Summer Happenings & Rainbow Gatherings

Places of Welcome

During the past year we have had the honor of hosting individuals and families into our Urban Places of Welcome - The Duplex. We are still in the process of finishing the renovation, but we realized that the need for our space is important for those who need a safe place to come and connect with a community on a deeper level. Our heart has always been to show people the love of Christ in ways that they have not seen before and to welcome people who have been hurt by the church and/or are in a time of deconstructing their own faith. The hardest part of that for us is not how to show people love and safety but rather how to explain what we do to others. Building the trust of another to the point that they feel safe takes time and patience— and that is exactly what we aim to do, whether it be in showing up with the Jesus Kitchen at a Rainbow Gathering or opening our home with The Duplex; we want to offer safe spaces where people can feel fully free to be themselves, ask hard questions and know they will be accepted.

Rainbow Gathering

This summer in our planning for our trip to the National Rainbow Gathering we realized that most, if not all, of our leadership team was not able to go with us this year. As we started to reach out to recruit volunteers we came to the conclusion that without a leadership team, Teresa and I would not be able to properly lead a group to an event as big as the National Rainbow Gathering. For years we have been running the kitchen as though we had 20-something young people with endless energy and stamina. Unfortunately, that is not the case anymore. 

So, we are at that exciting point —which happens in most ministries— of having to reinvent ourselves and look to the future of mentoring and training the next generation of young people, who will continue the ministry to the Rainbow Gathering. 

So instead of the National Rainbow Gathering (NRG) this year, we are turning our sights towards a Regional Rainbow Gathering that is happening in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at the end of the summer. We are hoping to get a solid team of volunteers to come with us since it is so close to Minnesota. The advantage is that we will be able to connect to more local people and allow people to experience what it is like to go to a Rainbow Gathering, with hopes that next year we will have a larger group of people joining us at the NRG. 

Summer Happenings

Even though we won’t be making it to the NRG this summer, we are still heading out on a 6 week road trip down to Texas and then up to New England. We are joining The Cause on the partner retreat they are hosting that is happening in Texas from June 8-11th. Before the retreat we will be visiting friends, supporters, and family who live in Texas. We will then begin the long trek up to New England —visiting friends, supporters and family along the way. Once we are in New England, we will spend some time with Ben’s dad, who we haven’t seen since 2020! And while we are there we hope to —you guessed it— visit friends and supporters! Since the NRG is somewhere in New England this summer, we might even take a day or two to drop in and connect without running a kitchen. On this trip, we are hoping to not only see friends and family, but to really connect with people and share our heart for the ministry that we are building. So, if you are on the path between Minnesota, Texas, and up the east coast to New England and would like to connect and hear about what we are up to, we’d love to catch up for coffee or dinner along the way.

The past couple months have kept us busy! We were in a meeting with our partners at The Cause this past month and the question posed to us was, “What is God calling us into in this season?” And as I (Teresa) thought about it, the word “development" came to mind. We have been working so hard on building the foundations of Places of Welcome but it feels like God is now calling us into development. I’m excited to learn and grow as we continue to walk into what that looks like for us and for our ministry. 

This past month we have formed an Advisory Board which we will utilize to give us new ideas, challenge us, and help us move our ministry forward. We have also taken a pause on inside renovations of the upstairs apartment on the Duplex to focus on landscaping outside. We needed to do some overhauling of the yard to make it fully usable and functional so it can be a welcoming space for others. We also had the opportunity to connect with a ministry called Amplify, which connects ministries with business-minded people. We are looking into taking a year long class with them starting in the fall, which will help us to work on the development of Places of Welcome.

Prayer Requests

-For our long 6 week road trip. For safety as we travel and that we will be able to connect and share our hearts with people along the way. And that the kids will travel well!!

-For our time at The Cause Partner Retreat. That we can have a sweet time of connection with fellow people in ministry and be renewed and refilled. And that we can get some much-needed rest!

-For all the work that we have going on around the Duplex. That we can utilize our time well and that all our labor will make a beautiful space for our guests to rest in.

-For those who have stayed with us at the Duplex over the last year and those who are to come this year. That they will be blessed, refreshed, and that as they go from here they will know how much they are loved— just as they are.

-For the Rainbow Gathering. For those that are planning to attend this year's NRG that they will be safe and that God will show up as only he can do. And for us as we make plans to go to the Regional Gathering at the end of summer.

So much has been happening and so much is to come!

Thank you for being on this journey with us!

Ben & Teresa