Minnesota Atheists Meetup Group

Thursday, January 15, 2026, 7:30 pm.

Theatre in the Round Players (TRP)
245 Cedar Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55454

"How to Catch Creation"
Written by Christina Anderson

Join us for the final dress rehearsal of "How to Catch Creation". The cost is $5.00 at the door. Cash preferred. NO LATE SEATING.

Actors' Interviews About The Show (2 minutes)

Play Description:
Griffin, a Black writer who spent over a decade in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, yearns to build a future; Tami, a driven art professor, finds her passion floundering; Stokes, a young painter, searches for creative purpose; and Riley, his partner, is looking for where she belongs. As their stories unfold, these four artists find their lives unexpectedly intertwined — with each other’s and with the life of a black feminist writer from the 1960s. How to Catch Creation weaves past and present in a poetic and profound exploration of what it means to create: art, a life, a family, a world that reflects who we truly are.

There is also a Pay-What-You-Can performance on Monday, January 26, 2026, 7:30 pm

PARKING:
1. Parking is NOT free at parking meters in the evening.
2. There is a surface parking lot directly across the street from Theatre in the Round, behind The Corner Bar, where the cost is $5.00.
3. You can also park nearby in the ramp of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, 1500 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454. Remember your license plate and when you are leaving the theater there is a QR code you can scan with your smart phone and only pay $5.50. (Four hour limit at this discounted price.)

There is always a small chance that a performance might be cancelled at the last minute, so call TRP that afternoon to check 612-333-3010, and also check Meetup messages for this event.

Please help support Minnesota Atheists by becoming a member or by making a donation.

HumanistsMN invites us to their event!
Please register for this event here.
If you plan to attend the lunch, please register and pay here.

Join local and national advocates for secular government at a forum to discuss the true meaning of religious freedom. This half-day event — sponsored by HumanistsMN and culminating with lunch (see details below) — will commemorate National Religious Freedom Day by exploring how we can uphold the constitutional principle of separation of church and state as Christian nationalism becomes ever more pervasive in the halls of government.

Religious freedom protects the right of Americans of all faiths — or no faith — to practice their beliefs. How can we fight efforts to misuse this principle to justify authoritarian government and twist its meaning to legitimize discrimination against LGBTQ people, curtail reproductive rights, deny services, or impose religion in schools?

SPEAKERS

• Rev. Susan Hayward, a Minneapolis scholar and minister specializing in religion, peacebuilding, and human rights; co-host of "American Unexceptionalism," a podcast series about what Americans can learn from people around the world who have resisted religious nationalism.
• Mariko Hirose, chief program officer of Americans United for Separation of Church and State: "Year in Review and Looking Ahead: The Christian Nationalist Threat to Our Communities." She will cover Americans United's work promoting religious freedom in areas including public health and education.
• Fish Stark, executive director of the American Humanist Association, a national organization representing humanists that has taken a lead in fighting Christian nationalism.
• A panel of Minnesota legislators discussing what religious freedom means to them, with Sen. Jen McEwen and Rep. Athena Hollins, co-chairs of the Legislature's Secular Government Caucus; Rep. Brion Curran, chair of the Queer Legislators Caucus; and Rep. Andy Smith, an outspoken critic of Christian nationalism.

LUNCH
The event will also include a buffet lunch where Rep. Mike Freiberg, co-chair of the Secular Government Caucus, will receive HumanistsMN's Religious Freedom Champion award.

In addition to Rep. Freiberg, speakers will include:

• Beatrice Handlin, who as a student testified for legislation supported by Rep. Freiberg to end religious discrimination in the state-funded Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program.
• AHA executive director Fish Stark.

You are invited to join us for $15.

SCHEDULE
8:30 a.m. Registration
9:15 a.m. Program begins
12:15 p.m. Lunch
12:45 p.m. Luncheon speakers
2:00 p.m. Program ends

REGISTRATION
Please register for this event here.
If you plan to attend the lunch, please register and pay here.

BACKGROUND ON NATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM DAY (Jan. 16)
National Religious Freedom Day commemorates the Virginia General Assembly’s adoption of Thomas Jefferson’s landmark Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on Jan. 16, 1786. The statute became the basis for the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing the separation of church and state. The U.S. President has proclaimed Religious Freedom Day annually since 1993.

THANKS TO OUR CO-SPONSORS
ACLU of Minnesota, American Humanist Association, Christians
Against Christian Nationalism Minnesota, First Unitarian Society of Minneapolis, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Gender Justice, Health Care for All Minnesota, Minnesota Atheists, OutFront Minnesota, Secular Student Alliance, Vote Common Good. (More to be announced later.)

“Atheist Voices in Politics: Presentation & Workshop on Precinct Caucuses”

Minnesota Atheists - Hybrid Meeting
Free and Open to the Public

In person and via Zoom
Zoom Meeting ID: 856 9893 7389; Passcode: 166449

NEW LOCATION!
(Same place as November 2025 meeting.)
Merriam Park Library
1831 Marshall Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104
(There is a small library parking lot, but there is also free parking in the neighborhood.)

The room is one floor down in the basement level of the library, then down a hallway. You can get there by stairs or elevator.

1:00-1:30 pm - Library opens. Social Time. Zoom starts.
1:30-1:50 pm - Business Meeting. (Open to the public.) Includes nominations for the Minnesota Atheists board of directors.
1:50-2:00 pm - Break
2:00-3:30 pm - Public Meeting: “Atheist Voices in Politics: Presentation & Workshop on Precinct Caucuses”
3:30 pm - Leave for Dinner *

* Longfellow Grill
2990 W. River Pkwy.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
(1.4 miles west of the library, just over the Mississippi River, where Marshall Ave. in St. Paul turns into E. Lake St. in Minneapolis.)

Atheist Voices in Politics: Presentation and Workshop on Precinct Caucuses

February 3rd is Caucus Night in Minnesota, have you added it to your calendar?

President of Minnesota Atheists, Heather Hegi, encourages you to get involved in your local political party. Many people are frustrated with politics and don’t feel that either major party represents them, but this is an opportunity to have a say in politics. Instead of abandoning the party, get involved and institute change. By becoming involved, you can speak up for your values and have real influence on the party.

The Precinct Caucus is true grassroots organizing, where you can submit Resolutions of Support for issues you find important, and elect delegates (including yourself) to represent your precinct at the Senate District/Local Organizing Unit Convention. From that convention, you can even go on to the County, Congressional District, and State Conventions. Depending on turnout, this might be easier than you think.

Heather hopes to demystify caucusing, delegates, and everything that comes with it. She will speak from her experience with the DFL Party, but her experience is relevant to the Republican Party as well. She is unsure of the processes with the minor parties but expects they would be even easier to get involved in, it just might not be through the
caucus process.

She will conclude with a workshop where we all figure out where our own local caucus will be held, fill out resolution forms, and make plans to attend or fill out a non-attendee form. We can share our resolution ideas and help each other feel prepared to caucus!

Consider bringing your laptop if you have one, otherwise it can be done on a phone, and we will also provide some hard copy resolution forms. You are also welcome to do some homework beforehand.

To determine your precinct location, visit the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website (The Secretary of State will share party caucus locations via the Caucus Finder starting January 14, 2026.)

Want to submit a resolution? We will provide a couple different examples of issues you could submit a resolution on, but feel free to bring your own to share. You can also look up organizations you care about to see if they are proposing any sample language.

For more information you can visit:
• DFL Party
• Republican Party

Please help support Minnesota Atheists by becoming a member or by making a donation