Workshop as Imagination of God’s Grace

The workshop makes material a gracious place. Well-organized,-neither chaotic, nor overly-tidy. Roomy-with place to rest and relax, room to work safely, comfortably, effectively. Roomy-room for yourself, room for others, for good work and for repair of mistakes. A place where you can pause, give thanks, think, things out, come to yourself, and then press on with the next good task.

A place to taste and see that God is good, God’s unearned love, grace, hesed.

I imagine it spatially, a habitat or place of life activity, learning, challenge and shelter. Grace as a space, an empty rich realm of creative and restorative being. The evocative images of God’s life for us as refuge, shelter, hovering bird, sheltering wings, ark, stillness in a storm, a many-roomed house…speak to this.

The workshop seeks welcome and work from such imagination and reality.

The Seasonal Workshop has presented itself as a possible next invitation from God offer such a workshop space and experience for others as myself.

Expect to hear more in the newsletter about collaboration to make develop this sketchy plan and help it take shape.

My goal in 2026-2027 will be two seasonal community workshops, one in winter, one in summer. Some ‘off season’ drop in might even be possible.

Winter Workshop, hosted one night a week for 6-8 weeks will offer tutelage in wood work through individual and group projects, as well as community connection, refreshments, quiet prayer, conversation, and stepping into connection and a pace for stillness during those darker months.

Summer Workshop camp will offer youth and young adults 3 opportunities for a week-long experience of building the ‘6-hour canoe’ and then launching them on local waterways. Three one week camps will guide youth with adult and yound adult helpers through building wooden canoes, along with some fun time and lunch. Camp weeks will conclude with a community and family boat launch, paddle and picnic celebration.

Would you like to help? Would you like to help fund it? Please contact me!

From 2020-2025, I tinkered at furniture, toy and boat-building in my home garage, while serving in pastoral ministry, training in and offering spiritual direction, and keeping house and garden. I began to invite people to stop in for coffee and snacks, work projects, to learn and visit. It was a good space of prayer, life, learning, good work and friendship.