EY: With regard to Vivian Freeman's post - I went to Urban Ventures site - and when you dig a little on the site, there is material that suggests it's a Christian evangelical organization. It's not clear from the mission - and not clear from what is visible from the main page of the site - and a cursory look. (The references to the evangelical stuff is further down on the web pages). But beyond that, I think it's unfair to blame the victim - which in this case was the Jewish family sending their kids to a UV soccer practice - on the basis of a flyer sent home from the Minneapolis Public Schools.
VF: Thanks for taking the time to look through the site, and BTW, my name is Vanessa Freeman, and you really don't have to dig through the website, most of what is said about UV is out in plain site.... for example's see below: V.J Smith say's: "Today, you can do anything from get your G.E.D to get a bus pass; go to church or find a job; get your kids on a sports team or get them computer access. Only God could have brought these changes.. (key word GOD) http://www.urbanventures.org/aboutus.html Strengthening Families by nurturing and empowering families and faith-based communities. http://www.urbanventures.org/aboutus.html When business aims for miracles by Todd Svanoe Minneapolis-St. Paul business professionals are some of the inner city's most effective "social entrepreneurs." While some social ministry leaders are tapping government funds, Minneapolis' faith community is blazing a different trail: the business world, which it finds richer not only in funds but in skills and leadership. These faith leaders are combining biblical piety, corporate funding, and a "just do it" business manner to produce a civic witness for Christ on a scale beyond what their seminaries prepared them for all free of government bureaucracy and church-board stalemates. http://www.urbanventures.org/news.html Looking through this "wider lens," Erickson says, "Salvation through Christ is everything, but God cares about areas of common grace as well as saving grace, redemption with a small 'r' as well as a big 'R,'" in areas such as jobs, food, education, housing and a clean and safe neighborhood. http://www.urbanventures.org/news.html Business partners, like long lost siblings Philip Styrlund, vice president of sales at ADC, has also found a home at Urban Ventures. "I've been involved in a lot of non-profits in my career. Urban Ventures is different. They're faith-based, but not (overly) meek and mild. They get things done here. They have a focus." For example, corporate funders on a tour of Urban Ventures are immediately shown walls of professionally mounted photos in what could be called the Gallery of Outcomes. They are told exactly what part they could play in Urban Ventures' unfolding strategic plan. Styrlund finds this approach not only business-like, but Christ-like. "Jesus was passionate and revolutionary. He was humble, but he did not act small." Churches often lack the shrewdness to accomplish the grand missions to which God calls them, says Styrlund. Business professionals, on the other hand, are proving to be like long lost siblings and partners in mission. As a parent, it is "MY" job to fully check out any program that my children will be attending, and in regards to lunches being served at the program, again it is my sole responsibility to see to it that my children are eating right, and if that means no pork, then again, it is my job to see if there is any substitute that my child can eat. If they are using the bible or the works and or words of God, again it is my duty as a parent to see what is being taught. Vanessa Freeman Hawthorne.. Believing in the works of God REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
