Most North Americans grow up in a culture that worships money, embedded in an economic system that holds money up as the only true measure of value. But money is a failed god, as we see in the fear that threatens our personal well-being and our relationships, in the overwork and overwhelm that guts community life, in the resigned acceptance of both extreme wealth and extreme poverty and in the drive for ever-more that is destroying our planet.
Such massive issues need to be addressed from all levels of government and all facets of the economy. So what can we do in one brief workshop?
We look within ourselves, by better understanding our messy, conflicted feelings about money. Self-awareness around money can free us to act in new ways, fueled by compassion rather than guilt or anxiety.
And we bring that understanding to our immediate spheres of influence – our households, neighborhoods, and organizations – by daily engaging in the economy in ways that help repair relationships, build community, narrow the wealth gap, and move toward environmental sustainability.
The retreat facilitators will bring their Judeo-Christian faith roots and years of money-related experiences to the discussion. What traditions, perspectives, and experiences will you bring? All who share values of justice and community—regardless of how those values evolved—are crucial to the retreat and crucial to the work of building an economy that works for everyone.
Our hope is that you would leave this retreat with a better understanding of your relationship to money, and with specific, doable commitments to help create a more loving, just, and sustainable world.
Leaders
Andy Loving and Susan Taylor have spent most of their adult lives imagining ways to act justly with money, learning along the way from communal living ventures, people without houses, and a beautiful array of spiritual companions on the road. Andy and Susan are partners in Just Money Advisors (justmoneyadvisors.com), a financial advising firm specializing in high-impact deposits and investments for people who want to see a more just, sustainable economy. They are both board members of Faith and Money Network. Among other service positions, Andy serves on the board of Kirkridge Retreat Center, and Susan chairs the board of…
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Mike Little leads the inward and outward work of Faith and Money Network. Within the network, Mike fosters relationships with individuals and faith communities, leading reflections and discussions on the role of money in our lives as people of faith and in our work as the community of faith. He’s also a skilled and sought-after group facilitator, with decades of experience helping groups learn, grow, and work together. Mike has spent more than three decades working with Church of the Saviour in Washington, DC, in the areas of homelessness, addictions, affordable housing, and job services. He has a life-long commitment…
Learn more about Mike Little