2023 Lent Speaker Series

Cherish All Children partners with churches and communities to prevent child sexual exploitation and trafficking.  While Cherish All Children is based in Minnesota, many of their resources are available nationwide. Cherish All Children is a service of Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

Cherish All Children’s newest resource is their Safe & Healthy Relationships Youth Guide to give youth the knowledge and skills to stay safe in online and in-person relationships.

Nicholas Tangen is the Director of Faith Practices & Neighboring Practices at the Minneapolis Area Synod. He also writes about the church and community engagement at www.nicholastangen.com and hosts a podcast on the same topic called “At the Table: Christian Community for the Common Good”. He and his spouse, Kristin, have lived in NE Minneapolis for over a decade and are members at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church.

Nick will invite confirmation students into a conversation about the spiritual practice of neighboring and making space in Lent to encounter Christ our neighbor. What does it look like to take the two greatest commandments, to love God and neighbor, seriously in the places where we live and worship?

NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families. For over 40 years, NAMI Minnesota has worked to promote the development of community mental health programs and services, change public attitudes about mental illnesses, improve access to services and increase opportunities for recovery.

“Hearts + Minds” is a free wellness program designed to educate and empower individuals to manage their mental and physical health. It was developed by NAMI National, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for millions of Americans since 1979. 

Danielle speaks under the belief that she, along with all people, is a work in progress. She is authentic and transparent in her communication on scripture and social and racial justice issues. Danielle's goal for her audience is that they would enter into a long-term conversation on faith, love, service through compassion, and God; that they would be inspired to embrace the risks and full life that God desires for them.

Beyond speaking, Danielle works as a community organizer decentralizing power and working towards equity and equality. She spends her time in her neighborhood community garden growing food and relationships. Dani’s work is centered around creative problem solving and community empowerment. She also loves to read, write, bike, and sit around a bonfire.

David Scherer is a performer, teacher, author, trainer, and facilitator who helps people build bridges across the “differences that make a difference”. Whether it’s performing in football stadiums around the country, or training a small group of executives, David inspires people to break down the barriers that divide them and work for justice for all people. David’s reconciliation work has taken him across the world to Bosnia, El Salvador, Haiti, and other countries. He teaches Graduate School Intercultural Competence courses, is a Qualified Administrator in the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), and is also a trained facilitator with the Kaleidoscope Institute. 

He has founded multiple youth leadership development programs, and in 2009 he received the “Tommy Award” for his work with young people. 

Joe Davis and David Scherer are both artists and educators who bring 30+ years of experience between the two of them in facilitating intercultural bridge building and personal growth. They have worked with individuals and organizations across the country to "move the needle" toward cultural humility and awareness. They are both Qualified Administrators of the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Joe and David will be bringing a message to us about Holy Spirit Dreaming. You won’t want to miss it!

Joe Davis is a nationally-touring artist, educator, trainer, and speaker based in Minneapolis, MN. He employs poetry, music, theater, and dance to shape culture.

His work has been featured on BET, CNN, and VH1. He is the Founder and Director of multimedia production company, The New Renaissance, the frontman of emerging soul funk band, The Poetic Diaspora, and co-creator of JUSTmove, racial justice education through art. He has keynoted, facilitated conversation, and served as teaching artist at hundreds of high schools and universities including programs in New York, Boston, and most recently as the Artist-in-Residence at Luther Seminary where he earned a Masters in Theology of the Arts.

Questions?

Please contact Leisha Tays, CYF Innovator, at ltays@oursaviourslc.org