We are beginning our new season of episodes not with the news, but with the practices of spirituality that ground us, starting with a session featuring our amazing guest, American journalist, spiritual director, and ordained Presbyterian elder Niala Boodhoo.

Veriditas Labyrinth Community

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The Rev. Catherine Neely Burton has spent the last several years of her career getting to know what is happening in rural communities and, in particular, small Presbyterian churches on the frontier - that's a technical term - of ⁠Southern Kansas⁠.

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Chase Community Presbyterian Afterschool Program Photos

Presbytery of Southern Kansas on Facebook

The Rev. Catherine Neely Burton has spent the last several years of her career getting to know what is happening in rural communities and, in particular, small Presbyterian churches on the frontier - that's a technical term - of Southern Kansas.

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Catherine's article

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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