Steve Welch

Art That Connects. Faith That Moves. Stories That Stick.

Some experiences don’t stay on the stage—they pull you in, hand you something real, and ask you to help shape what comes next. This week’s lineup brings together artists, theologians, and culture-shapers who blur the lines between audience and participant, head and heart, belief and becoming.

hot glue & the gun
Part performance, part participatory art experiment, hot glue & the gun create interactive theater-rock and assemblage experiences that turn strangers into collaborators. What began in the chaos of New York brunch shifts became a shared calling: to gather people, tell stories, and make something sacred out of the pieces.
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Lisa Sharon Harper
Founder of Freedom Road and a leading public theologian, Lisa Sharon Harper weaves storytelling, activism, and faith into a powerful call for justice. From Ferguson to global movements, her work equips communities to move from shared understanding to shared action toward a more just world.
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Rev. Dr. Shaleen Kendrick
An open and relational neurotheologian, Rev. Dr. Shaleen Kendrick explores how neuroscience, spirituality, and story shape human wholeness. Through teaching, consulting, and her forthcoming book Your Three Brains, she helps people integrate mind, body, and spirit into a lived practice of transformation.
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Thomas Jay Oord
Theologian, philosopher, and leading voice in open and relational theology, Thomas Jay Oord has written extensively on love, suffering, and the nature of God. A prolific author and engaging speaker, he invites us into a vision of faith grounded in freedom, relationship, and radical inclusion.
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Come make something beautiful together—and leave a little more whole than you arrived.

Get ready to expand your horizons—we’re diving deep into the intersection of spirit and science. 

Death is a universal experience that shapes our deepest fears, our spiritual stories, and how we value our lives. In this session, Facing Death Without Fear, author and researcher Matt Zemon dives into emerging evidence that psychedelics can catalyze profound shifts in meaning and connection, often easing the existential distress associated with the end of life. Through a moderated panel of spiritual and clinical experts, we will explore whether it is the experience itself, the community support, or the spiritual framework that truly allows a human being to face mortality with peace. Join us to discover how we might loosen fear’s grip and approach the inevitable with wisdom and grace.

As interest in psychedelic experiences expands within spiritual spaces, many are reporting a profound encounter with the Divine Feminine—described as motherly figures, ancient goddesses, and loving earth spirits. In this session, When She Appears: Psychedelics and the Return of the Divine Feminine, spiritual director Joy Celeste Crawford leads a conversation on how these expanded states of consciousness might loosen strict hierarchies and reconnect us to our own bodies and the Earth. Whether you’ve had a psychedelic journey or are simply curious, join us to explore whether these visions are personal symbols or a collective reawakening of the Great Mother—a source of unconditional love and wisdom much needed in our time of global crisis

While some explore the internal landscape of the soul, others look to the physical artifacts that have defined our spiritual history. In The Mobile Museum of Psychedelic Religion, curator and academic Kaleb Graves invites you into a self-paced, experiential journey through a unique collection of entheogenic ephemera. From LSD-themed Gospel tracts to the personal artifacts of Terence McKenna, this traveling museum bridges the gap between counter-culture and the Church, offering a tangible look at how psychedelics and Christianity have intertwined over the last century. Whether you stay for five minutes or an hour, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the complex, colorful story of psychedelic spirituality.

The veil thins. The Mother calls. The spirit awakens. At Wild Goose Festival come as you are, and see what finds you.

Move, Release, and Recharge: 3 Ways to Find Healing at the Goose

Discover three transformative ways to move, heal, and let go at the Healing Arts venue:

• Release Ecstatic Dance: Get ready to shed your inhibitions and rediscover your inner child at this body-positive experience led by the multi-talented Starchild. Since 2013, this Wild Goose favorite has invited participants to move with pure curiosity and wonder, creating a collective energy where there is no “wrong” way to dance. Whether you’re making animal noises, singing out loud, or speaking in “sacred gibberish,” Starchild creates a playful sanctuary designed to help you let go of what no longer serves you and simply enjoy the freedom of being alive.
• Let Nature Heal You: Releasing Hurt: After moving your body, take a moment to move your soul in this experiential workshop led by long-time Goose community member Em Cross. Em invites you to transform your private hurts into art by painting nature symbols onto rocks—keeping your secrets safe while giving them physical form. Following a grounding meditation, the session concludes with a collective walk where you will physically cast your rocks away, leaving the weight of those burdens behind in the beauty of the outdoors.
• Energy Healing for Healers, Helpers, and Holy Ones: Finally, if you feel depleted from the work of caring for others, join Bec Cranford and a team of gifted healers for a restorative session of Reiki, shamanic energy work, and Kabbalistic movement. This space is specifically designed to clear blockages and renew your spirit, offering a profound opportunity to receive the same deep, vibrational care that you so often give to the world.

Whether you’re looking to move your body, release old weight, or simply refill your cup, we invite to the Healing Arts tent to find the restoration you deserve.

Voices That Speak Truth, Make Beauty, and Invite Us Home!

Something powerful happens when truth-tellers gather — when the scholar, the poet, the pastor, and the mystic all pull up a chair at the same table. This week’s four voices are doing the hard, holy work of naming what’s broken and pointing toward what’s possible.

Bobby Jo Valentine
Queer poet, mystic, and award-winning songwriter, Bobby Jo Valentine makes art he calls “good medicine for everyone” — tender, courageous music rooted in the belief that everyday acts of love have the power to heal the world.
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Jaki Shelton Green
North Carolina’s ninth Poet Laureate — the first African American appointed to the role — Jaki Shelton Green is the author of ten poetry collections and founder of SistaWRITE, offering creativity retreats for women writers across three continents.
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Kristin Du Mez
NYT bestselling author of Jesus and John Wayne and Professor of History at Calvin University, Kristin Du Mez brings rigorous, courageous scholarship to the intersection of gender, religion, and power in American evangelical culture.
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Colby Martin
Pastor, preacher, and author of the bestselling UnClobber, Colby Martin has spent 20+ years advocating for a faith rooted in the Way of Jesus. In 2025 he founded The UnClobber Initiative, a ministry promoting LGBTQ inclusion in the church.
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When truth is spoken with love and beauty is made with courage, something holy stirs.

Truth

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

Tell Your Story
Liz Dyer—activist and founder of the Real Mama Bears—joins Sara Cunningham — author, speaker, and founder of Free Mom Hugs—in sharing transformative stories from their journeys as mothers of LGBTQ+ children. This storytelling experience explores the shift from inherited expectations to fierce advocacy, inviting participants to discover the profound connection that emerges when choosing love over fear.

Truth in Journalism
Mark Wingfield and other writers from Baptist News Global share what it’s like in the trenches writing about the battle for America’s soul every day. We’ll talk about choosing reliable news sources and how truth telling is one of our most important weapons against Christian nationalism and for the cause of social justice. Ask us anything you want to know.

True to Ourselves
Jon Reese designed this workshop for those who seek to be more intentional about living their values. It’s a noble pursuit, one that relies on introspection, mindfulness, and discernment. Identifying our core values and exploring our histories – and challenges – with those values offers a gentle opportunity for re-centering.

Speak Your Truth: Poetry Open Mic
Cathy Tyner encourages us to speak up and speak out! Raise your spirit and your voice at this poetry reading. Sign up to share a reading of your own original poetry – or – come listen and be inspired by the wise and diverse poetic voices across your Goose Community!

Come ready to breathe deep, speak true, and write what only you can.

Stories That Challenge, Heal, and Reimagine

This week’s Wild Goose lineup gathers voices that refuse to look away—from hard truths, hidden histories, and the stories we carry in our bones. Through ethics, music, scholarship, and storytelling, they invite us into a faith that wrestles honestly and lives courageously.

David Gushee
Christian ethicist, author, and global thought leader, David Gushee helps the church navigate faith in a changing world. A key voice in post-evangelical theology, his work on justice, democracy, and moral courage challenges believers to live what they profess.

Foosie
A storyteller from the heart of struggle and redemption, Foosie creates music that lifts up the unheard. With an “All-American Ghetto” style, he reminds us that every life holds a story worth telling—and every voice deserves to be heard.

Elizabeth “Libbie” Schrader Polczer
New Testament scholar and former singer-songwriter, Libbie Schrader Polczer explores the complexities of early Christian texts, especially the role of Mary Magdalene in John’s Gospel. Her work blends rigorous scholarship with a lifelong passion for story, music, and rediscovery.

Gareth Higgins
Writer, peacebuilder, and co-founder of Wild Goose, Gareth Higgins explores how stories shape our lives and communities. Drawing on roots in Northern Ireland, he invites us into courageous storytelling that nurtures justice, imagination, and a deeper, freer way of being.

Come listen closely. The stories we tell might just change the ones we live.

Workshops for a Deeper Personal Understanding

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

Listen to Yourself

Hannah Rowen Fry invites participants to be present in the moment with the presence of God. Experience the simplicity of guided reflection, moving thoughts from head to paper in this contemplative writing practice. Enjoy a moment of peace and stillness. Leave feeling lighter and equipped to receive what’s next.

Reclaim Your Story

Zach Helton leads this workshop for anyone looking to transform narratives that once felt binding—or even shaming—into living resources for healing and courage. Zach provides practical tools to move from “cringing” at your tradition to creatively reclaiming it. It’s an invitation to stop grieving the stories you’ve lost and start reimagining them as catalysts for your own spiritual liberation.

Write Your Lyric

Cheryl Wilder invites us to explore our inner lives, which are mysterious to us and beyond our control. The function of the personal lyric, broadly speaking, is to help us express and regulate our emotional lives, which are confusing and sometimes opaque. In this workshop we learn how to “translate” our emotions into language and actively make them into a poem.

This year’s Goose is writing something wild and wondrous. You in?

Color, Courage, and a Whole Lot of Love

This week’s Wild Goose gathering brings together artists and advocates who refuse to dim the light. From hip-hop that heals to theology that liberates, from mama-bear hugs to boundary-breaking ministry, these voices remind us that faith at its best is vibrant, embodied, and fiercely compassionate.

SkyBlew
A genre-bending hip-hop artist with a joyful, “coolest nerd you ever heard” vibe, SkyBlew blends anime, gaming, and lived experience into music that radiates hope. From foster care to global stages, his “Painting The Sky,Blew” sound inspires resilience and imagination.
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Stan Mitchell
Pastor, speaker, and advocate, Stan Mitchell is known for his courageous leadership in LGBTQ+ inclusion within evangelical spaces. Founder of GracePointe Church, he creates communities rooted in love, belonging, and honest dialogue across difference.
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Sara Cunningham
Founder of Free Mom Hugs, Sara Cunningham has become a national voice for love in action. Through advocacy, storytelling, and simple, powerful gestures of care, she helps families and communities embrace and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people.
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Chanequa Walker-Barnes
Theologian, psychologist, and author, Chanequa Walker-Barnes explores the intersections of racial justice, spirituality, and self-care. Her work invites deep healing and courageous truth-telling, equipping communities to confront injustice while nurturing the soul.
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Come find your people. Come find your voice. The Goose is waiting.

Slow Down. Let Go. Come Alive.

A Pilgrimage Through Wild Goose

What if the festival itself became sacred ground? Inspired by the ancient Camino de Santiago — a route Julie McElmurry completed herself in 2002 — this slow, joyful walk transforms the Wild Goose grounds into a pilgrimage route, complete with roadside chapels, tea and oranges, surprise encounters, and new friendships. Julie will map the route fresh each day, weaving in spontaneous stops and unhurried moments of connection. Everyone is welcome, every pace is honored, and at the end, you’ll earn your very own Compostela. Come for the walk. Stay for the community.

Waning Moon Circle: A Ritual of Release

Under the waning moon, this candlelit nighttime gathering invites you to set down what no longer serves you. Author and meditation teacher Chelsea Kim Long leads an intimate circle blending guided meditation, journaling, and embodied ritual — creating space to release harmful beliefs, old identities, and the stories that keep you bound. What if your emotions aren’t obstacles, but holy guidance? This is a gentle, grounded space for anyone ready to honor both the light and the dark within.

Soul-Focused Energy Healing

What does it mean to live from your Soul rather than your ego? In this experiential workshop, certified practitioner Kendal McDevitt introduces Soul-Focused Energy Healing — a precise, systematic approach to restoring balance across body, mind, heart, and Spirit. Through guided meditation, energy-sensing practices, and chakra work, you’ll explore how the human energy field holds the map to deeper health, wholeness, and presence. A grounding, transformative way to open your Wild Goose weekend.

The path winds. The moon wanes. The Soul stirs

Sound, Spirit, and Sacred Courage

This week’s Wild Goose lineup hums with music, prophecy, and fearless truth-telling. From global soundscapes to justice-driven preaching, these voices don’t just inspire—they stir, challenge, and heal. Come meet the artists and leaders helping us imagine a faith big enough for the world we’re becoming.

HuDost
Blending folk, rock, and Sufi soul, HuDost creates a transcendent musical experience rooted in activism and healing. Partners in life and art, Moksha Sommer and Jemal Wade Hines craft genre-defying soundscapes that carry both the ache and beauty of the human story. MORE

John Pavlovitz
Writer, pastor, and activist John Pavlovitz brings bold clarity to faith in turbulent times. Author of A Bigger Table and Worth Fighting For, he cultivates compassionate community through his writing and the Empathetic People Network. MORE

Paula Stone Williams
Pastoral counselor and global speaker Paula Stone Williams explores gender, faith, and power with honesty and grace. Her memoir As a Woman and widely viewed TED Talks invite deeper understanding and courageous conversations about identity and justice. MORE

Yvette Flunder
Bishop Yvette Flunder is a pioneering pastor, gospel artist, and founder of City of Refuge UCC. A leading voice for radical inclusion, she weaves worship and justice through ministries addressing HIV/AIDS, community health, and spiritual empowerment. MORE

Come for the music. Stay for the transformation. The Goose is gathering.