Jacqueline and Evie are two of six siblings who grew up in the Word of Life covenant community. In this episode we reflect on the new season of conversations, and some common experiences we see in covenant community kids.

Janet was born into the Ann Arbor community, Word of Life and now resides in London, England. She is the middle of five children. In this podcast she discusses the impact on her life of the pastoral system implemented in the Sword of the Spirit.

Sam was never a formal member of a covenant community, but spent over a decade participating and working at Pine Hills Girls Camp and Christ the King. After years of reckoning with her queerness and shifting values, she made the choice to leave her Catholic community and is healthier for it. She lives a happy, humanist life working as a children's librarian and living in Ypsilanti with her husband and four guinea pigs.

Tom is a white, cis-gendered, heterosexual, middle-aged, socialist (leaning communist), existentialist, American, realist, anticolonialist, antiracist, feminist man who rejects all labels as unhelpful generalizations

Angela Joy grew up in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti covenant community, and specifically the Word of God community even after the “big split.” She now lives in Muskegon, MI with her two children and is happily “living in sin” with her boyfriend. She no longer attends church but will gladly recommend horror movies to watch on Sunday mornings as a suitable replacement

Nora (they/them) grew up in Ann Arbor as the sixth of seven kids in a Catholic family. As a teenager, they left Michigan and the church after considering religious life. These days, they’re a devoted animal lover and creative — always chasing projects (and sometimes cats) that feel true to them.

Vince (he/him) grew up in Lansing, Michigan, in a large homeschooling family within the Work of Christ Community. He lived in Detroit, Brooklyn, and Portland before returning to Michigan, where he and his wife homeschool their two daughters with a focus on curiosity, exploration, and openness. Shaped by these experiences, he’s dedicated to creating spaces that nurture creativity, empathy, and authentic connection.

Mark grew up in Ann Arbor and was heavily involved in the communities of Word of God/Christ the King. His parents, both converts, met through the beginnings of community and is the 7th of 9 Harburg children. Mark shares his perspective on looking back at the good, bad and the ugly (trauma) of growing up in the community and hopes that his story of stepping out of this cult makes others more aware and leaves them with new hope.

Margaret was born and raised in the Word of Life covenant community. She remained in it until partway through college. She is no longer a member and hopes her story inspires others to forgive themselves for past mistakes and live life on their own terms.

Nicole (she/her) was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and was introduced to the Sword of the Spirit by her elementary school, Cornerstone. She dives into her timeline in Sword of the Spirit and the inevitable leaving of community and organized religion. She currently lives in Lansing, Michigan with her husband and daughter.