Spirit in Action | Northern Spirit Radio

Each week, Spirit In Action brings you stories of people living lives of fruitful service, of peace, community, compassion, creative action and progressive efforts. We will trace the spiritual roots that support and nourish them in their service. Above all, we will seek out Light, Love and Helping Hands, being shared between our many neighbors on this planet, hoping to inspire and encourage you to sink deep roots and produce sacred fruit in your own life.

Spirit In Action is an hour of interviews with those providing leadership in peace, justice and "good works", interspersed with relevant music. The theme music is "The Turning of the World" performed by Sara Thomsen (written by Ruth Pellham).


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First Air Date

April 9, 2006

Mary Rehwald spear-headed the successful effort of the city council to declare Ashland, WI an ECOmunicipality, incorporating the Natural Step process. Mary is a member of Ashland's City Council and a Northland College faculty member. A life-long Unitarian, she has a special spiritual calling toward building community. She has a stong connection to caring for the earth and living responsibly upon it.

First Air Date

August 12, 2007

A visit with Peder, Adam & Megan in Jerusalem, on site in the Middle East to shoot a film about the Israeli occupation. They hope to provide a picture of the Palestinians to humanize them and their plight in face of the very unbalanced media picture we typically see in the USA. Peder, Adam & Megan are college Juniors and Seniors with studies in Political Science, Anthropology and Film.

First Air Date

August 5, 2007

Snapshot visits at this year's Energy fair, including Stan Gruszynski keynote, Steve Mellenthin, Mike Miles of Anathoth, music by Pine Wilson & Kevin Soucie, Community Homestead visitors, Ned Boyles workshop on Reality 101, exhibitors TS Designs, Tall Grass Bioneers, SonLight Power and Lake Michigan Wind & Sun, and part of Judith Levine's keynote on her "Not Buying It" book.

First Air Date

July 29, 2007

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association Energy Fair is an amazing event, rich in speakers, workshops, vendors, music and more than 16,000 attenders. I went with an ear for the voice of the Spirit - and heard PLENTY. A collage of many folks who took part, as I roamed around the fair grounds on June 15-17, 2007.

First Air Date

January 29, 2006

Bill Wiese has served as a kind of representative of 6 Eau Claire area churches to UW-Eau Claire in a program known as "The Ministry". Bill, a life-long Methodist, provides a portal to the community for the students and enriches their lives by doing things like teaching free yoga sessions and sharing from his more than a decade under a Native American teacher.

First Air Date

September 4, 2005

A visit with Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox about their role with Quaker Earthcare Witness, the paths that led them to lives of earth & spiritual activism, their lives "off the grid" in Vermont ... and much more.

Interviewed July 8th, 2005 at the Friends General Conference gathering held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia

photo of three members of the IPO in a boat on a muddy river

First Air Date

June 24, 2007

Kelly has served one year in Colombia, South America, as part of the International Peace Observatory (IPO), and is heading back now for further volunteer service doing human rights accompaniment. She shares stories "from the ground" in Colombia, the people, the violence and the causes.

First Air Date

April 2, 2006

John Williams was a Catholic priest in his 20's, till he felt another calling. He taught for decades at University of Wisconsin - Stout, in the Human Development and Family Living Department. Now in semi-retirement, he has help found a Pax Christi chapter at St Joseph's Catholic Church in Menomonie.

First Air Date

June 10, 2007

David Orr, chairman of the Environmental Studies program at Oberlin College and author of 5 books, spoke at UW-Eau Claire this past April. His talk was passionate, thoughtful, challenging and inspirational, as it discussed the dangers and hopes surrounding the fate of life on this planet.

green triangle with the words "The Greens" written across it

First Air Date

March 26, 2006

Jo Vallentine was the first Australian Green Party Senator. She brought principled action to Australia's federal Senate, earning her the scorn of many "business as usual" politicians, as she served as advocate and voice in Australia's Parliament for a number of progressive issues for 8 years

Mary Rehwald - Ashland ECO-Municipality and The Natural Step

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BuildABridge - Peder Wiegner, Adam Beach, Megan Tahquette

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Spirit Afoot at the MREA's Energy & Sustainable Living Fair - Part 2

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Spirit Afoot at the MREA's Energy & Sustainable Living Fair 2007 - Part 1

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Bill Wiese - The Ministry

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Quaker Earthcare Witness

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International Peace Observatory in Colombia

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John Williams - Pax Christi, Peacemaking & Psychotherapy

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The Global Predicament

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Jo Vallentine - Australian Green Party Senator

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