Goldenwood

AfterWork | Cultivating Community + Generative Connections
2025-02-13 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-03-13 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-04-24 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 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

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

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.

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.

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…
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“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

Nautilus: Applications open through June 15
2025-04-15 - 2025-06-15
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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.]
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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.
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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.

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“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
2025-10-09 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.

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.

Trellis | New Voice: Discerning God's Tone
2025-10-26 19:45 - 2025-11-08 23:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Our perception of God shapes how we relate to Him. Misunderstandings or distortions can keep us at a distance, missing the joy of communion with Father, Son, and Spirit. Yet the good news of the gospel is that the Triune God draws near—welcoming us as both friend and child, inviting us into ongoing conversation with Him.
Over these two weeks, you’ll be guided through a variety of prayer practices that foster a conversational walk with God—attuning your ear to His voice in the midst of daily life. Trellis creates a structure that supports this journey: rhythms that renew, a community that listens alongside you, and the spaciousness to encounter God afresh.
As a companion to this Trellis, we’ll be reading through Dane Ortlund’s book Gentle and Lowly. You’ll want to either borrow or pick up a copy to have on hand for these two weeks. With Scripture as its foundation, this book unveils the deep tenderness of Jesus and communicates the very heart of God towards us.
This experience offers not only tools for hearing God but also the lived experience of His nearness—reshaping our sense of calling and bringing vitality to our everyday rhythms.
The Trellis structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Oct 26, 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 from 12:35-1:05p EST (NEW timeframe as of Oct 2025!), during the weeks of Oct 27 and Nov 3. (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.

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“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

Life and Death in NYC: Learning to Die Well and Live Now
2025-11-08 09:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | St. George’s Episcopal Church, 4 Rutherford Place, New York, NY, 10003, United States
UPDATE NOV 3: This event is currently at capacity, but we expect a few tickets to open up. Please feel free to…
JOIN THE WAITLIST!

Death is the one reality we all share—yet it’s the one we most often leave unspoken.
Life & Death in New York City is a one-day summit that brings this conversation into the open, exploring mortality and meaning as a path toward living more fully. Together at the historic Parish of Calvary-St. George’s in Gramercy, we’ll gather for presentations, communal conversations, immersive experiences, and a shared meal—all designed to illuminate how we may prepare for death in ways that are beautifully hospitable, deeply human, and grounded in hope.

What to Expect
We will approach learning about death holistically, exploring themes of lament and joy, head and body, heart and hands, while also gaining practical tools for the end-of-life journey.
The day includes:

Plenary sessions with keynote speakers drawn from our network of industry and thought leaders
Two breakout sessions with hands-on workshops, creative activities, and contemplative practices, facilitated by local end-of-life practitioners and educators
A communal lunch, gathering around the table to feast, reflect, and practice presence together

Schedule Overview

9:30 am – Check-in and coffee
10:00 am – Plenary Session #1
11:00 am – Workshop Session #1
12:00 pm – Workshop Session #2
1:00 pm – Lunch Together
2:00 pm – Plenary Session #2
3:00 pm – Closing Words

Afterwards: Happy Hour hosted by GiveWillow
Looking to continue conversations after Life & Death in New York City? GiveWillow is holding Afterwards, a happy hour event at The Winslow nearby. Whether you are working in the death care profession or simply passionate about human connection, you’re invited to unwind, socialize, and keep chatting! More info and registration for the Happy Hour here.

Speakers & Presenters
Emma Acker | End-of-Life Doula & Founder, All’s Well Initiative
Emma Acker has been working as an End-of-Life Doula since 2017. She trained under Henry Fersko-Weiss (INELDA), and completed the End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate at The University of Vermont. In 2021, Emma founded All’s Well Initiative to provide compassionate end-of-life care across the socioeconomic spectrum of NYC. Partnering with the Pathways Program at All Angels’ Church on NYC’s Upper West Side, Emma created the Health Care “Proxy Project” supporting unhoused individuals. Emma joined University of Vermont’s End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate Program as an academic instructor in 2025. She is a founding team member of Here to Honor.

John Asirvatham | Spiritual Care Preceptor, VNS Health Hospice NYC

John Asirvatham, M.Div., is a member of the parish of Calvary-St. George’s, and serves as the Spiritual Care Preceptor for VNS Health Hospice in NYC. He mentors chaplains, supports families at the end of life, and preaches regularly at his church. He and his wife Kylee live in New York City, where they enjoy cooking and hosting dinner parties.

Katie Benn, MPH, RN | Clinical Nurse, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Katie Benn works at Memorial Sloan Kettering as an oncology nurse with an emphasis on palliative care. Her interest in end-of-life work has come from years of bedside nursing in a culture that remains uncomfortable discussing end-of-life planning. Katie recently published her research Caregiver Perceptions of the Transitions from In-patient to Home Based End of Life Care. She has a background in public health research ranging from collecting mosquitos in Virginia to track West Nile Virus, to working with school districts in Colorado to promote sun-safe school policies, to counseling NYC taxicab drivers on ways to improve health and well-being.

Marni Blank | End-of-Life & After Loss Consultant, Begin With The End
Marni Blank is the founder of Begin With The End. Her services are curated to empower individuals and families to prepare for logistical and emotional aspects of death, dying, and grief. This can include accountability in completing end-of-life decisions and documents, facilitating family conversations, getting your important documents and digital life organized, and legacy projects. For families in grief, she offers after loss support to help executors and families work through the paperwork and logistics to close the estate. She is a trained end-of-life doula, mediator, after-loss consultant, recovering lawyer, and female-founded small business owner (and a lifelong learner at heart).

Chris Dingman | Musician & Program Director, Transformations
Known for his distinctive approach to a unique instrument, vibraphonist Chris Dingman has worked with legendary artists Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, and many of today’s jazz, creative, and world music luminaries. Working in NYC since 2002, Chris’s trajectory changed when, in 2018, he improvised and recorded music as an act of care for his father in his final months of life. This music became the 5-hour album Peace. Since then, Chris has brought his special brand of healing music far and wide, from live sessions at Omega Institute and The Rubin Museum of Art, to talks for the Gold Foundation and the American College of Physicians, and since 2022 to the online series Transformations.

Lydia Dugdale, MD, MAR | Director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, Columbia University
Dr. Lydia Dugdale is the Dorothy L. and Daniel H. Silberberg Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center and Director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. She is also Co-Director of Clinical Ethics at NewYork-Presbyterian Milstein Hospital. A physician and medical ethicist, Lydia speaks and publishes widely, including in outlets such as The Free Press, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times. She published the book The Lost Art of Dying: Reviving Forgotten Wisdom with HarperOne and has a forthcoming book on hope. Lydia attended medical school at the University of Chicago, completed residency training at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and holds a MAR in ethics from Yale Divinity School.

Sarah Gerth | Dean of City Learning Ecology, City Seminary of New York
Sarah Gerth is a curriculum designer and researcher specializing in the role of senses, affects, and materiality in ways of knowing. Through her role as Dean of City Learning Ecology at City Seminary of New York, and Curator at CSNY’s Walls-Ortiz Gallery, she designs learning experiences at the intersection of creative practice, place, and theology. She is the co-founder of Shapes of Knowledge, an experimental studio for knowledge design, and she shares ways to spark learning anywhere you find yourself, at the podcast Curriculum Encounters.

Erica Hill | Founder, Sparrow
Erica Hill is the co-owner of Sparrow, A Contemporary Funeral Home in Brooklyn, NY, and of The Alpha Society by Sparrow in Los Angeles, CA. She is also a licensed funeral director in California. Erica brings a modern, thoughtful approach to end-of-life care. Whether arranging traditional funerals, memorials, or innovative eco-friendly options such as aquamation and human composting, her commitment to dignity and respect remains unwavering. As the only funeral home of its kind in the country, Sparrow is redefining the funeral experience with a warm, design-forward space and a focus on inclusivity, transparency, and innovation. Sparrow has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, NBC, Morning Brew, and Good Housekeeping.

David Kim | CEO and Co-founder, Goldenwood
Rev. Dr. David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood, a non-profit cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work enlivened by hope and the fullness of our humanity. Over the past several decades, David has trained, consulted, and counseled hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a robust, meaningful integration of faith and work. He has served as the Vice President of Faith and Work, Executive Director of the Center for Faith & Work and Director of the Gotham Fellowship, and as Editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible. David’s passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities that give rise to the world we create.

Katy McNulty | Director of Operations, Pixie Scout
Katy McNulty is the Director of Operations for Pixie Scout, a catering and hospitality company that she helped to found in 2014. She has a professional culinary background and spent many years cooking in some of New York City’s beloved restaurants. Katy is involved in several community-led projects addressing systemic food insecurity and serves on the Leadership Council for the NYC Food Policy Alliance.

Daphne McWilliams | End-of-Life Doula, Daphne Mac
Daphne McWilliams is an End-of-Life Doula who offers calm, compassionate presence to those navigating death and grief. Daphne received certificates in End-of-Life Doula Training under Henry Fersko-Weiss in 2023 and through the International End-of-Life Doula Association (INELDA) in 2024. She also received the Companion Animal End-of-Life Doula Professional Certificate from the Osher Center for Integrative Health at The University of Vermont (2025). Her work honors each person’s story, helping them find meaning, comfort, and dignity in life’s final chapter.

Christopher Nicolson | Co-Founder/Partner, Iliamna Fish Company
Christopher Nicolson was born in Montana to a native Alaskan mother and an Australian father. Through his mother’s multigenerational and indigenous family fishing business, he has been a commercial fisherman in Alaska, during the summer months, since childhood. For the past 25 years, he has worked as a winemaker in California, Italy, and now in New York. He and his wife Emily (who manages and operates their family’s fish-selling business) live in Brooklyn, New York during the months of August through May, where Christopher makes wine from fruit grown on the North Fork of Long Island.

Eva Ting | Founder/CEO, Here to Honor
Eva Ting is the Founder/CEO of Here to Honor, a social enterprise that cultivates community around end-of-life learning through offering death education and hosting events. Prior to starting Here to Honor, Eva served as the Director of W83 Ministry Center at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. With a career in arts and events management spanning Boston, Shanghai, and New York, she is passionate about creating meaningful community experiences. Eva trained as an end-of-life doula with INELDA (International End-of-Life Doula Association), and she holds a B.A. in English and B.S. in journalism from Boston University, and an M.A. in visual arts administration from New York University.

Workshops

At registration, you can select your preferred workshop to attend for each session:
Planning Ahead for Solo Aging & Thriving
Many of us may find ourselves navigating our later years without a traditional family support system—perhaps single, widowed, divorced, or living far from relatives. In this practical and encouraging workshop, lawyer turned end-of-life doula Marni Blank will help participants identify personal support networks and create action plans for aging with confidence and joy.
Live Music: Transformations for Grief
You are invited to come as you are, with any kind of grief you may be carrying, for a session of meditative music performed by acclaimed vibraphonist Chris Dingman and facilitated with guided prompts by end-of-life doula Daphne McWilliams. You are encouraged to get comfortable—feel free to bring your own yoga mat or blanket, and some mats will be available for use as well.
From Life to Death: Mortality in Winemaking
Wine is often associated with conviviality, sometimes gladness. But the process of winemaking involves laying grapes to rest, and stages of decay, death…even rebirth. What can we glean from winemaking that speaks to our own mortality? Join winemaker Christopher Nicolson and chef Katy McNulty for a conversation around feasting and celebrating with the end in mind.
Sensing the City Walk (this workshop will take place outside)
Pause and practice attentiveness on this guided walk in the nearby Gramercy neighborhood with educator Sarah Gerth. Provided prompts will invite participants to slow down and hone their senses to become more present and attuned to their everyday surroundings.
How to Talk about End-of-Life Planning
Communicating one’s medical care preferences and final wishes is an important but often challenging process. In this introductory workshop, oncology nurse Katie Benn will provide overview knowledge, practical resources and professional insight to help participants ease into end-of-life conversations with family and friends.

Tickets & Registration
Your ticket includes: access to plenary sessions with keynote speakers, two workshops of your choice, a communal lunch, and guided experiences in a historic gathering space designed to nourish reflection, conversation, and community.
Ticket 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, and we invite you toparticipate in a way that reflects your own season and capacity.
1. Full Value (Sustainable Tier) – $135
Reflects the true cost and value—while balancing affordability—including the unseen work that makes this a meaningful and transformative experience. Includes lunch, sessions & materials.
2. Covering Costs (Supported Tier) – $100*
Covers only the essentials—venue, speakers, materials, and your meal—ensuring the program is financially viable. Includes lunch, sessions & materials.
3. Generative Giving – $165+
Goes beyond covering costs, helping make this event accessible to others and investing in the longer term flourishing of this work. Includes lunch, sessions & materials.
*If cost is a barrier, please reach out to hello@heretohonor.com—we’re happy to explore further scholarship options with you.

Join the Waitlist
(We’ll distribute tickets that become available on a first come, first served basis)

Questions?
📩 hello@heretohonor.com

Sponsors (more to be added)
Thank you to our event sponsors:

GiveWillow
GiveWillow is on a mission to transform how people experience and support each other through grief. We offer the first-of-its-kind funeral registry, making it easier to show up for loss in a meaningful way.
🌐 GiveWillow.com
_________

Re-well
At Re-well, we provide restorative health care for your body, soul + spirit. Via evidence based Functional Medicine we identify to the root cause of disease, so you can optimize your health, prevent disease, and heal.
🌐 the-rewell.com
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The Parish of Calvary-St.George’s
Calvary-St. George’s is a historic New York City parish, proclaiming the faith of Christ and Him crucified. We accomplish this through a ministry of word and sacrament so that people might faithfully live in this age, and in the age to come, have life everlasting.
🌐 calvarystgeorges.org
_________

Coda Estate Law PLLC
Coda Estate Law is a flat-fee estate planning and estate administration law firm serving clients in New York City and the Hudson Valley.
🌐 codaestatelaw.com
_________

NYC Senior Care Authority
Senior Care Authority helps older adults and their families make informed decisions about senior living and care. We provide senior living placement, eldercare consulting, and patient advocacy services.
🌐 seniorcareauthority.com

_________

Ford Financial Solutions, LLC
Fee-only financial planning with purpose. We believe money can and should bring wholeness to your life, family, and community.
🌐 fordfinancialsolutions.com
_________

Iliamna Fish Company
Iliamna Fish Co. is a family-owned, Indigenous cooperative from Bristol Bay, Alaska, offering sustainably harvested wild sockeye salmon through a CSA-style program that allows individuals across the U.S. to join as shareholders in our harvest.
🌐 redsalmon.com

_________

Inheritance of Hope
Inspiring hope in young families facing the loss of a parent.
🌐 InheritanceOfHope.org
_________

Inspir
Luxury Senior Living
🌐 inspirseniorliving.com
_________

LifeWorx
The premier five-star-rated, independently owned private pay home care agency providing concierge elder care & lifestyle services in your community for over 20 years.
🌐 lifeworx.com
_________

Pixie Scout
Pixie Scout is a collaborative team of food and hospitality professionals creating and sharing food and beverage provisions in service of joyful food experiences.
🌐 pixiescout.com
_________

Sparrow: A Contemporary Funeral Home
Located in Brooklyn, Sparrow offers a modern, compassionate approach to end-of-life care. Sparrow combines thoughtful design, inclusivity, and unmatched attention to detail to help families say goodbye in meaningful, authentic ways.
🌐 sparrowny.com

Planting seeds of creativity to transform community and redefine aging.
🌐 trellisworksfoundation.org
_________

Trustworthy
The Family Operating System® by Trustworthy — an AI-powered digital assistant that helps families organize, protect, and act on their most important information. Trustworthy is redefining how modern families manage life.
🌐 trustworthy.com
_________

INELDA
INELDA, the International End-of-Life Doula Association, is a nonprofit, mission-driven organization formed in 2015 dedicated to supporting individuals and their circle of care in end-of-life planning and practices. INELDA provides education, resources, community, and advocacy to inspire social awareness and compassionate, accessible deathcare, with an emphasis on the roles of end-of-life doulas.
🌐 inelda.org
_________
Special thanks to our friends John Alsdorf, Hanneke Block, Beverly Chung, Christine Evans, Louis Kim, Jennifer Kwong, Olga Lah and Nico Nortje!

Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in helping cultivate community with us at Life & Death in New York City? We invite you to join us as an event sponsor! To learn more, email us at hello@heretohonor.com.

Presented By
This event is co-presented by:
All’s Well InitiativeGuided by the belief that relational connection is every person’s deepest need, right up to their last breath, we provide personalized companionship and doula services to those facing end-of-life challenges.🌐 www.allswellinitiative.com
GoldenwoodA nonprofit cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work enlivened by hope and the fullness of our humanity. We offer programs and resources that reimagine work and life for today and generations to come.🌐 www.goldenwoodnyc.org
Here to HonorA social enterprise cultivating community around end-of-life learning so that everyone feels supported in facing mortality and equipped to make informed decisions.🌐 www.heretohonor.com

AfterWork | Cultivating Community + Generative Connections
2025-11-13 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 a variety of callings across the Goldenwood community 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.

A Christmasy AfterWork
2025-12-04 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York)
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 2025! 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.

New things rise up in community.
PLEASE RSVP HERE

Trellis: Guided Spiritual Rhythms | Becoming Fully Alive
2025-12-07 19:45 - 2025-12-20 23:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
There is a moment in every Christian’s life when everything changes. Despite the seismic nature of this event, it can come about quietly and invisibly without pomp and circumstance. Scripture describes this moment as a miraculous movement from death to life. Theologians refer to this as regeneration, not meant as a metaphor or symbol, but as an ontological reality.
Biblically speaking, to live is to live by the Spirit who is the Spirit of love (2 Timothy 1:7). This is what animates the Christian life and brings to the world the aroma of life and of Christ. It does not arise from sheer resolve or discipline but from the generous outpouring of the Spirit who animates parts of us that have never come alive.
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. In pausing with intention, we rediscover that stillness is not stagnation—it is fertile ground for growth, authentic connection, and living more fully in God’s presence.
REGISTER HERE
[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.]
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The Trellis structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Dec 7, 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 12:35-1:00p EST, during the weeks of Dec 8 and Dec 15. (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

Institute Retreat | "To See a World in a Grain of Sand" with Makoto Fujimura
2025-12-12 18:00 - 2025-12-14 14:00 (America/New_York) | Princeton, NJ, NJ, 08540, United States
Join us this December for a reflective retreat led by Goldenwood Institute Dean Makoto Fujimura.
We will explore the creative process and the power of attentiveness through the lens of his latest work, Art Is: A Journey into the Light. Drawing on the insight of poet William Blake, we’ll consider how the natural world can awaken our senses—inviting us to “see the world in a grain of sand.”
This gathering is for anyone longing to see more clearly and listen more deeply in a world full of noise.
________
Details:
Weekend Schedule:

Friday December 12, 7:30p-9:30p: Opening Session, with optional Welcome Drinks + light bites beforehand.
Saturday December 13, 9:00a-9:00p: Full day of structured group and personal time, including discussions, contemplation, an afternoon public lecture (“Do Science & the Imagination Have Anything in Common?: How Wonder in the History of Science Helps Us See Our World Anew”) with Makoto Fujimura & Kerry Magruder and moderated by David Kim, and a private post-lecture dinner and talkback.
Sunday December 14: Morning listening time, worship service and viewing of Mako’s work at All Saints’ Princeton followed by group debrief, departure midday.

Location: Princeton, NJ (exact address provided after registration)
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) – $1000 + accommodations
Reflects the true cost and value—while balancing affordability—including the unseen work that makes this a meaningful and transformative experience. Includes a signed copy of Art Is, several meals, public lecture, retreat sessions, & materials. Does not include lodging; see info below.
2. Covering Costs (Supported Tier) – $850 + accommodations
Covers only the essentials—venues, facilitators, meals, materials—ensuring the program is financially viable. Includes a signed copy of Art Is, several meals, public lecture, retreat sessions, & materials. Does not include lodging; see info below.
3. Generative Giving – $1250 (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 a signed copy of Art Is, several meals, public lecture, retreat sessions, & materials. Does not include lodging; see info below.

Lodging: 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.

REGISTER HERE

Space is limited for this retreat. Registration will close once at capacity.
Interested, but can’t join for the entire weekend? Join the Public Lecture on Saturday afternoon only. Info & Tickets here.
________
About your Guides:
Makoto Fujimura, Dean of Nature for 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.

David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood and Institute Dean of Spiritual Imagination. 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.

Institute | Why Wonder in the History of Science Helps Us See Our World Anew, with Makoto Fujimura and Kerry Magruder
2025-12-13 14:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Gambrell Room, Scheide Hall, 64 Mercer St, Princeton, NJ, 08540
A Conversation with Makoto Fujimura and Kerry Magruder
Moderated by David Kim

REGISTER NOW

What do science and the imagination share? From the depths of geological time to the frontiers of artificial intelligence, both invite us to look at the world with wonder—and to ask what it means to be human within it.
In this conversation, artist and writer Makoto Fujimura and historian of science Kerry Magruder explore how the history of scientific discovery—from early evangelical geologists to Charles Darwin—reveals a vision of the world shaped not by control, but by curiosity, faith, and awe. Together, they will consider how that same posture of wonder might help us see anew in an age increasingly defined by data and design.
Moderated by David Kim, this event invites all—scientists, artists, theologians, and seekers alike—to join a dialogue at the intersection of faith, imagination, and the making of meaning.
Goldenwood thanks our friends at the Center for Contemplative Leadership for their hospitality and sponsorship of this event.

Details
Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025
Time:
2:00 pm | Doors open
2:30 – 4:00 pm | Moderated Discussion and Q&A
4:00 – 4:45 pm | Book Signing and Reception
Location: Gambrell Room, Scheide Hall at Princeton Theological Seminary

Tickets & Registration
Join us for this special public lecture!

$40 | Lecture + Signed BookAdmission to the lecture and reception, plus a copy of Art Is: A Journey into the Light, by Makoto Fujimura, with an opportunity for the author to sign the book during the reception.
$20 | Lecture OnlyAdmission to the lecture and reception.
$10 | Student Ticket
Admission to the lecture and reception (book sold separately).

REGISTER NOW

Meet the Speakers
Makoto Fujimura, Dean of Nature for the Goldenwood Institute, is an internationally renowned painter, cultural thought leader, and author whose work sits at the intersection of art, faith, and nature. Makoto has authored several acclaimed books, including Art Is: A Journey into the Light, 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.
Makoto is also 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, IAMCultureCare, 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.

Kerry V. Magruder serves as Curator of the History of Science Collections of the University of Oklahoma Libraries. He has been a faculty member of the OU Department of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine since 2000, and received the John and Drusa Cable Chair of the History of Science Collections in 2011.
He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology and science education from Truman State University in Missouri, and a masters in library science and a doctorate in history of science from OU. His background includes teaching high school chemistry and biology, directing a university planetarium, and teaching university courses in biology, astronomy, geology, science education, and history of science.
Magruder has researched and presented scholarly talks at many academic conferences, universities, and research labs in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. Presentations in America include at the Fermi Lab accelerator in the Chicago area and NASA headquarters in Langley, VA; invited keynote presentations for annual international conferences of the IEEE Computer Society on Visualization (IEEE VIZ) and the Astronomical League (AL); and astronomy/physics programs at New Mexico State, Michigan State, and Florida State; among many venues in the history of science.
Magruder’s published articles deal with the history of geology, astronomy and cosmology, and science and religion. For example, two publications touching upon all of these subject areas are “Jesuit Science after Galileo: The Cosmology of Gabriele Beati,” Centaurus 2009, 51: 189-212; and “The Idiom of a Six Day Creation and Global Depictions in Theories of the
Earth,” in Martina Kölb-Ebert, ed., Geology and Religion: Historical Views of an Intense Relationship between Harmony and Hostility, Geological Society of London Special Publications, no. 310 (London: The Geological Society of London, 2009), 49-66.
Magruder has curated major exhibitions in the history of science at OU, including “Darwin at the Museum” in 2009-2010 and “Galileo’s World” in 2015-2016. Past digital projects include contributions to Galileotheca (Museo Galileo, Florence); Darwin Online (Cambridge); and Edition Open Sources (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin). Ongoing digital projects include the Thomas F. Torrance Oral History Project, the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship, the George MacDonald Society (forthcoming), and The Sky Tonight.
In 2025, Magruder serves as the Editor for the International Commission for the History of Geological Sciences (INHIGEO) of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), and the Chair for the History, Philosophy, and Geoheritage Division (HPGD) of the Geological Society of America (GSA).

Meet the Moderator
Rev. Dr. David Kim is the CEO and co-founder of Goldenwood, a non-profit cultivating spiritually attentive communities to envision work enlivened by hope and the fullness of our humanity. Over the past several decades, David has trained, consulted, and counseled hundreds of leaders and organizations in developing a robust, meaningful integration of faith and work. He has served as the Vice President of Faith and Work, Executive Director of the Center for Faith & Work and Director of the Gotham Fellowship, and as Editor of the NIV Faith and Work Bible. David’s passion is to help people and organizations see the unseen realities that give rise to the world we create.

Living Stones Leadership Lab | Enlivening Emerging Managers
2026-01-01
Rooted in Love. Growing in Wisdom. Leading with Impact.

[Registration for the Fall-Winter cohort is closed. Please click here to express interest in the next cohort and receive updates when those dates are announced.]
Stepping Into Leadership, Grounded in Purpose
You’ve excelled in your craft—you’ve been the go-to engineer, the teacher everyone trusts, the healthcare worker who shows up early and stays late, the nonprofit staffer carrying quiet excellence. Then one day, someone says: “You should lead.”
Suddenly, the questions come rushing in: Am I ready? Can I guide others with the same excellence I’ve brought to my own work? How do I lead without losing my soul in the process?
This is where the Living Stones Leadership Lab comes in: a five-month, in-person leadership journey designed for those at this very crossroads.
A brand new offering developed in collaboration with Ben Grizzle and Belinda Neal (Managing Directors, Goldman Sachs) for those transitioning from individual contributor to people manager or team leader in their vocation (paid or unpaid), this experience will help you build the skills, confidence, and spiritual grounding to lead teams with clarity, courage, and care.
The Leadership Lab provides a space to grow in community with a curated cohort of peers within and across industries while also gaining focused mentorship, skills-based learning, and practical wisdom from experienced leaders as you navigate this uniquely pivotal moment in your vocational journey.
Leadership ability doesn’t arrive with a title—it’s formed through practice, reflection, and relationship. Whether you’re leading your first team, preparing for your next role, or seeking to grow as a manager, join a fellowship rooted in faith, grounded in wisdom, and built for the moment you’re stepping into now.

What Fellows Can Expect: A Transformative Structure

Kickoff Leadership Summit: Launch your fellowship with a dynamic, in-person gathering featuring keynote talks and fireside chats with senior industry leaders.
Bi-Weekly Cohort Meetings (in-person, 8x total): Small peer groups (8 people) from diverse sectors (finance, tech, nonprofits, healthcare, education, etc.) meet to workshop real leadership challenges, share honest reflections, and support one another’s growth.
Mentor Dinners (3x total): Share a meal in an intimate setting with your cohort and mentor, a seasoned leader within their vocation. Ask candid questions, gain wisdom from their journeys, and build meaningful connections.
Devotional Journey & Spiritual Formation (Ongoing): Engage with a custom devotional guide designed to ground your leadership in love, stillness, and Scripture. This five-month rhythm of reflection invites you to lead with depth in a city that prizes expediency. It is for those who want to cultivate love rather than control, to build something eternal even in the spaces of deadlines, policies, and performance reviews.
Skills-based Workshops & Fireside Chats (Optional): Focused on essential leadership skills like delegation, strategic communication, vision-casting, and giving feedback.
Final Gathering – The Legacy Session: Reflect on the journey, hear from senior leaders on long-term impact, and celebrate with your cohort.

Key Themes You’ll Explore

Making the shift from contributor to leader
Building trust and safety on your team
Communicating with clarity and conviction
Resolving conflict and leading through change
Leading with purpose, not just performance
Discerning your leadership legacy

What You’ll Gain

Practical Leadership Skills: Build essential management capabilities through interactive workshops and real-world case studies.
Peer Insight Across Industries: Learn alongside emerging leaders from other fields—and gain new perspective of your own.
Faith-Rooted Reflection: Reflect on leadership through the lens of timeless principles—drawing from Scripture and thinkers like Augustine, who explored the tension between the City of God and the City of Man. This foundational framework will help you wrestle with what it means to lead faithfully and effectively within complex systems, balancing eternal values with real-world demands.
Mentorship & Cross-Industry Connections: Connect with experienced mentors across a variety of industries—as well as peers from your own sector.
Cohort Community: Walk with a group of peers navigating similar transitions, challenges, and opportunities.

Who Should Apply
This fellowship is designed for professionals who:

Are stepping into (or preparing for) their first or second management or team leadership role
Want to lead with greater clarity, integrity, and spiritual grounding
Are open to learning from peers across industries
Value a safe space for honest reflection and skill-building
Live in the tri-state area and can travel for the various in-person weeknight and weekend gatherings (exact locations TBD, likely in & around Midtown Manhattan)

Logistics & Format

Location: In-person gatherings in NYC (venues TBD)
Timeline: 5 months (dates for next cohort to be announced)
Cohorts: 4–5 groups of ~8 participants each, led by a mentor
Cost: to be announced

*We are committed to making Living Stones Leadership Lab accessible. If cost is a barrier, full and partial scholarships are available—no one will be turned away due to financial need.

Application Process

Step 1: Submit the Fellowship Application Tell us about your career journey, leadership goals, and what you’re hoping to grow in.
Step 2: Acceptance Notification & Cohort Matching Accepted participants will be matched into peer groups that balance industry experience, goals, and complementary strengths.
Step 3: Prepare for the Kickoff Summit You’ll receive further logistical info and a warm welcome from your hosts.

Please click here to express interest in the next cohort and receive a notification when registration is open.
Questions? Email info@goldenwoodnyc.org with “Living Stones Leadership Lab” in the subject line.

Meet the Hosts
Ben Grizzle & Belinda Neal | Managing Directors, Goldman Sachs
With decades of experience mentoring leaders on Wall Street and in ministry contexts, Ben and Belinda bring depth, wisdom, and a calling to form leaders who serve with conviction and clarity. Their vision: to cultivate the next generation of managers who lead with integrity and leave a lasting legacy.

David Kim | CEO and Co-Founder, 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.
Goldenwood
Goldenwood cultivates spiritually attentive communities to envision work that is enlivened by hope and expresses the fullness of our humanity. A nonprofit organization, Goldenwood fosters life-giving spiritual rhythms through individual and communal programs, as well as unconventional organizational consulting. Their vision is to see work revived by love.

AfterWork | Cultivating Community + Generative Connections
2026-01-15 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 a variety of callings across the Goldenwood community 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.
PLEASE RSVP HERE

Trellis: Guided Spiritual Rhythms | Loving in Exile
2026-02-01 19:45 - 2026-02-14 23:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
In a culture that prizes independence, we can forget that we are made for one another. As image-bearers of the Triune God, our lives are deeply interwoven—our identity, our growth, and even our calling take shape in relationship with others. God often speaks through the people He places around us, shaping us and inviting us into redemptive love.
This Trellis invites you to reflect on the question: Who are the others God has given me, and what calling do I carry toward them? Together we will explore how love—grounded in God’s love for us—becomes the rhythm that transforms our daily interactions and communities.
Over these two weeks, you’ll practice prayer forms that nurture a conversational walk with God and attune your heart to His voice. Trellis provides a framework of spiritual rhythms and a supportive community where you can listen, discern, and be renewed.
Through shared practices and intentional reflection, we’ll rediscover that love is not merely an emotion but a way of life—rooted in God’s presence and lived out in the ordinary patterns of our days.
REGISTER HERE
[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.]
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The TRELLIS structure includes:

1 Intro Session: Sun Feb 1, 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 12:35-1:00p EST, during the weeks of Feb 2 and Feb 9. (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
