Join Us for a Circle
Add your voice to the conversation. It’s time to wrestle with Scripture— together— and reclaim a faith that cultivates wholeness, hope, and freedom, for ourselves and for others.
See details of our current offerings below. You will find one-time, once-a-month, and full-day commitments. Do you want to join but aren’t quite sure when and where yet? Stay in touch by subscribing to our newsletter. Having questions about registration? Email Lisa at lisa@40orchards.org.
One-Time Commitment
Join with 8-14 others in a facilitated circle where you can ask better questions— together. All are welcome, whether you have participated in many 40 Orchards Scripture Circles or if this will be your first time.
Reclaiming _____: Rotating Drop-ins on Theology, Books, and Sacred Trouble
There are questions we carry, stories that still sting, and parts of our faith we’re not sure what to do with. Reclaiming _____ is a space to bring what you need to reclaim—whether it’s a passage, a doctrine, a theological idea, or a piece of your story.
Every other month, we gather to wrestle with sacred trouble in community. Topics are chosen by participants and shaped by curiosity, courage, and the collective need of the moment.
Time and location:
Virtually via Zoom, from 7–9 pm CST on the second Tuesday, every other month.
Pricing:
A donation of $25 will be requested, however it is not required to make a donation in order to attend. All money paid is a tax deductible donation, furthering the mission and vision of 40 Orchards, a 501(c)3.
Our database is currently under construction. Please register below, without paying, and expect a follow up email once payment portals are operational.
Once-A Month Commitment
An ongoing circle with 8-14 people, reading Scripture slowly, asking hard questions, and holding space for different perspectives.
Reclaiming the Stories: Exploring the Bible’s Characters Beyond Hero/Villain Binaries
The Bible is full of complex people—tricksters, prophets, sex workers, and divine misfits—whose stories disrupt power and defy easy categories. In this monthly circle, we’ll explore characters both named and unnamed, rule-breakers and rule-followers, to uncover narratives of resistance, survival, and sacred disruption.
Together, we’ll peel back layers of moralism and patriarchy to reimagine Scripture through the lens of liberation, queerness, and holy defiance.
Time and location:
In-person in Richfield, MN, on the 1st Thursday of the month, 9–11 am.
September through May.
Reclaiming the Letters: A Monthly Dive into Paul’s Writings—Without the Baggage
For many, Paul’s letters carry the weight of exclusion—used to silence women, shame bodies, and marginalize queer and oppressed people. But these texts were written as letters, not rulebooks—grounded in specific communities, full of emotion, nuance, and hope.
We’ll read these letters with curiosity, context, and courage—reclaiming what’s been distorted and exploring what these writings might offer to communities seeking justice, liberation, and faithful disruption.
Time and location:
Virtual via Zoom, on the 3rd Wednesday of the month, 7–9 pm CST.
September through May.
Pricing (can be paid upfront or monthly):
Program Price: $450. This pricing funds the core of our program: the costs of monthly mail, including books, broadsides, art supplies, shipping, etc.; operating costs for running the program (Zoom, marketing, website, etc.); paying our staff and guests; and more.
Discounted Price: $300. In an effort to make our programs accessible, a discounted price is for those who are unable to afford the full cost and may be self-selected.
Generosity Price:$600. The generosity of our participants in choosing this price enables us to offer scholarships and support discounts.
All are welcome. Participants may also choose $0 upon registration.
All money paid is a tax deductible donation, furthering the mission and vision of 40 Orchards, a 501(c)3.
Our database is currently under construction. Please register below, without paying, and expect a follow up email once payment portals are operational.
Full-Day Commitment
Some things take more than a few hours to unpack. This is a place to wrestle with narrow theology and find a more expansive way forward.
Reclaiming Sin: Unlearning Separation, Reclaiming Goodness
For many of us, sin has been the starting point of the story—our relationship with God framed by failure, shame, and the need for someone else to make us right. But what if that story was never the only one? What if the idea of original sin was just one theory, and not a very helpful one?
In Reclaiming Sin, we’ll gather to wrestle with questions that have shaped entire theological systems:
Is substitutionary atonement necessary—or even true?
Was separation ever the foundation of the human-divine relationship?
And what happens when we start not with our brokenness, but with our belovedness?
Together, we’ll explore the roots of these doctrines, the harm they’ve caused, and the liberating alternatives within Scripture, tradition, and experience. This is a space for sacred disruption, theological curiosity, and reclaiming a story in which we are, in fact, very good.
Time and location:
A one-day in-person circle in Minneapolis, MN, on Saturday, November 8, 9am–3pm CST
Pricing:
Program Price: $75. This pricing funds the core of our program: the costs of monthly mail, including books, broadsides, art supplies, shipping, etc.; operating costs for running the program (Zoom, marketing, website, etc.); paying our staff and guests; and more.
Discounted Price: $50. In an effort to make our programs accessible, a discounted price is for those who are unable to afford the full cost and may be self-selected.
Generosity Price: $100. The generosity of our participants in choosing this price enables us to offer scholarships and support discounts.
All are welcome. Participants may also choose $0 upon registration.
All money paid is a tax deductible donation, furthering the mission and vision of 40 Orchards, a 501(c)3.
Our database is currently under construction. Please register below, without paying, and expect a follow up email once payment portals are operational.