Soul Crate: Spiritual Retreat in a box

05/01/2024

Dear Beloved in Christ,

This moment feels surreal. As I write these words, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church has taken Spirit-filled action to stop the harm being done to LGBTQ persons in our church. The body has voted consistently, by large margins, to remove the harmful anti-LGBTQ and restrictive language from the Book of Discipline. These large margins are a testament to the commitment that our global denomination has to walking together into a new day as the Body of Christ.

There are many emotions surfacing among people who are texting me—feelings of relief, joy, bewilderment, and grief for those who are not present to witness this day. All of these emotions belong. This long season of struggle for inclusion and affirmation in the church has made deep impacts on us individually and collectively. We hold space together with the Spirit for all of it.

This morning, I watched as delegates joined together in singing “Draw the circle wide, no one stands alone, we’ll stand side by side” from the center of the floor of the General Conference, and I felt a renewed hope; a renewed hope in God’s power to reform us as a people into a community of grace, welcome, acceptance, and belonging for all, especially for our LGBTQ siblings.

Thank you Clifton UMC, for your part in this work, for your tireless pursuit of justice for LGBTQ disciples, for your faithful witness, and for the commitment made again and again to be the Church of Christ, no matter what. Let us continue to draw that circle wide so that no one stands alone!

Grace and peace,
Robert

03/08/2022

Introducing Sow-L Crate, a creation-centered, intergenerational spiritual retreat delivered to your home.

To order, fill out this Google Form:
https://forms.gle/RJB1AQFw4bp9eVGJA

Sow-L Crate is a one time crate shipped or delivered to you. We are give what you can, but the suggested donation is $45. All of your giving goes to support Wild Church Cinci and out vision to connect with God, creation and community.

Sow-L crate offers 4 engaging spiritual practices to equip and empower you to grow in Divine love and connect with creation. Our themed spiritual retreat centered around sowing and cultivating seeds of mercy, justice and grace.

Introducing Sow-L Crate, a creation-centered, intergenerational spiritual retreat delivered to your home.

To order, fill out this Google Form:

https://forms.gle/RJB1AQFw4bp9eVGJA

Sow-L Crate is a one time crate shipped or delivered to you. We are give what you can, but the suggested donation is $45. All of your giving goes to support Wild Church Cinci and out vision to connect with God, creation and community.

Sow-L crate offers 4 engaging spiritual practices to equip and empower you to grow in Divine love and connect with creation. Our themed spiritual retreat centered around sowing and cultivating seeds of mercy, justice and grace.

Shipping/delivering just after Easter

10/30/2021

Soul Crate is back for a one time Advent Crate shipping at the end of November!

Soul Crate is a spiritual retreat delivered to your door with themed multi-sensory spiriutal practices. Our theme is Advent as we dive deep into these weekly practices; awaken, prepare, wonder and presence.

We will offer a Soul Crate full of ideas and practices to connect with God, neighbor and community during these sacred days.

This crate is give what you can. (suggested $45) All donations support Chapters.

to sign up:
https://forms.gle/nwe32frsyy6LHcQ46

04/15/2021

May is coming up and Soul Crate will be putting together some resources for a summer retreat in a box. the retreat theme will focus on transforming love in the midst of suffering. We've walked through a year in which we individually and collectively have experienced grief, pain and shared suffering. Pain, as someone once said, can either be transmitted or transformed.

If you are interested in signing up for a single Soul Crate, fill out this google form and send a message Pastor Robert and let him know. Single Soul Crates are available.

Subscribe to Soul Crate and for $30 a month receive a holistic spiritual retreat delivered to your door. Shipping and Handling fee of $8 if you live outside the delivery area.

03/01/2021

friends: the online centering prayer group offered through the Hive begins this week.

here is more information in case you would like to sign up:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/centering-prayer-practice-group-tickets-139594215055?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=reminder_attendees_48hour_email&utm_term=eventname&ref=eemaileventremind

center prayer is an ancient meditation practice within the Christian tradition.

Join the Hive for a weekly contemplative practice hosted by Chris La Rue!

02/20/2021

On Ash Wednesday this year we saw extreme weather across our country.

I heard from two of our soul crate households (one in Texas and another in Tennessee) who were grateful that they could burn ashes safely at home and participate in this sacred ritual

01/14/2021

prepping for February Soul Crates, a justice seeking love. Crates will include practices around: anti-racism, imposition of ashes, and practical daily ways to keep a holy Lent. You can still sign up for a subscription ($30 a month) or gift a crate to someone in your life who might be seeking, wondering, yearning, hurting, questioning, doubting, despairing.

12/23/2020

Soul Crate has grown over the last two months. Grateful to ship crates across the country.

12/16/2020

some Soul Crate feedback to share:
a household who was gifted a Soul Crate shared that they had no plans for Advent and Christmas. Although their community offered Livestream Worship each week (and it is well done) they just couldn't stare at a screen any more. They received a December Soul Crate and it offered them engaging ways to connect with the Divine and a community during these challenging days.

12/01/2020

Subscribe to Soul Crate or gift a subscription.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16HIvvgGMh7-PA-6fccok20KeXPw6AdMTpM7GOvKcKrk/edit

Soul Crate is a monthly spiritual retreat delivered to your home. We are a spiritual enterprise of Chapter: a new progressive Christian community where stories intersect.

When you subscribe you are making a difference by supporting our new ministry in Northside.

If you subscribe today you’ll receive you first Crate in January.

You can see our December Crate pictured below.

11/28/2020

December Crates shipped and out for delivery this weekend.

A big thank you to the Phil DeGreg Trio who donated copies of Christmas Hymnprovisation, a brand new CD with arrangements of hymns and carols.

Happy Advent friends.