Innovator Retreat

Innovator Retreat: All Are Welcome!

Saturday, July 25 | 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. | The Blessing House, Victoria, MN

When most people hear the word “innovation” they think “Silicon Valley.” For Christians, innovation is the adoption of new practices in community (Peter Denny and Robert Dunham, The Innovator’s Way: Essential Practices for Successful Innovation). In the ECMN most of these practices are not actually new, but were used by our ancestors in the faith. As pastor and writer John Mark Comer puts it, “the future is ancient.” We are reintroducing ancient spiritual practices, often, in a simple format. They are easy to remember when you are in heavy traffic, the emergency room, about to have a difficult conversation with your teenager or boss, feeling anxious, or experiencing the loss of a loved one. 

On Saturday, July 25 the ECMN is sponsoring an Innovator Retreat led by Minister for Innovation Jen Asp and Canon for Innovation Blair Pogue. Participants, ideally teams of lay and clergy leaders from different churches, will experience and process spiritual practices they can take back to their faith communities. They’ll also hear and share ideas for ways to connect with spiritually curious neighbors. Most of our churches provide needed items like housing, food, clothing, and gift cards, but very few offer soul care for neighbors outside the institutional church who desire it. Very few have ways to identify neighbors who are spiritually curious and want to learn more, but are not yet ready for Sunday worship. 

The cross-fertilization that been taking place at the Innovation Retreats, Innovation Summits, and Mustard Seed gatherings has been exciting and energizing. We can learn so much by listening to what the Holy Spirit is up to in our fellow Episcopalians’ lives and churches, as well as sharing what we are hearing from family members and neighbors who don’t know Jesus.

The retreat is limited to fifty participants and free. 

Please rsvp to Jen Asp at jen.a@episcopalmn.org with the names, emails, and dietary restrictions of those who are coming.