How do you tell the story of a year?

At 40 Orchards, we value wrestling and struggle as an important part of the human experience. And so, when we were talking about how to share the story of 2019 with you, we talked about the need to share the whole of it. Since we love metaphor, talking about the orchard of 2019 seems like the perfect way to tell the story.

Seedlings sprouted.

Midrash Meetups

In February, we held our first Midrash Meetup. It began as a way to honor Rabbi Alan’s visit, and bring together anyone who wanted the experience of studying with him. What we discovered was a hunger for an open study space with a low commitment, no cost, and flexible size. People curious about 40 Orchards found a new way to experience our questions-oriented approach to the Bible. We had two more Midrash Meetups in 2019, and we’re excited to continue offering this easy entry into the 40 Orchards way of study.

The next Midrash Meetup is coming soon: January 4, 2020. Join us!

Seder

In April, we had our first 40 Orchards Seder experience, where tables of people from around the Twin Cities gathered to share a meal. We honored the tradition of Passover—as we have learned it from our Jewish brothers and sisters—and we talked about the Narrow Places in our own lives that each of us are invited to leave. The conversation was rich with the questions of how to walk away from things that have held us in bondage.

Watch for our next Seder experience in April 2020.

Branches were pruned.

As 40 Orchards continues to grow and change, we are continually wrestling through how best to serve. One shift we made this year was to stop offering monthly Thematic Scripture Circles—because the timing and themes were feeling forced, and the rooms were sometimes challenging to fill. What we are moving toward instead, is more “pop-up” circles around themes or passages that naturally arise from the interests and needs of our community— with hosts who are passionate about that study.

Watch for a Pop-Up Scripture Circle on Genesis 2 coming this spring!

Fruit grew—and is still growing.

We wish you could see for yourself all the good ways life is growing in and beyond our circles. I know many of you are experiencing it for yourselves.

In fact, we are excited to see all the Scripture Circles happening outside of 40 Orchards, as more and more teachers step into their gifts and help people encounter spaces where questions are safe. As more one-time or study-burst experiences have become available with other teachers, we’ve shifted our focus to programs that dive even deeper, like Roots and the Cultivate Cohort.

Roots

In March we opened our first Gospel Roots group, and started two more groups this fall. It’s been amazing to take the concepts of midrash into the New Testament and experience the rich potential of questions in a whole new way.

Watch for the next Gospel Roots to launch in Fall 2020.
Watch for the next Torah Roots to begin this spring.
Email us to get on this list for upcoming Roots groups.

Cultivate Cohort

In July, we had the closing retreat for our third cohort, which included the memorable moment of dancing in a Wisconsin field at sunset. As one member said,

“This cohort has taught me nothing I expected and everything I needed.”

In September, we began our fourth cohort, filling it to the brim with 12 men and women who are journeying together on the adventure of reconstructing their faith. It’s such a privilege to hear their questions and insights. We are learning so much from each other already.

Email us to learn more about joining our 2020 Cohort, which starts next fall.

Partnerships

The launch of the fall ministry year saw us working as partners with five different local churches. We love the opportunity to come alongside congregations and pastors. We’re working together not only to help people study and learn, but to create spaces where vulnerability and struggle are normal, safe, and good.

Know a church or organization that might be interested in partnering? Let’s chat.

Some seeds didn’t take root.

Events

A few of our plans and ideas in 2019 didn’t come to fruition, whether because of timing, logistics, or other obstacles. One was our idea for a summer Sabbath Retreat, and another was a fall community-wide event. Perhaps there will be a time for these in the future, but for 2019, we had to let them go.

Prison Ministry

We continue to have a passion for teaching in the prison system. Unfortunately, there are many things out of our control. One prison has been unable to accommodate volunteers currently. Another suspended our program while it undergoes transitions. Prison ministry is a seed we’re continuing to plant and nurture, knowing it will take time to grow—more time than we had hoped.

Future seeds are ready for planting.

Prophet Roots

This spring we will open up our newest program, Prophet Roots. The more we study these books, the more we are convinced they hold an important word for our time. We can’t wait to discover together what they have for us.

The first Prophet Roots group launches this spring. Interested? Email us to get your name on the early access list.

Our Mission

We’ve spent a lot of time this year trying to put better words around what we do. It can be so difficult to describe—but words are central to what we do, and we want to be able to share our work with more people, so it feels important to get it right. With the help of our board and some marketing professionals who are volunteering their skills, we think we’ve landed in a pretty great place.

Here is the mission carrying us into 2020 and beyond:

At 40 Orchards, we create safe spaces for the curious, the doubters, and the hope seekers to wrestle through biblical texts using the ancient Jewish concepts of midrash so that—together—we can expand each other’s experience of what is sacred, whole, and good.

As one person said at the end of a Scripture Circle recently,“
I feel like I can open the Bible again. I haven’t been able to do that for a long time.”

Wow. What an honor to work in this orchard. Thank you for your support and involvement in this work.

Your fellow hope-seekers,
Steph, Lisa, and the 40 Orchards Board

P.S. Please remember 40 Orchards in your year-end giving. We're so grateful for your support in spreading good to more and more orchards.

A Year in the Orchards