When the Walls Come Down: Rebuilding Sacred Spaces

You didn’t come here for safe. You came for movement. Here’s your weekly nudge.

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences call us to tear down, reimagine, and rebuild the spaces we call sacred. Because holiness isn’t locked in a building—it’s roaming the hills, shaking the dust, and singing under the stars.

Hillbilly Theology: Bluegrass, Rebellion, and the Bible (Hunter)
What if the gospel has been hiding in plain sight, buried in the songs and stories of the hills?

Hunter Greene takes us deep into the roots of Appalachian culture, turning “hillbilly” into a battle cry for liberation. Expect fire, expect grit, and expect to leave seeing God in unexpected places.

Where Should the Living Temple Dwell? (Andy Barlow)
If the church is supposed to be a Living Temple, why does it feel so dead?

Andy Barlow strips away the pretense and asks us to rethink what church is, what it could be, and where it might come alive again. Is it a building? A backyard? A dinner table? Or just a handful of souls willing to listen?

Evening Vespers for Spiritual Reconnection, Rest, and Renewal (Christina Nelson)
What if the quiet is where God’s been waiting for you all along?

Christina Nelson invites you to step into a space where silence is prayer and nightfall is sanctuary. Breathe, walk, and find your way back to the sacred, one still moment at a time.

The walls are crumbling. The Spirit is moving. Are you ready to find holiness without walls?

Stories that Sing, Spirits that Stir

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

Sacred Fires, Queer Joy, and a Path Forward

You didn’t come here for safe. You came for movement. Here’s your weekly nudge.

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences aren’t here to calm you down—they’re here to wake you up, stir your spirit, and set your bones on fire.

Posting, Protesting, Gardening, and Giggling (Scott Hardin-Nieri)
What if the revolution isn’t just a march or a meme but the way you wake up in the morning?

Scott Hardin-Nieri invites you to dig your hands into the dirt, plant seeds of hope, and move through grief with grace. From protest chants to garden beds, this is where spiritual resilience meets the mess of everyday life.

Eucontamination and the Power of Queer Joy (Paul Hoard)
If queer joy is a contaminant, let it spread.

Paul Hoard flips the script on shame, unearthing the kind of joy that disrupts, shocks, and rewrites the rules. Whether you’ve been shamed for who you are or who you love, this is where you get to dance on the ashes and declare yourself “queerly beloved.”

Prophets, Poet-Luminaries, Artists Who Dream: A Call to the Threshold (Sarah Lumen Solis)
Step into the circle. Step into the fire. Step into what you know is waiting to be spoken.

Sarah Lumen Solis weaves poetry, prophecy, and the power of presence in this raw, unscripted Experience. You’ll be invited to name what’s stirring in your soul, to witness, to be witnessed—and to step through the threshold of what was and what will be.

You can stay asleep or you can wake up.
Let’s burn through what no longer serves and rise.

Liberating Voices, Grounded Presence

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

Wild Goose is where the sacred takes root in identity, story, and solidarity. This week, meet four fierce and faithful leaders whose work spans theology, music, justice, and tradition—each one reshaping the world through healing truth and radical inclusion.

Multi (Kagan Parker)
Poet, singer, and mindfulness instructor Multi blends queer identity, spiritual depth, and a passion for authentic community. A co-creator of Wild Goose’s Relating Arts Tent, Multi fosters brave, healing spaces rooted in joy, introspection, and the sacred power of being fully oneself. MORE

Jonah P. Overton
Rev. Jonah Overton is a queer and trans pastor, church planter, and podcast host reclaiming scripture for liberation. At Zao MKE Church in Milwaukee, they help lead a community where those long excluded from faith traditions finally get to lead—and thrive. MORE

Thomas Jay Oord
Theologian and author of 30+ books, Thomas Oord explores open and relational theology, divine love, and the problem of suffering. He directs the Center for Open and Relational Theology and champions a faith rooted in science, justice, and full LGBTQ+ inclusion. MORE

Chebon Kernell
A Seminole and Muscogee Creek leader, Chebon Kernell works within the United Methodist Church and global organizations to advance justice, healing, and reconciliation for Indigenous peoples. A traditional practitioner, he uplifts Native wisdom and calls the church to truth, repair, and right relationship. MORE

Living a free and Spirit-filled life is an art. Start painting.

Life After, Unfiltered: Dare to Sing, Speak, and Rise

You didn’t come here for safe. You came for movement. Here’s your weekly nudge.

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences are here to stir the pot and strip away the niceties. Let’s get raw, real, and a little reckless.

Life After… (Fill in the Blank) (Danae Casteel)
Life after church. Life after faith. Life after addiction. Life after all the things you thought you couldn’t survive. Danae Casteel opens the door to a no-BS conversation on what it really means to keep going when the world you built your life on crumbles. You won’t just sit and listen—you’ll dig into your own story, sift through the rubble, and find the pieces worth holding onto.

Is the Darkness Necessary? (Larry Dickinson)
Maybe the chaos is necessary. Maybe the world has to burn before it can be rebuilt. Dr. Larry Dickinson doesn’t sugarcoat the darkness—he holds it up to the light. In this roundtable, you’re invited to speak the ‘unthinkable’ out loud. Question the narratives. Dissect the mess. Say the thing you’ve been too scared to say. No apologies. No holding back.

Singing Ourselves Home (Naomi Griffin Self)
Got a voice? You’re in. Naomi Griffin Self leads a raw, reckless singing circle where even the ‘I don’t sing’ folks are welcome. Here, you don’t just sing—you howl, wail, and belt it out until your bones vibrate and your soul remembers what it’s like to feel free. No sheet music. No pressure. Just your voice, your breath, and the sound of a hundred other brave, untamed voices singing you home.

You weren’t built to stay small. You were built to break open, shatter, and come back louder. Let’s go.

Faith on Fire: Prophets, Preachers, and Provocateurs

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

Each week, Wild Goose introduces voices lighting up the intersection of spirit and justice. These are the truth-tellers and hope-bearers reshaping church, culture, and community. Ready to meet them?

Rev. Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim
Theologian, author, and podcast host, Grace Ji-Sun Kim brings global perspective and prophetic edge. With over two dozen books, her work explores race, gender, and justice in the church. She hosts the Madang podcast and teaches at Earlham School of Religion. MORE

Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr.
Called one of the most effective preachers in the English-speaking world, Dr. James Forbes is the former Senior Minister of Riverside Church. Now leading the Healing of the Nations Foundation, he calls us to deeper health, justice, and spiritual renewal. MORE

Sam Heath
Sam Heath leads Equal Justice USA’s Evangelical Network, mobilizing Christians for justice reform and violence reduction. With roots in Baptist, Presbyterian, and Anglican traditions, Sam weaves stories of grace, trauma, and transformation from both church pews and public policy. MORE

Flamy Grant
A chart-topping drag queen singer-songwriter, Flamy Grant blends queer theology and gospel grit. With music praised by Rolling Stone and Billboard, she delivers bold, healing performances that slay shame and spark joy—one sequin at a time. MORE

This year’s Goose is at the intersection of spirit and justice. Add your voice.

12 Pre-Festival Events

Why wait until Friday to jump into the Wild Goose spirit? Join us on Thursday, August 28, 2025 for a full day of deep dives, playful experiments, and spirit-stirring conversation. These one-day intensives are your chance to connect, learn, and cultivate fresh insights before the main festival roars to life. Space is limited—reserve your spot today!

Wisdom Camp 2025: Radical Mysticism
Facilitators: Debonee Morgan & Carl McColman
Explore how mystics like Howard Thurman, Teresa of Ávila, and Dorothy Day fueled radical social change. Through guided contemplative practices and storytelling, Debonee (“contemplative troublemaker”) and Carl (spiritual author) will help you discover how deep inner work sparks collective transformation.

Eden Camp: Garden Transitions
Facilitators: Michael Morrell & Aline DeFiglia
Feeling at a crossroads of sexuality, spirituality, or relationship shifts? Michael (award-winning author and Wild Goose organizer) and Aline (licensed psychotherapist) guide you through embodied practices to recover exiled parts of yourself and sow seeds for a fuller, more integrated life.

Don’t Skip Recess 2025
Facilitator: Matthew Ray Lyda
This magic medicine is for anyone interested in returning to the wisdom of childlikeness. Drawing on Rumi’s invitation to stay “playfully childlike,” Matthew blends games, experiential experiments, and Brené Brown’s shame research to help you reconnect with joy and presence.

Sowing Seeds in the Sand: Transforming the Way You Find Yourself in Antiracism
Facilitators: Jennifer Holt Enriquez, William Bouvel, Crystal Elliott-O’Connor, and Beth Hunt
Dive into antiracism from a relational, embodied perspective. This is a brave space for unlearning, identity reflection, and generational storytelling—equipping you with the tools to cultivate lasting personal and community transformation.

It’s a Neurodiverse Universe
Facilitators: Sarah Frinks Morgan & Jillian Morgan
Celebrate the beauty of diverging brains and learn how to make every space—worship or workplace—truly inclusive. Through hands-on activities, Sarah and Jillian showcase sensory diversity and neuroaffirming practices that deepen empathy and honor minds of all kinds.

LeadNow! 2025
Facilitators: Jacqui Buschor and Jones
Designed for First-call Pastors & Seminarians (full scholarship; application required)
If this is your first Wild Goose as a newly ordained pastor or seminarian, welcome to your tribe. LeadNow! covers your registration, grants free access to all pre-festival camps, and offers year-round mentor gatherings—setting you up to lead with resilience in “ministry on the margins.”

Peace in a Violent World
Facilitators: James Warren, Jennifer Garcia Bashaw, Ellen Corcella, and Paul Nuechterlein
Wrestle with René Girard’s mimetic theory to understand how sacred nonviolence can flourish amid systemic violence. Through scripture, case studies, and embodied practices, this workshop equips you to embody peace in your church, community organizing, or everyday relationships.

Ancient Wisdom in a Modern World
Facilitator: Chebon Kernell
Discover how early Christian practices and Indigenous spiritual traditions can dance together today. Through storytelling, ritual demonstrations, and cross-cultural dialogue, you’ll gain practical ways to weave ancient rhythms into contemporary life.

Music and Liturgy for Resilience and Resistance
Facilitators: Ken Medema, Rev. Lisa Janke, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, and Travis Beck
Explore how congregational song can be both balm and battle cry in turbulent times. Learn to craft liturgies that uplift marginalized voices and fuel justice movements—then leave with fresh songs and tools to lead your community toward resilient, prophetic worship.

Responding to Christian Nationalism: A Faithful Way Forward
Facilitators: Doug Pagitt, Lisa Sharon Harper, Rev. Paul A. McAllister, and Rob Schenck
In an era when faith is weaponized for power, this interactive workshop unpacks the rise of Christian nationalism and models a gospel-centered resistance. Engage historical context, articulate counter-narratives, and practice faithful witness to stand for liberation and solidarity.

Hands-On Experiments in Climate Science
Facilitator: JD Stillwater
Science can be both playful and urgent. In this small-group workshop, JD leads you through hands-on demonstrations: greenhouse-effect models, carbon-cycle simulations, and DIY experiments that reveal practical insights—and give you climate projects to share at home.

Faith-Rooted Organizing on New Terrain
Facilitator: Lisa Sharon Harper, with Kristen Irving and Jennifer Butler
This workshop will equip participants to analyze their community, strategize, build collaborative networks, and take action inspired by their faith! We are entering new terrain. For that we must also turn to our brothers and sisters whose faith-soaked actions won their fights against authoritarian governments. It’s time to get ready.

Ready to dive in? Visit each link to learn more, grab your ticket, and we’ll see you Thursday for a day of inspiration, hands-on exploration, and community.

Pre-Festival event tickets are $59 (in addition to your regular admission ticket).

Peace, play, and pre-festival vibes,

 Unstuck, Unmasked, Unafraid: Your Healing Starts Now

You didn’t come here for safe. You came for movement. Here’s your weekly nudge.

This week’s Wild Goose Experiences don’t whisper “take a deep breath.”
They dare you to break things open — body, mind, and story.

Set Yourself Free: Breaking Patterns That Hold You Back (Cheryl Hall)

Tired of dragging your old pain around like a second skin?
Cheryl Hall pulls you straight into the heartbeat of real, messy healing — no gurus, no quick fixes.  You’ll move, shake, sound, and tear loose from the ancestral junk that’s been welded to your ribs.  It’s not about thinking your way out—it’s about moving your way free.

Turn Up the Funny: Restorative Parenting in Our Wonderful & Wicked World (Sam Heath)

Parenting. Dealing with family  Surviving being human. It’s messy, ridiculous, and way harder than anyone warned you. Sam Heath throws open the doors to an honest, loud, laugh-so-you-don’t-lose-it Experience where you’ll build something better from the scraps — joy, grit, and a new story that doesn’t end with “because I said so.”

I’m Overwhelmed! (And Here’s Why) (Sarah Frinks Morgan)

Overwhelm isn’t a weakness. It’s a siren. Sarah Frinks Morgan hands you the tools you need to listen to it, fight with it, and turn it into fuel. This isn’t about “managing your mindset.”  It’s about grabbing your own brain by the roots and learning how to grow something real, even in a world that keeps trying to drown you.

You weren’t built to play dead.
You were built to crack open, roar awake, and start again.

Let’s go.

Prophets, Poets, and Holy Disruptors

Who’s Coming to Wild Goose?

This week’s lineup is a masterclass in faith-infused courage. From pulpit to protest, beat to book, these leaders show us how to speak truth, build community, and create with purpose. Get ready for voices that won’t back down—and won’t let you look away.

Holy Mischief: Sex, Scripture, and Sacred Power