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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

Josh offers some updates on the Invitation and shares more about what he is learning in and through the School of Prayer, how it is formed around what he experienced over the six years praying with a group of men in a prison while facilitating the Spiritual Exercises. Here Josh identifies how Christianity can function much more like a 12-Step addiction recovery program. For more info: https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer

Zach Winters surprised the Banner's with a little concert after sharing a meal with us. Zach's sung version of Psalm 23 has helped Josh and Susanna for several years. It was a gift to sit with him, with his music and share good conversation. Pt II will include Josh's continued conversation with Zach after the kids went to bed. Josh and Zach talk about the incredible help of music and the arts to create community and healing. https://www.zachwinters.com An early version of "Psalm 23" was released by The Verses Project which can now be found at https://listentoverses.com/listen These good folks now offer their music via Spotify and their own app! For more information about the Invitation Center: https://theinvitationcenter.org On the School of Prayer: https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer-details

This is part seven of our series, "White People Talking to White People About Racism," a reading of Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance & Repair by Duke Kwon and Greg Thompson. In this episode the Rev Julie Van Til helps Josh unpack chapter three. Subscribe to the Invitation: theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe About our summer podcast series: theinvitationcenter.org/reparations-b…ok-discussion Reparations Group Discussion Guide: theinvitationcenter.org/s/Reparations…ion-Guide.pdf To learn more about our formation schools... The School of Prayer: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer The School of Contemplative Listening: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-con…e-listening-1

Before we can actively be a part of healing the ravages of white supremacy, we have to learn to care, to be invested. This whole series, "White People Talking to White People About Racism, A Reading of Reparations: A Christian Call to Repentance and Repair by Duke Kwon and Greg Thompson," this is our chance to slow down, listen, pray, and grow in our capacity to care for the work of healing before us. In this episode Josh shares his conversation with Latorious Willis who recently was recently released from prison. Here we celebrate Latorious' release, his spiritual friendship with Josh, and to celebrate all the other brothers who are still behind bars. We hope this episode offers you a glimpse into the goodness of learning to love the disinherited, the marginalized who are often ignored--or in Howard Thurman's vocabulary: the person who back is against the wall. A short video of this reunion between Josh and Latorious can be found on our website: https://tinyurl.com/fd454bw2 Subscribe to the Invitation: theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe About our summer podcast series: theinvitationcenter.org/reparations-b…ok-discussion Reparations Group Discussion Guide: theinvitationcenter.org/s/Reparations…ion-Guide.pdf To learn more about our formation schools... The School of Prayer: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer The School of Contemplative Listening: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-con…e-listening-1

The Rev Bryan Berghoef helps Josh unpack "Seeing the Reality of White Supremacy," chapter 3 of Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance & Repair. We are releasing this especially on the occasion of the 4th of July weekend because chapter two begins with Fredrick Douglas' speech on the 4th of July, 1852. Bryan Berghoef is someone Josh has been excited to get to know for some time. He is an American politician, pastor and author who was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan for the Second District.[1] He is also a pastor of the Holland United Church of Christ, a UCC church in Holland, Michigan, which he founded in 2016. The gift of this conversation with Bryan is a hope-filled demonstration of ecumenical breadth of the body of Christ that is bears witness to the love of God that will heal the ravages of white supremacy. Subscribe to the Invitation: theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe About our summer podcast series: theinvitationcenter.org/reparations-b…ok-discussion Reparations Group Discussion Guide: theinvitationcenter.org/s/Reparations…ion-Guide.pdf To learn more about our formation schools... The School of Prayer: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer The School of Contemplative Listening: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-con…e-listening-1

The Rev Kate Kooyman helps Josh unpack “The Call to See,” chapter one of Reparations. This call, this invitation to reparations is a discipline of seeing. Chapters one and two of our book this summer are intensive opportunities for us to see the white supremacy that pervades America, the church, and even our own families, homes, and careers. With the honesty and clarity of a spiritual director, Kwon and Thompson describe the difficulty of seeing: “seeing racism in this was has been an ongoing struggle. In truth, seeing clearly almost always is a struggle.” Subscribe to the Invitation: https://theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe About our summer podcast series: https://theinvitationcenter.org/reparations-book-discussion Reparations Group Discussion Guide: https://theinvitationcenter.org/s/Reparations-Discussion-Guide.pdf To learn more about our formation schools... The School of Prayer:https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer The School of Contemplative Listening: https://theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-contemplative-listening-1

My wife, Susanna Childress, helps me respond to the introduction of Reparations. The idea is to let each chapter breathe a bit, to find ways to open ourselves to God in the reading and in the discussion. Susanna is especially able to help us think about how immersing ourselves in the writings of people of color can help us grow into people who will want to attend to the work of reparations. She is an Assistant Professor of creative writing at Hope College here in Holland, MI., and is author of two books of poetry, the 2006, Brittingham Prize in Poetry winning, Jagged With Love, as well as Entering the House of Awe. In 2015 her poem, “Careful, I Just Won A Prize at the Fair” was included in The Best of American Poetry.

Josh and Dr Jesse Curtis touch on some of the big ideas in the introduction to Reparations, but mainly they admire the careful yet bold while also pastoral tone of the book we’ve chosen for our summer read and discussion. Jesse Curts begins his contribution by sharing from his own journey, how he learned from his early mistakes and learned the goodness of experiencing God in and through his steep learning curve on racial injustice. To go directly to the conversation with Jesse Curtis, skip to 18:40. Here is a link for more information about this summer series, “White People Talking to White People About Racism” : https://theinvitationcenter.org/reparations-book-discussion Please visit Jesse’s website: The Myth of Colorblind Christians https://colorblindchristians.com/ We are asking participants to buy the book from a black owned bookstore. In West Michigan, consider the store, We Are Lit! For a list of more black owned stores visit Literary Hub. https://lithub.com/you-can-order-today-from-these-black-owned-independent-bookstores/ Our call to worship prayer for this summer from Howard Thurman: Lord, Lord, Open Unto Me Open unto me, light for my darkness 
Open unto me, courage for my fear
 Open unto me, hope for my despair 
Open unto me, peace for my turmoil
 Open unto me, joy for my sorrow
 Open unto me, strength for my weakness
 Open unto me, wisdom for my confusion
 Open unto me, forgiveness for my sins 
Open unto me, tenderness for my toughness
 Open unto me, love for my hates 
Open unto me, Thy Self for myself 
Lord, Lord, open unto me!

To stay up to date with our summer series, "White People Talking to White People About Racism," please subscribe: https://theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe To learn more about the series: https://theinvitationcenter.org/reparations-book-discussion The Rev. Dr. Denise Kingdom Grier offers a bold, honest, and frank discernment of the racism in America and the white church. Her courageous testimony provides the necessary and essential orientation as we invite white people to talk with white people about racism this summer 2021 in our reading of Reparations: A Christian Call For Repentance and Repair by Duke Kwon and Gregory Thompson. Josh offers some orientation to Denise’s orientation by walking through the details about how this summer series will work, and then he offers some context about why the Invitation is handling this book and the vocabulary of reparations. Finally, Josh offers a few meditative readings from Ephesians 3 to allow you time to take this very difficult conversation into contemplative practice. To go directly to the conversation with Denise, skip to 23:20. We are asking participants to buy the book from a black owned bookstore. In West Michigan, consider the store, We Are Lit! For a list of more black owned stores visit Literary Hub: https://tinyurl.com/pt8c48ua The March 4, 2021, “#LeaveLoud” episode of the Pass the Mic podcast mentioned can be found HERE: https://tinyurl.com/tsxj7998

Unedited audio of Josh’s conversation with Kenda Creasy Dean, the Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture at Princeton Seminary. This content was created to support and deepen the Awakening, a summer week-long experience in the worship arts at Hope College that Josh serves as Director of Discipleship.

In this episode Josh Banner continues the Awakening’s collaboration with the Invitation Podcast as we further explore our focus question: what does a 16-year-old have to teach the church? Here, Josh borrows from a conversation he recently had with Kenda Creasy Dean, the Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture at Princeton Seminary, to encourage parents and teens to share their true stories of faith with each other. We hope and pray especially in the midst of Covid-19 this episode #5 will help you to slow down, to be more intentionally present to your family, and to learn with and from each other. The full unedited, un-produced conversation with Kenda is available for you to listen to.

It’s been too long. I apologize for disappearing. Doing quarantine for a year with young children is not easy. It’s been difficult to get anything done, yet there has been much goodness for the Invitation even in 2020-2021 that I want to share with you. In this episode I offer good news about this years three cohorts of the School of Prayer, our new spiritual direction practicum, the School of Contemplative Listening, the first annual Invitation Family Camp, the forthcoming episodes, and our summer book club. But first, a mediation for Good Friday, a reading from Fr John Beher’s genius Becoming Human: Meditations on Christian Anthropology in Word and Image. We can only recognize Jesus through the cross, through his death. Ironically, our life comes through our death, our rising in and through and beyond this world! Fr Beher helps us understand that to be truly human in to die. Registration for the SOCL is open. We’ll have registration for the SOP and the Family Camp open in the next week. I hope you and yours are well. Don’t be shy. It’d be great to hear from you!

In November of 2018 Josh sat down for a long-awaited conversation with David Dark, professor of Religion and the Arts at Belmont University. This conversation offers us a bit of sanity as Josh and David consider questions of faith, formation, and politics. In fact, no matter what happens with our election on Nov 3 and the following week, listening to David Dark will help you "slow the tape" and consider the value of a "righteous culture" that has the capacity to ask questions with a deep attentiveness. Josh offers a lengthy introduction offering updates on the Invitation School of Prayer as well as announcing some other exciting news. If you want to skip directly to the conversation with David, move to around the 19:30 mark to begin. If you've not already subscribed to the Invitation Podcast, please visithttps://www.invitationpodcast.org/subscribe Thanks for listening! Peace of Christ to you!

Continuing on with Fr Laird's wonderful text A Sunlit Absence, the second book of his three book series on contemplative prayer. Please be sure to subscribe to keep up with the Invitation Podcast, its retreats, and classes www.invitationpodcast.org/subscribe