Fireside Chats Summer Series
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Wednesdays, June 17-August 26
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Were you ever curious about someone’s spiritual beliefs but were hesitant to ask? Join us for an evening of curiosity and conversation, stories, wisdom and insights from other pilgrims on the spiritual path. Over the summer, this weekly gathering will use the power of questions and dialogue to identify beliefs, break down barriers and find common ground among those in a variety of spiritual disciplines, both traditional and non-traditional.
Fellowship to follow.
Guests:
June 17: Pastor Alexis Twito is a born-and-raised Milwaukeean. All of her studies, in the USA and abroad, led her to have a deep love for God’s big, sometimes messy, but awesome world. She describes herself as a Christmas-Christian: for her, the most transformational event in the history of creation was when God decided to become one of us. That God put on humanness, as a way to show how much God cares about this sometimes messy, but awesome, world means for her that we have a great responsibility to care for all, work for peace and justice, and ensure that all experience God’s grace, mercy and love. Pastor Alexis has a passion for social justice ministries, especially around areas of poverty, racism, police-community relations, and trauma-informed care. Pastor Twito is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), but currently serves as the Coordinator for The Salvation Army Chaplaincy Program in Milwaukee, overseeing 55 volunteer chaplains who provide emotional and spiritual care for those experiencing trauma and managing calls for service from the Milwaukee Police Department. When Pastor Twito is not busy with all her work commitments, she’s spending time with her niece and nephews, traveling, hanging out with friends, reading, going to movies, competing in pub trivia with her team “Serious Inquiries Only,” or relaxing along the Lake Michigan lakefront.
June 24: Richard Loliwayntati Gonzalez, M.A. (“Loliwayntati” means “He Who Brings the Good Word”) is a member of the Iroquois Confederation, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, and Turtle Clan, aligns with the Catholic tradition, and exemplary artist/creator of beautiful contemporary Iroquois antler baskets.
July 8: Brenda Peterson, Intuitive Artist Messenger: I started on this spiritual path very young. Obsessed with Angels at a very young age, I read everything I could; I knew they were in our lives and wanted to help us. I wanted to help. Testing out spiritual auras in my teens evolved into seeing, hearing and feeling messages for people. Through the last 30 years I have been a part of tremendous joy, delivering hope to grieving loved ones and belly laughs from those we love. Our PEEPS (our ancestors, people who have passed and our guides) want us to know we are never alone.
July 15: Mark Thompson, Breaking the Chains Church.
BtCC’s mission is to be allies among and offer spiritual accompaniment with individuals who reside both inside and outside of incarceration facilities in Wisconsin. This prison congregation provides a place of worship and contemplation to give men, all of whom have spent time in several facilities in the DOC system, an opportunity to enhance their spiritual foundation and to further prepare them for the very difficult challenge of reentry.
July 22: Ethan Luhman is Lead Pastor at River of Life Lutheran Church and Associate Pastor of First Immanuel Lutheran Church who oversees adult ministries for both campuses. Pastor Ethan is driven by discipleship and community, and he seeks to help people get connected to Jesus and to one another.
July 29: Chris Lear was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1950. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and retired in 2018, after a career in City Management. Chris served as Saukville’s Village Administrator for 10 years during the 1990’s; was on the United Way Board; served on the committee to establish the Feith Family YMCA and was once very active with the Saukville Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the Saukville Plan Commission. He also served as a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church from 2006 to 2012, serving Living Hope Lutheran Church. In retirement, he continues to serve Jesus and his church at Living Hope.
August 5: Lindsey Smith is a light worker and healer extraordinaire, slinging love and blessings wherever she goes, knowing that nothing but truth and joy can bring us to where we need to go. She's the creator of highly intentionally handcrafted, heartfelt, and knowledgeably constructed potions. She's a brand new mother, who's cherishing having a beautiful little family, with her longtime boyfriend James, and their 3 cats.
August 12: Ben Nussbaum – Ben is a young adult who strives to live his faith daily amid his work at Linkedin. A deacon at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago and a regular preacher to the congregation, he sees the work-place as the “new church” for young adults. Sharing many of the same qualities as church, the work-place offers meaning, purpose, a vision for one’s life, a culture of like-minded people and a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself. Ben loves to explore the intersection of faith and work in our world with friends and co-workers. He also loves tacos, the Chicago Bulls, and waterskiing. Ben will be joining us via Zoom from his home in Chicago.
August 19: Rev. Susan Drake has spent a majority of her 20 years of ministry in healthcare chaplaincy and is now a part-time chaplain at Froedtert West Bend Hospital and Pastor of Parkside Community United Church of Christ. She graduated from Eden Theological Seminary and was ordained in the UCC in St. Louis, MO.
August 26: Erica Turner, Bridge the Divide
Bridge the Divide is a forum for discussion and action around racial reconciliation. Our group seeks to identify instances of inequity, foster empathy, and educate others to recognize their part in the problems and solutions in Ozaukee county… and beyond.
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Were you ever curious about someone’s spiritual beliefs but were hesitant to ask? Join us for an evening of curiosity and conversation, stories, wisdom and insights from other pilgrims on the spiritual path. Over the summer, this weekly gathering will use the power of questions and dialogue to identify beliefs, break down barriers and find common ground among those in a variety of spiritual disciplines, both traditional and non-traditional.
Fellowship to follow.
Guests:
June 17: Pastor Alexis Twito is a born-and-raised Milwaukeean. All of her studies, in the USA and abroad, led her to have a deep love for God’s big, sometimes messy, but awesome world. She describes herself as a Christmas-Christian: for her, the most transformational event in the history of creation was when God decided to become one of us. That God put on humanness, as a way to show how much God cares about this sometimes messy, but awesome, world means for her that we have a great responsibility to care for all, work for peace and justice, and ensure that all experience God’s grace, mercy and love. Pastor Alexis has a passion for social justice ministries, especially around areas of poverty, racism, police-community relations, and trauma-informed care. Pastor Twito is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), but currently serves as the Coordinator for The Salvation Army Chaplaincy Program in Milwaukee, overseeing 55 volunteer chaplains who provide emotional and spiritual care for those experiencing trauma and managing calls for service from the Milwaukee Police Department. When Pastor Twito is not busy with all her work commitments, she’s spending time with her niece and nephews, traveling, hanging out with friends, reading, going to movies, competing in pub trivia with her team “Serious Inquiries Only,” or relaxing along the Lake Michigan lakefront.
June 24: Richard Loliwayntati Gonzalez, M.A. (“Loliwayntati” means “He Who Brings the Good Word”) is a member of the Iroquois Confederation, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, and Turtle Clan, aligns with the Catholic tradition, and exemplary artist/creator of beautiful contemporary Iroquois antler baskets.
July 8: Brenda Peterson, Intuitive Artist Messenger: I started on this spiritual path very young. Obsessed with Angels at a very young age, I read everything I could; I knew they were in our lives and wanted to help us. I wanted to help. Testing out spiritual auras in my teens evolved into seeing, hearing and feeling messages for people. Through the last 30 years I have been a part of tremendous joy, delivering hope to grieving loved ones and belly laughs from those we love. Our PEEPS (our ancestors, people who have passed and our guides) want us to know we are never alone.
July 15: Mark Thompson, Breaking the Chains Church.
BtCC’s mission is to be allies among and offer spiritual accompaniment with individuals who reside both inside and outside of incarceration facilities in Wisconsin. This prison congregation provides a place of worship and contemplation to give men, all of whom have spent time in several facilities in the DOC system, an opportunity to enhance their spiritual foundation and to further prepare them for the very difficult challenge of reentry.
July 22: Ethan Luhman is Lead Pastor at River of Life Lutheran Church and Associate Pastor of First Immanuel Lutheran Church who oversees adult ministries for both campuses. Pastor Ethan is driven by discipleship and community, and he seeks to help people get connected to Jesus and to one another.
July 29: Chris Lear was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1950. He holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and retired in 2018, after a career in City Management. Chris served as Saukville’s Village Administrator for 10 years during the 1990’s; was on the United Way Board; served on the committee to establish the Feith Family YMCA and was once very active with the Saukville Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the Saukville Plan Commission. He also served as a Deacon in the Evangelical Lutheran Church from 2006 to 2012, serving Living Hope Lutheran Church. In retirement, he continues to serve Jesus and his church at Living Hope.
August 5: Lindsey Smith is a light worker and healer extraordinaire, slinging love and blessings wherever she goes, knowing that nothing but truth and joy can bring us to where we need to go. She's the creator of highly intentionally handcrafted, heartfelt, and knowledgeably constructed potions. She's a brand new mother, who's cherishing having a beautiful little family, with her longtime boyfriend James, and their 3 cats.
August 12: Ben Nussbaum – Ben is a young adult who strives to live his faith daily amid his work at Linkedin. A deacon at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago and a regular preacher to the congregation, he sees the work-place as the “new church” for young adults. Sharing many of the same qualities as church, the work-place offers meaning, purpose, a vision for one’s life, a culture of like-minded people and a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself. Ben loves to explore the intersection of faith and work in our world with friends and co-workers. He also loves tacos, the Chicago Bulls, and waterskiing. Ben will be joining us via Zoom from his home in Chicago.
August 19: Rev. Susan Drake has spent a majority of her 20 years of ministry in healthcare chaplaincy and is now a part-time chaplain at Froedtert West Bend Hospital and Pastor of Parkside Community United Church of Christ. She graduated from Eden Theological Seminary and was ordained in the UCC in St. Louis, MO.
August 26: Erica Turner, Bridge the Divide
Bridge the Divide is a forum for discussion and action around racial reconciliation. Our group seeks to identify instances of inequity, foster empathy, and educate others to recognize their part in the problems and solutions in Ozaukee county… and beyond.