Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church from Young AdultsĚýinvites readers to the table for an honest, hopeful, and transformative exploration of the pressing challenges and opportunities facing the church today. With voices rooted in the lived experiences of young adults across the United States, this book addresses topics such as climate catastrophe, mental health, marginalization, and more, offering actionable insights for the church’s journey toward renewal and relevance.

Above images from our Panel Discussion at the ELCA’s Extravaganza 2025 featuring our illustrator Lindsay Fertig-Johnson, authors Amber Kalina and Catalina Morales Bahena hosted by Kristina FrugĂ©.

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Two years ago we hosted 50 young adults from around the US at Augsburg for a weekend of storytelling and listening. The reason for this gathering was to unearth the common hopes, concerns and desires young adults hold for the church and the world we share. In sifting through the stories shared, we hoped to distill themes that might give shape to a book we wanted to create – one written by young adults to the church. This book was one of the ways Riverside Innovation Hub was committed to stewarding what we learned in our first five years of the Lilly Endowment’s Young Adult Initiative. After working with congregations and young adults in our inaugural round of the Riverside Innovation Hub, supported through the Lilly Endowment, we were granted additional funding and time to share the wisdom and learnings that emerged. Who better to speak those truths than the young adults themselves?Ěý

Just two years shy of that special gathering this very book has come to be. Well, nearly.

The manuscript was submitted to our publisher early in September and now we will work with them to take the final steps of transforming our authors’ ideas, stories and whole-hearted requests into a book that can be shared broadly. So much has transpired within those two years – an author application process, two writing retreats to launch and further along the writing community, collaboration with an illustrator bringing to life themes of the book, multiple rounds of editing drafts, countless cups of coffee and hours at laptops, and final revisions to compile the completed manuscript over the summer.Ěý

Each chapter provides an invitation to a table. Chapter one describes what courageous curiosity looks like and proposes this posture as a necessary mindset for the church and young adults as we approach the present day challenges lifted up in this book. Chapter two orients us to the young adult experience, too often shaped by tokenization. It offers an alternative approach rooted in relationship; one where young adults are valued co-creators for our shared future.Ěý

Chapter three (our climate catastrophe), chapter four (grief and lament) and chapter five (mental health) work together to paint the bigger picture of our times. Together these three chapters name the very hard realities that shape our human experience, while also offering guidance for finding our way in the ruins.Ěý

Chapters six (abuse of power), seven (marginalization, inclusion and liberation), and eight (sex, shame and intimacy) reveal some of the particular ways young adults have been grieving as our churches have contributed to harm and avoided confronting the ways change is needed. The themes of these chapters are inherently intertwined.Ěý

Chapter nine brings us back to the importance of community, and how the church can more fully embody a community defined by the centrality of Jesus. Chapter ten (beyond the walls) further fleshes out the faithful next steps for our church communities. Being centered on Jesus, in fact, means our churches are called to be decentered towards our neighbors, becoming trustworthy partners in God’s mending work in the world. Finally, chapter eleven (scarcity and abundance) lifts up a more adequate and faithful narrative from which we can enter into the challenges before us. A narrative rooted in reclaiming “enough” that roots us in God’s abundance, mending our relationships – with God, with each other, and with the earth.Ěý

Editing and stewarding this process has been perhaps one of the largest professional projects of my career, certainly the one with the most moving pieces! I am so proud of what this team created together and deeply grateful for all of those who helped bring this project to fruition. The list is too long to name in this blog post, but as we get closer to releasing the book to the public, you will hear more about it and the many hands and hearts behind it.Ěý

As we shared the draft manuscript with a handful of readers, we asked them, who do you think should read this book once it’s completed. Take a read at their feedback of who they hope reads this book. And if you hear yourself in their reflections, and we’ll keep you posted as the book gets closer to release!

“I imagine using it [this book] for student leadership development. Peer group book study and for young adults who are in discernment about their faith journey. And as a preacher, I confess there are definitely some quotables and “that’ll preach!” material here.”

“For me this will be a reference point any time someone brings up the fact that young people are leaving the church! I think it could be helpful in a congregational council setting, maybe for a retreat. And I think it needs to be required reading for every faculty/staff member at our schools of theological education and hopefully met with empathy. Better yet, you could have trainings with these faculty/staff based on this book so that they can meet with empathy and not scorn.”Ěý

“I would recommend it to people who have young adults in their lives, church people who are worried about the future, young adults seeking meaning, theologians. AND! Older people who feel disconnected from the younger generation. I thought of my dad—a retired Presbyterian minister—who grew up and practiced ministry in a different world than the one his grandchildren live in. There’s a lot in here that could inform conversations we’ve had about why society looks the way it does and why young people make some of the choices they do (including to leave church in droves).”

“Every call committee and church council who are going through the process of calling a new pastor and/or figuring out a vision for their specific congregation should read this book. As one going through this process at the moment, I deeply resonated with Amanda, Jia, and Kristina’s writing in the introduction, specifically, the invitation to sit together around the table especially on the Holy Saturday moments we continue to find ourselves in. I think it’s also important for the young adult demographic to read this book, so that we can add to the conversation from our own perspectives and so that this book can become a living document of sorts, rather than another resource for older generations to try to understand “young people.”

Anticipated release is fall of 2025, but follow us for more updates on this project. We have several ways we hope to engage interested folks in the learnings from this book before and after its public release

The post The Manuscript is in! Let’s celebrate! appeared first on Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation.

Greetings,

In the flow of our everyday lives, finding moments of peace to hear the quiet, divine whispers can be out of sight and out of mind. Today, I’m reaching out to share such a moment with you.

This is my invitation for you to join me in a quiet reflection on the profound connections between the sacred words of scripture and the intricate details of our personal journeys. As we consider how the living words of scripture, like fresh waters, bring vitality and clarity to our lives, let us pause and be present in the serenity of this understanding. Together, let’s explore how these deeper truths resonate within our own stories, guiding us towards deeper insights and a renewed spirit.

A devotion and Invitation to Reflect on Interpretation

Peace,

In my life there is this constant movement and noise, it’s sometimes very challenging to find moments of true stillness—moments where I can pause and be deeply present with the divine whispers that my busy day usually drowns out. Today, I am extending an invitation to you, an invitation to take a moment and journey with me into a reflection on interpretation; an exploration of how the sacred word intertwines with the intimate details of our personal stories.

Ezekiel 47:9, “Wherever the river flows, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.” This verse paints a picture of life and renewal—of water that revitalizes and sustains all that it touches. Like the river, the Spirit of God moves, flows, and brings life to all areas it reaches, including the heart.

I invite you to join me in nature, or any place where you can be still. Sometimes I sit quietly looking out my window and I let myself gently settle into myself. Relaxing the body and feeling the ground beneath you, listen to the subtle sounds around you, and simply watch what’s in front of your nose. Allow the initial rush of thoughts to digest, just let the mind do what the mind does- just like our digestive system works, the mind is a kind of its own mental digester; it doesn’t need you to do anything, just let the mental chatter chat away. As the mind is processing, let yourself be more and more in the moment, embracing the beauty, the sounds and feelings that are all around you. Come to a stillness.ĚýĚý

In this stillness, reflect on where God’s Word meets your life. Consider how the scripture from Ezekiel might be speaking into your circumstances. What fresh waters are being poured into your life? How is everything around you full of this potential for life and growth because of this divine flow?

This letter of devotion isn’t just about understanding words on a page; it’s about letting those words transform us as they connect with our personal and interpersonal experiences. It’s about recognizing the divine movement in both the extraordinary and the ordinary. As you sit in reflection, ask yourself: Where do I see the flow of God’s Spirit in my life? How does my story reflect the greater story that God is telling?

I hope this invitation will open a possibility for you to explore and deepen your understanding of how God’s living word continuously shapes and redefines our unfolding story. May you find fresh inspiration and renewed perspective as you reflect on the intersection of holy scripture and your wholly life.

In being still and knowing that I am,

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When teaching college students how to think theologically, I often hear them say, “I don’t know if I can think theologically because I’m not really even sure what my key beliefs are.” What follows is a process I have used many times when helping high school students, college students, and adults become more aware of the key theological claims that shape how they understand and interpret life. You can go through this process on your own, with a partner, or with a group. If doing with others, find moments when you can share what you are writing with one another and offer feedback to each other.Ěý

Brainstorming Your Core Beliefs

1. Using index cards, post-its, or small slips of paper, write down all the biblical stories and lessons that are important to you. Write one per piece of paper. Leave room on each piece of paper to add more later.
2. Continue to use index cards, post-its, or slips of paper and now write all the things you have been taught about God that are most important to you – attributes of God, things God does, things God doesn’t do, how God does things, why God does things, etc. Again, write only one on each piece of paper and leave room on each piece for more writing later.
3. On each piece of paper write a brief description of why that particular biblical story, biblical lesson, or belief about God is important to you.

Organizing Your Core Beliefs into Themes

1. Organize your individual pieces of paper into clusters with others that are similar.
2. After you have clustered similar ones together, write a one-word title for the shared theme of those cards and brief description of that theme. These themes are your key theological claims. The individual cards under each theme are specific examples of your core theological claims.

Interrogating Your Core Theological Claims

1. Reflect on this definition of theology by theologian Douglas John Hall (from “What is Theology? in Crosscurrents, 2003): “Theology is what occurs when the Christian community knows itself to be living between text and context . . . between the tradition bequeathed to it from those who have gone before and the unfinished book of time present and future. Or perhaps we could put it even more simply: Theology is that ongoing activity of the whole church that aims at clarifying what “gospel” must mean here and now. . . The [gospel] is good [news] because it challenges and displaces bad news. Gospel addresses us at the place where we are overwhelmed by an awareness . . . of what is wrong with the world and with ourselves in it. It is good news because it engages, takes on and does battle with the bad news, offering another alternative, another vision of what could be, another way into the future.”

2. Spend some time thinking about each of your key theological claims in light of Hall’s definition of theology and gospel above.

• When has this claim been good news for you? How? Why?
• When has this claim been good news for your neighbor? How? Why?
• Has this claim ever been bad news for you or your neighbor? When? How? Why? If so, do you think this claim might need to be reevaluated or let go?

Practicing Using Your Core Theological Claims

1. Pick a controversial issue or a current local or global crisis. Examine that issue or crisis through the lens of your key theological claims.
   1. How do your theological claims inform how you think and feel about this issue?
   2. Do they change your perspective? How? Why?
   3. Are they helpful? Problematic? How? Why?

Next Steps

1. Now that you have gained more insight into your key theological claims, it is important to be honest about how they might be helpful and how they might be harmful.
   1. How do you see your key theological claims being helpful?
   2. How do you see your key theological claims being potentially harmful?
2. Who can you share these key theological claims with for feedback and conversation?

As you move forward from this exercise, remember the words of Douglas John Hall, “Theology is that ongoing activity of the whole church that aims at clarifying what [good news] must mean here and now.”

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Uncovering Vocation is a partnership betweenĚýCampus MinistryĚýand theĚýChristensen Center for VocationĚýat Augsburg University. Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, a member of the Augsburg community is invited to share a component of their vocation story. It has become a way of building community, becoming reacquainted with one another, and celebrating the diversity of people and vocations that make Augsburg University the beautiful place it is.

This week’s Uncovering Vocation talk is given by Jennifer Butler, Augsburg University’s Director of Multicultural Life. Jennifer is a lifelong collector of stories, an advocate for inclusive excellence and equity, and an educator. For years, Jennifer has worked with students to help sharpen their ideas and advocacy skills. Jennifer recognizes that success as a student comes both inside and outside of the classroom and purposefully works to support underrepresented communities as they navigate higher education. Trained as a social scientist, Jennifer strongly believes in empowering through the framework of self-efficacy and hopes to instill in those around her a steadfast belief in their capability to succeed. She is committed to practicing humility, developing understanding, and promoting an inclusive campus. She received her Ph.D. in Asia Pacific Studies from National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan, where she focused on financial behaviors, financial literacy, and self-efficacy. Jennifer is passionate about the role of student services and the unique levels and layers of support students need.

Good morning, when I was emailed about potentially speaking in one of Jeremy’s vocation chapels, I thought there were so many unique and great stories to share here at Augsburg that the odds of me speaking anytime soon were quite slim.

Jokes on me, he asked in December and here we are in March!
I’ll be honest, when I started thinking about this chapel, I googled “what is vocation”

And while the results of my Google search didn’t really clarify things, I remembered from my time working at the College of Business and Analytics at Southern Illinois University this concept of “ikigai” that expresses

1. Find what you’re good at.
2. Find what you love to do.
3. Find what you can get paid for.
4. Find what the world needs.

So today, I’m going to hurry us through my journey of finding.

For those who don’t know, I’m a transracial adoptee. When I was a few months shy of my 2nd birthday, I was adopted by these 2 loving individuals. I spent a lot of my early days watching and taking in the sights of what was happening around me. I was in an unfamiliar place. I was with unfamiliar people. I was surrounded by unfamiliar practices. And I felt alone. But to say I felt alone might be confusing to some because I was constantly surrounded by my new doting parents, their excited families, their happy friend group, and a family pet or two. Being adopted makes me sensitive to and aware of the importance of belonging. The importance of having support. The importance of a community or family or support system. It makes me aware that when life and personal stuff occur, it can fully impact your ability to thrive and succeed.

So fast forward to me graduating high school.

When I graduated high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to major in… I just knew that I was off to college. I started at my local community college and there, I had a professor who encouraged me to look into the exciting field of actuarial science. Not wanting to be a teacher like my mother, not really being passionate about anything other than the fact that I did not like chemistry, I decided to give it a go.

I transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio. This was a huge change. I had to live on campus. I was away from my family. I didn’t know anyone. And I had to take Calculus 2 and Accounting. I ended up getting an F in Accounting, a D in Cal 2, and a couple of other sad or bad grades. That coupled with the experience of feeling so alone, disconnected from friends and family, and receiving all the scary emails about needing to turn things around because the next semester I would be on probation…really made me question whether or not college was for me.

Aware of the fact that I was not thriving academically or personally my family and I decided it would be best for me to move back home. I took a summer course or 2 and got my GPA back to non-probationary status and I transferred to the 4-year university in my hometown. I decided to major in pollical science because those were classes I always did well in and it also meant I didn’t have to be a teacher like my mother. I was back with friends, I made new friends at my new university, and my friends were now talking about this cool new thing called graduate school.

Now during my time in college, my mother started a speech and debate club for students 12-18 years old. My younger brother was learning how to be a competitive debater and as one who lives at home often does, I got sucked into this family project. But it turns out I was actually really good at teaching young novice debaters who were debating policy. I know I said I didn’t want to be a teacher, but it was interesting teaching 12-year-olds how to be effective communicators. I loved the moments when it all clicked and came together. When they realized how to defend their debate cases. When they learned that listening is just as important as speaking during a debate round. When they learned just how powerful their voices were as they shared their ideas on topics most 12-year-olds aren’t talking about…like dependency on foreign oil or African trade policies.

But what stood out to me the most was this one young newbie. He and his debate partner were energetic pre-teen boys who probably wanted to be doing anything except debate. But shortly into the experience of learning how to debate and practicing being an effective communicator, this young student of mine, was tasked with giving the eulogy at his father’s funeral. Forget the rules of debate, forget the implication of US foreign policy, he was learning to communicate and be a communicator for this and so many other moments in his life. And that’s when it dawned on me that I valued helping people find their voices. I am passionate about equipping people with the skills needed to speak and advocate for themselves.

Still thinking that teaching was not for me, I poured myself into my poli sci classes and I graduated with a rehabilitated GPA and professors who were happy to write me letters of recommendation. So now I’ve found something I’m good at so off to grad school I go.

I found a small private liberal arts university that had a graduate degree in International Relations where I could specialize in international development and learn about theories such as the capabilities approach or self-efficacy which really resonated and meshed with my newfound passion for equipping people with the tools they need to succeed. So in grad school, I continued to explore themes of advocacy, empowerment, self-efficacy, and yes, education.

When I say I took that campus by storm, I mean I was everywhere. I was in so many student orgs. I served as the student representative on university committees. I worked for the ambassador in residence (the former US Ambassador to Belize). And I decided to write a master’s thesis so I spent a lot of time with my thesis supervisor, the grad IR faculty, and the amazing research librarians. My experience at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio was unlike any other. It was a small enough campus that everyone knew everyone and anyone who stepped foot on the campus could sense the Marianist commitment to belonging, community, service, and justice.

While at St. Mary’s, I got the opportunity to work as the Director of Forensics, teaching and coaching the competition speech and debate students. My students would go on to compete in regional and national competitions and while I could talk of their many awards and accolades, I simply want to put it out there that these former students who were honing their communication skills then are all now in roles of advocacy. They are using their voices to advocate and empower others. So, things are starting to come together. I found something I was good at. I found something I loved to do. And somehow, I had found a way to get paid a little for doing it.

So, as I was starting to wrap up my grad program, the dreadful what’s next questions re-surfaced. I had a few opportunities popping up here and there but nothing felt exactly right. My grad school mentor suggested I apply to this new and experimental PhD program in Taiwan. I kind of was like well what’s the worst that could happen. I applied, got accepted, bought a 1 way ticket to Taiwan, wedged what I thought I might need into 2 suitcases, and hugged my family goodbye.

At this point, I had attended a community college, a couple of 4-year universities, and a private graduate school so I felt like I kind of knew how to navigate higher ed. Wow, nope…I was now in a new country, a new culture, with a new way of doing things. Having come off of a really amazing experience in grad school, and now knowing the importance of having that sense of belonging, having a strong support system, and having that community, I immediately started building and finding it. I cobbled together a community of friends, kindred spirits, and quickly regained that sense of belonging I had become accustomed to before leaving for Taiwan.

Fast forward through my adventures abroad, I came back to the US in February of 2020. Just at the start of something big. Yes, COVID. I managed to catch one of the last flights out of Taipei before much stricter protocols and widespread cancellations of flights occurred. I moved back to the States to be closer to my parents and family but also to put my shiny new PhD to good use. I had gotten a job at Southern Illinois University in a town called Carbondale where I had never visited and knew no one. I was hired to lead the equivalent of the Multicultural Life office for SIU’s College of Business and Analytics.

In that role, at the beginning of the pandemic, I was tasked with making sure that the college’s students felt engaged, like they had a community, and that even though things were remote that they had a sense of belonging. Not exactly the easiest task when people weren’t in a face-to-face capacity. I threw myself into earning the trust of the students, building relationships with the staff and faculty, and understanding the geographical community I had just joined.

Southern Illinois was good to me. I was able to do some amazing firsts for SIU and the students I served. I had excellent relationships with campus partners and I was really happy with the job I had and I wasn’t really looking to move when here comes Augsburg.

One of my mentors told me that after 2-3 years in role, I should take a look at the job postings of jobs being offered in the area I’m in and the areas I’m interested in growing into. That way I am seeing the knowledge, skills, and responsibilities that are part of these roles and can find ways or opportunities to incorporate some of them into the role I currently have. So toward the mid to end of the spring semester of my 3rd year at SIU, I was lightly doing some searches while planning awesomeness for my office and the Fall 2023 semester when I ran across the Augsburg job posting.

I was curious and I hopped on the website to see a little more about Augsburg and I was like, oh hey…y’all potentially are kind of like the Lutheran version of my grad school but didn’t really think much of it until l I started creeping on the social media of the student orgs. Augsburg students were doing so much. I was like wait, what…how…how are they so engaged. So y’all should thank my mother, she encouraged me to apply so I could talk to the interviewer and get a sense of what was going on with this campus.

So poor Joanne and Taylor. I had a 30 mins screener with them wedged between a whole bunch of craziness on my end because at the time I was in the middle of a high school summer camp college takeover with high school students from all over Illinois. I slid into Zoom scattered but excited to ask questions. All I had to do was get to the part where they asked “so what questions do you have for us” And then I could pounce. I could ask about their student involvement. I could get a sense of what specialness was going on with their campus to bring back to mine. Joanne and Taylor were so nice and Joanne went on and on about Augsburg answering my questions and I left the interview with new thoughts for my office and went back to my chaotic summer camp experience.

When I got the email later saying that Augsburg would like to invite me for another round of interviews, I went uh oh. The thought really hadn’t crossed my mind that I could work at Augsburg. I had been on a fact-finding mission. And now I have a full-fledged multi-interview opportunity in a state I’d never been to. Once again, y’all should thank my mother…she encouraged me to do it for the experience. I’m sorry, but who does 4 interviews back-to-back to back for the experience?! And as they say, the rest is history. I packed up my stuff in Carbondale and once again moved to a place I had never visited, a place where I had 0 friends, all to start a new job.

So why do that? It’s because, through the interview process, I saw Augsburg’s intentionality. I saw its dedication to community, to supporting students, and how it valued belonging. I saw students who were learning to use their voices. Who were being empowered to advocate for themselves, their communities, and others. And I saw things I valued and had sought after.
As a transracial adoptee, I found myself searching for community and belonging. As a college student, I was academically more successful when I found a sense of belonging and community and leaned into the support resources available on my campuses.

So now as a person working in higher ed, I look for places where I can serve and hopefully give students that same experience. The experience I had where I felt supported, where I felt like a valued member of the community, where I felt that I belonged, and where I learned my voice mattered.

So going back to the concept of “ikigai”

1. Find what you’re good at.
2. Find what you love to do.
3. Find what you can get paid for.
4. Find what the world needs.

Currently, my role at Augsburg allows me to do exactly that: I can use my talents and skills to serve our campus community. Augsburg values things I love and I’m passionate about. Strangely enough, this is an actual job…Augsburg pays me to do this. And the students we are equipping here at Augsburg are exactly who I think the world needs as future leaders and informed citizens.

The post The Intersection of Passion and Purpose: A Vocation Story appeared first on Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation.

We wall ourselves to protect ourselves. Let’s take a look at a few things that have held me mentally and physically back from really connecting to others and being in community.

These Barriers or walls are things that keep me(us) from experiencing another person’s heart, soul, mind, and strength.

*The Heart (passions, hurts, motivations, dreams),Ěý

*Soul ( personality, how they think, communicate, problem solve),Ěý

*Mind (what they believe, worldview, values, sense of self, sense of humor, what they find sacred)Ěý

*Strength (how they help, skills they bring to the table, the unique beauty they add to the world)

Key Barriers to One to Ones:

When we do scary and uncomfortable things, our bodies and emotions may react in order to protect ourselves from what our bodies perceive as danger.Ěý

We do this in many ways, here are some examples:Ěý

• Allowing nervousness or fear of rejection to prevent you from engaging with others can limit opportunities to form meaningful relationships.Ěý
• Taking the power of someone’s opinion out of the equation
• Closed-Off Attitude: Not showing genuine interest or curiosity about others can create a barrier to forming deep connections.
• Poor Nonverbal Engagement: Lack of eye contact and closed body language can signal disinterest, hindering the development of trust and rapport. (80%+ communication)
• Negative Mindset: Approaching interactions with negativity or skepticism can make conversations strained and uninviting. **Being honest about something that was wrong- and acknowledging it.Ěý
• Anxiety and self protective responses that protect us from others (If I keep it cool then people won’t know what I really have going on and they cant use it against me)
• Superficial Sympathy: Focusing only on surface-level sympathy instead of striving for deeper empathy and understanding can lead to shallow connections.
• Ignoring Personal Boundaries: Pushing too hard for personal information or not respecting someone’s comfort zone can damage trust and discourage further interaction.
• Overlooking Small Achievements: Not recognizing the importance of small steps in relationship building can lead to missed opportunities for growth and connection.
• Unprepared Conversations: Entering into interactions without any thought or preparation can result in unproductive and awkward exchanges.
• Self-Centered Approach: Focusing solely on what you can get out of a relationship, instead of also considering what you can contribute, can create imbalance and hinder genuine connection.
• Lack of Presence: Being distracted or not fully engaged in conversations can make others feel undervalued and disrespected.

In essence, these boundaries stem from a lack of openness, engagement, and respect in interactions. Recognizing and working to overcome these barriers can enhance the ability to build authentic and meaningful relationships.

Overcoming Barriers Tips and Tricks:

When we bypass our fear and invest in others this is what brave, productive, healthy space looks like. A holistic approach, addressing both the emotional and practical aspects of building one-on-one relationships are found below. When you decide this is about the other person and you dive into the mystery and exploration this what you do:Ěý

• Encourage Curiosity: Emphasize the value of being curious about the other person. Curiosity can lead to more engaging and dynamic conversations. It shows that you’re genuinely interested in learning about them, which can create a stronger connection.
• Practice Nonverbal Communication: Nonverbal cues like eye contact, nodding, and open body language can significantly enhance communication. These cues can show that you’re engaged and interested in the conversation, even without many words.
• Set a Positive Tone: Starting conversations with a positive attitude and an open mind can set a welcoming and comfortable tone for the interaction. Positivity tends to be contagious and can make the experience more enjoyable for both parties.
• Reframe Anxiety as Excitement: Sometimes, nervousness in meeting new people can be reframed as excitement. This slight shift in perspective can change how you approach the conversation, making it more about the opportunity rather than the fear.
• Emphasize Empathy Over Sympathy: While sympathy is feeling for someone, empathy is feeling with them. Encourage your group to strive for empathy, which fosters deeper understanding and connection.
• Acknowledge and Respect Boundaries: It’s important to recognize and respect personal boundaries in conversations. Not everyone may be comfortable sharing personal details immediately, and that’s okay.
• Celebrate Small Victories: Acknowledge and celebrate even the small successes in building relationships, like having a pleasant conversation or finding a shared interest. This can boost confidence and motivation.
• Prepare Some Go-To Conversation Starters: Having a few general topics or questions in mind can help ease into conversations more smoothly, especially when you’re unsure of how to start.
• Remember It’s a Two-Way Street: Relationships are about giving and receiving. Encourage your group to not only share about themselves but also to be open to what others have to offer.
• Mindfulness and Presence: Being fully present in the conversation, without distractions, can make the interaction more meaningful and respectful.

Practices to Add Daily

Integrating these practices into daily life requires consistent effort, patience, and sometimes, a shift in mindset.Ěý

Here are some ways to help embody these concepts more naturally over time:

• Regular Practice: practice these skills regularly. Like any other skill, building relationships improves with practice. Even small, daily interactions can be opportunities to hone these skills.
• Reflection and Journaling: Keep a journal of your experiences in building relationships. Reflecting on what worked, what didn’t, and how they felt during interactions can provide valuable insights and personal growth.
• Role-Playing and Scenarios: You could use role-playing exercises to practice different scenarios. This can help members feel more prepared and confident in real-life situations.
• Set Personal Goals: Set realistic, personal goals related to building relationships. These could be as simple as initiating a conversation with a stranger or asking more open-ended questions in their interactions. Create a white board chart to capture your personal goals.Ěý
• Create a Supportive Environment: Foster a group culture where members feel safe to share their experiences and challenges. Support from the group can be a powerful motivator and source of encouragement.
• Mindfulness Practices: Introduce mindfulness exercises that focus on being present and aware during interactions. This can help in managing anxiety and being more engaged in conversations.
• Celebrate Progress: Recognize and celebrate the progress each member makes, no matter how small. This can boost morale and encourage continued effort.
• Buddy System: Pair up members so they can practice these skills together and provide feedback to each other. This can also help in building accountability.
• Adapt and Personalize: Remind everyone that it’s okay to adapt these concepts to suit their individual personalities and situations. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building relationships.
• Patience and Compassion: Encourage patience, both with oneself and with others. Building meaningful relationships doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s important to be compassionate with oneself through the process.
• Lead by Example: finding a leader (good example) whose approach to building relationships can serve as a powerful example. Ask them to share their experiences, including the challenges, to show that it’s a shared journey.

By incorporating these strategies, the group can gradually shift these concepts from being mere ideas to natural, integral parts of their daily interactions and relationships. It’s about creating a supportive and proactive environment where personal growth is encouraged and celebrated.

Team Activity

I created a lesson plan to help walk teams through a discussion and practices to empower group members to understand and overcome common barriers in forming authentic one-on-one relationships in hopes to leave members feeling encouraged and celebrated.

, , to print off.

The post One to Ones: Overcoming Barriers appeared first on Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation.

Accompaniment is the first artform of the Public Church Framework. It is the movement out into the neighborhood to hear the neighbors’ stories. In this movement, we learn to engage and listen to the neighbor for the neighbor’s sake. We’ve simplified and categorized accompaniment into four different practices that help us hear our neighbors’ stories. This blog post dives into the third layer accompaniment, engaging listening posts.Ěý

You can also read more about the other three layers – Understanding Demographic Data and Prayer Walks in the Neighborhood.Ěý

Listening Posts

Written by Kristina Fruge

Listening posts might just be my favorite element of accompaniment. As someone who is an introvert at heart, but who also prefers to spend the energy I do have on relationships, listening posts offer a soft landing for accompaniment to begin. Listening posts provide an invitation to be fully present and curious about new surroundings while also creating the potential of connections with neighbors in big and small ways.Ěý

A listening post is the term we use to describe the locations that people naturally convene or gather in a neighborhood. This might include the local coffee shop, the ball fields during the summer, a local YMCA, neighborhood association meetings, the local community garden, the town grocery store, the dog park, or even a neighborhood gas station. Your particular context likely has other types of listening posts not on this list, but the common thread is that they function as a sort of hub for people who live, work, worship, pass through or play in that neighborhood to gather and connect. AND, they are great places for listening. Listening posts blend together opportunities for noticing desolation and consolation, as we do in the prayer walks, but also can open doors for one-to-one conversations with neighbors.Ěý

Here is some advice to help you explore the listening posts in your neighborhood. that you can print out to share!Ěý

Identify local listening posts.Ěý

Your prayer walk will help you identify possible listening posts! You can read all about prayer walks in our other blog here. Not only can a prayer walk help you locate possible listening posts, but based on your other observations as you pay close attention to desolation and consolation in the neighborhood, you may discover things that you want to learn more about. That curiosity could lead you to a more focused approach in your search for listening posts.Ěý

You also can ask local leaders, business owners or other neighbors who live in the community where they gather. The local librarian may also be a good resource to talk to. One RIH congregation discovered that another community group was facilitating something called Circle Groups in their neighborhood. These circle groups were gatherings where leaders intentionally invited people from different backgrounds into vulnerable conversations about the things that mattered most to them in the neighborhood. The team members from this congregation were invited to participate and were amazed and humbled to be in a place with neighbors sharing from the heart and in a safe place.Ěý

Finally, feel free to use our list as a jumping off point to imagine possible listening posts in your neighborhood.Ěý

Prepare to visit the listening posts and to be a good guest.

Accompaniment in our neighborhoods is an invitation to flip the script on radical hospitality. A young leader we worked with was a part of an RIH congregation that highly valued offering radical hospitality in their space. He wisely challenged his team to explore this question – What does it mean to extend radical hospitality when we are the guest? They took this imagination with them out into their neighborhood, attempting to apply their core value of radical hospitality from the position of guest, rather than host. And we invite your congregation to do likewise as you visit the listening posts of your neighborhood.Ěý

What does it mean to extend radical hospitality when you are the guest in the listening posts of your neighborhood? The answer to this question will vary depending on your particular context and the particular listening post you are visiting. However, humility, curiosity and compassion again become important values to hold on to. The importance of these values was explored in an earlier post on prayer walks which we encourage you to read, especially since participating in prayer walks in the neighborhood will help you discover the neighborhoods’ listening posts!Ěý

However, the summarized explanation is that in all of our efforts to become vital neighbors, we will find ourselves encountering people and places we don’t know or don’t know very well. We will encounter differences between ourselves and others – whether it be racially, religiously, socio-economically, generationally, or across so many other distinctions. We also expect to experience connection as we discover similarities – love of the same local business, or our pets, or our children, or perhaps share similar fears or longings for ourselves and our neighborhoods. Our differences and our similarities are beautiful gifts – they are what makes up a community and can contribute to the mutual flourishing of its members. However, when ignored, dismissed, threatened or undervalued, these similarities and differences can contribute to harm and heartache in our neighborhoods.Ěý

Imagine a time when you have been a guest in someone else’s home or in a context different than your own. How did humility, curiosity and compassion factor into your efforts to be a good guest in those places? Spend time with others in your congregation wondering about how these values help us be radically hospitable guests as you prepare to visit some of the listening posts in your neighborhood.Ěý

Bring some good questions and a goal.

Listening posts are great places to observe and take a pulse on the neighborhood. But hopefully, an opportunity to interact with neighbors as well. If you’re an extrovert, this may be a fun challenge to meet new people but you’ll want to have some questions in your back pocket to help you be a good listener. We’ve shared some of our favorites below, but get creative.Ěý

• What’s your history with this neighborhood (or this listening post?)Ěý
• What do you love about this neighborhood? What concerns do you have about this neighborhood?
• What’s your favorite place in this neighborhood?
• If I wanted to get to know more about this neighborhood, who would you suggest I talk to?Ěý
• What is one wish you have for this neighborhood?Ěý

And if you’re an introvert, you may want to consider setting a goal for yourself. Here are some examples:

• I want to meet three new people, learn their names and one thing they like about this neighborhood.Ěý
• I want to learn about the history of this listening post.
• I want to find one person who I can invite for coffee for a one-to-one conversation at a later time.Ěý

One RIH congregation spent several afternoons at a local park that was a listening post near their church. They set up a table with some simple kids games and prizes and had a sign up that simply said, “What are your hopes for this community?” They were truly surprised how many people stopped and visited their table, many sharing their thoughts on this question. And a small number of their interactions went from small talk to strangers sharing stories and opening up about some of their heartaches. The church members reflected afterward about how real the presence of God’s love was in these interactions, despite no talk of God, Jesus or church. It left them wondering about the countless stories they didn’t yet hear in the lives of their neighbors.Ěý

Share, reflect and identify next steps as a team after your visits.Ěý

Finally, after you’ve made some visits with other members of your congregation to local listening posts, plan a time to share about your experiences together. Compare your experiences. Listen for any common themes or surprises that come up across your different experiences. Discuss how these encounters are shaping your next steps, especially as you make plans to do one-to-one conversations with neighbors.Ěý

We often talk about “pulling the thread” in this work, which is a way of talking about how we follow the energy and curiosity this exploration of our neighborhoods sparks. As you think about next steps, specifically potential one-to-one conversations you may want to have, reflect on the threads that are starting to poke through. Maybe it was a surprising encounter or discovery in the neighborhood. Maybe it was a theme you noticed. Maybe someone suggested an organization or local leader to connect with. Allow your reflections as a team to surface the threads you want to pull on as you develop your plans for deeper, one-to-one conversations with neighbors.Ěý

The post Accompaniment – Listening Posts appeared first on Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation.

The Young Adult Book Project has surpassed another mile marker in our project! Our author team gathered for a second Writers’ Retreat at Mt. Olivet Conference and Retreat Center last month. This gathering marks the completion of mile marker #5! We’re just over a year out from The Threshold Envisioning event, where about fifty young adults gathered to share our joys, heartaches, hopes and dreams for the church and the book chapter themes were distilled from those stories and experiences. Since then, we selected a young adult author and a thought leader author to co-write each chapter. We gathered those authors in March at the first Writers’ Retreat to create a shared vision for the book and start the co-writing process. Two authors have had to discern out of this project due to needing to prioritize their time and energy on health and recovery. As people come and go from this project – we give our deep gratitude for the contributions along the way. Their departures created space to invite two new authors in.Ěý Each set of authors has navigated the highs and lows of the writing process, defined and redefined their expectations of each other, and wrestled with their busy schedules to write and revise first and second drafts of their chapters.

The purpose of this second Writers’ retreat was to move into the of the book.Ěý Rick Rubin describes the creative process as four phases: Seed, Experimentation, Craft, and Editing & Completion. The “Craft Phase” moves from generating possibilities and ideas into refining material with a clearer sense of direction and structure. For this project that means both the individual chapters and the larger book are beginning to take clearer shape and more cohesive structure. We accomplished this at the retreat by developing a shared larger vision of the overall book, large group discussion and decision making for cohesiveness across chapters, and co-author work time.Ěý

So far, each author has focused specifically on their own theme, and Kristina and I are the only people to have read each chapter. To help the whole writing team develop a wider vision of the book, we had each author pair share a brief overview of their chapter. They explained the main concepts, the hoped for impact, the writing style, and anything else they want everyone else to know about their chapter so far. This helped everyone have a wider view of the book, with a better, more updated, understanding of how each chapter is emerging.Ěý

Then each writer was assigned a different chapter to read and share feedback on. We paired each pair of co-authors with authors from two different themes, ones we (Kristina and I) considered having some sort of connection or overlap. They each read the paired chapter and spent time sharing their reflections on the following questions:Ěý

1. What needs clarifying? Was there anything confusing to you or that you think might potentially be confusing to other readers?Ěý
2. What seems key to this chapter theme? What do you think is most important (and helpful) for the reader to take away?
3. What would help you as a reader take ideas from this chapter and integrate them to your own context?Ěý
4. What questions do you have for the author?Ěý
5. What connections do you hear with your own chapter?

After this work to expand the team’s understanding of the book as a whole, we reflected on what we’re hearing as themes throughout the book and distilled some common themes and moved our focus onto the cohesiveness of the book. The cohesiveness will emerge with attention to shared elements across each chapter, and how the chapters are framed with the introduction and conclusion. Some of the key elements that will be intentionally built into each chapter are:Ěý

• Voice: all chapters will be written in a distinct two-author perspective
• Contextualize Authors: there will be a clear, concise paragraph so each reader knows who the authors are for this chapter and why they are writing on this theme
• Reader Accessibility: authors will tend to the language and structure of their chapter so the readers will be able to clearly understand and receive the message in each chapter
• Application Toolkit: the end of chapter will include a toolkit to help the reader respond to and integrate the ideas into their context. The toolkit will include discussion questions, practices, and recommended resources.Ěý
• Nitty gritty details: The specifics of citations, font and formatting will also get more attention in this draft than they previously have.Ěý

The framing of the book will open with an introduction that serves a lot of purposes. It will build trust with the reader by sharing how this book came to be, who is behind this book, our hopes for what the book invites the readers into, and some tools for the readers as they read. The conclusion will end the book by inviting readers to respond to the invitation of the book, and each specific chapter. Much like the process of writing this book, the invitation in the conclusion will be deeply relational, imaginative, collaborative and embodied.Ěý

We closed our time together by tying up loose ends. Each author pair had time to finalize their plan to work towards a final draft due at the beginning of February, and sent us on our way with a shared song. It was a gift to be together again, sharing space and intentional work time together, remembering our hopes and vision for the project and the church, playing games, being nourished by food, laughter, nature and rest.Ěý

As we look ahead to the next milestones of the project, we’ll be revising and editing, having ongoing conversations with the publisher, developing a marketing and promotion plan for the book, following the publisher’s lead, and celebrating and compensating for the great work of this amazing writing team! If you’d like to get an update when pre-orders become available, fill out this google form to join the mailing list

Additional Resources:

Read more about the Threshold Event here: /ccv/2022/11/17/emerging-themes-from-the-threshold-envisioning-event/

Recap from the first Writers’ Retreat /ccv/2023/04/13/the-writers-have-met-a-recap-of-the-writers-retreat-in-montreat/

Learn more in his book (Rubin, Rick. The creative act: a way of being. Penguin, 2023.) or the On Being Podcast Episode:

The post We Meet Again! A Recap of the Second Writers’ Retreat appeared first on Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation.

Dr. Patrick Reyes, Dean of Auburn Seminary

The Christensen Symposium

The Christensen Symposium and the Christensen Center for Vocation were both established to honor the legacy of Dr. Christensen, the 8^th president of Augsburg University who served from 1938-1962. His legacy was one of critical inquiry and genuine hospitality. We have drawn these lessons from that legacy which still shape our work.

• Christian faith liberates minds and lives
• Diversity strengthens vital communities
• Inter-faith friendships enrich learning
• The love of Christ draws us to God
• We are called to service in the world

It is my hope that you will hear echoes of Dr. Christensen’s lessons in Dr. Reyes’ presentation.

Dr. Patrick Reyes

Dr. Patrick Reyes currently serves as the Dean of Auburn Seminary in New York City.

He is a Chicano writer, theologian, and executive leader and the award-winning author of The Purpose Gap and Nobody Cries When We Die. Prior to his current position he was the Senior Director of Learning Design for the Lilly Endowment’s Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) where he provided strategy and direction for their diverse programs, grants, and teams supporting the next generation of leaders. In addition, he led the historic fellowships supporting scholars of color, the Institutional Doctoral Network, and partnerships in theological and higher education.

He is a peer among public theologians and deeply respected among faith and justice leaders and funders. He is the current Board President of the Religious Education Association and serves as the Co-Dean of the Freedom Seminary for the Children’s Defense Fund, offering an immersive experience for diverse seminary students from across the country to engage and cultivate prophetic voices with communities on the margins.

Patrick provides leadership on several boards in theological and higher education, publications, and the nonprofit sector, supporting the next generation of Black, Indigenous, and Chicano spiritual and cultural leaders. In the last decade, he has been recognized for his service and scholarship by Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Boston University, Claremont School of Theology, Drew University, Children’s Defense Fund, Hispanic Theological Initiative, Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy, and others.

Patrick was also recently inducted into the Morehouse College MLK Jr. Collegium of Scholars. He lives in New Mexico, where he and his family embrace the cultural and religious traditions and communities they have inherited.

The Purpose Gap: Empowering Communities of Color to Find Meaning and Thrive

“In The Purpose Gap, Patrick Reyes reflects on a family member’s death after a long struggle with incarceration and homelessness. As he asks himself why his cousin’s life had turned out so differently from his own, he realizes that it was a matter of conditions. While they both grew up in the same marginalized Chicano community in central California, Patrick found himself surrounded by a host of family, friends, and supporters. They created a different narrative for him than the one the rest of the world had succeeded in imposing on his cousin. In short, they created the conditions in which Patrick could not only survive but thrive.

Far too much of the literature on leadership tells the story of heroic individuals creating their success by their own efforts. Such stories fail to recognize the structural obstacles to thriving faced by those in marginalized communities. If young people in these communities are to grow up to lives of purpose, others must help create the conditions to make that happen. Pastors, organizational leaders, educators, family, and friends must all perceive their calling to create new stories and new conditions of thriving for those most marginalized. This book offers both inspiration and practical guidance for how to do that. It offers advice on creating safe space for failure, nurturing networks that support young people of color, and professional guidance for how to implement these strategies in one’s congregation, school, or community organization.”

(Description from Bookshop.org)

Recording of 2023 Christensen Symposium

The post 2023 Bernhard M. Christensen Symposium appeared first on Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation.

We recently asked the young adult writers for the project to reflect on this experience. Below is the reflection from Amar D. Peterman.

Amar D. PetermanĚý(M.Div., Princeton Seminary) is an award-winning author and constructive theologian working at the intersection of faith and public life. His writing and research have been featured in Christianity Today, Faithfully Magazine, Fathom, The Berkeley Forum,, The Anxious Bench, Sojourners and The Christian Century. Amar is the founder of Scholarship for Religion and Society LLC, a research and consulting firm working with some of the leading philanthropic and civic institutions, religious organizations, and faith leaders in America today. Amar also serves as Program Manager at Interfaith America where he oversees programs related to emerging leaders, American evangelicalism, and Asian America. He writes regularly through his newsletter, “This Common Life.” You can learn more about him at amarpeterman.com. Amar’s co-author is Nicholas Tangen.

Why did you say yes to this experience and what are your hopes for the project?Ěý

Written by Amar Peterman

Writing is always shaped by the people around us and the places we are located in. The best writing embraces this, capturing every moment as an opportunity to tell a story or find meaning in the ordinary moments of our life. Writing that reflects these daily experiences and infuses such with sacred meaning holds the opportunity to change us—even convict us—and as we are called into a community beyond ourselves.Ěý

I said yes to this experience because of this truth. Through this project, I am not only brought into conversation with other writers across the country, but into active participation towards a shared goal. As we gather to envision a hopeful future for the Christian church, we are diligently writing and marking out tangible steps to create equitable spaces of inclusion and belonging for young people in local congregations across the United States. Together, we represent a diversity of experiences, locations, denominations, and beliefs within Christianity. These differences, though, are not a hindrance to our cooperation; they are gifts that allow this project to speak to more people than any individual could do on their own.Ěý

Out of this project, I am encouraged by the consistent reminder that I am not alone in this work. Whether it is the weekly conversations I have with my co-author, poems shared by fellow contributors, or drafts uploaded to our shared project planner, this experience has given me the opportunity to witness God’s redemptive work taking place in the lives of each member of this project. As we write about the leadership and contributions of young people in the church, we are actively living out this mission in our lives.Ěý

Like writing, I think faith is also formed by the places we inhabit and the people found there. My hope for this project is that we might acknowledge this—that community is a fundamental aspect of the Christian life, not a tangential one. As Christians, then, our formation within the walls of the local congregation ought to be marked deeply by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. In doing so, the community of the congregation becomes different from any other because we are united by something that connects our very souls together: the redemptive work of God in the world.Ěý

Therefore, the second hope I have for this project is that we might help the church reflect this formation by valuing the leadership, calling, and talents of young people in the church. I believe that the experiences and dreams of young people can lead the church toward our call to love God and neighbor in a unique way. Many problems within the church, I believe, stem from our failure to include the voices and wisdom of young people in our congregation, who are attuned to the realities of our world in a way that older generations cannot participate in. If our congregations seek to thrive in our modern day, young people must be in a position to lead.Ěý

This project is a communal one—gathering writers across generations to model the very reality we propose the church ought to live into. I am honored to be a part of a project that brings together such a wide collection of voices and experiences and confident that God will use our labor to both encourage young leaders across the church and pave forward spaces of leadership and belonging for them.

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