It’s been a little over six months since the evacuation and closure of Holden Village. Although the Village is closed to guests, a small intrepid team of in-village staff remain to protect the Village and ensure its continued operation.

This chapter of Holden history has been an opportunity for great growth and innovation. How do you run Holden Village with under fifteen people and without a roadway? On this newest Holden Village podcast we check in with operations manager Steve Johnson and community services manager Emer Kate Sanders to learn more about the unique challenges Villagers face while operating the Village during the current closure.

From constant repairs to wood processing, from helicopter food deliveries to sorting through staff possessions, the in-village team is far from idle.

Plus, Steve and Emer Kate look back on the past six months of Holden Village and remember December’s mudslides and evacuation. What was it like to close down the Village? What was it like to return and start putting the pieces back together? Steve and Emer Kate share their memories and how Holden Village continues to inspire them.

Listen in to learn more about what daily life at Holden Village looks like without guests and what projects are around the corner.

For more information, subscribe to Holden’s newsletter and read about the Village’s Road to Recovery here.

Following Jesus Beyond Church Walls: A Catalyst for Your Spiritual Growth is a new book by Rev. Chantal McKinney and is the subject of an upcoming book group hosted by Holden Village.

Through her book, McKinney takes readers on a grounded journey of lament, healing, and spiritual discovery as she explores aspects of following Jesus that have been suppressed in patriarchal Christian culture, leading to an inspiring and empowering vision of what the future church can become.

After serving in the Episcopal Church as a priest for twenty years, McKinney founded Root Thrive Soar and works with churches and faith organizations around the country who are ready to shift towards being the church in/among their communities by aligning themselves with the Spirit’s movement in the world around them through compassionate action and decolonized community engagement.

Rev. McKinney sits down with Carl Norquist for the Holden Village podcast to discuss faith, church harm, and what endures beyond it.

Holden Village's virtual book group with Rev. Chantal McKinney take place June 4, 11, 18. Registration is free. You can sign up on the Holden Village website.

McKinney's book is available through most online booksellers. You can support Holden directly by visiting Bookshop.org and purchasing from the Holden Store.

To learn more about Rev. Chantal McKinney, you can visit her website.

As we navigate this unpredictable time, we are working hard to continue to offer safe, creative spaces for learning, play, and building community! Holden Village is excited to announce three spring 2026 facilitator sessions.

The first of these sessions will invite participants to explore how faith, courage, and love of neighbor can help us move towards a society where everyone belongs and everyone can thrive.

Building the Society We Deserve is presented by Paths to Understanding executive director Pastor Terry Kyllo and program director Hannah Hochkeppel. Paths to Understanding is an interfaith nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering community connections and promoting understanding across diverse backgrounds.

Holden Village Advancement Partner Carl Norquist sits down with Terry Kyllo to discuss why working with people of different cultures is a central part of the Christian tradition and strategies for blocking injustice, bridging divides, and building new sustainable systems.

The first of these virtual sessions will take place on April 16. Registration is FREE! You can sign up to participate here.