Fabric Podcast

There's a phrase the kids are using these days– to be “ten toes down” is to live and act with integrity, standing firm on what one believes. For over 18 years, Fabric has been experimenting with what it means to be church closer to the margins (read: in the ecotone!). Who's in the sandbox with us, and what walls might we benefit from analyzing a bit further?

What might we find when we dig in the sandbox? In this episode, Ian McConnell welcomes artist, educator, and author Dave Scherer (AKA Agape*) back among us to share some reflection and frameworks for really getting in the sandbox and planting our toes in it. How do we acknowledge fear without letting it get in the driver's seat?

When you hear the word “interfaith,” what stirs in you? We're curious to learn more from Peter Digitale Anderson, Executive Director of Peace Catalyst about the gifts of “playing in the sandbox” with those of different perspectives and cultures.

Have you ever been repulsed by that sludgy, weedy zone between land and water? We're going to dive into the ecological concept of “ecotones” to walk a bit closer to the edges of what may feel comfortable… it turns out, there's some pretty rich soil in those borderlands.

The Mandalorian seems like a great way to explore how the walls created by traditionalism separate us from others, and even from ourselves. It turns out, “This” may not be the only way… 

There's so much talk of division these days, and so much justified fear present in our minds and bodies. It seems like when fear is present, walls are built. It's as true in churchy spaces as it is in politics, cultures, neighborhoods, and families. What would it be like to recognize that we're all still playing in the proverbial “sandbox?”

This past Sunday during our Easter gathering, those who were gathered in person wrote out our visions for a future toward justice and tangible love as a part of our celebration and acknowledgement of resurrection. If you listened in to the podcast from this past Sunday and wondered what Ian was referencing, this [long, dreamy] episode is for you! Listen in as Ian McConnell and Melissa Lock read the many beautiful and varied signs created by this beautiful in-person community.

What does it mean for a person, an idea, or a movement to have life beyond a death? It's inspiring to witness when scraps and threads are picked up and lived out in a way that inspires not just new life, but widespread transformation. What part of the Jesus movement feels worthy of picking up and risking relative comfort to make real in our communities? This may be a good moment for us to really ask ourselves this question…

It's one thing to talk about the virtue of vulnerability and another entirely to live it out. In this episode, Ian McConnell helps us wrestle a bit with the same thing Jesus' disciples did: that gentle, tangible love acted out through us is as subversive and impactful as anything. It turns out, what Jesus was teaching isn't somebody else's job.

What kind of hero do we really want— and what kind of reality are we hoping for? On Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem not with dominance but through a subversive act that disrupts both empire and expectation. How does the thirst for power distort our freedom— and what does it mean that Jesus refuses to play the game? Ian McConnell gets right into it!

A 30+ year music industry veteran, Derek Webb has sold millions of albums while ruffling political & spiritual feathers alike as both a solo artist and a founding member of Texas-based folk/rock band Caedmon's Call.  He joined us to conclude our last episode of DEEPER. 

There's just something about Ellis Delaney. At once funny and wise, thoughtful and uninhibited, with a captivating voice that is matched by tender, sometimes funny, uplifting lyrics. If you looked up the definition of open-hearted in the dictionary, you just might find a photo of Ellis there. Their performances are transformational; leaving audiences feeling better, with softened edges & opened hearts.

Mayyadda is an artist on a mission, using her music as a powerful medium to transport listeners to new perspectives and guide them on a journey of personal and collective healing. She joined us live to weaves her own captivating tapestry of sounds that she fondly dubs, “BlackGirlMagic.”

It was a deep joy for many of us to welcome Peter Mayer to our live gathering in Minnesota. This episode includes an interview of Peter to get to know him a little and quickly go a little deeper. It also includes his song, "Holy Now."

What if you could separate yourself from the uncomfortable parts of life—the suffering of others, the weight of injustice—simply by choosing not to see them? Severance gives us a haunting glimpse into how privilege works, allowing some to live in comfort while others bear the cost. What does it mean to use our power not for avoidance, but for justice in our community?

How could we possibly host a conversation series on meaningful TV without talking about Ted Lasso?! We are so excited to welcome Andy Jolivette back to Fabric to talk about the only man who can turn a losing streak into a life lesson, a biscuit into a love language, and a mustache into a personality—Coach Ted Lasso!

Honesty isn't about having the right answers so we can behave well, feel good, and get along all the time. The quirky characters in this episode from Young Sheldon give us an endearing and revealing glimpse of what happens when we try to manage the stuff we never asked for or wanted by working harder and being better; and of what emerges when we participate honestly instead. 

We all like to think we're good people—but what happens when we get real about our flaws, fears, and the ways we pretend? This conversation (inspired by The Good Place) explores why honesty about ourselves is so hard, how it can set us free, and why we need each other to grow.

When left to our own devices, we often get trapped in ruts we've made.  What would it be like to give up “the grind” and actively participate in rest and the right-sizing of our relationship to “productivity?”

There are all sorts of ways our culture pressures us as individuals to "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps," but it's time to give that up.  What might be an alternative that naturally takes its place? Maybe the sort of interwoven community where we can be ourselves and deeply contribute!

Intention-setting and aspirations are one thing, but a lot of the pop-spiritual “manifesting” language directed to the universe sounds an awful lot like televangelist prayers to a vending-machine god. How can we strike a balance of having aspirations and goals without the magical thinking of prosperity gospel?

New Year, New You? We're big fans of goal-setting, but wonder what it is about the calendar year turning over makes this the best moment to do the sort of aspirational, self-transforming goal setting? What would it be like to instead recognize that who you already are is just so beautiful and worthy of participating in the cozy slowness of the rest of creation?

Christmas gives us the beautiful opportunity to remember that divine love comes to look us in the eye. What could it mean that love is born, when so many are actively experiencing hurt?

“Joy to the world?!” How might our experiences of sorrow help inform our understanding of joy? What is the depth of joy beyond spiritual bypassing? Glad tidings of joy…but also metabolized sorrow and grief!

Peace…in a time like this? But conflict is everywhere. How can we possibly embrace peace in the presence of conflict? This episode helps us dream toward a potent peace, rather than phony one.

In the Christian tradition, “Hope” is associated with Advent, the season leading up to Christmas. But what does hope mean for us in a season and era that has primed us to feel somewhat cynical? When fear is given space to be recognized in this season, we wonder what depth of hope might be realized…

The skill in care we are building can have a massive impact on the common good. As we close our current conversation of CareIQ, Ian McConnell encourages us to take the leap in the moment we have and to take these tools along with us and put them into practice!

Culturally, we're growing in an awareness of the experience of trauma, and that it has a very real impact on people's lives. What is trauma, and how might an awareness of how it functions help us boost our CareIQ as care givers and care receivers? Learn more at FabricMpls.com/CareIQ!

What is our responsibility to our neighbors and community at large, particularly with such close proximity to fear and division? We can grow our CareIQ beautifully for moments of tension and “othering” like we're in today.

It's easy to find ourselves feeling stuck and alone, full of fear and doubt. Leaning into certain practices and relationships can help us take little steps towards health and healing. In this episode, Chris and Jenny Lillehei remind us that we are not alone and are deeply needed.

“Know thyself” is said to have been inscribed on the temple of Apollo in ancient Greece. You could say there's some staying power to the concept. When it comes to caring for one another, the more self-awareness and self-compassion we bring, the more we may be effective in giving and receiving care. Ian McConnell shares some of his thoughts about knowing ourselves and caring for one another in this episode of the Fabric podcast.  And, like any decent podcast, there's juggling!

Providing care isn't a sign of strength. Receiving care isn't a sign of weakness. It's all just a part of being human! We're kicking off another round of CareIQ with an eye toward a tense election year. In this episode you'll hear from both Ian McConnell and Heidi Esposito and they share a children's book (with plenty of wisdom for adults) called, The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld. Check out the author's site  or Amazon to order your own copy, or click here to hear a reading of it Check out the zine for the conversation and the bookmark mentioned in this episode

Our shared stories often offer the most impactful moments of learning. In this episode, we're hosting a mini Fabric Story Slam to hear a couple stories about getting back on track; about our compasses and maps; about our North Stars! A special thanks to Tim Kennedy and Jessi Bergh for sharing!

Orienteering is all about moving in relation to where north is… you figure out where you wanna go, “put red in the shed,” and head in that direction! This feels like a pretty good strategy for decision making too– aligning our course in relationship to where our “North Stars” are. How might we use this concept?

Most of us are “off course” most of the time when it comes to aligning our best intentions with what we actually do. Instead of fighting it, what if we could learn to recognize and admit it with a little more ease, grace and regularity? What's it like to have people to practice that kind of honesty, acceptance and re-orienting with over time? Turns out it's pretty fun and empowering. And Fabric groups are made for it! 

Happy 18th birthday, Fabric! It seems like more often than not, it's our local connections – our families, friends, neighbors, etc. – who remind us of who we are, and who serve as a compass in our lives.

This episode kicks off the North Star conversation talking about “potential energy,” because it's back-to-school time, and why wouldn't we jump right into physics? Where do we feel the tension of potential, and how might we chart a course forward as we participate in life, deeply woven? For a quick primer on potential vs. kinetic energy, see this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZZjM6Oiw8  

Listen in for this past week's conversation with Ellis Delaney, live from the bandshell at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis. We're grateful for our ongoing relationship with Ellis, and are grateful for their leadership these past few weeks. *** Next week, join us at Field Elementary School (our "home" for the fall, winter, and spring) as we kick off the "North Star" series! *** To support this ministry, or to learn more about Fabric, please visit http://www.fabricMPLS.com

What if there's more than production? We react to any suggestion that we ourselves are commodities or tools of unfettered capitalistic growth. And yet, statistics show that people are increasingly seeing themselves as not even spiritual, but merely… existing. Let's become captivated by the mystery around us once again! ******* You can learn more about Fabric on our website by clicking here (http://www.fabricmpls.com/) or on social media at @FabricMPLS. ******* Support our work of innovating and experimenting with what "Church" can be by visiting http://www.FabricMPLS.com/give/ ******* You can learn more about Ellis Delaney, our end-of-summer artist-in-residence on their website (https://www.ellisdelaney.com/) or on Instagram at @EllisMusic. Go show them some love, will ya?

“Church” is not an easy word for many. What stirs in you when you think of that word? Fabric has a long-standing tradition and value of experimenting with what “church” can be for people, gathered together and digging in the dirt of the divine in a way that seeks unity, not uniformity. There's a big difference! ____ We're glad to be a kind of critically important safe landing zone for folks who have either experienced hurt in church spaces, or who have grown disinterested or disaffected by traditional church spaces. If you'd like to support the kind of community we're always working to build and experiment around, you can do so by visiting us online at http://www.fabricmpls.com/give

AC/DC's road manager Barry Taylor once reportedly said, “God is the name of the blanket we throw over mystery to give it shape.” There are countless ways to understand or perceive the divine; let's affirm this diversity, and wonder together about which metaphors and images are working for each of us! Learn more about Fabric by clicking here! We may not be a very good church, but it sure seems like we're providing something that people are finding value in. If you agree, and want to support this community financially, we'd certainly appreciate it! You can visit FabricMPLS.com/Give to learn how to become a sustainer!

Have doubts? Join the club! What would it be like to view doubt less as an obstacle in conversations around God and faith, but rather as a friend and companion? Let's spend a bit of time wondering what it would be like to become friends with doubt!

There are some pretty unhelpful lenses we use to look at ourselves!  Supernatural lenses to see God don't help. “Life with God” or “spirituality” become achievements instead of natural ways of being. Humility isn't insecurity, submissiveness, niceness, or weakness. It's a strong and grounded self-understanding that grows over a lifetime with practice, perspectives, and people. In this episode, Melissa Lock (with some help from Heidi Esposito) offers some delicious humble pie for us to chew on!

Does God “belong” to the institution of religion? Are “God” and “church” the same thing with different shapes? In this episode, Ian McConnell (with some help from Heidi Esposito) helps us find some fresh ways to enter into this conversation.

Is God supernatural, or as close and natural as our own breath? In a time where many claims about God are being made to bolster many agendas, it seems like a good time to affirm the diversity of thought around what is often called, “God.”

To “cease and resist” is ultimately about liberation; about being ready for the world and our place in it, but not being held hostage by it. What would it be like to release the need to control, to know more and do more and be more than is healthy? We are made for so much more than what is controllable!

Rest can sometimes feel like we are putting burdens on others; if I rest, then someone else has to work harder. However, when done well, sabbath can be an invitation to create healthy communities that together find balance in the interplay of work and rest. 

Life isn't meant to just make us tired! It's meant to make us happy. Deeply happy. The kind of happy we are told we can buy or achieve but that really only requires us to do one thing: stop. Are you ready to be surprised by the gratuitous goodness that is always growing in and around you?

Practicing sabbath cracks open the possibility of letting ourselves (and everything around us) go a bit wild… what would be possible if we experienced restoration? *** Learn more about Fabric on our website, or find us on Instagram and Facebook. If you find this podcast valuable to your life, and want to support this community financially, you can do so here. Or, if this is all well and good, but you're looking for something more— perhaps a sustained, in-real-life community, consider joining a Fabric Small Group!   http://www.fabricmpls.com/ http://www.fabricmpls.com/give http://www.fabricmpls.com/groups http://www.instagram.com/fabricmpls http://www.facebook.com/fabricmpls

Does it feel like there's too much going on to pause what you're doing? What if stopping was one of the most effective ways to join the resistance? Together, let's get into the concept of "sabbath," reclaim it a bit, and let it pick away at "the way things are" as we move forward towards how things could be.

As we closed out our Unearthed conversation, we welcomed Joe Davis back to help facilitate a time of artistic reflection and processing; to notice what came up, metabolize it, and bless it.