "doing business". He is also president of the Minnesota Solar Industries and lives in St Paul, Minnesota.

James W. Douglass is author of a number of books including Gandhi & the Unspeakable: His Final Experiment With Truth. He's cofounder of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action in Washington State and Mary's House, a Catholic Worker house in Burmingham, Alabama.

Sit in on a panel LGBT and clergy, sponsored by the Voices of Faith program of Equality Wisconsin, on personal and church experience of Open & Affirming Congregations - and the lack of same. The panel was held at Plymouth UCC, Eau Claire on 3/24/2012.

Shane Claiborne is a fiery, dread-locked, profound, fool for God. He grew up in East Tennessee, spent time with Mother Theresa, was in Iraq with Christian Peacemakers during the Shock & Awe campaign in Iraq, and helped found The Simple Way community in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Pennsylvania.

Parker J. Palmer is author of 9 books including his latest Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit. In his writing and in his work with the Center for Courage & Renewal, he transforms minds & lives.

Gary Dorrien is author of The Obama Question: A Progressive Perspective, in which he looks at Barack Obama, the man & his history, and his policies, to see whether they pass muster from a progressive political & theological perspective. Gary is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University. He is the author of 14 books and around 250 articles on a range of topics.

Marie Friedmann Marquardt is co-author of Living Illegal - The Human Face of Unauthorized Immigration, a book that combines head & heart to look at the realities around this political whipping boy of an issue. Marie is currently scholar-in-residence at Emory University's Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia.

Sonny Ochs, sister to folk legend Phil Ochs, has helped carry forward the powerful legacy of Phil's music. On almost every topic - war, prejudice, immigration, etc - the songs are as meaningful today as back in the 60-70's. Just released, the documentary, Phil Ochs: There But For Fortune.

Anne LeClaire is an author whose 20 years of twice-monthly days of silence taught her the potential for rest, healing and growth of the practice. She shares the lessons of the experiment-turned-way-of-life in Listening Below the Noise". She leads workshops and retreats on silence, creativity and authenticity, like the program she'll lead on March 23-24 at the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin.