Orchard Conversations

FROM ME TO WE || WEEK 5 Do you have the sense there’s something more for you to bring to this world, but often find yourself too overcommitted and exhausted to bring it? This week, Benjamin Jay Thomas guides us into conversation about the way healthy boundaries can set us up to honor the unique offering we have for this world while opening ourselves to experience the joy of interconnection with th...

FROM ME TO WE || WEEK 4 This week Scott Hodge explores the power of being PRESENT over finding quick solutions, addressing our natural tendency to "fix" things and guide us toward offering non-judgmental support instead. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your spiritual journey and enhance your interpersonal relationships.  ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: Can you recall a time...

FROM ME TO WE || WEEK 3 How hard can LISTENING be? It’s just passively sitting there with our ears open, right?. Well, it turns out that while many of us might have great HEARING, we are terrible at LISTENING. As we continue our journey moving from “ME to WE”, Benjamin Jay Thomas explores what it means for us to truly listen… to ourselves, to each other and to the Divine.  ••• Questions for contem...

FROM ME TO WE || WEEK 2 In our world that's often defined by masks, labels and facades, true connection takes place when we let our guard down to be seen and understood.  On this episode, Anna Hammond will share some practical ways we can let vulnerability transform our everyday relationships.  ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: Can you recall a time in your life when you felt the n...

FROM ME TO WE || WEEK 1 Longing for more authentic connections in your life? Do you want to be part of something larger than yourself? This series is designed to guide us through the essential skills and mindsets needed to build a stronger, more vibrant community. Whether you have a crew of friends or you've been craving more connection, there's something in this series for everyone. On this episo...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 13 This week we are thrilled to sit down with Jim Corti, the Artistic Director of Aurora’s Paramount Theater. Jim has been a transformative force in theater since launching the Broadway Series in 2011. Under his leadership, Paramount has won 16 Jeff Awards, including Best Large Musical and Best Director titles for iconic productions like Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd. A Br...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 12 This week we invite you into the story of Lanecia Rouse Tinsley. Lanecia is a creative based in Houston, TX. Her work includes photography, painting, mixed media, teaching, writing & speaking. Studio D at Hardy & Nance Streets Studios is where her creativity often blooms. Most days you will find her there sipping on a cup of coffee with music playing as she create...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 11 This weekend we sit down with our friend, multidisciplinary visual artist Sara Mock. Sara Mock is a lifelong creative who has learned to follow her curiosity into art mediums as diverse as doll creation, pattern design and coin making. Join us for a conversation about developing a lifestyle that fuels creativity regardless of its particular format.  ••• Questions for cont...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 9 This week, we're excited to have Joy Thomas and Jenelle Landgraf with us. They're identical twins who live with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition. For years, they kept it a secret, but about 10 years ago, they started writing about it on their blog, DoubleVisionBlog.com. Their goal is simple: to show that "there is no right way to go blind." Through their...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 8 This week, we continue our "Here to Create" series with more thought-provoking conversation about identity and the value of art that helps us feel seen and heard with Derek Webb. Derek is a singer/songwriter and veteran influential voice within and beyond the Christian Music Industry. Over the course of the past 25 years, Derek has made a career out of making forward-leani...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 7 This week, we are thrilled to welcome Derek Webb, a singer/songwriter and veteran influential voice within and beyond the Christian Music Industry. Over the course of the past 25 years, Derek has made a career out of making forward-leaning art - first with his band Caedmon’s Call, which he co-founded in the mid-90’s, and then as a solo artist. He is well known for his prog...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 6 As we continue our series, "Here To Create", Scott and Benjamin have a conversation with creative powerhouse, Mel McGowan.   Mel is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Storyland Studios. With a rich background in film and design, Mel's journey into the world of creativity took a remarkable turn during his decade-long tenure at the Disney Company. As an Imagineer,...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 5 This week we welcome back our friend, Adam Mock, for an encore conversation about mountain biking, mental health and risk-taking that leads to creative magic in our lives. In case you missed last week’s conversation, Adam Mock is a Leadership Coaching Specialist and Transformational Partner who uses his "Rescue Your Dreams" approach to develop organizations and individuals...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 4 This week we sit down with our dear friend, Adam Mock for a conversation about creativity and human development. Adam Mock is a Leadership Coaching Specialist and Transformational Partner who uses his Rescue Your Dreams™ approach to develop organizations and individuals to their highest levels of effectiveness.   With over 25 years of leadership experience Adam has the pri...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 3 Get ready for a captivating conversation as Anna and Benjamin delve into the spiritual side of creativity with Danielle Casali, a celebrated mosaic muralist in the Aurora, Illinois area, whose art inspires and unites communities. ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: What are one or two ideas or themes that stick out to you from today’s conversation with Daniel...

HERE TO CREATE || WEEK 2 We dive into our series "Here to Create" with a conversation between Lead Pastor Scott Hodge and friend of the Orchard, Dave Gibbons. Dave is a creative pastor, futurist, activist, and steadfast advocate for the 'misfits' in our society. In today's conversation he gives invaluable insight into how we can reframe the challenges we face and turn them into creative opportunit...

We're kicking off our new series, "Here to Create", celebrating creativity as spiritual practice, as Lead Pastor Scott Hodge shares some thoughts about creativity and how it manifests in all of us. Throughout this series, we look forward to conversations with different creative individuals, from musicians and visual artists to entrepreneurs and innovators. "Here to Create" will seek to inspire, ch...

This week, as we conclude our “Rethinking The Bible” series, we take a little extra time to respond to a question about how to engage in healthy conversations about the Bible with the people around us.  ••• Things mentioned in this week's episode: ”Reading the Bible Right” -  Brian Zahn (poem/quote ) ••• To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com Subscribe to Orchard C...

This week we conclude our series, “Rethinking The Bible” by responding to a few final questions and reflecting on how we’ve all grown and been shaped by this journey together. ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: What have been helpful rhythms for you to engage with the Bible on a regular basis? Are there certain books, translations or reading plans that you have found helpful? What h...

We’ve opened our virtual mail bag again to respond to questions that have come in during our “Rethinking the Bible” series. This week, a burning question: What does the Bible say about HELL?  ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: How has your understanding of hell changed over the course of your life? What has impacted that? (You might consider your faith background, your experiences a...

Over the next couple weeks we’ll be opening up our virtual mail bag and pulling out some questions that have come in during our series “Rethinking the Bible”. This week we respond to  a question that brings up a conversation about  religious pluralism, inclusivity and the concept of “salvation”. ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: What thoughts, feelings or ideas did this conversatio...

As we continue our "Rethinking the Bible" series, we take some time to engage with the scriptures through the sacred practice of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is a contemplative way of reading the Bible that encourages us to read with our whole self, including thoughts, feelings, experiences, and hopes. This practice is a way of listening to God's voice through the words of the Bible, and it can be...

When we mentioned the “unfolding” story of the Bible, we didn’t mean an actual sheet unfolding. But now that you mention it …  This week, Anna, Scott and Benjamin consider the story of Peter’s disruptive vision about a sheet of animals and what it means to “change the rules” in Acts 10. How can we navigate the space between what ancient scripture says and humankind’s growing, evolving understandin...

In our on-going series, "Rethinking the Bible", Scott, Benjamin, and Anna have a conversation about reading the Bible with an understanding of the complexities of the people who wrote it and the complexities of the people who read it. With that understanding in mind, they also look at how Jesus' countercultural nature changes everything. ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: What are s...

What do we do with one of the most difficult passages in the Old Testament? The story of Abraham and Isaac is deeply troubling. This week, join Benjamin, Scott, and Anna for a conversation about the ways we’re rethinking this hard-to-read part of the Bible. ••• Questions for contemplation and conversation: What stuck out to you in the story we explored today? What “earlier parts” of your life have...