Dr. Robert Gamble is a Presbyterian minister and founder of This Child Here, which started in 2005 by practicing what he calls "individual reverence" to connect children living in impossible situations with stable homes and communities. Olya Balaban serves as Program Manager and Director of Refugee Services. Ever responsive to the context at hand, the This Child Here community now serves as a network that builds resilient and open-hearted community spaces for mothers and children affected by war in Izmail and Odessa, Ukraine, seven days a week.

In our conversation, Robert and Olya share the work of This Child Here; how it has remained responsive to Ukrainians' lives in a rapidly changing world; how ordinary places become healing spaces; and the power that is harnessed when human beings show up for one another to do art, buy groceries, share tea, make music, and heal.

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Special thanks to the Rev. Eme Azstalos for providing our English-language voice over.

The Rev. ⁠⁠Troy Bronsink⁠⁠ is the founder of ⁠⁠The Hive⁠⁠, a center for contemplation art and action. Troy does his work at the intersections of spirituality and leadership. He is an expert, facilitator, and coach who walks the talk of contemplation.

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The Rev. ⁠Troy Bronsink⁠ is the founder of ⁠The Hive⁠, a center for contemplation art and action. Troy does his work at the intersections of spirituality and leadership. He is an expert, facilitator, and coach who walks the talk of contemplation.

We revisit part one of our conversation, where we discuss trauma: how human beings make sense of and deal with it. We explore the link between individual awareness and human connection, and we talk about what it means to come home to ourselves.

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Host Sara Hayden and Producer Marthame Sanders discuss the timeliness of revisiting her February conversations with Troy Bronsink about trauma, alongside some practices that help us come home to ourselves.

We'll be re-releasing these episodes on Thursday, so stay tuned.

The Rev. Shannon Ball started her career post seminary doing reentry preparation for women prior to their release from the Metro State Women's Prison of Atlanta, Georgia. She currently serves as program director of ⁠Enterprise Community Partners⁠ (Southeast), where she puts her almost twenty years of experience working with justice involved populations to tackle the achievement and development of affordable housing together with faith-based communities.

In part two of our conversation, more on why the affordable housing market is shrinking; what communities of faith can do about it; and why we should care.

⁠⁠Learn more about their Faith-Based Development Initiative.⁠

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The Rev. Shannon Ball started her career post seminary doing reentry preparation for women prior to their release from the Metro State Women's Prison of Atlanta, Georgia. She currently serves as program director of Enterprise Community Partners (Southeast), where she puts her almost twenty years of experience working with justice involved populations to tackle the achievement and development of affordable housing together with faith-based communities.

In part one of our conversation, what it's like for some people to land in prison without a safety net; the thousands of differences that access to an affordable place to live makes in people's lives; and how we can be advocates for better communities everywhere. 

⁠Learn more about their Faith-Based Development Initiative.

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Dr. Corey Schlosser Hall is the Deputy Executive Director of ⁠Vision and Innovation⁠ of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 

In part two, our need for comfort and familiarity; the faithfulness of stepping into unusual spaces; and what it looks like to develop a mixed economy among churches and ministries.

Learn more about the Good Futures Accelerator.

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Dr. Corey Schlosser Hall is the Deputy Executive Director of Vision and Innovation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). 

In part one, what it's like to be stuck - and what it's like to move - with examples in the Church from the past - we're talking way back in the book of Acts - and the present.

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The Rev. Shawna Bowman is an artist, a poet, community organizer, and the pastor of ⁠Friendship Presbyterian Church⁠ on Chicago's Northwest side. 

In part two, how Friendship and Shawna are coming home to Chicago's Northwest Side, the beautiful daily work of moving forward with our neighbors into a future we all inherit, and what it means to do that with integrity.

⁠Learn more about Friendship Community Place.⁠

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The Rev. Shawna Bowman is an artist, a poet, community organizer, and the pastor of Friendship Presbyterian Church on Chicago's Northwest side. 

In part one, we discuss Friendship's journey toward affordable housing partnership; the benefits of community longevity; and the delicate balance of religious authenticity and communal presence.

Learn more about Friendship Community Place.

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