Nathan is committed to nurturing connection and community through our relationships, our bodies, our sense of self, the land that we live on, and our experience of the Divine. Deeply grounded in contemplative and mystic Christianity and nature-based spirituality, Nathan seeks to consistently invite others into more unitive and loving life, whether it be through spiritual companioning, caring for those in the hospital, advocating for more natural earth keeping, caring for his honey bees and his native wildflower garden, or writing.

Nathan has led community groups for many years focused on spiritual integration, conversations on death and dying, grief support, and men’s spirituality. He is also particularly passionate about living within our limits and frailty, being a parent of a son with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and walking alongside patients every day through their diagnoses, their loss of ability, and their illness.

He received his Masters in Divinity from Bethel Seminary in St Paul, MN and Certificates of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction from George Fox Seminary in Portland, OR. Nathan served on the founding board for the men’s spirituality non-profit, Illuman and is a graduate scholar of the Orphan Wisdom School, led by teacher, storyteller and author, Stephen Jenkinson.

• Who Nathan Bettger is
• The way that grief affects people
• Not everything that hurts is bad

In this episode of It’s Not Just Business Talks with Sonja, we get to meet Nathan Bettger, a spiritual director and hospital chaplain. Through Nathan’s work, grieving families have found ways to cope with loss. 

Grief is a powerful force, but it doesn’t have to be negative. Nathan has shown us that there is something good that can come from pain and suffering; that we should not be afraid to hurt because it means that we are alive. 

Bettger’s work is important because it gives us a glimpse into the various ways we lose people and how grief affects us. He has shown that not everything that hurts is bad, and by understanding the grieving process we can better support those who are going through it. His work allows us to see the beauty in life, even after tragedy.

• Bethel Seminary
• George Fox Seminary
• Can-Do Canines
• Stephen Jenkinson, Grief Support
• Beth Patterson, Grief Support
• NateBettger.com

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Daron Jagodzinske is the founding pastor of Alive Covenant Church. Born in Welcome, Minnesota (that’s right, the sign said “Welcome to Welcome”), Daron spent his first 18 years growing up and working on the family farm. He and his wife, Kristin, have five children: Justus, Greta, Ella, Fia, and Kwame.

Daron loves seeing God at work in people’s lives, sharing life with Kristin, being a dad, playing basketball, beating his buddies in fantasy football, laughing at Will Ferrell, fishing for seafood, and exploring the beauty of the northwest.

Along the way, Daron received a BA in accounting, worked as a social worker, studied clinical psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, and received his Master of Divinity in Theology at North Park University. 

Are you looking for a worship community that is mission-driven and focused on growing love for God — without the traditional aspects of a church?

Daron Jagodzinske is doing just that at Alive Covenant Church. He is cultivating a community of forgiveness with the foundation of love — without the unnecessary jargon of traditional worship. His approach as a church leader is to connect God with the community through a welcoming language and understanding that you’re perfectly imperfect. 

In this episode of It’s Not Just Business Talks with Sonja, Sonja Anderson talks with Daron Jagodzinske, Pastor at Alive Covenant Church, about how his work within the church and community is reshaping how religion is perceived. Daron discusses the ingredients of God’s love, following your instincts to discover a worship community that is right for you, and learning how to forgive and heal for a stronger connection with God.

Sally Kennedy is the Creative Director and Senior Graphic Designer for Red Barn Design. Her mission is simple — be real, be good. To Sally, that means being mindful of all stakeholders in whatever she does. It’s not only thinking about profit for shareholders, it’s also caring for staff, customers, the environment, and the community. In her spare time, Sally loves to experience new places, hike remote trails, eat ethnic foods, enjoy great movies and books, and play with family and friends.

Life can feel a little dull after working the same job for 25 years. How do you find renewed energy in your daily grind? 

Discover your purpose. When you know the “why” behind your work, everything else falls into place. Instead of just the bottom line, people who dedicate themselves to a mission find that their daily workflow has new meaning. So, how do you find your purpose?

In this episode of It’s Not Just Business Talks with Sonja, Host Sonja Anderson sits down with Sally Kennedy, Creative Director and Senior Graphic Designer for Red Barn Design, to discuss how her business changed after defining her mission. Sally talks about starting the business with her husband, how they hit the “refresh” button for their company, and finding her spiritual path.