Story, and Shared Courage in Difficult Times
A 4-week gathering using Kaleidoscope Text Sharing
In a season marked by uncertainty, polarization, and grief, many of us are asking: How do we care for ourselves while still showing up for our communities? How do we hold complexity, stay grounded in love, and discern what is ours to do?
Over the course of four weeks, we will gather for an hour to reflect on short passages using the Kaleidoscope Text Sharing method. The structured and participatory approach invites us to bring our full selves into conversation with one another.
What to Expect
Each session will center on a brief reading that invites contemplation on how we attend to ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and relationally in challenging times. We’ll create space to share experiences, listen deeply to one another, and nurture the kind of reflection that helps us live more rooted and responsive lives.
Weekly Themes
Where is fear shaping my choices?
What does it mean to rest without giving up?
What truth do I need to say out loud?
What sustains my courage?
Timing
Wednesdays at 12pm pacific time
Over four weeks
Starting August 20th
We will & We will nots
We will honor complexity and nuance.
We will resist quick answers and easy resolutions.
We will listen deeply and speak truthfully.
We will attend to both our resilience and our wounds.
We will ground ourselves in Scripture, community, and courage.
No preparation or theological background is required. All are welcome.
About the Facilitators
The Rev. Julie Boleyn
A seasoned facilitator, strategic thinker, and public theologian, the Rev. Julie Boleyn is the Executive Director of the Kaleidoscope Institute, where she equips communities to engage in brave, transformative conversations around faith, justice, and culture. With over two decades of experience leading workshops across the country, she has become a trusted guide for churches navigating leadership transitions, intercultural development, and sustainable ministry.
Rooted in a passion for community organizing, intercultural communication, and systems thinking, Julie holds a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College. She is a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory® and a long-time ELCA pastor, committed to building communities where difference is not just welcomed, but honored.
In addition to her national consulting work, Julie co-founded Awake and Project 88 Music Academy, and accompanied the development of, Unidad, a Spanish-language LGBTQ-affirming ministry in Berwyn, Illinois.
Cara Meredith
A sought-after speaker, writer, and public theologian, Cara Meredith is the author of Church Camp: Bad Skits, Cry Night, and How White Evangelicalism Betrayed a Generation and The Color of Life: A Journey Toward Love and Racial Justice. She has been featured in national media outlets such as The Oregonian, The New York Times, The Living Church, The Christian Century, and Baptist News Global, among others.
Passionate about justice, spirituality, and storytelling alike, Cara holds a master of theology from Fuller Seminary and is a postulant for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church. With a background in education and nonprofit work, Cara also works part-time as the Director of Development for Made for PAX Co, an organization dedicated to providing mentorship and vocational resources to emerging creatives, contemplatives, church leaders, and community builders of color.
A rising leader with the Kaleidoscope Institute, she enjoys facilitating the kinds of conversations that push the needle forward and make a real difference in this world.
When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her reading a book, tinkering around in the garden, or hanging out with her family. She is proud to call Oakland, California home.
