Summer Week Eight

Summer Week Eight, July 28-August 3: The Summer Program at Holden Village includes opportunities for learning, relaxation, and fun for all ages. From bowling and backpacking to weaving and worship, there is something for everyone. You can learn more about the variety of things to do here.

 

Dan Castillo

Daniel Castillo is Associate Professor of Theology at Loyola University Maryland, where he also contributes the Environmental Studies and Peace & Justice Studies programs. He earned his PhD at the University of Notre Dame in 2014. While at Notre Dame, Dan’s research was funded through the National Science Foundation, allowing him to explore aspects of the planetary eco-social emergency from a multidisciplinary perspective. Dan’s teaching and research focuses on the intersection of liberation theology, environmental ethics, and the theological interpretation of scripture. He has published essays in these areas in journals such at Theological Studies, Political Theology, and Scriptura. Dan recently published his first book entitled An Ecological Theology of Liberation: Salvation and Political Ecology (Orbis Books), which explores the relationship between salvation, liberation, and care for creation.  He lives in Baltimore with his wife Erika and their two children Frances and Martin.

 

 

 

Paul Griffith

Paul Griffith is a lifelong religious educator with a particular focus on social & ecological justice. Paul is a Colombian-American who was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition, and remains a practicing “Vatican II Catholic” with a commitment to interfaith and ecumenical dialogue. He has formulated and directed numerous retreats, workshops, and spiritual formation classes for both adolescents and adults, and his day-to-day ministry has been faith formation in the classroom for the last 25 years. He earned his M.A. in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame, and currently teaches theology at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon. Paul is also a professional photographer, an avid mountaineer, skier, musician, and traveler. He lives in Vancouver, Washington with his wife, Kamala, and his kids, Landon (13) and Lily (10).

 

 

 

Cynthia Winton-Henry 

Cynthia Winton-Henry is a dancing elder and collaborator who is dedicated to fostering freedom. She has served as the cofounder of InterPlay, an active, creative approach to unlocking the wisdom of the body, and as a seminary faculty, ordained pastor, community artist, activist, and author. She currently hosts online Hidden Monastery Dance Chapels and courses that support creative and mystic health using The Art of Ensoulment: A Playbook on How to Create From Body and Soul. As a white woman, she recognizes that repressing the dancing body and soul in white Protestant and academic culture corresponds to the oppression and sometimes the extermination of the dancing life of First Nations people, enslaved peoples, and the Divine Feminine. She is part of the movement to Change the Race Dance. Join her on Substack at The Dancing Center, read her story in Chasing the Dance of Life, A Faith Journey, explore your own moving prayer in Dance: A Sacred Art: The Joy of Movement as Spiritual Practice, and reawaken the powerful gift of play in Move: What the Body Wants.

 

 

 

Marla Durden

Marla Durden is a highly intuitive empath and medicine woman. She is the founder of Modern Root Woman, director of Alchemy Sampler, and producer and host of a monthly call for Women of Wisdom Foundation, Watering Wholeness. Certified in many wisdom practices including InterPlay, she facilitates online and in-person retreats; a weekly Dance Chapel for the Hidden Monastery, including a Hip Hop Dance Chapel, and offers individual coaching to deepen conscious co-creation through the power of play, connection to Subtle Realm allies, and contemplative practices. Marla designed The Art of Ensoulment Playbook.

 

 

 

 

Lenore Siems 

Lenore Siems is an educator, musician, dancer, performer, and entrepreneur who has shared her artistic talents with thousands of students and adults throughout Minnesota for over 40 years. Siems’ musical journey has included performing with numerous community groups including the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, Amato String Quartet, and Heartland Symphony. Her most notable commitment has been performing fiddle, mandolin, and viola with the all-woman Bemidji-based band, Caleigh. Lenore retired from teaching music after 28 years. Her new journey is to weave music and dance together by providing, calling, and teaching multigenerational community dance gatherings that celebrate connections, community, and camaraderie.

 

 

 

 

Shari Seifert

Shari Seifert is bi-vocational – she helps people buy and sell houses and works to dismantle white supremacy in the Lutheran Church. Shari served as president of the European Descent Lutheran Association for Racial Justice from 2021 to 2023 and has been involved in racial justice work at her synod and congregation.  Her book, Ashes to Action: Finding Myself at the Intersection of the Minneapolis Uprising was published by 1517 Media on Reformation Day 2023.  Shari lives, plays, and works in Minneapolis with her wife and two sons on land that was forcibly taken from the Dakota people.

 

 

Desta Goehner

Desta is a lifelong Los Angeles -area Lutheran. She accompanies people at the intersections of contemplative activism, co-creating a culture of ‘Beloved Community’ grounded in love, curiosity, and meaning-making, in a space where everybody is free. She has served for over 25 years in Lutheran outdoor ministry, congregational youth ministry, and at California Lutheran University. She currently serves as Director of Seminary Relations and Leadership Formation at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. Desta is married to an ELCA pastor with three kids. She creates brave sacred space to explore where and how God/Spirit/Divine shows up. She brings deep listening skills, silence, chimes, music, contemplative + spiritual practices, meditation, guided imagery, sacred readings, and Scripture as guides on the journey.

 

 

 

Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini

Dr. Maren Haynes Marchesini serves as Director of Worship & Music at Hope Lutheran Church in Bozeman, Montana. Maren is a choral director, cellist, vocalist, composer, and scholar with broad-ranging musical interests. She holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Washington where she focused on megachurches, gender, and ritual (specifically at the former Mars Hill Church), and she continues scholarly work in Christian music, ethics, and community, including a current research project at Holden Village. Maren brings a passion for community singing, diverse musical traditions, improvisation, collaboration, and play. Maren and Dane Ueland are longtime bandmates who have played together for nearly 15 years, and they look forward to reuniting at Holden Village to lead music.