a changemakers story - mission city renewal · if it was up to me, were there certain places i...

A C H A N G E M A K E R S S T O R Y

MODULE I GARDEN OF LIFE

GARDENOF LIFE

ABOVE ALL, TRUST IN THE SLOW WORK OF GOD.

WE ARE, QUITE NATURALLY, IMPATIENT IN

EVERYTHING TO REACH THE END WITHOUT DELAY.

WE SHOULD LIKE TO SKIP THE INTERMEDIATE STAGES.

WE ARE IMPATIENT OF BEING ON THE WAY

TO SOMETHING UNKNOWN, SOMETHING NEW…

AND YET IT IS THE LAW OF ALL PROGRESS

THAT IT IS MADE BY PASSING THROUGH SOME STAGES

OF INSTABILITY …

AND IT MAY TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.

AND SO I THINK IT IS WITH YOU. YOUR IDEAS

MATURE GRADUALLY. LET THEM GROW;

LET THEM SHAPE THEMSELVES, WITHOUT UNDUE HASTE.

DON’T TRY TO FORCE THEM ON AS THOUGH YOU COULD BE

WHAT TIME (THAT IS TO SAY, GRACE AND CIRCUMSTANCES

ACTING ON YOUR OWN GOOD WILL MAKE YOU TOMORROW.

ONLY GOD COULD SAY WHAT THIS NEW SPIRIT GRADUALLY

FORMING WITHIN YOU WILL BE. GIVE OUR LORD THE BENEFIT

OF BELIEVING THAT HIS HAND IS LEADING YOU, AND ACCEPT THE

ANXIETY OF FEELING YOURSELF IN SUSPENSE AND INCOMPLETE.

ABOVE ALL TRUST IN THE SLOW WORK OF GOD.1

— FR. PIERRE TEILHARD DE CHARDIN, S.J. —

LIFE MOMENTS Reflect on your l i fe. What have been pivotal moments that have formed who you are? This might have been a public milestone (a move or a relationship) or a private moment (a prayer, a conversation). Write down the moments that have formed who you are today.

DEFINE YOUR SEASONSSome of these pivotal moments wil l evoke posit ive memories and emotions, and some negative. As in nature, we experience seasons of spring and summer marked by vital ity and new growth — along with seasons of autumn and winter where things wither or die. For each Life Moment, mark a season you associate with it .

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2PA

RT

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LIFE IS NOT LINEAR BUT RATHER MUCH LIKE A GARDEN THAT IS GROWING OVER TIME MARKED BY THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE SEASONS. WITH FACTORS THAT WE CAN CONTROL AND THOSE WE CANNOT.

IN THIS EXERCISE, YOU’LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON YOUR OWN JOURNEY AND GROWTH.

SEASON: spring summer autumn winter

LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

DESCRIPTION:

MODULE

A

CLOSED DOORS CAN HAVE THE SAME GUIDING EFFECT AS OPEN DOORS. HAS ANYTHING

FORMED YOU IN ITS ABSENCE?

— FOOD FOR THOUGHT —


LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

DESCRIPTION:


LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

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LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

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LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

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LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

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LIFE MOMENT TITLE:

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NEW LIFE PERSPECTIVEThe complexity and beauty of seasons are that as a seed fal ls from a tree, it must die in order to break open and bring new l ife in the spring. Reflect back on the autumn/winter moments in your l i fe. How has God redeemed these things and used them to bring new l ife to you or others?

GARDENOF LIFE P

AR

T II

1

a u t u m n /w i n te rLIFE MOMENTS >>>>>> NEWLIFE

Rewrite the LIFE MOMENT TITLE here

How has God brought new l ife?

REFLECTION

• Where has pain entered your story? What has it

made more beautiful? What still hurts?

• Where and how have you overcome? Where

have you pivoted?• How have these turns built and shaped you? Have

they informed your visions for the future?• Is this a part of your story that you share?

• We all have fears. Are there consistent ways fear

has caused you to shut down or change course?

If so, how can you keep an eye out for this in

the future? Are there ways you can invite in the

support or accountability of others?

DRAW YOUR GARDEN OF LIFELife is not l inear, but more l ike an ecosystem where the elements: sun, water, soi l , seeds, plants, wildl ife feed into one another. Revisit your Life Moments and Seasons from Part 1 and use this page to bring these to l i fe as you draw your own Garden of Life.

2 If you are not an artist , don’t worry! This activity is just meant to give you a chance to explore the interconnectedness of these pivotal moments in a visual way. (If you’d l ike prompts and visuals to get you

started, see the next page.)[ ]

W H AT/ W H O H A S B E E N A L I G H T I N YO U R L I F E ?

W H AT N E W S P R O U T S A R E S P R I N G I N G U P

T H AT M I G H T Y E T G R O W I N T O S O M E T H I N G ?

W H AT F R U I T H A S B E E N P R O D U C E D I N YO U R

L I F E ? W H AT K I N D O F “ T R E E ” I S P R O D U C I N G

T H I S ? H O W I S I T B E -I N G D I S T R I B U T E D O U T

I N T O T H E W O R L D ?

W H AT/ W H O A R E T H E T R E E S T H AT

H AV E S T O O D N E A R YO U ? D O T H E S E

P R O V I D E S U P P O R T O R C O M P E T E F O R

R E S O U R C E S ?

MAKE THIS GARDEN OF LIFE YOUR OWN

W H AT/ W H O A R E T H E S P R I N G S O F WAT E R I N YO U R L I F E ? H O W H A S T H I S E B B E D A N D F L O W E D I N D I F F E R E N T S E A S O N S ?

A R E T H E R E S E E D S T H AT H AV E FA L L E N F R O M T R E E S ? W H AT WA S T H E S O I L T H E Y F E L L O N ? D I D T H E Y G R O W ?

H A S S O M E T H I N G D I E D O R G O N E

D O R M A N T ? W H AT F E L L F R O M

T H AT T R E E ?


MODULE II INTERSECTIONS

FREDERICK BUECHNER

WHATYOU

LOVE

H O W Y O U ’ R E

GIFTED

W H AT YO U C A N

SUSTAIN

N E E D S I N T H E

WO R L DP

RO

FE

SSIO

N

PA

SS

I ON

MI S

SI O

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VO

CA

TIO

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ADAPTED FROM THE JAPANESE CONCEPT OF IKIGAI, MEANING “A REASON FOR BEING” 3

I N T E R S E C T I O N S O F

YOURSTORY

C R E AT I V I T Y& I N N OVAT I O N

Often occur at the intersections

of seemingly disparate things.

In this Journey, you will reflect and brainstorm on these areas of life and explore the layers of over-lap and how they form your unique story.

“God will take you places you didn’t plan on going — And do a work in you that you can’t do yourself.”

WHOAMI?

We don’t often pause to explore the things we love. Work through the following questions honestly and in your own time.Try to refrain from judgement of if you are “good” at these things.

IF YOU HAVE A FREE DAY, HOW DO YOU SPEND IT? WHAT REFUELS YOU?

DESCRIBE THE MOST RECENT PROJECT/ACTIVITY/JOB YOU’VE DONE THAT YOU GOT SO CAUGHT UP IN WHAT YOU WERE

DOING YOU LOST TRACK OF TIME:

I BEGIN TO FEEL DRAINED OF ENERGY IF I DON’T GET TO:

WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE CONFIDENTLY ABOUT WHO GOD HAS MADE YOU? WHAT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE?

I CAN’T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT GETTING TO:

DO:

SEE:

CREATE:

READ:

WHAT ARE OTHERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY DOING THAT YOU LOVE TO JOIN IN ON AND BE A PART OF?

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME TO:

DO:

SEE:

CREATE:

READ:

WHATYOU

LOVEI

WHATYOU

LOVEI

When I was young, how did I love to spend my time?

If it was up to me, were there certain places I loved to be?

What interests did I have? Did these change frequently or stay the same?

Were there things that consistently really upset me?

Were there certain people I loved to be around?

How did you know I loved these things?

“WHAT YOU LOVE” INTERVIEWTALK WITH 1-3 PEOPLE WHO HAVE KNOWN YOU

SINCE YOUR EARLY YEARS.

NOTES

DO YOU SEE ANY THEMES IN THIS INTERVIEW AND YOUR

ANSWERS ABOVE? HOW WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE THE

THINGS YOU LOVE INTO 3 CATEGORIES?

1

2

3

IIH O W Y O U ’ R E

GIFTEDMIND MAP: Where are you investing yourself? Projects, commitments, concepts, relationships and ideas.This creative exercise is a chance to capture the areas you use your gifts. Think of the central circle as yourself. From there draw/write other ‘nodes’ or bubbles relevant to the question above. There are likely other projects, relationships, etc. that flow from one to another — you can show their interconnectedness with lines between the circles. The example below will get you started, but you can be more specific. Feel free to include new things on the horizon.

SCHOOL

CLUB

INTERNSHIP


GIFTED

THE STORIES

WE’RE TOLD

Our family, our context and our background shape our stories.What messages are helpful truths? And what do you need to let go of?

FAM

ILY

WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED THROUGH SUCCESSES?

WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED THROUGH FAILURES?

WHAT STORIES DO YOU TELL YOURSELF? (INTERNALLY)

WHAT STORIES DO YOU TELL THE WORLD? (EXTERNALLY)

WHERE ARE THE DISCREPENCIES?

ROLESWhat roles are most important to you in life?

Ie: Teacher, Creator, Learner/student, Artist, Nurturer,

Helper. Look at your MindMap... What roles are you

playing in your life?

HOW ARE YOU UNIQUELY GIFTED TO FILL THIS ROLE?R O L E

JOURNAL: The following questions are for your personal reflection.

DESCRIBE A TIME WHEN YOU WERE COMPLETELY “IN YOUR

ELEMENT”. WHAT YOU WERE DOING FELT NATURAL AND IT

WENT SO WELL YOU JUST KNEW YOU WERE DOING WHAT

YOU WERE BORN TO DO.


GIFTEDGROUPACTIVITYWRITE DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO RECENT EVENTS

INDIVIDUALLY. THEN PROCESS AS A GROUP.4

1

TOGETHER EXPLORE HOW THE LIMITS AND LIABILITIES

ARE POTENTIALLY THE FLIPSIDE TO THE SAME GIFTS

YOU WERE DISCUSSING. WEAKNESS IS A TRADEOFF

TO A STRENGTH. DON’T CRITIQUE THE SITUATION.

DESCRIBE A MOMENT WHEN YOU WERE LEADING AND YOU WOULD CLASSIFY IT AS

A FAILURE. IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT, YOU DID NOT ENJOY IT AND THINGS WENT SO

POORLY YOU WANTED TO FORGET THE ENTIRE THING.2

HELP EACH OTHER IDENTIFY THE GIFTS THAT FUELED THE

GOOD MOMENTS. OFTEN WE NEED HELP SEEING THE GIFTINGS

AT PLAY BECAUSE THEY COME SO NATURALLY.

II2 x 2 G R I D YO U R

PASSIONLove it. Can’t get enough.

Endure it. Not sad when it’s over.

Great at it. Comes so naturally.

Not my skill set. Have to work really hard.

Map the things from your investment atom, following the prompts on both the X & Y axis.

JOURNAL: In the following exercises, do you see 1-3 “gifts” rise to the surface?How does your community help round out your limits?


MODULE III YOUR IDEA

ROSA PARKS SAT DOWN BECAUSE SHE HAD REACHED A POINT WHERE IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO EMBRACE HER TRUE VOCATION - NOT AS

SOMEONE WHO WOULD RESHAPE OUR SOCIETY BUT AS SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIVE OUT HER

FULL SELF IN THE WORLD. SHE DECIDED, “I WILL NO LONGER ACT ON THE

OUTSIDE IN A WAY THAT CONTRADICTS THE TRUTH THAT I HOLD DEEPLY ON THE INSIDE. I WILL NO

LONGER ACT AS IF I WERE LESS THAN THE WHOLE PERSON I KNOW MYSELF INWARDLY TO BE.”

Where do people find the courage to live divided no more

when they know they will be punished for it? The answer

I have seen in the lives of people like Rosa Parks is simple:

these people have transformed the notion of punishment

itself. They have come to understand that no punishment

anyone might inflict on them could possibly be worse than

the punishment they inflict on themselves by conspiring in

their own diminishment. In the Rosa Parks story, that insight

emerges in a wonderful way. After she had sat at the front

of the bus for a while, the police came aboard and said,

“You know, if you continue to sit there, we’re going to have

to throw you in jail.” Rosa Parks replied, “You may do that. .

.,” which is a very polite way of saying, “What could your jail

of stone and steel possibly mean to me, compared to the

self-imposed imprisonment I’ve suffered for forty years - the

prison I’ve just walked out of by refusing to conspire any

longer with this racist system?” The punishment imposed

on us for claiming true self can never be worse than the

punishment we impose on ourselves by failing to make that

claim. And the converse is true as well: no reward anyone

might give us could possibly be greater than the reward that

comes from living by our own best lights.

You and I may not have Rosa Parks’s particular battle to fight,

the battle with institutional racism. The universal element in

her story is not the substance of her fight but the selfhood

in which she stood while she fought it - for each of us holds

the challenge and the promise of naming and claiming true

self. But if the Rosa Parks story is to help us discern our own

vocations, we must see her as the ordinary person she is.

That will be difficult to do because we have made her into

superwoman - and we have done it to protect ourselves. If

we can keep Rosa Parks in a museum as an untouchable icon

of truth, we will remain untouchable as well: we can put her

up on a pedestal and praise her, world without end, never

finding ourselves challenged by her life.

IIIN E E D S I N T H E

WORLDREAD THE FOLLOWING EXCERPT FROM PARKER PALMER’S LET YOUR LIFE SPEAK5

WHAT IS THE NEED IN THE WORLD THAT YOU WANT TO STAND UP FOR AND MAKE PROGRESS TOWARD SOLVING?

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

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WORLD

If you are having trouble defining this, that is OK. Try asking yourself this series of why questions to get to the heart.

WHAT NEEDS/INJUSTICES DO I SEE AROUND ME THAT KEEP CATCHING MY EYES AND MY HEART?

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO ME?

WHY DOES IT MATTER IN THE WORLD?

WHY WOULD I BE INVOLVED?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

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• Are there parts of your story that have brought this need in the world to the forefront for you? Remember the “New Life” perspective on your winter/autumn moments.

• How have your Experiences/Background/ Context/Relationships/Family/Etc highlighted this need to you?

• Why does this need resonate with you?

• Do you have ideas of who you want to take a stand for? Or how?

• Is there a l ie or injustice at play here? What is the truth God says about this?

• In God’s Kingdom, what do you think restoration of this need looks l ike? How would God make it whole and right?

LOOK BACK TO YOUR SEASONS OF LIFE IN MODULE A.

NOTES


WORLD

NOTES

WHATYOU

LOVE

N E E D S I N T H E

WORLD

MIS

SIO

N

BRAINSTORM AT LEAST 3 CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF

WHERE WHAT YOU LOVE INTERSECTS WITH THIS NEED

IN THE WORLD:

1

2

3

REWRITE THE 3 CATEGORIES OF THINGS YOU LOVE

IMPACT HYPOTHESIS6

If I ______________________ (proposed intervention

or solution) , then______________________ (action or

activity that will result).

If ______________________(action or activity),

then ______________________ (impact that will

result).

FAITH SHAPES HOW WE SEE. IT MAKES PRESENT

THINGS THAT ARE OFTEN HIDDEN AND PERCEIVES

THE CONTRAST BETWEEN “THE WAY THINGS ARE” IN SOCIETY AND “THE WAY THINGS COULD BE.” THIS IS ABOUT AN ALTERNATIVE IMAGINATION , A WAY OF SEEING HOW A RICHER

STORY OF THE HUMAN STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE

CHALLENGES AND PROVOKES OUR DOMINANT CULTURAL NARRATIVES . SEEING WITH THE

EYES OF FAITH CHANGES HOW WE CREATE ART,

JUSTICE INITIATIVES, AND BUSINESS PLANS.7

— MARK SAMPSON —

MATRYOSHKA HAUS

As you are starting a new venture, an important consideration is how this will affect your household income — whether it will be an added boost or require scaling back during the launch. This exercise is meant as a first-step to kickstart a conversation and deeper dive.

IVWHATYOUCAN

SUSTAININ YOUR ONGOING STORY, YOUR VENTURE

HAS TO BE SUSTAINABLE.

IN THIS SECTION WE’LL BEGIN TO EXPLORE

FINDING A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH & BALANCE

IN YOUR VENTURE AND YOUR LIFE.

FOR YOUR FAMILY: FINANCES

FOR YOUR VENTURE: REVENUE MODE

FOR YOU: REST & RENEWAL

SUSTAINABILITY

PERSONALFINANCES

What is the average income you need to make per month to cover your expenses?

$_____________

MONTH ONE YEAR ONE YEAR FIVE

80% current, existing job

20% new venture

60% existing

job scaled back to

part-time

40% new venture

10% consulting with new expertise

90% new venture

PIE CHART: FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN

Often starting a new venture affects your personal income

differently over time. This activity is a chance to consider

that and map out a plan. Use the following 3 blank pie

charts to sketch the breakdown of the percentage of how

you monthly expenses will be distributed at 3 moments in

time. See the example below:

*If you share monthly expenses with a family member, you may consider

these pie charts as a whole for your household — with the flexibility for one

person’s income to carry a heavier load for a season. Be creative with what

works for you. Take the time early on to communicate expectations.

__________

__________

__________

IVWHATYOUCAN

SUSTAIN

What are the products you offer?

What services do you provide?

Is there a level of knowledge or expertise your company provides?

What are the tangible resources you own or have access to?

Are there relationships that are an asset? Or access to a group of people such as an online following?

Perhaps you have some resources but aren’t sure how/if they fit your business... Capture them.

ASSET BRAINSTORM: IN THE FOLLOWING BUBBLES,

THINK OF ALL THE ASSETS YOUR BUSINESS OFFERS

OR HAS ACCESS TO. It’s OK to include things that are

aspirational once you are “up and running”.

GET CREATIVE:Feel free to draw lines to show connectivity between resources.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

“PURPOSE-DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS

THAT TRADE TO DELIVER SOCIAL OR

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT”8

“R E V E N U E M O D E L

IVWHATYOUCAN

SUSTAINCUSTOMER PERSONA BRAINSTORM: WHO ARE YOU

WORKING WITH? Use the blank personas below to

describe your ideal client for each different segment or

type of user you’ll be working with..

NAME:

AGE/DEMOGRAPHICS:

IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS:

WHERE YOU FIND THEM?

“THE POWER OF THE FUTURE

LIES IN THE HANDS NOT

OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE

IN SCARCITY BUT OF

THOSE WHO TRUST GOD’S

ABUNDANCE.”

“BUT JESUS PRESENTS

AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT

KIND OF ECONOMY, ONE

INFUSED WITH THE MYSTERY

OF ABUNDANCE AND A

CRUICIFORM KIND OF

GENEROSITY.”9

— FOOD FOR THOUGHT —

NAME:

AGE/DEMOGRAPHICS:



NAME:

AGE/DEMOGRAPHICS:



WALTERBRUEGGEMANN

IVWHATYOUCAN

SUSTAINR E V E N U E S O U R C E S >>> DELIVERY METHOD

Rewrite up to 4 top Assets in the boxes below

How do these assets get to the customer? i .e. : Retai l ; Del ivery; Online; Subscription

>>> REVENUE MODEL

How is this paid for? How do customers “unlock” access to these assets? *Need some ideas? See the next page

IVWHATYOUCAN

SUSTAIN

If money is limited, think about

your other assets.

What might you trade or barteras an exchange for somethingyou need as you get started?

BARTERING

DIRECT SALES: $$ exchanged directly with customer for your product or service

SUBSCRIPTION: $$ and product or access exchanged at recurring intervals

ADVERTISING: $$ exchanged for access to distribute content to your audience

LICENSING: $$ exchanged for the rights to use your product or service

USAGE: $$ exchanged at a predetermined cost per unit of your product or service utilized

BROKERAGE: $$ exchanged for the value you add by connecting people, products or businesses

FRANCHISE: $$ exchanged for others to scale or replicate

your venture in their context

REVENUE MODELSUse this IDEA BANK of Revenue Models to get your

wheels turning. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box

and combine ideas.

RENTAL: $$ exchanged for access to your product or service for a determined period of time

HOW MIGHT BARTERING BE USED TO MEET SOME OF YOUR VENTURE’S FIRST NEEDS?

>>> REVENUE MODEL CONTINUED

MISSION VS. PROFIT As a social enterprise you have a “double bottom line”. You are focused on both your mission and financial sustainability. The more alignment you can have between a revenue model that deepens your mission the more these things will work together, rather than at odds with one another.

Least Aligned Most Aligned

1 102 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

ARE THERE ANY WAYS TO MOVE THE NEEDLE HIGHER?

TO BRING MISSION AND THE REVENUE MODEL INTO MORE

ALIGNMENT?

1

2

AS A MISSION-BASED BUSINESS, HOW WELL DOES YOUR

MAIN REVENUE STREAM ALIGN WITH//DEEPEN YOUR

MISSION?

IVWHATYOUCAN

SUSTAIN

Business and impact work are not short-term. This is

a marathon, not a sprint. So how will you take care of

yourself and set a pace you can sustain? Like all of the

other areas, this requires a Plan of Action.

R E ST & R E N E WA L

YOUR CURRENT RHYTHMS OF REST

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____________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

ACTIONSTEPS

RESTED

BIG QUESTION:

HOW WILL YOU BUILD A RHYTHM OF REST?

How do you rest & renew?

Where?

How frequently?

How would you rate yourself?

1

2

What steps do you need

to take to make this a

regular reality?

1

2

3

Describe your ideal rhythm of rest. Take a

look back at “What you Love”.

W O R K S C I T E D

1. Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.

2. Frederick Buechner

3. Ikigai

4. adapted from Parker J. Palmer Let Your Life Speak

5. Parker J. Palmer. Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of

Vocation (Kindle Locations 341-348). Kindle Edition.

6. adapted from. Impact Hypothesis from +Acumen course

7. Mark Sampson: Alternative Imagination: https://thethread.ptsem.

edu/leadership/alternative-imagination

8. Social entrepreneurship definition: Alkine

9. Walter Brueggemann: the liturgy of abundance

https://www.scribd.com/doc/247040016/brueggemann-the-litur-

gy-of-abundance

a changemakers story - mission city renewal · if it was up to me, were there certain places i...

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