Trellis: A Two-Week Listening Journey
“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
Overview
For most of us, the past several years have been filled with intense disruption, disorientation, perhaps anxiety and despair. You may find your “typical” patterns of work, home, and relational life still upended, with no sense of what the future will look like. Yet here, in the disruption, we are given an incredible opportunity to re-orient ourselves towards creating new structures for holistic flourishing. As we ask ourselves, “Who are we becoming?”, this guided two-week journey is intentionally designed to:
- understand how the Trinity is intimately involved in the gospel (and our lives),
- practice stillness to deepen the inner life of faith, and
- experience the importance of community in hearing and responding to God’s voice.
Guided Structure includes:
- One Facilitated Group Session (on the first Sunday, 7:30-9p EST) – Stimulating theological training paired with small group discussion and guided orientation to the weeks ahead.
- Weekly Guided Listening Times (3x/wk, 25″ each) – attend live at 12:20p EST M/W/F or listen to recording at personal set times.
- Daily Individual Scripture Meditation + Exercise Pages (on own in Listening Book, 10-15″)
COST: $30 (Free for Goldenwood Collective Members)
[All Trellis offerings are virtual and accessible from wherever you are.]
Components
Drawing upon the breadth of historic Christian practices and experiences, the following components are integrally woven together to shape the two-week journey:
Upcoming Dates
- Jun 8-21, 2025 (The Calling of Hope)
- Choose just one session or register for the 2024-25 season and create a new life-giving rhythm in community for the year ahead!
Daily Pages + Scripture Meditation
An innovative “Listening Book” facilitates hearing God in the midst of hectic days, incorporating a variety of spiritual practices and ancient styles of prayer adapted for daily integration.
Spiritual Companion Conversation
Inviting the Spirit to speak into our life through the voice of others requires intentionality. We’ve designed a tested structure to enhance listening and processing in partnership with another.
Guided Listening
A contemplative time of communal listening online, three (Mon, Wed, Fri) twenty-minute pauses punctuate each week, providing space for the Spirit to expand your imagination and draw God’s abiding presence into your midday.
Facilitated Sessions
Each Trellis experience begins with a vibrant hour of stimulating theological training paired with small group discussion and rich guided orientation to new spiritual practices for the week ahead.
Next (Live) Trellis:
HIDDEN HOPE (Mar 9-22, 2025)
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.
Throughout the two-week experience, you will be introduced to a variety of prayer forms, learning to walk conversationally with God, recognizing His voice in your life. Trellis will guide you to integrate life-giving spiritual practices into everyday rhythms, transforming and renewing our sense of calling. Enter into this season with a new structure that provides the space and a community for hearing God’s voice and knowing who He reveals Himself to be in the midst of your everyday routines, leading to holistic vitality.
The 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…
The TRELLIS structure includes:
- 1 Intro Session: Sun evening, 7:30-9p EST. (Online experience for theological introduction and time in listening quads.)
- 6 Communal Guided Listening Sessions: every Mon, Wed, Fri 12:20-12:45p EST, over the course of the two weeks. (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…
Testimonials
Hear what others have to say…
“This program was extremely helpful in creating structured discipline for my days, weeks and months. It provided a process for me to hear God and understand some of the things he was actively doing in my life. I found the experience extremely rewarding and beneficial for my spiritual growth and will be continuing the program for as long as it is available.”
“Best $$ ever spent! Loved this experience and the real change that I saw in my life and how I encountered the Holy Spirit.”
“This [season] has certainly presented a unique opportunity for self reflection and re-orienting our lives. I think we’ve all craved greater purpose and structure in our daily lives. This listening journey helped me to stay grounded, focus on the big picture, and deepen my relationship with God.”