Goldenwood

Institute Intensive | Guatemala Vision Trip with Many Hopes
2025-10-22 - 2025-10-26 | Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, Guatemala
Step beyond the familiar, listen deeply to stories of resilience and redemption, and allow these encounters to shape your own pursuit of justice!
Goldenwood is thrilled to be joining with Many Hopes on this Vision Trip, to visit the work their partners are doing in the field in Guatemala. Through immersive learning, spiritual reflection, and meaningful conversations, you’ll witness the beauty of hope in action.
You will spend time in Quetzaltenango and witness the work that EDELAC, the local partner of Many Hopes, is doing. EDELAC is an acronym in Spanish meaning “School of the Street,” since it educates children either living on the street or at risk of being homeless, trafficked, or abused. You will visit the home for 25 children that EDELAC runs, tour the elementary school, and see the construction site of the new high school that Many Hopes is currently raising funds for. You’ll also experience a home visit in the community they serve and enjoy meaningful interactions with the children. Beyond these visits, the trip offers a chance to explore Guatemala’s beauty, from the colonial charm of Antigua to the vibrant life of Quetzaltenango.
Believing that there is a universal call to justice in all work, Goldenwood will guide participants in daily rhythms of prayer, scripture, and embodied reflection—both individually and communally— to create space for renewal. These practices are designed to deepen your sense of calling and knowing the Caller, and instill the courage and compassion needed to embody God’s vision of justice in every sphere of life.
What is a Vision Trip?
This is not a service or a missions trip, but a chance to experience firsthand the challenges and pain and power and possibility. Many Hopes leads Vision Trips to allow supporters to see and understand more of the good that their donations are doing. But you don’t have to be a current (or future) donor to go on this trip! By the time you return, we hope you have a renewed vision for integrating justice into your own life, a deepened sense of God’s voice speaking to you, and a spirit attuned to listening and to hope.
Who is this trip for?
This trip is for anyone wrestling with the role of justice in their life—whether you’re deeply engaged or perhaps you’re unsure why it matters. If you’re willing to be challenged, inspired, and awakened to a deeper understanding of justice, love, and your own calling, this trip is for you. No prior experience or expertise is needed—just a willingness to be present and open.
Space is limited—register now to reserve your spot!

Details:
When: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 – Sunday, October 26, 2025

Trip Schedule:

Weds:

Depart USA in AM
Arrive in Guatemala City by 5pm – the trip leader will greet you on arrival and escort you to the waiting van
Private transfer to Antigua (1 hour)
Team dinner & overnight at Good Hotel

Thurs:

Breakfast at the hotel
Private transfer (3.5 hours) to the city of Quetzaltenango (known as Xela)
Visit the “Hogar” (home for 25 kids)
Lunch with the children at the Hogar
Afternoon excursion with the kids
Free time/team dinner
Overnight at Casa Morasan Hotel

Fri:

Breakfast at the hotel
Tour the elementary school, hear from students, share about yourself, and play/watch futbol!
See construction of new high school
Lunch in town
Home visit – see 1-2 homes in the community served by the school where the children come from
Dinner and debrief
Overnight at Casa Morasan Hotel

Sat:

Breakfast at hotel
Private transfer to Antigua (3.5 hours)
Free afternoon, rest, explore this charming, colonial town with cobblestone streets
Overnight at Good Hotel

Sun:

Early AM private transfer to airport
Depart for USA

Trip Costs: The total cost for the trip is $1,500 per person, which includes all food, lodging, and in-country transportation. You will book your own flights.

About your Guides:
Many Hopes believes in a world where outside charities are no longer needed because children who survived injustice themselves are leading the fights for justice that prevent millions of other children from suffering what they did. They rescue children from injustice and equip them to be adults of influence by partnering with high-impact local leaders and organizations. Many Hopes walks with children through six stages of the arc from injustice to influence. Learn more about their incredible work around the world here.

Registration:
Please visit the Many Hopes landing page to register.
You can secure your spot by completing your first deposit, payable by Aug 22 (extended). A member of the Many Hopes team will reach out to you once complete with more information.

AfterWork | Cultivating Community + Generative Connections
2025-10-09 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Goldenwood Commons, 109 E 31st St, 4th Fl, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Goldenwood is committed to cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work that is enlivened by hope and expresses the fullness of our humanity.
Join us for our 2025-26 AfterWork series! This monthly rhythm has become a highlight for the community, fostering generative connections across the city to inspire hopeful vision for work revived by love.
This month’s highlight: Come and connect with several of the inspiring and dynamic individuals engaged in the Goldenwood Collective and learn more about the enlivening offerings of the Institute to renew your calling for the year ahead.
Beverages and light snacks provided. Drop by anytime between 5:30p and 7:00p.

Trellis: Life-Giving Rhythms for Reviving Calling
2025-09-21 19:45 - 2025-10-04 23:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
For many, “calling” is often equated with choosing the right career path. But in Scripture, God’s call is far more expansive—it encompasses the whole of our lives. Calling isn’t about isolating one piece of who we are; it begins with the Caller Himself. Discerning our call doesn’t start with self-analysis, but with listening—attentively and expectantly—for the voice of the Shepherd who guides His people (John 10:13–16).
Over the course of this two-week journey, you’ll be invited into new ways of prayer, learning to walk conversationally with God and to recognize His voice amid the patterns of your life. Trellis offers practices that root you in God’s presence, helping you to weave life-giving rhythms into your days so that calling becomes not just something you “discover” but something you live into, moment by moment.
This experience will give you both structure and spaciousness—anchored by a community that listens together for God’s leading.
[Goldenwood Collective Members: Sign-up here. Because listening for God’s voice together is foundational to fueling the vision and mission of the Collective, Trellis is included in your membership. Interested in joining the Collective and participating in all Trellis sessions for free? Learn more here.]
———————————
SPECIAL NOTE FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES & GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS:
Recognizing the unique disruptions and challenges currently facing the federal workforce, a generous donor has made it possible for all Federal Workers to participate in this Trellis at no cost. It is our hope that this space will offer renewal, encouragement, and a deeper grounding for the road ahead.
If you are part of the Federal Workforce in any capacity, please >> SIGN-UP HERE (FREE!) <<
All others, please register using the form below.
———————————
The Trellis structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Sept 21, 7:45-9p EST. (Online experience for theological introduction and time in listening quads. Recorded for those who cannot join live.)
6 Communal Guided Listening Sessions: every Mon, Wed, and Fri 12:20-12:45p EST, during the weeks of Sept 22 and Sept 29. (Attend live or listen to the 25-min recordings at personal set times.)
Daily Scripture Meditation and Exercise Pages: Individually in your Listening Book. (Participants are provided with a digital PDF or can order their own physical copy online via Amazon.)

The communal practices of Trellis are designed to gently interrupt ordinary routines, creating openings for deeper attentiveness to the God who renews and restores. And because they can be entered into wherever you are, the journey meets you right in the midst of daily life.

———————————
“If a vine doesn’t have a trellis, it will die. And if your life with Jesus doesn’t have some kind of structure to facilitate health and growth, it will wither away…The point of a trellis isn’t to make the vines stand up straight in neat rows, but rather to attain a rich, deep glass of wine.”
— John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts 2025 Conference | Visible and Invisible
2025-09-04 16:00 - 2025-09-07 13:00 (America/New_York) | Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
Goldenwood is excited to be joining our friends at Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts (DITA) for their annual conference. Join us Sept 4-7 in Durham, NC!
You’ll recognize Goldenwood Institute Dean and Creative Fellow Sandra McCracken as a featured presenter (alongside Malcolm Guite, Rowan Williams, Jamie Smith, David Taylor and others), and Goldenwood’s CEO David Kim and COO Amilee Watkins will lead a workshop entitled Cultivating Spiritual Permanence: Rekindling Spiritual Imagination in a Disenchanted Age.
Find out more information & register on their conference site. Agenda details and additional speakers will continue to be announced.
As a collaborating partner, DITA is pleased to offer all members of the Goldenwood community a 20% discount. Email us for the code at info@goldenwoodnyc.org before registering.

Goldenwood Intensive
2025-08-25 14:00 - 2025-08-27 14:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton Theological Seminary, 25 Library Place, Princeton, NJ, 08540, United States
Step into a multi-day immersive experience crafted by Goldenwood to awaken your imagination, deepen your spiritual attentiveness, and reframe your vision of work. Rooted in the gospel and infused with practices of contemplative stillness, systems thinking, and experiential learning, this intensive invites you into a sacred space where pain and exhaustion become a portal to wisdom and calling.
Through embodied exercises, Scripture-based imaginative prayer, and vocationally formative frameworks, you’ll encounter a new way of seeing—God, yourself, your work, and the world. Whether you’re a leader, artist, entrepreneur, or pastor, this intensive offers not just tools but a spiritual ecosystem for hope-filled transformation. Come and rediscover work as a redemptive, relational, and deeply human act. This is more than just a training; it’s an opportunity to connect deeply with God and like-minded individuals, fostering a collaborative spirit that will inspire and empower you to revive work with love.
Highlights from last year’s Intensive held in Greenville, SC here.

For those new to this conversation, this intensive provides an experience in an evolving approach to Faith and Work. As Tim Keller used to say, the gospel doesn’t make bad people good; it makes dead people alive. In the same vein, we believe this new approach to F&W needs to focus on how the gospel makes dead work alive—starting with a vibrant spiritual formation grounded in listening to the voice of God.
During this time, we will explore the following distinctive approach to Faith and Work that incorporates:

Defining and Cultivating Critical Spiritual Competencies
Engaging Dreams and Spiritual Imagination
Embodying Key Spiritual Practices and Experiential Learning
Introducing Systems and Relational Thinking
Incorporating Frameworks for Redemptive Action: CityGuilds, Greenhouse, Institute

COST:
Includes two nights lodging in private room with ensuite bath at the Erdman Center (Princeton Theological Seminary), all materials, and several group meals.

Early Bird (before Jul 20): $790
Regular (after Jul 20): $950
Teams of 3+: $750 per person before Jul 20, $910 after (email us for group discount code)

SCHEDULE:
Monday Aug 25
2:00p-5:00p – Session 1
5:00p-6:30p – Check in / break
6:30p – Dinner
Tuesday Aug 26
9:00a-12:30p – Session 2
12:30p-2:30p – Lunch
2:30p-5:30p – Session 3
Evening event TBD
Wednesday Aug 27
9:00a-12:30p – Session 4
12:30p – Closing Lunch
2:00p – Depart

Institute Retreat | Reviving Body & Spirit: Summering with Re-well
2025-07-18 19:00 - 2025-07-20 13:00 (America/New_York) | Lancaster, PA
Summer calls us into abundance—ripe fruit, golden light, and a sacred invitation to slow down and savor. But in our hurried lives, we often miss what this season is trying to teach us: that joy is not a distraction, but a way into God’s presence.
Join us for a weekend retreat where you’ll engage in hands-on cooking experiences using ingredients sourced directly from the land around us. We’ll visit a vibrant farmer’s market, America’s oldest continuously operated public market, and learn how food grown in the heat of summer offers not just flavor but healing for our bodies. Tomatoes bursting with sweetness, herbs that cool and soothe, fruits that hydrate and restore—each ingredient becomes a signpost of God’s provision. You’ll cook, taste, and explore how God’s abundance in creation is not just poetic—it’s deeply practical.
Set in Lancaster, PA, surrounded by rolling farmland, fresh produce, and the quiet rhythm of dairy cows and early morning harvests—this retreat is an invitation to reconnect with the source. There’s no better place to taste the gifts of summer than where they’re grown.
This is the third retreat in our four-part 2025 seasonal series, co-hosted with Re-well. Each gathering is held in a unique location and crafted to align with the rhythms of the earth—and the renewal your soul needs.
Space is limited for this retreat; secure your spot today!

Details:
Location: Lancaster, PA
Start and End Time: We’ll begin with a welcome meal together at 6:30pm EST and close midday Sunday by 1pm to allow time for departure and traveling home. A more detailed schedule will be provided to registered participants.
Cost: Choose your Tier – A Pricing Model Rooted in Generosity & Relationship
At Goldenwood, we believe in a gift economy—where our work and giving is not transactional but part of a relational and generative system. Like a root network, where some trees bear more fruit in one season and others in another, this pricing approach allows for a shared ecosystem of flourishing—some contribute more so that others may receive, and all are sustained together.
Our tiered pricing model reflects this, allowing participants to contribute at a level that aligns with their capacity while supporting the mission to see work revived by love. We invite you to participate in a way that reflects your own season and capacity.
Included in your registration: fresh locally sourced ingredients, shared dinners Friday and Saturday, Sunday breakfast and lunch, sustenance to support Saturday’s guided fast, hands-on cooking instruction, holistic health & nutrition training from Re-well, spiritual rhythm guidance and materials, and full access to our peaceful Lancaster venue.
1. Full Value (Sustainable Tier) – $460 + accommodations
Reflects the true cost and value—while balancing affordability—including the unseen work that makes this a meaningful and transformative experience. Includes meals, retreat sessions & materials. Does not include lodging; see info below.
2. Covering Costs (Supported Tier) – $360 + accommodations
Covers only the essentials—venues, facilitators, meals, materials—ensuring the program is financially viable. Includes meals, retreat sessions & materials. Does not include lodging; see info below.
3. Generative Giving – $555 (or choose amount) + accommodations
Goes beyond covering costs, helping make our programs accessible to others and investing in the long-term flourishing of this work. Includes meals, retreat sessions & materials. Does not include lodging; see info below.
Overnight Accommodations

All participants are encouraged to stay in our retreat housing, which would be on site or at a nearby Airbnb. During registration you will have the option to secure either a single occupancy room (@ $195 for 2 x nights) or shared / double occupancy room (@ $120 for 2 x nights), based on your preference and availability. If attending as a couple, please register each person individually and both select the shared / double occupancy room option. Please email info@goldenwoodnyc.org if you have any questions.

About your Guides:
About Re-well: We care for your body, soul, and spirit – all under one roof. Through a Functional Medical model, we are bringing clarity instead of confusion, connection instead of fragments, wellness instead of a facade, truth instead of guesses, and power instead of prescriptions.
Dr. Chika Okoli earned her B.S. in Sports Medicine from Samford University. She then went on to complete medical school at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA where she graduated Cum Laude. She completed her internship and residency training at The Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, CT. She earned the honor of Resident of the Year during her second year of training. She was recognized as a Global Health Scholar through the Yale/Stanford Johnson & Johnson Global Health Scholars Program for the work she did in Tugela Ferry, South Africa. Following residency, she began working as an attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Amber Gentry earned her B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University. She then went on to serve in various Christian churches and ministries for 15 years, while raising three awesome kids. In 2016 she went back to school to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, for nutrition and coaching. What she learned was astounding but true: we are perpetuating 80% of our disease and disorders through our food and lifestyle habits. She founded her private Health Coaching practice in 2017, and has coached clients from all over the country on how to find the best way to eat for their bodies, in accordance with their bio-individuality, and connected with their culture and heritage. Amber specializes in coaching busy professionals and their families towards abundance and peace.

Trellis | Hidden Hope (*Special Note for Federal Employees*)
2025-06-08 19:45 - 2025-06-21 23:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
We have a God who is familiar with darkness. Imagine, before the divine fiat, “Let there be light,” God was in the darkness of what was formless and empty. Perhaps the Bible starts off this way because God wants His people to know that He is no stranger to the darkness found in this world. He wants us to know that He speaks into that darkness to create light and life. What a profound hope Genesis 1 would have been for God’s people in exile–to know that their God is no stranger to darkness and is able to create beauty and wonder out of it.
The journey of hope begins with the experience of darkness that we all face living in a broken world and the recognition that things are not the way they are supposed to be. This two-week “Listening Journey” invites you to reimagine your work through the lens of God’s hidden presence and unfolding purpose. Journeying through the book of Esther, we will explore how God is at work—even when unseen—shaping our lives, calling, and world for something greater.

Week 1 focuses on Journeying in an Enchanted Frame, learning to recognize God’s quiet yet powerful movements in our daily work.
Week 2 moves into Listening to the Pains of the World, uncovering how personal and communal pain can become the soil for renewal and transformation.

Through Scripture, prayer, reflection, and innovative AI-implementation, we will slow down, live in Kairos time, and cultivate a deeper spiritual permanence in our work.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES & GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS:
Recognizing the unique disruptions and challenges currently facing the federal workforce, a generous donor has made it possible for all Federal Workers to participate in this Trellis at no cost. It is our hope that this space will offer renewal, encouragement, and a deeper grounding for the road ahead.
If you are part of the Federal Workforce in any capacity, please >> SIGN-UP HERE (FREE!) <<
All others, please register using the form below.

The TRELLIS structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Jun 8, 7:45-9p EST. (Online experience for theological introduction and time in listening quads. Recorded for those who cannot join live.)
6 Communal Guided Listening Sessions: every Mon, Wed, and Fri 12:20-12:45p EST, during the weeks of Jun 9 and Jun 16. (Attend live or listen to the 25-min recordings at personal set times.)
Daily Scripture Meditation and Exercise Pages: Individually in your Listening Book. (Participants are provided with a digital PDF or can order their own physical copy online via Amazon.)

The communal listening rhythms of TRELLIS are intentionally designed as intrusions into your regular daily routines and, therefore can be entered into from wherever you are. For more about TRELLIS…
———————————
“If a vine doesn’t have a trellis, it will die. And if your life with Jesus doesn’t have some kind of structure to facilitate health and growth, it will wither away…The point of a trellis isn’t to make the vines stand up straight in neat rows, but rather to attain a rich, deep glass of wine.”
— John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

AfterWork | Cultivating Community + Generative Connections
2025-05-29 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Goldenwood Commons, 109 E 31st St, 4th Fl, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Goldenwood is committed to cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work that is enlivened by hope and expresses the fullness of our humanity.
Join us for our 2025 AfterWork series! This monthly rhythm has become a highlight for the community, fostering generative connections across the city to inspire hopeful vision for work revived by love.
This month’s highlight: Come hear about Many Hopes, the amazing work they’re doing to help rescue children from slavery and abuse, and an upcoming trip to visit their partner site in Guatemala.
Beverages and light snacks provided. Drop by anytime between 5:30p and 7:00p.

Institute Retreat | Annual Fallow in Cambridge, England
2025-05-13 15:00 - 2025-05-16 12:30 (Europe/London) | Jesus College, Jesus Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8BL, United Kingdom
When: Tues May 13 (arrive between 3 and 5pm) – Fri May 16 (end 12:30pm), 2025
Location: Cambridge, UK. All group sessions held at Jesus College.
Joined by the Goldenwood staff, Board, and Deans, this unique 4-day experience represents an annual rhythm of the Goldenwood Institute. Enjoy highlights and photos from 2024: “Slowing Down, Cultivating Community, Enlivening Work”
What is a Fallow Retreat?

The essence of a fallow retreat lies in embracing the inherent value of rest and recognizing that seasons of non-productivity can be essential for long-term growth and sustainability. Inspired by the agricultural practice of allowing land to lie fallow and rest, our hope is for you to experience a deep sense of replenishment, inspiration, and reawakening, ultimately leading to greater productivity, creativity, and spiritual vitality in the seasons to come.
Goldenwood is committed to creating this space and time annually to remember what we’ve forgotten about who we are, what we’ve been created for, and who we are becoming.
Why Fallow?

For the “over”worked (those who find themselves in seasons of great responsibility and limited margin): fallowing increases your capacity towards greater fruitfulness.
For the “under”worked (those in seasons of transition, underemployment, or retirement): fallowing opens up space for the soil to be tilled, for new seeds to be planted for future realities yet to be seen.

Included in your cost:

Three nights lodging in clean, simple rooms on the beautiful grounds of Jesus College.* (Single, double, or family occupancy available.)
Breakfast each morning onsite for those lodging at Jesus College
1-2 group meals, including celebratory culminating group dinner onsite at Jesus College
Guidance for times of spiritual reflection and renewal, individually and communally led by David Kim and Amilee Watkins
Stimulating morning conversations with the Goldenwood Institute Deans, Makoto Fujimura, Sandra McCracken Nicholson, Haejin Shim Fujimura
Poetry and Prayers led by special guest and Goldenwood Board Chair, Shann Ray, Poet and Professor of Leadership and Forgiveness Studies
Multimedia conversation and performance from honored guest, Theologian and Musician Jeremy Begbie.

COST:
*ALL ONSITE ROOMS ARE TAKEN. ONLY OFFSITE REGISTRATION AVAILABLE.*

Individual (1 room, Single occupancy, private bath): $1900 onsite / $1100 offsite {Collective Members: $1600 / $900}
Couple (1 room with 1 bed, Double occupancy, private bath): $2500 onsite / $1750 offsite {Collective Members: $2100 / $1500}
Family (Assumes 2 adults + child, 1 Queen + 1 sofabed, private bath): $2800 onsite {Collective Members: $2400}

A non-refundable deposit of 1/3 your total amount is required upon registration to secure your spot, with the remaining balance due by Mar 30th. Rooms at Jesus College are available on a first come first serve basis.*
*For offsite lodging alternatives: Check out the University Arms Hotel (a Marriott Bonvoy hotel) or the Hilton Cambridge City Center for those who may have & wish to book with points. The Fellows House by Hilton, The Varsity Hotel, and Arundel House Hotel are also within close walking distance from Jesus college. There may be other lower-priced accommodations in the area as well. See booking.com to explore current rates and proximity (including helpful walking estimates!) to Jesus College.
INTERESTED? Space is limited for this retreat. Please sign-up below to receive registration details! We look forward to returning to Cambridge and invite you to join us!
UPDATED Travel Note as of Feb 2025: All visitors traveling to the UK now need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). While this should be fairly painless and can be done digitally, it does require an extra step before traveling. Here is the guidance on how to apply.

17th Annual Mockingbird Conference | NYC
2025-05-01 17:00 - 2025-05-03 12:00 (America/New_York) | St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4 Rutherford Place, New York, NY, 10003, United States
Goldenwood is excited to be collaborating with our friends at Mockingbird for their annual conference in New York City. Join us! You’ll recognize Goldenwood CEO David Kim as a featured speaker, and Goldenwood Institute Dean and Creative Fellow Sandra McCracken leading worship.
You can find more information on their conference site as the agenda and additional speakers are being announced. Registration is now open. Enter code Goldenwood for 15% off your registration!
Email info@goldenwoodnyc.org to let us know you’re registered. Hope to see you there!

Institute Course | Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World: Augustine's "City of God”
2025-04-29 19:30 - 2025-05-27 20:45 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Join us for an exploration of one of Western literature’s most profound and timely works. Guided by Dr. Gregory Lee, author of the newly published The Essential ‘City of God’: A Reader and Commentary, participants will experience Augustine’s masterwork that still speaks powerfully to our present moment of political and social instability.
<<Catch the conversation with Dr. Greg Lee that sets the stage for our course, here!>>
Written in response to the shocking fall of Rome in 410 AD, City of God addresses enduring questions that resonate deeply today: How do we sustain hope when our stability seems to crumble? How do we navigate the tension of aligning our vision with the heavenly city while laboring in the midst of the brokenness of this one? What does it look like to love rightly and work faithfully—even when we feel displaced?
Dr. Gregory Lee, Associate Professor of Theology and Urban Studies at Wheaton College, will facilitate discussion about Augustine’s vision of Christian identity and civic engagement. Through carefully selected readings, engaging short lectures, and rich group discussions, we’ll investigate how Augustine’s insights can help us navigate contemporary challenges in faith, politics, and cultural engagement.
Over five weekly sessions, we’ll examine key themes including:

God’s purposes in temporal blessing and suffering
The relationship between violence, idolatry, and empire
Christians and political leadership
What it means to embrace an exilic framework of living

This course is designed to be accessible for all, offering a great introduction for newcomers to Augustine and also depth for those already familiar with his work. Weekly readings will be focused and concise, with optional add-ons for those wanting more.
Be a part of this unique opportunity to engage with ancient wisdom that speaks directly to our modern moment. Limited to 25 participants to ensure meaningful discussion and interaction.

Details:
Location: Online
Date and Time: Five sessions held on April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, from 7:30-8:45p ET
Cost: Choose your Tier – A Pricing Model Rooted in Generosity & Relationship

At Goldenwood, we believe in a gift economy—where our work and giving is not transactional but part of a relational and generative system. Like a root network, where some trees bear more fruit in one season and others in another, this pricing approach allows for a shared ecosystem of flourishing—some contribute more so that others may receive, and all are sustained together.
Our tiered pricing model reflects this, allowing participants to contribute at a level that aligns with their capacity while supporting the mission to see work revived by love. We invite you to participate in a way that reflects your own season and capacity.
1. Full Value (Sustainable Tier) – $350
Reflects the true cost and value—while balancing affordability—including the unseen work that makes this a meaningful and transformative experience.
2. Covering Costs (Supported Tier) – $250
Covers only the essentials—facilitator’s time and overhead costs—ensuring the program is financially viable.
3. Generative Giving – $500 (or choose amount)
Goes beyond covering costs, helping make our programs accessible to others and investing in the long-term flourishing of this work. Includes a light lunch and all materials.

About your Guide:

Dr. Gregory Lee (PhD, Duke University) is associate professor of theology and urban studies at Wheaton College (IL) and senior fellow for The Wheaton Center for Early Christian Studies. He is author of The Essential “City of God,” Today When You Hear His Voice: Scripture, the Covenants, and the People of God, and several articles on Augustine. His current book project, Christians among the Corrupt: Augustine, Race, and the Challenge of Immoral Communities, retrieves Augustine’s theology to address contemporary issues of race and Christian unity.
Outside Wheaton, Dr. Lee is teaching pastor at Lawndale Christian Community Church, and he served for several years as board chair of Manna Christian Fellowship, a campus ministry at Princeton University.

AfterWork | Cultivating Community + Generative Connections
2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-03-13 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-02-13 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-01-16 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Goldenwood Commons, 109 E 31st St, 4th Fl, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Goldenwood is committed to cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work that is enlivened by hope and expresses the fullness of our humanity.
Join us for our 2025 AfterWork series! This monthly rhythm has become a highlight for the community, fostering generative connections across the city to inspire hopeful vision for work revived by love. And this year we celebrate this generative community with the official launch of the Goldenwood Collective!
Beverages and light snacks provided. Drop by anytime between 5:30p and 7:00p to hear about hopeful work and new collaborations and share your own!

Institute Course | Hopeful Intelligence Workshop
2025-04-23 19:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
How do spiritual realities shape our understanding of generative artificial intelligence (AI), and what new possibilities of “hopeful intelligence” arise when we explore this intersection?
In this dynamic, interactive evening workshop, David Kim will guide participants through a transformative exploration of how spiritual wisdom can inform the way we design, understand, and collaborate with AI systems. Specifically, we’ll be focusing on how AI can be a companion for expanding our imagination around future scenarios.
What to expect
This transformative offering will present a Hopeful Intelligence framework, exploring how artificial intelligence can transcend efficiency and profit-driven assumptions to become an unprecedented tool for hope, imagination, and human flourishing. Grounded in spiritual wisdom and informed by thinkers like Bob Johansen, Charles Taylor and Otto Scharmer, participants will engage in reflective practices, collaborative exercises, and visionary discussions to reimagine AI’s potential in addressing the world’s deepest pain points with justice, creativity, and grace. Considering the theological and practical implications, participants will learn to align AI with a future marked by compassion, equity, and divine purpose.
David was invited in 2021 to join the Advisory Board of AI and Faith where he contributes essays, and has contributed a chapter in Faithful AI. David consults organizations to thoughtfully engage with this emerging technology with a hopeful theistic frame.

Register now to explore how spiritual realities can inform and transform our approach to one of the most influential technologies of our time.

Details:
When: Wednesday, April 23rd, 7:00p-9:00p
Where: Online
Cost: Choose your Tier – A Pricing Model Rooted in Generosity & Relationship

At Goldenwood, we believe in a gift economy—where our work and giving is not transactional but part of a relational and generative system. Like a root network, where some trees bear more fruit in one season and others in another, this pricing approach allows for a shared ecosystem of flourishing—some contribute more so that others may receive, and all are sustained together.
Our tiered pricing model reflects this, allowing participants to contribute at a level that aligns with their capacity while supporting the mission to see work revived by love. We invite you to participate in a way that reflects your own season and capacity.
1. Full Value (Sustainable Tier) – $75
Reflects the true cost and value—while balancing affordability—including the unseen work that makes this a meaningful and transformative experience. Includes a light lunch and all materials.
2. Covering Costs (Supported Tier) – $55
Covers only the essentials—venue and materials—ensuring the program is financially viable. Includes a light lunch and all materials.
3. Generative Giving – $95 (or choose amount)
Goes beyond covering costs, helping make our programs accessible to others and investing in the long-term flourishing of this work. Includes a light lunch and all materials.

About your Guide:

David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood. Over the past several decades, Rev. Dr. David Kim has trained, consulted, and counseled hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a robust, meaningful integration of faith and work. David’s past experiences as VP of Faith and Work, Executive Director of the Center for Faith & Work, Director of the Gotham Fellowship, and editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible have given him a breadth of exposure to the challenges of integrating faith and work. His expertise as a key thought-leader in the faith and work space has been well-established having addressed prominent institutions and churches around the world. David’s passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities that give rise to the world we create.

Nautilus: Applications open through June 15
2025-04-15 - 2025-06-15 | NJ
How you imagine the future intrinsically affects how you work and live in the day to day. And our imagination is shaped by the voices we hear. What voices do you listen to? What future do you see coming–one fashioned by fear or imbued with hope? We need to hear the voice of God breaking into our everyday, cultivating in us a hope that propels the work we do now.
Nautilus is the capstone program of the Theology & Spiritual Formation Stream in the Goldenwood Institute. This unique 7-month journey combines theology, listening practices, spiritual direction, and communal discernment to develop a holistic vision for your life. It is designed to develop the foundational daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly rhythms necessary for learning to hear the voice of God and knowing it to be the voice of love as we navigate our complex world. By re-examining God, self, others, and work, Nautilus provides a transformative journey towards renewed spiritual vitality applicable to all aspects of life.
Accepting applications April 15th through June 15th from participants nationwide. For more info, program dates, and to apply, visit our program page.

Trellis | Hidden Hope: Discovering God's Presence and Purpose in Our Work
2025-03-09 19:45 - 2025-03-22 23:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
This two-week “Listening Journey” invites you to reimagine your work through the lens of God’s hidden presence and unfolding purpose. Journeying through the book of Esther, we will explore how God is at work—even when unseen—shaping our lives, calling, and world for something greater.

Week 1 focuses on Journeying in an Enchanted Frame, learning to recognize God’s quiet yet powerful movements in our daily work.
Week 2 moves into Listening to the Pains of the World, uncovering how personal and communal pain can become the soil for renewal and transformation.

Through Scripture, prayer, reflection, and innovative AI-implementation, we will slow down, live in Kairos time, and cultivate a deeper spiritual permanence in our work.
Trellis guides you to integrate life-giving spiritual practices into everyday rhythms, learning to recognize God’s voice in your life, transforming and renewing our sense of calling. Enter into the Lenten season with a new structure that provides the space and a community for hearing God’s voice and knowing who He reveals Himself to be in the midst of your workday routines, leading to holistic vitality.
The TRELLIS structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Mar 9, 7:45-9p EST. (Online experience for theological introduction and time in listening quads. Recorded for those who cannot join live.)
6 Communal Guided Listening Sessions: every Mon, Wed, and Fri 12:20-12:45p EST, during the weeks of Mar 10 and Mar 17. (Attend live or listen to the 25-min recordings at personal set times.)
Daily Scripture Meditation and Exercise Pages: Individually in your Listening Book. (Participants are provided with a digital PDF or can order their own physical copy online via Amazon.)

The communal listening rhythms of TRELLIS are intentionally designed as intrusions into your regular daily routines and, therefore can be entered into from wherever you are. For more about TRELLIS…
———————————
“If a vine doesn’t have a trellis, it will die. And if your life with Jesus doesn’t have some kind of structure to facilitate health and growth, it will wither away…The point of a trellis isn’t to make the vines stand up straight in neat rows, but rather to attain a rich, deep glass of wine.”
— John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Prayer as Resistance Conference (Center for Contemplative Leadership)
2025-03-07 19:30 - 2025-03-08 22:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton Theological Seminary, 25 Library Place, Princeton, NJ, 08540, United States
Goldenwood is proud to be a co-sponsor with our friends at the Center for Contemplative Leadership of their annual conference in Princeton, NJ.
“Contemplative prayer fuels action in the world and, when it is fully rooted in God, leads to a deeper concern for social justice. Come and be empowered to consider a variety of ways in which our justice work might be anchored in the depths of God’s love for us and for our world.
The theme of this year’s conference is Notes of Rest® with host Julian Davis Reid. Notes of Rest invites the weary into the rest of God practiced in the Bible and Black music. The offering interweaves various spiritual disciplines (“notes”) such as Sabbath, Sleep, and Sanctuary with the playing and history of Black American music. Braiding these notes equips participants to solo over the chord changes of their lives, harmonize their journeys with one another, and resolve to practice rest and music that unifies us with God, neighbor, and self. As Jesus’ restful New Creation emerges out of this restless world, Notes of Rest provides hospitable space to discern our participation in it.”
As part of the conference, Goldenwood will be co-hosting an Evening of Live Poetry on Saturday March 8 at 8pm.
“Join us for a gathering that integrates the rhythm and participatory dynamism of ritual into the context of a poetry reading. This liturgically inflected reading will open space to explore and reflect on poems from Alysia Nicole Harris, and Anastacia-Renee, then engage in meaningful conversation with each other in a setting devoted to beauty and community. We are meaning-making creatures, and by attending closely to the language that we use — especially the artful, compressed language of poetry — we experience ruptures in our everyday way of relating. We find deeper ways to connect with one another, and perhaps experience something of transcendence.”
We would love for you to join us, and the poetry event is free and open to the public, even without registration for the weekend retreat.

Details:
Visit the conference website to view the full schedule, presenters, pricing, room block information, and to register. The option to attend in-person in Princeton, NJ or virtually is available.
A 30% discount is available for the Goldenwood community; use 30YAY when registering on their site.

Embers International: Mumbai Field Team Visit
2025-02-20 - 2025-02-28 | Mumbai, India
Embers International is a global NGO with the mission to end intergenerational exploitation and transform oppressed communities through its “new wineskin” approach. Its current work in India is designed to protect, restore, and empower the whole family of 110+ children trapped in the crime and cycle of human trafficking. Goldenwood Institute Dean of Justice Haejin Shim Fujimura is the co-founder and serves as the CEO of Embers.
Embers’ work requires constant learning with humility and tenacious love with hope, and its partnership with Goldenwood reinforces its commitment to transform the global anti-trafficking work with love.
Goldenwood is grateful to join our friends at Embers International on their annual trip to visit the Embers field team, clients, and local partners in Mumbai, India to encourage them, build their capacity, and refine its programs. Goldenwood’s CEO, Rev. Dr. David H. Kim, serves as the Spiritual Formation Counsel for Embers and will provide the Embers field team with a series of spiritual formation sessions based on Goldenwood offerings.
Visit the Embers website to learn more about their work and how to partner with them to become a voice for justice. Embers is currently raising funds in advance of the trip which will go directly to protecting, restoring, and empowering victims of injustice – consider donating or helping to fundraise.

Institute Intensive | Tau Journey: Panama
2025-02-15 09:00 - 2025-02-21 12:00 (America/New_York) | Bocas del Toro, Panama
Contact Jamison directly for inquiries (partial week participation possible): jamison@taujourneys.com.
Join Tau, a Goldenwood affiliate organization, on this bespoke, immersive, and guided 7-day / 6-night pilgrimage toward your deep self and shalom. Tau Journey Panama is designed for individuals seeking deeper spiritual well-being and personal transformation through an immersive experience, and may prove especially restorative for leaders of all types, non-profit directors, entrepreneurs, and creatives.
The program includes lessons from and experiences of the local flora, fauna and culture in companionship with the Holy Scriptures and the Christian contemplative tradition. Tau welcomes those open to contemplative Christian practices and cross-cultural connections, offering a unique opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal.
Participants will engage in Tau’s “Seven Steps of Shalom” program for sustainable spirituality to frame each day, which combines prayer, journaling, and spiritual direction. The retreat integrates biomimicry principles, somatic practices, internal family systems work, and wilderness therapy, all within a Christian contemplative framework.
Why Panama? Bocas del Toro provides an ideal setting for spiritual transformation through its unique combination of natural beauty and cultural diversity. The area serves as home to the Smithsonian Institute for Caribbean Studies, offering an unparalleled environment where participants can experience the raw beauty of jungle and marine ecosystems. Unlike typical tourist destinations, this location provides genuine encounters with nature and local culture, fostering meaningful reflection and growth. The region features a harmonious blend of indigenous traditions and global influences, creating a unique environment for cross-cultural learning and community engagement. While maintaining basic comforts, Bocas del Toro offers an off-the-beaten-path experience that encourages personal discovery and growth, all facilitated by Tau’s experienced team to ensure a safe and meaningful journey throughout your stay.
What to expect on this transformative journey:

Immersive Natural Wonder – Discover the raw beauty of Panama’s Caribbean shores through guided wilderness experiences that combine adventure, contemplation, and personal renewal
Holistic Well-being Focus – Engage in daily practices including morning yoga on an open air treetop platform surrounded by the jungle, guided contemplative prayer, somatic exercises, discussion and the “Seven Steps to Shalom” meditation journey
Luxurious Simplicity – Enjoy 6 nights/7 days of accommodation in the stunning Bocas Del Toro archipelago, with three nourishing shared and guided meals provided daily
Personal Growth Journey – Receive personalized support including a pre-trip well-being inventory and post-trip assistance in creating your “Prosperity Plan”
Community Connection – Join like-minded seekers in an open, restorative community experience while exploring local excursions and adventures

https://vimeo.com/1045444766
At the end of the day, this is your journey and Tau wants to help you take ownership of it–they are guides, not gurus. So though Tau has planned a transformative experience that they highly recommend you entrust yourself to, Tau believes it’s most important that they help you steward your time as you most need. The group versus individual experience is meant to be a bit flexible. Excursions and optional activities include the possibility of guided nature walks, bird and critter watching, hikes, local restaurants, deserted islands, cacao/chocolate farm visits, foraging lessons, bat caves, massage, fishing, pristine beaches, and nearly every kind of water activity one could desire, including snorkeling, kayak and SUP from the property, scuba, surfing, sailing, and swimming. Some of these excursions would incur additional individual cost.
*Please note, this program requires a moderate level of physical fitness and mobility, as participants must be able to swim and navigate boat taxis, dock transfers, hiking trails.

Details:
Location: Bocas del Toro, Bocas del Toro Province, Panama
Date and Time: Feb 15, 2025, 9:00 AM – Feb 21, 2025, 12:00 PM
Cost: Cost is $1,900 per person or less (varies based on accommodation choice and grouping)

Includes accommodations for six (6) nights and seven (7) days, three (3) meals per day, morning yoga and guided contemplative prayer, an on-site spiritual director, and curated guidance to many adventures. Pre-trip includes a holistic (mind, body, spirit, relationships) well-being inventory and recommended readings and media for preparation, and post-trip support creating a “Prosperity Plan.”
Not included: All flights and travel to and from Bocas Del Toro archipelago, travel & medical insurance, local excursions, snacks, boat taxis, alcohol.

About your Guide:
Jamison is an ordained Presbyterian minister and the senior pastor of Resurrection Brooklyn in New York City, where he has served for nearly two decades. He lived a nomadic childhood as the son of a Marine Corps officer and lawyer, having been to all 50 states (living in a number of them) and many countries, always exploring the local wilderness with his dad and brother.
He is a graduate of The University of Texas and Covenant Theological Seminary, Redeemer Manhattan’s Fellows Program, and Goldenwood’s Dream Forum. Jamison is also a writer, indie musician, storyteller, surfer, entrepreneur, and holy-mischief-maker.
His wife, Laura, is the founding director of Safe Families for Children NYC and together they have four children.
Jamison founded the non-profit Tau during Covid after returning with his family from a brief respite stay in Panama, where his father was instrumental in handing over the Canal to the people of Panama in the late 1990s.
He is passionate about helping people experience transformation through contemplation, creativity, and connection. He is about to embark on “A Year of Living Wondrously” by resigning from his parish pastor role and endeavoring to become a Missionary of Wonder. He warmly invites you to come along for this experience in Panama or some other part of the larger journey.
About Tau:
Tau aims to love the world by guiding people on transformative journeys toward shalom. Our goal is to assist others on their pilgrimage toward shalom, which we understand to be cosmic, communal, and personal well-being and the intended destination of all things. We navigate a path forward through immersive experiences of wilderness, well-being, and ways-of-life.
Any truly transformative journey is an inner and outer one, and the lifelong pilgrimage toward personal and global well-being has long monotonous sections as well as dramatic and cathartic periods. Our wilderness retreats employ powerful experiences of raw nature, spiritual guidance, entry-level somatic and wilderness therapies, wonder, play, indigenous encounters, open and restorative community, and contemplative practices and prayer in order to serve as an intense and focused crossroad and compass for personal renewal.
Tau Journey Panama is our flagship offering, an immersive experience of shalom, for real transformation.
Learn more about Tau

Trellis | Loving Others (A Two-Week Listening Journey)
2025-02-02 19:45 - 2025-02-15 23:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
In our ruggedly individualistic culture, it’s not readily apparent that other people are a quintessential part of our identity. As image-bearers of a Triune God, we need other people to help us understand and realize the redemptive work God has set before us. Who are the others in my life? What role do they play and what calling has God given me regarding these people?
Throughout the two-week experience, you will be introduced to a variety of prayer forms, learning to walk conversationally with God, recognizing His voice in your life. Trellis will guide you to integrate life-giving spiritual practices into everyday rhythms, transforming and renewing our sense of calling. Enter into this season with a new structure that provides the space and a community for hearing God’s voice and knowing who He reveals Himself to be in the midst of your everyday routines, leading to holistic vitality.
The TRELLIS structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Feb 2, 7:30-9p EST. (Online experience for theological introduction and time in listening quads. Recorded for those who cannot join live.)
6 Communal Guided Listening Sessions: every Mon, Wed, and Fri 12:20-12:45p EST, during the weeks of Feb 3 and Feb 10. (Attend live or listen to the 25-min recordings at personal set times.)
Daily Scripture Meditation and Exercise Pages: Individually in your Listening Book. (Participants are provided with a digital PDF or can order their own physical copy online via Amazon.)

The communal listening rhythms of TRELLIS are intentionally designed as intrusions into your regular daily routines and, therefore can be entered into from wherever you are. For more about TRELLIS…
———————————
“If a vine doesn’t have a trellis, it will die. And if your life with Jesus doesn’t have some kind of structure to facilitate health and growth, it will wither away…The point of a trellis isn’t to make the vines stand up straight in neat rows, but rather to attain a rich, deep glass of wine.”
— John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Institute Course | Hopeful Intelligence: Reimagining AI Through Spiritual Wisdom
2025-01-14 11:30 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
How do spiritual realities shape our understanding of generative artificial intelligence (AI), and what new possibilities of “hopeful intelligence” arise when we explore this intersection? In this dynamic three-session course, David Kim, alongside futurist Bob Johansen (Distinguished Fellow at the Institute for the Future), will guide participants through a transformative exploration of how spiritual wisdom can inform the way we design, understand, and collaborate with AI systems.
David was invited in 2021 to join the Advisory Board of AI and Faith where he contributes essays, and has contributed a chapter in Faithful AI. David consults organizations to thoughtfully engage with this emerging technology with a hopeful theistic frame.
This transformative course will present a Hopeful Intelligence framework, exploring how artificial intelligence can transcend efficiency and profit-driven assumptions to become an unprecedented tool for hope, imagination, and human flourishing. Grounded in spiritual wisdom and informed by thinkers like Bob Johansen, Charles Taylor and Otto Scharmer, participants will engage in reflective practices, collaborative exercises, and visionary discussions to reimagine AI’s potential in addressing the world’s deepest pain points with justice, creativity, and grace. Through this journey, participants will learn to align AI with a future marked by compassion, equity, and divine purpose. We will consider both the theological and practical implications of these questions as we explore this new frontier.
Register now to explore how spiritual realities can inform and transform our approach to one of the most influential technologies of our time.
Details:
Location: Online
Date and Time: Three sessions held on January 14, 21, 28 from 11:30-1:00 ET
Cost: $400 (early bird, before Dec 1) / $550
About your Guide:

David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood. Over the past several decades, Rev. Dr. David Kim has trained, consulted, and counseled hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a robust, meaningful integration of faith and work. David’s past experiences as VP of Faith and Work, Executive Director of the Center for Faith & Work, Director of the Gotham Fellowship, and editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible have given him a breadth of exposure to the challenges of integrating faith and work. His expertise as a key thought-leader in the faith and work space has been well-established having addressed prominent institutions and churches around the world. David’s passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities that give rise to the world we create.

Bob Johansen began working with IFTF in 1973 and has worked as a professional futurist for nearly 50 years. The author or co-author of 12 books and a frequent keynote speaker, he recently completed a trilogy that details the types of leadership that will thrive in the next decade. The New Leadership Literacies focuses on essential practices of leadership, picking up where Leaders Make the Future, its more skills-oriented precursor, left off; in 2020, he published Full-Spectrum Thinking, which focuses on the need for a futureback mindset. His latest book, Office Shock: Creating Better Futures for Working and Living, is co-written with IFTF colleagues Joseph Press and Christine Bullen. Bob holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois (which he attended on a basketball scholarship), an MDiv from Crozer Theological Seminary (where Martin Luther King, Jr., attended divinity school), and a Ph.D. in Sociology of Religion from Northwestern University.

Institute Retreat | Nourishing Body & Spirit: Wintering
2025-01-10 19:00 - 2025-01-11 21:30 (America/New_York) | The Hub NYC, 109 E 31st St., New York, NY, 10016, United States
With the new year comes new opportunity for making self-betterment goals with gusto! But those intentions can come with confusion, lack of support, and are all too often devoid of the Spirit’s guidance. Somewhere along the line, we forgot how deeply interconnected our spiritual selves are to our physical bodies. Our spirit resides within the physical form that God fearfully and wonderfully made, and as Christians our physical bodies are also (mysteriously) the place where God’s Spirit dwells. Therefore when Scripture calls our bodies a temple, it is a physical reality and not just a philosophical idea.
Despite this divine design of interconnection, we tend to separate the spiritual from the physical in our thoughts and in our actions. We don’t know what to eat, or when, we deprive ourselves of sleep and expose our bodies to toxins, we disassociate the stress in our spirits from our bodily reaction, all resulting in disease and disorder.
But God’s desire is to reconnect our spirits with our bodies, because it is in our bodies that His Spirit dwells. It is in the fullness of our embodied form that we can experience His Kingdom breaking into this world.
How can we grow in spiritual discernment to know how to nourish, care for, and strengthen our bodies? How can we experience the power of the Spirit leading us toward a fullness that encompasses both body and soul? And how can we embrace the seasons as a divine pattern for overall flourishing?
This 1.5 day collaboration with Re-Well is the first in a four-part seasonal series unfolding in 2025, in a new location each quarter!
Space is limited for this retreat; secure your spot today!
________
Details:
Location: Midtown Manhattan, NYC
Cost: $500 (individual) / $900 (couple)
Your registration includes several of the group meals and all retreat sessions and materials, but does not include lodging.
About your Guides:
About Re-well: We care for your body, soul, and spirit – all under one roof. Through a Functional Medical model, we are bringing clarity instead of confusion, connection instead of fragments, wellness instead of a facade, truth instead of guesses, and power instead of prescriptions.

Dr. Chika Okoli earned her B.S. in Sports Medicine from Samford University. She then went on to complete medical school at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA where she graduated Cum Laude. She completed her internship and residency training at The Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, CT. She earned the honor of Resident of the Year during her second year of training. She was recognized as a Global Health Scholar through the Yale/Stanford Johnson & Johnson Global Health Scholars Program for the work she did in Tugela Ferry, South Africa. Following residency, she began working as an attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Amber Gentry earned her B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University. She then went on to serve in various Christian churches and ministries for 15 years, while raising three awesome kids. In 2016 she went back to school to the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, for nutrition and coaching. What she learned was astounding but true: we are perpetuating 80% of our disease and disorders through our food and lifestyle habits. She founded her private Health Coaching practice in 2017, and has coached clients from all over the country on how to find the best way to eat for their bodies, in accordance with their bio-individuality, and connected with their culture and heritage. Amber specializes in coaching busy professionals and their families towards abundance and peace.

A Very Merry Goldenwood AfterWork
2024-12-12 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Goldenwood Commons, 109 E 31st St, 4th Fl, New York, NY, 10016, United States
Goldenwood is committed to cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work that is enlivened by hope and expresses the fullness of our humanity.
Join us for our final festive AfterWork of 2024! This monthly rhythm has become a highlight for the community, fostering generative connections across the city. Stop by after work to hear about hope-fueled work initiatives emerging and enjoy collaborative conversations to spur one another on toward hope. Beverages and light snacks provided.
This will be our last AfterWork of the year, so please do pop by even as you might be on the way to other holiday parties and gatherings. The evening is sure to be relational and full of JOY! Feel free to invite friends, just be sure to RSVP using the link below so we can best prepare for your presence.
Stay tuned for a few exciting surprises to be announced…

New things rise up in community.
PLEASE RSVP HERE

Institute Intensive | Creative Collaboration in the Gift Economy // Film with Stephen Bailey
2024-12-12 09:30 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | The Hub NYC, 109 E 31st St., New York, NY, 10016, United States
Facilitated by Stephen Bailey, dive into an industry conversation in New York City, where filmmakers, writers, and cultural innovators come together to explore the art of Creative Collaboration in the Gift Economy. We draw inspiration from Lewis Hyde’s seminal work The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World, where he introduces the concept of the “gift economy.” Unlike the traditional market economy, which is driven by exchange and profit, the gift economy thrives on principles of generosity, reciprocity, and the creation of community through shared resources.
Hyde’s idea of the gift economy suggests that true creativity flourishes when art is seen not merely as a commodity, but as a gift to be shared—a catalyst for building relationships and fostering a sense of collective purpose. In this spirit, this intensive explores how these principles can be applied within the film industry.
This intensive will offer a unique opportunity to engage in an industry conversation through the lens of generosity, shared purpose, and the profound impact of collaboration.
Over the course of the day, you’ll participate in exclusive film screenings, intimate discussions with directors and writers, and opportunities for connection designed to foster creativity and collaboration. Discover how the principles of the gift economy can breathe new life into your creative projects, and learn from others who are also navigating the challenges of collaborative filmmaking.
Whether you’re an emerging artist or a seasoned professional, this intensive is designed to deepen your understanding of how art and generosity intersect, creating powerful and meaningful work. Join us to connect with like-minded creatives, gain valuable insights, and leave inspired to bring your own creative visions to life.
Space is limited for this intensive; secure your spot today!
________
Details:
Schedule: Kicking off at 9:30a and wrapping by 5:30p, with an optional happy hour and evening activity.
Location: The Hub NYC: 109 E 31st St. New York, NY 10016
Cost: $250 [Financial assistance available; email info@goldenwoodnyc.org to request!]
Your registration fee includes all Intensive sessions and materials, lunch, and optional evening activity.

Our Guest Speakers & Collaborators Include:
Jonathan T. Coleman | Filmmaker
Jonathan has been EVP at Guy Walks Into A Bar Productions (ELF) since 2015. There, he’s developed TV projects for ABC with Jessica Chastain; the feature film SULLY for Warner Brothers, starring Tom Hanks and directed by Clint Eastwood; and upcoming TV series EARTH ABIDES for Amazon/MGM Studios. He is most recently a co-producer of the film BONHOEFFER, opening nationally in theaters this month.
He also owns a Commercial Production company, specializing in Voiceovers. Some notable clients include IMAX, Porsche, Motorola, Chevrolet, and the U.S. Government.
Jonathan lives in Manhattan with his wife, Karis Danish.

Karis Danish | Actor, Filmmaker
Karis Danish is a film, TV, and stage actor living in NYC and Los Angeles.

Film and TV credits include FBI: Most Wanted (CBS) The Blacklist (NBC) and Almost Family (FOX). She’s also produced/starred in various award-winning short films including: Dancing to Jericho, This Feels Right, and Dear Owner (currently featured on Omeleto and winner of 2 Programmer’s Choice Awards).

New York theater; The First Annual Trump Family Special, Hit-Lit (dir Robert Wuhl), The Gold (The Pearl/NYMF), #mormoninchief (NYC Fringe Festival). Some regional theater credits include How I Learned to Drive (Cleveland Playhouse, Syracuse Stage), One Man, Two Guvnors (The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), Doubt (Asolo Repertory Theatre, dir Anne Kauffman), A Tale of Two Cities (dir Warren Carlyle) and Cowgirls (Pioneer Theatre Company), Crimes of the Heart (Triad Stage).

Karis is also a skilled producer, editor and director of commercials in digital media. She won a Webby Award in 2023 for content she produced for Apartment Therapy Media.

She resides in Manhattan with her husband, Jonathan Coleman.

Todd Komarnicki | Writer, Producer, Director
Todd Komarnicki is a prolific writer and producer of film and television as well as an acclaimed novelist.
Komarnicki’s screenplays include Sully, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks, which opened at #1 in the box office to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film went on to earn over $240 million worldwide, and was a 2016 AFI Top Ten Film. Komarnicki has also written The Professor and the Madman, starring Mel Gibson and Sean Penn; Perfect Stranger starring Bruce Willis and Halle Berry; God’s Spy, the true life story of pastor-turned-spy Dietrich Bonhoeffer; Heart, the true story of the only professional athlete to ever play with a transplanted heart, which Todd is set to direct.
In television, Komarnicki has written pilots for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, TNT, and Netflix.
Komarnicki is also the president and founder of the production and management company Guy Walks Into A Bar. Komarnicki and Guy Walks partner Jon Berg produced the Christmas blockbuster Elf, starring Will Ferrell and directed by Jon Favreau. The film amassed over $220 million worldwide, and has become a perennial favorite every Christmas season.
Komarnicki lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, and their daughter, Remy, and son, Dashiell.

Debra Monk | Actor
Debra Monk is an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and writer. She has appeared on film in Standing Up, Falling Down, This is Where I Leave You, Center Stage, The Devil’s Advocate and The Bridges of Madison County. Upcoming: Summerhouse opposite Malcolm McDowell. Movies for television include Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!, The Music Man, Eloise at the Plaza, and Redwood Curtain (reprising her Tony winning performance). She has played recurring characters on The Gilded Age, New Amsterdam, American Horror Story, and Grey’s Anatomy with guest stars on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Bull and Girls. She won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress as Katie Sipowicz in NYPD Blue.

Matthew Perkins | Filmmaker
Matthew is an award-winning filmmaker and co-founder of Play to Win Entertainment, a production company based in Athens, Georgia, specializing in crafting smart stories for the screen with heart, soul and broad commercial appeal. Known for his critically acclaimed debut feature, The Little Tin Man, Perkins blends humor with emotional depth, creating narratives that resonate with authenticity.
A Georgia native, his early experience performing as Hairy Dawg, the University of Georgia’s beloved mascot, shaped his skill for connecting with audiences—a talent that shines in his filmmaking. Perkins’ work has been featured in outlets like The New York Times, USA Today, and ESPN, and for over a decade, he has helped brands and non-profits tell their stories in impactful, creative ways.
His latest project, Fortune, has seen a successful festival run in 2024, earning multiple awards. He is currently developing a feature-length adaptation of Fortune, with plans to shoot in and around Athens, GA, in 2025.

Josiah Junqueira Spencer | Director
Josiah is a Brazilian-American filmmaker who produces, directs, and edits a wide range of projects, spanning from documentary to narrative films. With a unique multicultural background and a diverse set of influences and skills, Josiah brings a distinctive artistic perspective and a focused approach to every project. His work is characterized by a deep understanding of character, storytelling, and visual composition, which is evident in his recent film, Hold. Josiah’s dedication to exploring complex themes and his ability to capture the subtleties of human experiences make him a compelling voice in the industry.

Kelly Strandemo | Writer, Actor
Kelly is a Brooklyn-based actor and writer. As an actor, Kelly has appeared on stages from off-Broadway to LA to London. She can currently be seen on screen in Zander Kirby’s THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, and in Phillip Guttmann and Sarah Smith’s award-winning short, CARDIFF. Her plays, including PRIMARY and THE CONGRESSWOMEN, have been produced regionally and in NYC.
Kelly holds a Master’s Degree in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). HOLD is her first narrative short film.

About your Guide:
Stephen Bailey (BURDEN, STRANGE NEGOTIATIONS, LOCKED DOWN) is a producer and mentor whose work bridges the worlds of art, faith, and community. With a career spanning over two decades, Stephen has been instrumental in fostering creative collaborations that emphasize the power of storytelling to inspire and transform.
Stephen’s passion for film and storytelling is rooted in his belief that art is a profound vehicle for exploring the complexities of the human experience. His work often focuses on themes of redemption, doubt, and the intersections of culture and spirituality. Through his leadership, Stephen has guided numerous creatives in discovering and honing their voices, helping them to navigate the challenges of the creative process with authenticity and purpose.
Stephen’s approach to filmmaking and mentorship is deeply relational, encouraging artists and entrepreneurs to see their work as part of a larger tapestry of human connection and cultural renewal. This philosophy underpins much of Stephen’s work, as he seeks to build creative communities where generosity, collaboration, and shared purpose take precedence over competition and profit. His commitment to nurturing a new generation of innovative leaders who are attuned to both the beauty and the brokenness of the world has made him a respected and influential figure in the arts community.

Trellis | Knowing Yourself (A Two-Week Listening Journey)
2024-12-08 19:30 - 2024-12-21 23:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
As the busy holiday season draws near, many will feel the familiar rush and bustle that has driven our lives all year. Our fast-paced, productivity-obsessed culture leaves little time for rest and reflection. Into this default state of hurried living, the Trellis program offers an alternative – a chance to rediscover the ancient spiritual discipline of wintering through slowing down, listening within, and exploring our inner lives. This December, Trellis will focus on “Knowing Yourself” by embracing winter’s dormancy as Katherine May and Curt Thompson describe—an opportunity for inner reflection, examining our deepest needs and desires through stillness with non-judgmental courage and kindness.
Wintering involves stopping our rushed pace to gain insight into where our longings come from and allowing for healing through true integration. This Trellis invites rediscovering the gifts of inward focus and community through the spiritual rhythm of periodic dormancy. Intentional periods of stillness can paradoxically lead to personal growth, authentic relationships, and living fully in God’s presence—a vision worth cultivating as we bring this busy year to a close.
Throughout the two-week experience, you will be introduced to a variety of prayer forms, learning to walk conversationally with God, recognizing His voice in your life. Trellis will guide you to integrate life-giving spiritual practices into everyday rhythms, transforming and renewing our sense of calling. Enter into this season with a new structure that provides the space and a community for hearing God’s voice and knowing who He reveals Himself to be in the midst of your everyday routines, leading to holistic vitality.
The TRELLIS structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Dec 8, 7:45-9p EST. (Online experience for theological introduction and time in listening quads. Recorded for those who cannot join live.)
6 Communal Guided Listening Sessions: every Mon, Wed, and Fri 12:20-12:45p EST, during the weeks of Dec 9 and Dec 16. (Attend live or listen to the 25-min recordings at personal set times.)
Daily Scripture Meditation and Exercise Pages: Individually in your Listening Book. (Participants are provided with a digital PDF or can order their own physical copy online via Amazon.)

The communal listening rhythms of TRELLIS are intentionally designed as intrusions into your regular daily routines and, therefore can be entered into from wherever you are. For more about TRELLIS…
———————————
“If a vine doesn’t have a trellis, it will die. And if your life with Jesus doesn’t have some kind of structure to facilitate health and growth, it will wither away…The point of a trellis isn’t to make the vines stand up straight in neat rows, but rather to attain a rich, deep glass of wine.”
— John Mark Comer, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Institute Retreat | Nature, Grace and Interdependency with Mako Fujimura
2024-12-06 19:00 - 2024-12-08 14:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton, NJ, NJ, 08540, United States
Join us for an extraordinary retreat led by renowned painter and cultural visionary Makoto Fujimura as we explore the profound themes of Nature, Grace, and Interdependency. Set in a serene environment that invites reflection and renewal, this retreat offers a unique opportunity to engage with the beauty of creation and the deep interconnections that bind us to each other and to the world around us.
Guided by Fujimura’s unique vision—one that sees art as a spiritual act and the world as a canvas of grace—you’ll engage in contemplative practices that nurture your soul and awaken your senses to the subtle interplay between creation and Creator. This retreat invites you to see beyond the surface of things to the grace that emerges in and through the interdependent relationships of life. The goal is to help you see like an artist, to learn to rejoice in the complexity of our prismatic realities all around us.
Whether you are an artist, a seeker, or someone yearning to reconnect with the rhythms of creation, this retreat will offer you a sanctuary for reflection and renewal. Come and discover how the interplay of nature, grace, and interdependency can transform your vision of the world and your place within it. Space is limited for 12 people for this cozy retreat; register ASAP to secure your spot.
________
Details:
Weekend Schedule:

Friday December 6, 7:00-9:30p: Opening Session, with optional Welcome Drinks + light bites.
Saturday December 7, 9:00a-9:00p: Full day of structured group and personal time, including discussions, contemplation, meals, and exploration.
Sunday December 8: Morning listening, optional church service and group debrief, depart midday.

Location: Princeton, NJ (exact address provided after registration)
Cost: $1000 (individual) / $1800 (couple)
Your retreat registration includes several of the group meals and all retreat materials, but does not include lodging. We have a room block and group rate ($169-$189 per night) reserved at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal, details provided at registration.
About your Guide:
Makoto Fujimura, a dean of the Goldenwood Institute, is an internationally renowned painter, cultural thought leader, and author whose work sits at the intersection of art, faith, and nature. An influential voice in both the art world and the broader cultural landscape, Makoto has authored several acclaimed books, including Art+Faith: A Theology of Making, Silence and Beauty, and Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture. Through his writings and paintings, he invites readers and viewers alike to explore the profound connections between creativity, spirituality, culture, and the natural world.
As a leading practitioner of Nihonga, an ancient Japanese painting technique that uses natural materials such as minerals, gold, and silver, Makoto’s work is deeply informed by his reverence for nature. His art captures the intricate beauty of creation, drawing attention to the subtle details of the natural world and offering a meditative space to reflect on life’s deeper meanings.
Beyond his contributions as an artist, Makoto is a cultural thought leader who speaks passionately about the role of creativity in society. His work challenges contemporary notions of utility and productivity, advocating instead for a culture that values beauty, contemplation, and the nurturing of the human spirit. As the founder of the Fujimura Institute, IAM Culture Care, and a former Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts, Makoto has influenced a wide array of disciplines, from education to public policy, with his vision of cultural renewal through the arts.

AfterWork | Community + Connection
2024-11-21 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Goldenwood Commons, 109 E 31st St, 4th Fl, New York, NY, 10016, United States
This monthly rhythm has become a highlight for the community, fostering generative connections across the city. Come on by for our fall kick-off to hear about hope-fueled work initiatives emerging and/or share your own. Beverages and light snacks provided. Get home in time for dinner, or meet someone new and grab a bite together on your way out.
Join us every month to hear about new work emerging in the community and enjoy collaborative conversations that spur each other on in hope.
THIS MONTH: Meet some of the Dreamers from this year’s Dream Forum cohort and participate in their dream cultivation process by bringing your own insights and connections alongside their journey.
New things rise up in community…

DREAM FORUM | Round 2 (Virtual)
2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
NOVEMBER IS DREAMER MONTH!
For the past six months, our twelve Dreamers have been guided on a communal journey of slowing down to discern God’s voice calling new things forth, a process that included rhythms of stillness and listening to God for themselves and for one another, spiritual direction, coaching, and dedicated resourcing from the broader Forum network.
Now it’s time to bring YOUR skills, connections, and resources into this communal process of dream cultivation and play your part in taking up the calling we’ve received—a calling to reimagine and remake our world with love.
We’re extending this year’s Dream Forum across two nights, highlighting six Dreamers each week, to create more space for honoring these incredible Dreamers and nurturing generative connections. Together, in Spirit-led community, we can cultivate new vision to help bring beauty, justice, and restoration to our world.
Join us Nov 7th or Nov 14th (online) and let’s dream together!
More about Goldenwood’s Dream Forum…

RSVP BELOW FOR 1 NIGHT OR BOTH!

ROUND 2 (NOV 14, 7:00p EST)
Meet Christina Farinacci-Roberts (Latham, NY) | SOULARISE Leadership
My dream is to create an entire MOVEMENT that involves women finding greater clarity, capacity and contentment in who they are that leads to them achieving greater freedom, fulfillment and flow in what they do so they can accelerate their ascension and pursue an ever elevated existence…all while in COMMUNITY. These positive effects will then ripple out into their homes and in their workplaces, which will enhance flourishing exponentially all around. Essentially, when you edify, nurture and honor your soul, as well as the body that houses it, you will show up as your truest, highest self with authenticity and authority that will better position you to be who God has called you to be and do what He has called you to do.

Meet Ellen (New York, NY) | Renaissance Salons (NYC, SF, LA)
I dream of bringing together architects, designers, documentarians, photographers, mathematicians, doctors, and interdisciplinary creatives to have generative and vulnerable conversations around experiencing beginner’s mind while pursuing something new. I see a gracious space offered to workshop, critique, refine, and showcase serious new projects.

Meet Jonathan Abraham Kindberg (Austin, TX) | The Diaspora Network
Immigration is one of the hottest political topics of the day. It is also a central theme throughout the Scriptures. Over and over we see movement and migration being at the heart of the purposes of God and his people. The majority of immigrants coming to the US are Christians who are planting churches, starting businesses and bringing renewal to the city and the church in North America. I dream of a national community of city networks which connect and mobilize immigrant churches and church leaders, empower the next generation (1.5 and 2nd generation immigrants) as global Christian leaders and partner non-immigrant churches with the nations here in each city.

Meet Sarah Spear (Portland, CT) | Increasing Belonging for People Living with Disabilities
Accessibility is still, largely, an unscalable endeavor which means that people relying on accessibility lose out and become further marginalized by our communities’ systems. Both people living with disabilities AND people entering their senior years benefit from accessibility. Businesses and residences can be designed with accessibility as a foremost consideration once easily available technology exists.

Meet Jared Grabow (Dallas, TX) | Transformation and Empowerment through the Arts
My life-long passion for the arts took a back seat to more immediate and practical necessities of a job in a bank, a mortgage, and raising two sweet and beautiful kids, which in its own right is very fulfilling. However, the dream to write my first novel has stayed with me. But the dream doesn’t end with the books themselves. I am also seeking a way to give back to the legacy of my childhood teacher who inspired a love for the arts and writing within me. Ms. McMillan founded a non-profit aimed at providing a Christian classical education to lower income families within South Dallas. My dream in is to tell the stories that I believe are put in my heart as an avenue toward cultural transformation and empowerment of vulnerable communities.

Meet Garrett Moore (Athens, GA) | Empowering and Equipping ALL God’s People
I dream of a radically collaborative movement that does not merely invite minorities and marginalized people “to the table” of anglo-Presbyterians, but builds a new partnership together, sharing resources, energy, wisdom, and authority, for the common goal of empowering and equipping all of God’s people to live generatively, aligned with the gospel, in the power of the Spirit, reflecting Christ’s beauty in every sphere of life.

Meet the Dreamers in Round 1 (Nov 7th, 7pm)
