Reimagining Work
The Goldenwood Institute envisions a world where work is not just a means of earning a living but a creative expression of a flourishing humanity—a place where ongoing formation is experiential, integrative, and life-long. Guided by a robust theology of creation, work, and renewal, we believe that spiritual formation, imagination, nature, and justice are critical and often missing elements that expand our vision of what is possible in our world.
Training leaders who will infuse their work with new hope and compelling vision in a seemingly incomprehensible age.
Adult learning should be experiential, integrative, and life-long. We design an educational ecosystem that reflects the natural process of curiosity, inquiry, wonder, and practice. Learners are actively engaged in a journey of communal discovery as they are encouraged to incorporate their gifts, talents, and experiences.
Upcoming Institute Offerings
The Institute provides three distinctive types of offerings:
1. Courses: Structured virtual and in-person classes.
2. Intensives: Immersive experiences to advance learning.
3. Retreats: Contemplative spaces to process and reflect.
Drawing from four foundational streams:
Spiritual Formation
How do we begin to slow down and become attentive to a sacred calling that enlivens work? How do we root our lives in a cadence that awakens us to a divine presence and abundant grace?
Nature
How can the natural world around us inspire us toward a new paradigm of work? How do we move away from mechanistic assumptions to ecological patterns that promote both sustainability and flourishing?
Imagination
How can we be challenged to dream about what is possible in our work? How does a renewed imagination lead us to a very different creative vision of what work across every industry can and one day will be?
Justice
How do we bring the call towards justice to all work and not just selected organizations? How do we love our neighbor as ourselves and address the flourishing of all humanity through the work that we do?
Meet our Deans
David Kim | Spiritual Formation
Sandra McCracken | Imagination
Makoto Fujimura | Nature
Haejin Shim Fujimura | Justice
Amilee Watkins | Provost
Over the coming months, we will add more offerings to the Institute in each of the four areas listed above. The following legacy programs will continue to be made available through the Institute:
Nautilus
Goldenwood’s flagship program, this distinctive 7-month experience, weaves together elements of coaching, spiritual direction, and communal discernment processes for developing a multi-layered holistic vision for your life. Building upon life rhythms foundational for Christian maturity and growth, Nautilus offers a cohesive, comprehensive, and coordinated journey toward spiritual vitality for all of life. Learn more.
Trellis
As we emerge from a season of incredible disruption, we need more than ever to be reminded of the things that matter most. Our days can easily blur with few external structures providing much-needed rhythms in our lives. These paths facilitate daily and weekly rituals to augment our ability to hear God’s voice in the midst of our everyday work lives. The virtual format allows participation from all over the world. Learn more.
Partnering Organizations
Hear from the community
“Goldenwood has challenged me to expand my view of God to be bigger than it previously was and it helped solidify that importance of community and doing life/work with others, when responding to God’s calling.”
— Crystal C, Entrepreneur
“My experience in Sandra’s Discovering Your Creative Process course profoundly impacted my creative journey. It was transformative and came at a crucial time, coinciding with a very difficult personal season. It was a vessel of hope and facilitated healing from impostor syndrome, and a sense of grounding in my identity as a creative…”
— Lauren A, a recent college graduate
“Through contemplative community that repeatedly and steadily centers its gaze on me and my journey, Goldenwood has profoundly helped me to discern and steward my deepest and truest self, fostered the courage I’ve needed to bring forth that self and integrate it into my hopes and ambitions, and provided guidance and connections to birth some of my best and most loving work into the world.”
– Jamison G, Pastor
“For me personally, this experience was a great time of reflection and gaining new awarenesses and insights. When I’m with a group of people like this, and certainly with Goldenwood and David, Amilee and the others, just hearing their thoughts then cause me to reflect. And what I feel like is that this is not an end today. It’s the beginning of additional reflection on what God has placed on my heart. And this will probably go on months into the future…”
— Beverly W, CEO