jonathan wilson-hartgrove

5 Small Things you don’t want to miss

Erin Wasinger

Friends, we present you today with 5 small things you won’t want to miss sharing, reading, listening to, or participating in before The Year of Small Things‘s launch day (in two weeks!!).

The feeling of “is this really happening” met its apex last week when at our weekly dinner with the Arthurs, YoST marketing guru and our project editor surprised us with dessert and copies of The Year of Small Things: Radical Faith for the Rest of Us. The! Real! Book! Soon you’ll have your own in hand … Ah, that new-book smell.

 

Erin’s mom, Phyllis, cradled her latest grandchild last weekend on a visit to Lansing. Erin made her leave the book here. #buyyourown #jk #ErinalreadyhasaMothersDaygiftidea

OK, small talk over. Let’s get to those 5 things:

    1. Dudes, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove’s on the NEW Small Things podcast! Sarah and I interviewed him about his upcoming visit to our home church, Sycamore Creek Church, in Lansing, Mich. Listen to a preview of what he’ll be sharing with our church and guests at the link above or in the player to the right —>

      JWH picture
      Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
    2. Plan on joining Sycamore Creek in a workshop on this new monasticism thing, community, and hospitality! The basics: Sunday, Jan. 29, 9:30 and 11 AM worship service with Sarah & special guest Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. Then, 12:30 — Lunch and Jonathan’s workshop. Be there! (More details here.)
    3. Join the discussion about the Year of Small Things with our Facebook group. Fill that puppy with questions, conversation starters, your #yearofsmallthings photos and more. Sarah and I frequent the page and we love to interact with our readers.
    4. We’re just beginning to get requests for book signings and author events. We’re keeping you in the know on our calendar here (and below). To request us to speak, visit, smile-and-be-friendly, talk, etc., fill out this Year of Small Things Speaker Request form.
    5. Have you pre-ordered your copy (and asked friends to)? All our pre-ordering folks get a special gift from our team: a Small Things companion calendar. Details here.
Hey Michigan, meet Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

Hey Michigan, meet Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

Erin Wasinger

Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove will be coming to Lansing, Mich., to join Erin and Sarah’s church community in a conversation about hospitality, new monasticism, and The Year of Small Things.

Jonathan — who penned the foreword for The Year of Small Things — will join Sycamore Creek Church Sunday, Jan. 29, in opening its five-week series on the book’s themes. He’ll join us at SC’s South Lansing location during worship for a discussion with Sarah Arthur about covenantal friendship. A similar message by Erin Wasinger will be held that same morning at SC’s Potterville campus. 

At 12:30 p.m. our venue at 1919 S Pennsylvania Ave., Jonathan will then lead a workshop that will dive deeper on practices such as hospitality and community. Join us for this one-time opportunity to hear from one of the voices who influence Sarah and Erin thanks to his leadership in new monasticism.

(Fun fact: Jonathan’s The Wisdom of Stability is the book that started Sarah’s and Erin’s discussion about the feasibility of new monasticism in our own lives. Geek moment.)

Jonathan is a celebrated spiritual author and sought-after speaker.  In 2003, Jonathan and his wife Leah founded the Rutba House, in Durham, N.C., a house of hospitality where the formerly homeless are welcomed into a community that eats, prays, and shares life together. Jonathan directs the School for Conversion, an organization that has grown out of the life of Rutba House to pursue beloved community with kids in their neighborhood, through classes in North Carolina prisons, and in community-based education around the country. He is also an Associate Minister at the historically black St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church.

Jonathan is a co-compiler of the celebrated Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, and is the author of several books on Christian spirituality, including The Awakening of Hope, The Wisdom of Stability, and The New Monasticism. Bio courtesy of his website.

Admission is free, but a freewill offering will be taken toward event costs.

***

At Sycamore Creek Church you’ll hear great music and practical, understandable teaching all in an informal setting. Read: Engaging messages, Paramount Coffee bar, a professionally staffed nursery, and a great kids’ program = the best way to spend a Sunday. We are one church in multiple locations:

Sundays @ S Lansing (1919 S Penn, Lansing) – 9:30 & 11 AM 

Sundays @ Potterville (105 N Church St, Potterville) – Traditional Worship @ 9 AM. Contemporary Worship and Potterville Kids and Nursery @ 11 AM

Mondays @ Buddies (Holt & Aurelius Rds, Holt) – 5:30 & 7 PM. Free burger and fries for first and second-time guests.