Spirit in Action

A thoughtful dialog about abortion, peace witness and care for creation. Guests are Rachel MacNair, Phd. in Psychology and undergraduate in Peace & Conflict Studies, and Stan Becker, Phd. in Demographics at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, where he is currently professor in the Dept of Population, Family and Reproductive Health.

Judith Ann Wagener has been a School Sister of Notre Dame since 1961, a period that has seen vast changes in American society and in the Catholic Church. She started as a teacher but followed a leading into pastoral ministry over 20 years ago, for the last 9 with St James the Greater Catholic Church in Eau Claire.

Cathy Sultan, Tom Chisholm & Jason Hicks were recently part of a delegation to Israel/Palestine sponsored by the Interfaith Peace-Builders, witnessing first-hand the suffering and aspirations of the people both sides of the wall.

Tom Neilson is a tireless activist for many causes - supporting the family farm, civil rights, and opposing war, among many others. He shared his songs and the causes before an audience at the 2007 FGC gathering at River Falls.

A "field trip" to an environmentally friendly model home near Waupaca, Wisconsin, built by A-A Exteriors , including a discussion of a number of technical options.

Mary Rose O'Reilley is an author, a contemplative and an activist. Author of (at least) 6 books and many more publications, she lives with a concern for the kind of centerness which allows us to live fruitfully and faithfully in the world.

As a dual citizen of Iraq and the USA, resident for 20 years of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, Sami Rasouli brings a special perspective to his work with the Muslim Peacemaker Teams .

Missionary doing holistic development in Rwanda? To a lot of folks almost any other destination might have seemed preferable to God's call for Debby & David Thomas to become missionaries in Rwanda just after the genocide of1994.

Gigi Pomerantz is a Jewish nurse practitioner doing her part to be a force for health, peace and good in the world. Recently, that includes work in Haiti, including dry composting toilets, to help agricultural productivity while improving health. But that just scratches the surface of Gigi's living out of tikkun alom - restoration of the world.

John Ikerd was the keynote speaker for the 2008 Midwest Value Added Agriculture conference, held in Eau Claire. Agricultural economics is his field, and his work with with sustainable agriculture and the move toward localization of food. The conference is hosted annually by River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc .

Dan Nerhaugen has a deep concern that we build literacy in the USA - in our schools, but especially in our citizenry. Civic engagement and political literacy are built by reading, and reading books in particular. On his web site, The48er.com, Dan highlights resources to strengthen the civic mind - books and other publications which will help folks in the USA to competently uphold our democratic re...

Anna Sandidge is the coordinator for the Friends Peace Teams after having served with two different projects in Burundi and Rwanda as part of the African Great Lakes Initiative. Anna was raised in the Assembles of God church, but had her first serious break with the church at the age of 12. At 15 she sought out Quakers, finding herself "home" from the start at Friends Meeting. She was a profession...

Tom Walz may be the tireless force behind Iowa City's alternative cultural experience, Uptown Bill's Small Mall, but the work of the mall is the legacy of an amazing mentally retarded man, Bill Sachter. Because of his experience with Bill, Tom found his life's work, helping people with disabilities own and run their own businesses.

WW2 was a "popular war" and it so it took greater conviction to be a conscientious objector to that war. We have the privilege of talking to 2 of the surviving CO's of that war, George Watson, 91 years old, and Jack Phillips, now 86. Their experience in confronting the draft and in serving in the  Civilian Public Service  had a profound effect on the remainding 60+ years of their lives.

David Rovics is a perpetual activist energy machine with his music, calling attention to the problems that need addressing and recognizing the successes of those working for social justice. He tours extensively in the US and Europe, and occasionally to the Middle East and beyond.

The Rachel Corrie Foundation continues the work and witness of Rachel, killed at the age of 23. She was in Palestine as part of the International Solidarity Movement, serving as a "human shield", protecting Palestinians and their homes.

A visit with 2 long-time war tax resisters. Patricia Washburn is a religious peace educator, a seminary graduate though never ordained. She testified to Congress for the Peace Tax Fund after the IRS took her house for taxes. Perry Treadwell got a special leading from a verse of Robert Frost when he was 42 and quit his tenured position in microbiology, and found a beautiful life of service. Both ad...

A visit with Steve Ryals, author of Drunk With Wonder: Awakening to the God Within , former speed freak and alcoholic, and activist with Challenge Day .  Music featured in this program: How Could Anyone Ever Tell You - Peaceful Women

Loren Cobb has an exciting and unusual job. As Aetheling International Consultants he facilitates NationLab, a simulation game helping countries of this hemisphere experience and plan for social, economic and political developments. Loren, a Quaker pacifist and mathematical sociologist, works alongside with the military to strengthen our neighbors, and keep the peace.

Judith did a radical experiment in "Not Buying It" - she went without shopping (beyond simple necessities) for a year. She's full of insights about and experiences with our consumer culture.

Cheryl Thiede is the associate director of social services for the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, - ARCW.org or 836-7710. Raised Moravian, she is now part of Eau Claire 's Unitarian Universalist Congregation .

Dr. Helen Caldicott spoke at the Forum Series at UW-EC on that fateful day, 9/11/2001. Her topic was "George Bush and the Threat of Nuclear War". Physicians for Social Responsibility

The Wellness Shack is a consumer-run non-profit organization for adults with mental illness, working to educate the public about mental illness and to eliminate some of the misperceptions and stigma with mental illness through self-education, socialization, and accepting yourself. The October 12th, 2007 benefit featured music performed by Poppy Moelter & Troy Jackson, and poetry written by Sav...

JONAH had it's founding ceremony on 11/11/2007 in Eau Claire, where participants spelled out the needs, real and personal, the mission, and the commitment and support to be expected from this association.

Katherine is retired from her career as a clinical psychologist and author of To The Left of Inspiration: Adventures in living with disabilities . Blind from birth, Katherine has powerful insight into the dynamics of disabilities in our society.