It’s easy to find ourselves feeling stuck and alone, full of fear and doubt. Leaning into certain practices and relationships can help us take little steps towards health and healing. In this episode, Chris and Jenny Lillehei remind us that we are not alone and are deeply needed.

“Know thyself” is said to have been inscribed on the temple of Apollo in ancient Greece. You could say there’s some staying power to the concept. When it comes to caring for one another, the more self-awareness and self-compassion we bring, the more we may be effective in giving and receiving care. Ian McConnell shares some of his thoughts about knowing ourselves and caring for one another in this episode of the Fabric podcast.  And, like any decent podcast, there’s juggling!

Providing care isn’t a sign of strength. Receiving care isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s all just a part of being human! We’re kicking off another round of CareIQ with an eye toward a tense election year. In this episode you’ll hear from both Ian McConnell and Heidi Esposito and they share a children’s book (with plenty of wisdom for adults) called, The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld.

Check out the author's site  or Amazon to order your own copy, or click here to hear a reading of it

Our shared stories often offer the most impactful moments of learning. In this episode, we’re hosting a mini Fabric Story Slam to hear a couple stories about getting back on track; about our compasses and maps; about our North Stars! A special thanks to Tim Kennedy and Jessi Bergh for sharing!

Orienteering is all about moving in relation to where north is… you figure out where you wanna go, “put red in the shed,” and head in that direction! This feels like a pretty good strategy for decision making too– aligning our course in relationship to where our “North Stars” are. How might we use this concept?

Most of us are “off course” most of the time when it comes to aligning our best intentions with what we actually do. Instead of fighting it, what if we could learn to recognize and admit it with a little more ease, grace and regularity? What’s it like to have people to practice that kind of honesty, acceptance and re-orienting with over time? Turns out it’s pretty fun and empowering. And Fabric groups are made for it! 

Happy 18th birthday, Fabric! It seems like more often than not, it’s our local connections – our families, friends, neighbors, etc. – who remind us of who we are, and who serve as a compass in our lives.

This episode kicks off the North Star conversation talking about “potential energy,” because it’s back-to-school time, and why wouldn’t we jump right into physics? Where do we feel the tension of potential, and how might we chart a course forward as we participate in life, deeply woven?

For a quick primer on potential vs. kinetic energy, see this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZZjM6Oiw8

Listen in for this past week's conversation with Ellis Delaney, live from the bandshell at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. We're grateful for our ongoing relationship with Ellis, and are grateful for their leadership these past few weeks.

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Next week, join us at Field Elementary School (our "home" for the fall, winter, and spring) as we kick off the "North Star" series!

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To support this ministry, or to learn more about Fabric, please visit http://www.fabricMPLS.com

What if there’s more than production? We react to any suggestion that we ourselves are commodities or tools of unfettered capitalistic growth. And yet, statistics show that people are increasingly seeing themselves as not even spiritual, but merely… existing. Let’s become captivated by the mystery around us once again!

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You can learn more about Fabric on our website by clicking here (http://www.fabricmpls.com/) or on social media at @FabricMPLS.

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Support our work of innovating and experimenting with what "Church" can be by visiting http://www.FabricMPLS.com/give/

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You can learn more about Ellis Delaney, our end-of-summer artist-in-residence on their website (https://www.ellisdelaney.com/) or on Instagram at @EllisMusic. Go show them some love, will ya?