The Invitation

In this episode, Josh offers the first of a six-part series of Advent meditations using the Invitation prayer guide, 40 Ways to Spend 5 Minutes with God. This prayer guide, first written in 2015 has been substantially re-written. You can download a digital copy of the guide at https://theinvitationcenter.org/downloads

The Invitation is a spirituality center that creates time and space for God at the vital intersection of contemplation and justice.

Subscribe to the Invitation podcast:

theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe

To learn about the Invitation School of Prayer:

https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

To learn about the School of Contemplative Listening:

https://theinvitationcenter.org/socl

Josh and Greg explore Greg's discernment to divest his ordination, leave local church ministry to explore different creative approaches to healing racism. Previously Greg had described his mission in the three elements of the political, the contemplative, and the convivial. Here in part two Greg casts the vision of moving from repentance to reparations to reconciliation to repast.

Start at @17:00 to skip past the introduction directly to the conversation with Greg.

For more on Greg visit: www.vuproject.org

For more information on the Invitation School of Prayer: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

Subscribe to Invitation updates: theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe

In this episode Josh opens up a conversation with Greg Thompson about his book co-authored with Duke Kwon, Reparations: A Christian Call to Repentance & Repair. Yet in the process of attempting to create a conversation about healing the ravages of white supremacy, Josh is confronted with his own personal instability. Does he belong to himself enough to be able to steward for others conversations about healing toward reconciliation? How is it that sharing our weaknesses with each other allows us to belong to each other?

This episode is an introduction to Greg, his movement out of pastoral leadership into Voices Underground, an organization committed to erecting a national monument to the Underground Railroad. Greg describes how his mission that lies at the intersection of the political, contemplative, and convivial led him to go to culinary school open a restaurant and a cocktail bar.

In part II of this conversation, Josh and Greg go more deeply into the meaning and practice of reparations.

Start at @15:00 to skip past the introduction directly to the conversation with Greg.

Please visit: https://www.vuproject.org

For more information on the Invitation School of Prayer: https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

Subscribe to Invitation updates: https://theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe

Josh has a conversation with his best friend about their 30+ years of spiritual friendship since they met at summer camp in middle school. This episode is a co-release with the Awakening, a worship/arts camp for high school students based at Hope College.

Promo vid: https://youtu.be/6-aewn-cgIo

For more information about the Awakening: https://hope.edu/awakening/

To subscribe to the Invitation for updates on newly released podcast episodes and upcoming retreats: https://theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe

We are recruiting for the School of Prayer beginning in September '23, https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer and the School of Contemplative Listening beginning in August '23, https://theinvitationcenter.org/socl

Part II of the third conversation between Cami Beercroft Mann and Josh Banner for the series, the Forum on Spiritual Direction. We continue to tease out the meaning of the thesis of this series that spiritual direction can solve (almost) all of our problems.

Part I of the third conversation between Cami Beercroft Mann and Josh Banner for the series, the Forum on Spiritual Direction. We continue to tease out the meaning of the thesis of this series that spiritual direction can solve (almost) all of our problems.

There are a few spots open for those wanting to spend time engaging the Forum on Spiritual Direction in a retreat format at St Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers Michigan. Please email Josh with your interest.

The Invitation is a spirituality center that practices spiritual direction at the vital intersection of contemplation and justice.

For more information visit: theinvitationcenter.org

To learn about the School of Prayer, our eight-month study and practice of the rule of life: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

To learn about the Invitation School of Contemplative Listening: theinvitationcenter.org/socl

To collaborate with us or make a donation: theinvitationcenter.org/partner

Thanks for listening!

This is our second full conversation of the Forum on Spiritual Direction where we continue to discern the focus question for discernment, "Can Spiritual Direction Solve (Almost) All of Our Problems?"

Cami and I engage in an extended contemplative conversation to discern and tease out the dignifying nature of spiritual direction. This is to say we talk about the practice of spiritual direction by practicing spiritual direction. While our society is one of oppression, pressing down upon and minimizing us, the contemplative space of spiritual direction provides a way for us to rediscover the enormity of each other, the profound dignity of each other.Carrots grow best in a loose, fluffy, well-draining soil. Gardeners call this “fertile sandy loam.” If planted in tightly compacted, rocky soil with clods and debris, carrots growth will not only be stunted. They will become twisted, distorted knots.Human beings also need ample space, the comfort of love, patience, and kindness to flourish. Our society and sadly even the church at times are oppressive in ways that define our individual and collective experience of trauma, the arrested development of of spiritual, mental, and even physical health.We believe that spiritual direction, careful, contemplative listening is the most effective way for humans to help each other discover and rediscover this kind of flourishing.

The Invitation is a spirituality center that practices spiritual direction at the vital intersection of contemplation and justice.

For more information visit: https://theinvitationcenter.org

To learn about the School of Prayer, our eight-month study and practice of the rule of life: https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

To learn about the Invitation School of Contemplative Listening: https://theinvitationcenter.org/socl

To collaborate with us or make a donation: https://theinvitationcenter.org/partner

Thanks for listening!

Spiritual Direction Can Solve (almost) All of the World's Problems.

Can it?

This episode something of an experiment for the Forum on Spiritual Direction. As I have struggled to accept my own failures, I offer some of my weaknesses and questions with you as an opportunity to explore the focus question of this series: can spiritual direction solve (almost) all of the world's problems? This episode turns out to be a kind of audio essay with no specific final point, no definite idea. Mostly I am looking to share myself and to welcome you deeper into this conversation I’m having with Cami.Over the holiday while home, I was prompted by the previous Forum discussion with Cami about the spirituality of our origins. So I take you on an audio walk around the Illinois farm where I was raised. I then share some further reflections while on retreat at St. Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers Michigan. I’m considering how deep listening to our failures is a necessary, essential a gift for the sake of our healing and growth. Failures can become compost!

Much Love to you!Josh

**The picture I’ve used for this episode is from our family farm, taken the morning of January 3, 2023

For more information: www.theinvitationcenter.org

Part II of what we are now calling a "prelude" to our new series, The Forum on Spiritual Direction.

We continue to discuss can direction solve (almost) all of the world's problems?

In this episode we move from considering Josh to focus on Cami's story, how she came to the practice of direction and how her practice is especially trauma informed.

You are invited to engage at least two zoom conversations and to even attend an in-person retreat. Details on these events along with a working outline of the Forum can be found here: theinvitationcenter.org/new-page

This part of the conversation is an honest, confessional exploration into the nature of what has become the Invitation Center in and through Josh, the founder and lead of the Invitation. In part two of this introduction, the focus turns to Cami's trauma-informed practice of direction and the story of how she came to her practice.

Josh and Cami serve as the co-directors of the Invitation School of Contemplative Listening, a study and practice of spiritual direction at the vital intersection of contemplation and justice. theinvitationcenter.org/socl

To subscribe to the Invitation newsletter: theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe

To learn about the Invitation School of Prayer: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

Spiritual Direction Can Solve (almost) All of the World's Problems.

Can it?

This is the first part of two episodes introducing our new series, the Invitation "Forum on Spiritual Direction' where Cami Mann and Josh Banner invite you into a long conversation to consider the vital, healing need of contemplative listening especially today. In this forum Josh and Cami attempt to talk about spiritual direction through a practice of spiritual direction. That is to say, these are vulnerable, self-disclosive contemplative listening conversations where Josh and Cami attempt to respond to the movements of the Holy Spirit in each other. They share their enthusiasm and insight, yet they also share their struggles, doubts, and fears.

You are invited to engage at least two zoom conversations and to even attend an in-person retreat. Details on these events along with a working outline of the Forum can be found here: https://theinvitationcenter.org/new-page

This part of the conversation is an honest, confessional exploration into the nature of what has become the Invitation Center in and through Josh, the founder and lead of the Invitation. In part two of this introduction, the focus turns to Cami's trauma-informed practice of direction and the story of how she came to her practice.

Josh and Cami serve as the co-directors of the Invitation School of Contemplative Listening, a study and practice of spiritual direction at the vital intersection of contemplation and justice. https://theinvitationcenter.org/socl

To subscribe to the Invitation newsletter: https://theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe

To learn about the Invitation School of Prayer: https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer