Events - Month View

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Do you find it hard to really get to know members at our large programs … or those featuring a speaker? This spontaneous event might be just right for you! Join us for a casual conversation online. Take this opportunity to meet new members and reconnect with some you haven’t seen lately.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, MCC Member and retired physician Michael Brennan is keeping a close watch on all medical and health developments put forth by the CDC, NIH and MN Department of Public Health. Join us for this every-other-week meeting where Michael will share the most recent information available, his perspective of how to keep ourselves safe and healthy, and answer questions.

During these strange times when we are more-or-less house-bound, many members are sorting through decades of photos. Others say they are writing about incidents that happened in their lives. Join us as three members - Lynette Lamb, Hart Nelsen and Peter Lefferts - share unique experiences in their lives that had some staying power with each of them over the years. It will be a time to ponder whether you can relate to their stories, or perhaps, be prompted to write one of your own.

Join your friends and neighbors on Zoom for a morning chat. This adventure requires no reservations!

Join your friends and neighbors on Zoom to discuss our book of the month. This gathering requires no reservations! This month‘s book: The Library Book by Susan Orleans.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Caffeine and camaraderie for members of MCC! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going.

This month‘s topic: What‘s the Story Behind that Thing?
Everybody’s got a favorite artifact or heirloom nestled happily in her home. Whether it’s that one-of-a-kind chartreuse ceramic from Cousin Sarah or that gnarly looking hunk of wood from Uncle Ed, we want to hear about it. Bring an item that you’ll be able to hold up to your device camera so that we can all get a glimpse and then regale us with its tale of wonder.

When Scott Carpenter moved from Minnesota to Paris, he did not expect the dramas that awaited: scheming neighbors, police denunciations, surly demonstrators, cooking disasters, medical mishaps?not to mention all those lectures about cheese! It turns out that nothing in the City of Light can be taken for granted, where even trips to the grocery store lead to adventure. Join us as Christina Selander Bouzouina, Executive Director of the Alliance Française Mpls/St.Paul, interviews Scott Dominic Carpenter about his hilarious new bestselling memoir, French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris. If you would like to read the book prior to the program, books can be purchased at Magers & Quinn or on Amazon.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Do you find it hard to really get to know members at our large programs … or those featuring a speaker? This spontaneous event might be just right for you! Join us for a casual conversation online. Take this opportunity to meet new members and reconnect with some you haven’t seen lately.

Through discussion we will explore ways of building a just community, equitably including all citizens.

This month’s discussion will be on “Reducing Bias”.
Participants are asked to prepare for this discussion by viewing Verna Myers’ Ted talk “How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYyvbgINZkQ


Discussion questions:
1) Verna Myers describes biases as made up stories. Where do your biases originate and what is their impact?
2) How are safety, success and being white connected?


Bonus references:
Amanda Gorman’s Inauguration Poem “The Hill We Climb” YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38Rn5WULjmc

The Aeolians Virtual Choir “We Shall Overcome” YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7TaAFyvviM


This month: TBD

Richard Painter, UMN law professor and top ethics scholar who worked as George W. Bush’s chief ethics lawyer, returns to MCC for a lively discussion on current politics, thoughts on Trump’s future (emoluments and other criminal charges) and what we should keep in mind for the Biden/Harris presidency.

Join your friends and neighbors on Zoom for a morning chat. This adventure requires no reservations!

This guided discussion group with professional facilitation supports MCC members and nonmembers who are in a caregiving role.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Note: Scripts will be mailed to you in advance of the meeting. Jo Holcomb will assign parts and provide the zoom link via email. This month‘s play: Wolves and Sheep by Kira Obolensky.

This fresh and funny adaptation of Ostrovsky‘s satire about capitalism has been newly imagined by Kira Obolensky, putting the strong female roles in the foreground. Never performed in English, this classic tale is an important part of the Russian repertoire--featuring the two roles that Russian actresses all want to play!

Are you new to meditation or have you been practicing for a while? Either way, attending this class is a wonderful act of self-care. Enjoy an hour of guided meditation including body scans, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and heartfelt discussion/reflection. Give yourself time to press pause on worries and the never ending to-do list and enjoy the company of fellow MCC members who are seeking a more mindful and relaxed state of being. This course has been surprisingly impactful, even on zoom!

This virtual lunch alternates weeks with the Men‘s Coffee and Conversation. Make yourself lunch, click the zoom link and enjoy connecting with MCC members. No reservations required!

Join fellow MCC members for a discussion of the book “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson. Described as “beautifully written, original and revealing….it examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human rankings….which are not about feelings or morality but about power - which groups have it and which do not.” Wilkerson provides compelling examples of how African Americans have historically occupied - and continue to occupy today - the lowest caste in American society. Come share your reactions to Wilkerson’s thesis and examples and whether you agree that a powerful caste system continues in our society today. MCC Member Susan Plimpton will lead the discussion. If registration numbers deem appropriate, we will use breakout rooms to facilitate small group discussions.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Do you find it hard to really get to know members at our large programs … or those featuring a speaker? This spontaneous event might be just right for you! Join us for a casual conversation online. Take this opportunity to meet new members and reconnect with some you haven’t seen lately.

The Covid-19 pandemic has thrust the World Health Organization (WHO) into the limelight, for better and for worse. While some of the Trump administration’s criticism of the organization is unfair, the response to the early stages of the pandemic left many experts wanting more from the WHO. What is the WHO’s role in responding to international pandemics? What can be done to improve the WHO’s response to future global health crises? Speaker: John Oswald
Note: You must be a member of Great Decisions to register for this program. Please email Mary Texidor at marytexidor@millcitycommons.org if you would like to join the 2021 Great Decisions cohort. Additional fees will apply.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, MCC Member and retired physician Michael Brennan is keeping a close watch on all medical and health developments put forth by the CDC, NIH and MN Department of Public Health. Join us for this every-other-week meeting where Michael will share the most recent information available, his perspective of how to keep ourselves safe and healthy, and answer questions.

Note: Scripts will be mailed to you in advance of the meeting. Jo Holcomb will assign parts and provide the zoom link via email. This month‘s play: Wolves and Sheep by Kira Obolensky.

This fresh and funny adaptation of Ostrovsky‘s satire about capitalism has been newly imagined by Kira Obolensky, putting the strong female roles in the foreground. Never performed in English, this classic tale is an important part of the Russian repertoire--featuring the two roles that Russian actresses all want to play!

Join your friends and neighbors on Zoom for a morning chat. This adventure requires no reservations!

Current international news and U.S. foreign policy provide an endless trove of topics for learning and discussion. Retired foreign service officer and MCC member Bill Davnie will identify a topic in advance, although news can always lead us in a fresh direction. There will be both presentation and discussion.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Caffeine and camaraderie for members of MCC! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going.

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 on the third Thursday. This month: Member Pat Canney takes us along on her art journey.

As COVID-19 continues to disrupt our sense of normalcy, many organizations have had to get creative about how to reach their patrons and supporters in new and exciting ways…especially when your art form traditionally involves musicians sitting elbow to elbow onstage amidst a concert hall filled with thousands of listeners. Please join us as Michelle Miller Burns, President and CEO of the Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, discusses the organization’s innovative approaches to surviving the pandemic and their plans for 2021.

Join us to discuss One Night in Miami-a fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered to discuss their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s. This movie is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Do you find it hard to really get to know members at our large programs … or those featuring a speaker? This spontaneous event might be just right for you! Join us for a casual conversation online. Take this opportunity to meet new members and reconnect with some you haven’t seen lately.

Artspace is a nonprofit organization with the mission to create, foster, and preserve affordable and sustainable space for artists and arts organizations. Artspace owns and operates space across the United States, providing housing to approximately 2,000 families and commercial space to approximately 600 arts related businesses. In 2019, Artspace purchased the Northrup King Building, a campus of 11 buildings on almost 13 acres of land in Northeast Minneapolis. Artspace‘s goal with this acquisition was twofold. First, to preserve the affordable working studio space occupied by over 300 artists in five occupied structures and, second, to expand opportunities for artists through the conversion of vacant structures into affordable artist live/work housing and additional creative business space. Join us as Artspace’s President, Kelley Lindquist, and Senior Vice President of Properties, Greg Handberg, share how this project began and progressed and the benefits our community has enjoyed due to its success. Kelley and Greg will also share plans for future projects in Minnesota and beyond.

Join your friends and neighbors on Zoom for a morning chat. This adventure requires no reservations!

This guided discussion group with professional facilitation supports MCC members and nonmembers who are in a caregiving role.

An exclusive opportunity (and great deal!) for MCC members, this weekly class focuses on strength, balance and stretching to keep you fit and strong.

Are you new to meditation or have you been practicing for a while? Either way, attending this class is a wonderful act of self-care. Enjoy an hour of guided meditation including body scans, breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and heartfelt discussion/reflection. Give yourself time to press pause on worries and the never ending to-do list and enjoy the company of fellow MCC members who are seeking a more mindful and relaxed state of being. This course has been surprisingly impactful, even on zoom!

This virtual lunch alternates weeks with the Men‘s Coffee and Conversation. Make yourself lunch, click the zoom link and enjoy connecting with MCC members. No reservations required!

Telemedicine has been around for years, but it became a necessary and critical part of receiving care in 2020, due to COVID-19. Retired physician and MCC Member Michael Brennan will share ideas on how it is being used, discuss its advantages and shortcomings, how it may be improved improved and preserve the security of our confidential health information.