At the end of 2022, Cyd and I had to start making plans for big changes. But it was something God had been stirring in us for a little while.
Bottomline on Top
While continuing in local church ministry here in Grand Rapids, MI, we are jumping more full-time into resourcing and training the broader church.
Brief Backstory: A Dual Calling
Cyd and I have always had a dual calling in our ministry lives: one in and through a local church, and the other to the church more broadly.
- The local church calling has been expressed in over 15 years ministering in the suburbs of Chicago and the last 4 years in Grand Rapids, MI at a Vineyard church.
- The “to the church more broadly” has been expressed through my regular teaching in seminaries, writing books and resources, and podcasting. For Cyd this is through offering integrative coaching and spiritual direction, and other teaching and training opportunities.
But Covid, and church finances… 🙁
The pandemic, like for many churches, caused a radical change in finances.
While Cyd and I have been patiently exploring shifts in our allocation of time between the local church and other ministry opportunities, this fall our church needed to make some serious financial changes to continue moving forward.
As part of that process, Cyd and I volunteered to reduce our ministry hours at the church, even while continuing in pastoral leadership.
So we are jumping into the next thing about 12 months earlier than we thought! And without the finances already figured out.
What is the next thing?
We are moving toward more closely combining our ministry focuses around helping others have a vibrant Embodied Faith (stay connected by joining here).
You could think of it as helping people get unstuck in their spiritual lives through science-informed spiritual formation (yes…I just made that up).
- Our first combined expression of this kind of work was Does God Really Like Me? Discovering the God Who Wants to be With Us (only $11 @ Amazon [wink]). In it we combined a biblical & theological view of God’s presence with a neuroscience view of joy and shame.
- Currently, we are working on material that combines spiritual formation and attachment theory.
What Are We Doing…with all this free time?
Well, we are as busy as ever (probably more so).
We are focusing on three things for the next 6 months.
First, we are working to build out resources for an Embodied Faith. This will mean
- having Cyd join the Embodied Faith podcast, and adding short practices and meditations on the topics we talk about.
- creating resources and a learning cohort on “Attaching to God“.
- and creating some kind of online space for this project.
Second, we will continue building Cyd’s coaching work (because she is pretty awesome).
As an integrative coach, Cyd works at the intersection of
- integrate your body, emotions, and mind to feel grounded & wise
- clarify your purpose to feel more whole and free
- embrace your parts in order to be more aligned with your identity
- secure your attachment with God to increase resiliency & capacity
Third, we are doing some fundraising, and if needed, seeking part-time work.
We have always experienced that where God calls God also provides.
So, being confident in our dual-calling, we are seeking God’s provisions and opportunities moving forward…which is already happening through generous gifts and unexpected speaking opportunities.
The Wrap-Up… 😉
So I guess get ready for more of my writing, resources, and learning cohorts to hit your inbox here.
And if you, a friend, or a corporate or church team could benefit from integrative coaching, please connect with Cyd.
And the best way to stay connected about all this is to join the Embodied Faith newsletter.
Blessings, Geoff
P.S. We are staying in Grand Rapids, MI for the foreseeable future. We don’t feel God moving us out of this place as we move forward.
P.P.S If you want to learn to attach to God beyond our anxiety and avoidance, please sign up for our waiting list (coming in April).