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by Ruth Hetland and Dawn Trautman
Embark on a journey with Ruth, creator of the wildly popular ConseCrate subscription box for ministers, and Dawn, veteran life coach to leaders to churches and non-profits through her business Big Picture Big Purpose, as they navigate the labyrinth of creativity on "Created Creative." Together, these creative entrepreneurs delve into the universal aspects of the creative life. From the restlessness within that compels us to build something new, whether it's a Lego castle or a life-altering venture, they celebrate the beauty and sanctity of these creative stirrings. Join them in exploring the transformative power of paying attention to that inner restlessness and making space for the growth of new, beautiful things. Welcome to a podcast that recognizes and celebrates how we are all "Created Creative."
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- 6 days ago35 min
Ep 133 - Because Sometimes the Most Sacred Thing You Can Do Is Let Go with Sarah Jones
Dawn and Ruth welcome Pastor Sarah Jones, program director of the ELCA's Church Property Resource Hub, launched March 2025. Sarah's doing some of the most important and emotionally complex work in the church right now: helping congregations navigate the grief of underused or ill-fitting buildings and find new life on the other side.Here's what makes Sarah's work so compelling: She's not just talking about real estate decisions. She's talking about the messy cocoon stage of transformation. The grief, the loss, the uncertainty that comes when a congregation has to reimagine what their building is actually for. That's not a spreadsheet problem. That's a pastoral one.Sarah shares beautiful success stories: a neurodivergent school sharing space with a congregation, a church house repurposed for family visitation. She emphasizes moving away from membership growth as the main metric and toward community impact, because a building that serves the neighborhood might matter more than one that serves only Sunday morning regulars.Her practical advice? Clarify your mission first. Then invite local stakeholders to tour your space. Build partnerships before you desperately need them.This episode is for anyone navigating institutional change, letting go of what was, and wondering what comes next.LINKS:The Church Property Resource Hub: https://www.elca.org/how-we-serve/churches-and-church-leaders/property-resourcesCheck out Discern by Doing for Business with Dawn Trautman! https://bigpicturebigpurpose.lpages.co/discern-by-doing-for-business/Clergy Appreciation Month is October! Order a ConseCrate for your favorite minister here: consecrate.cratejoy.com00:42 Finding Common Ground02:34 Church Connections03:17 Episode Setup00:02 Meet Pastor Sarah05:14 Hub Origin Story07:01 What The Hub Does08:33 Grief Before Change09:47 Community Asset Mindset11:49 Faith Language Tools12:35 When Churches Reach Out14:09 Beyond Growth Metrics16:36 Bible Study Resource17:08 Church With Too Much Space17:54 Mission First Then Invite Community20:59 Who To Bring In22:01 Vincennes Family Visitation House24:08 Daytona School Partnership26:46 Future Church As Community Hub28:20 Field Trips And Examples29:05 Marketing The Good Futures Game31:14 Lead With Grief And Hope34:08 You Are Not Alone
- 1 weeks ago14 min
Ep 132 - Celebrity Sightings and Butter Queens at the Minnesota State Fair (Or: Where Else Would a Rock Star Win Fifth Place in the Bread Competition?)
Dawn and Ruth are ACTUALLY AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR and this episode is pure joy. They kick things off debating corn on the cob textures (very important), sampling falafel and navigating the beef-heavy food options, and getting complimented on their outfits within minutes of arriving. Then someone from Dawn's Indiana school days recognizes her in the crowd because the Great Minnesota Get-Together really does bring everyone together.They dive into the sacred traditions: Princess Kay of the Milky Way butter sculptures (yes, they carve life-size butter heads of royalty), including a story about someone who actually ATE a carved butter head at a graduation party. They watch bovine judging with appropriate commentary, and critique the 4H musical choreography, which was apparently overly ambitious for a 10-day rehearsal process. Points for effort though.But here's where it gets really good: In the Creative Arts building, they run into John Munson of Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic fame. Who won fifth place in the bread competition. They take photos, they fan-girl appropriately, and they immediately invite him to be on the podcast.Because creativity really is EVERYWHERE at the Minnesota State Fair, from butter sculptures to bread competitions to rock stars in the Creative Arts building.Pro tip from Dawn and Ruth: Go midweek for smaller crowds. You're welcome.This episode is pure Minnesotan joy from start to finish, and proof that the best creative inspiration sometimes comes from the most unexpected places.00:00 Welcome to the Fair00:29 Corn on a Stick Debate01:33 Great Get Together Run In02:10 Why We Came Back02:46 Butter Sculpting Legends04:25 Bovine Judging Commentary04:51 4H Musical Reactions06:15 Semisonic Celebrity Sighting07:36 Bread Prize Plot Twist10:18 Fair Reflections and Food13:02 Creativity Everywhere Finale
- 3 weeks ago37 min
State Fair Baking, Creative Outlets, and Building a VBS Volunteer Culture with Victoria Hoppes (Because Ministry Leaders Need Creative Outlets Too)
Dawn and Ruth kick things off with State Fair anticipation (Minnesota, obviously), late summer updates from New York City, outdoor concerts, forest school prep, a son's backpacking trip to Yosemite, and taking another child to NDSU. Summer is winding down in the best possible way.Then they welcome Victoria Hoppes, a children's and youth ministry staff member in Indianapolis who writes, bakes, and tap dances, because creative outlets aren't a luxury for ministry leaders, they're a necessity.Victoria shares her delightful State Fair baking life: entering the Indiana State Fair's open arts and culinary competitions, selecting and tweaking recipes, using her church community as taste testers (best congregation perk ever), and submitting entries without needing county-level wins first. She's earned honorable mention ribbons and once won $15. She's basically living the dream.But then the conversation shifts to something really practical: How do you build a volunteer culture around a large, highly decorated VBS week? Victoria's strategies are gold—building genuine relationships before you need anything, offering take-home kits that make volunteering feel manageable, and sharing stories and photos that make people want to be part of something meaningful.The episode closes with Dawn coaching Victoria on restarting her Substack by September 30 and identifying potential publishers for her writing. This episode is for ministry leaders who need permission to pursue creative outlets AND practical strategies for building the volunteer culture that makes ministry actually sustainable.00:16 State Fair Traditions01:00 New York Summer Stories03:03 Outdoor Gear and Adventures03:47 Backpacking and Big Changes05:58 State Fair Plans and Guest Intro07:14 Meet Victoria Hoppes08:46 Creativity Beyond Ministry11:22 Entering the State Fair14:39 Recipes and Test Kitchen16:32 Judging and Ribbon Keepsakes18:54 Baking as Self Care19:35 Landing Writing Gigs21:59 VBS Creative Build24:08 Recruiting Volunteers29:14 Inspired by Kids30:51 Publishing Under Your Name35:19 Substack Deadline37:14 Wrap Up and Farewell
- Aug 10, 202624 min
Ep 130 - Conversations on Creative Living and Transitions
We Took a Slow Summer and We're Not Sorry About ItDawn and Ruth are back, a little sun-kissed and finally figuring out their recording software (only took all summer, but who's counting?). They're calling it a "slow summer" and honestly? We should all be taking notes, because the creative recharge is REAL.Ruth’s been holding down the fort at church through a heavy season of funerals and pastoral care — because ministry is beautiful and also absolutely exhausting, and now she's got a full fall lineup brewing: revamped confirmation, chair yoga (yes, really, and we are here for it), new Bible studies, and the return of the beloved "Dinners for Eight" to get people actually talking to each other in person again. Revolutionary concept, apparently.Meanwhile, Dawn has been deep in the absolute labyrinth that is New York City school applications *for a THREE-YEAR-OLD* and came out the other side with a forest school pick that has flexible scheduling and scholarship support. She's also going full curious-mom mode on homeschooling, worldschooling, and what "woke homeschooling" actually means (spoiler: it's more interesting than the discourse would have you believe).They also survived a chaotic, delayed trip to Indianapolis, shout out to community support and sensory rooms, and have big plans for filming at the Minnesota State Fair because of COURSE they do.Join our Patreon and be part of our creative community: https://patreon.com/u11072417?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink00:18 Slow Summer Catch Up00:31 New Recording Software01:30 Creative Work and Funerals01:58 Fall Plans at Church03:33 Forest School Decision07:13 Homeschooling and Off Peak Life10:20 1990s Summer Vibes10:49 Travel Chaos to Indianapolis12:53 Airport Meltdown Moment14:06 Finally Making Indy Work15:06 Sensory Room Survival16:57 State Fair Plans Ahead17:30 Fall Work and Speaking17:56 Woke Homeschooling Deep Dive21:39 Unschooling Questions and Rules23:06 Podcast Return and Farewell
- May 24, 202625 min
Ep 128 - Brian Spahr - Writing 59 Songs in a Year: Brian’s Return to Songwriting
(The audio ended abruptly on this episode but we are posting what we have - please check out Brian's music - he is amazing!!)Dawn and Ruth open the Created Creative podcast by celebrating Ruth’s birthday, discussing Memorial Day and a graveside service involving ashes finally buried after 12 years, then Dawn shares attending a live meeting about a world-schooling organization offering furnished apartments, Finnish-system schooling, and community in multiple countries on three-month cycles. They introduce an interview with Brian, a singer-songwriter, author, and chaplain in Fort Wayne, Indiana, whom they know from Youth Encounter. Brian describes starting songwriting in college, releasing CDs, then taking a 20-year break due to life demands and discouragement, before returning during COVID after mentoring a young songwriter and joining an online workshop. He built a practice of writing and publicly posting a completed song every Monday, producing 59 songs in a year, refining his lyric-focused storytelling voice; one song, “Threadbare,” was published in American Songwriter. He now prioritizes relational engagement over chasing streams while preparing an EP.Join Created Creative Podcast's Patreon: patreon.com/u11072417Learn more about Brian Spahr's music: https://brianspahrmusic.com/homeHere is the link to the crowdfunding page https://threadbarecreative.com/welcome-to-struggleville-junctionAnd here is the playlist of "Threadbare Songs"https://untitled.stream/library/project/zL0z4lXtFXsrf03Aguv3P00:00 Songwriting Rhythm Breakthrough00:21 Birthday Banter and Holidays00:50 Memorial Day and Veterans01:17 Twelve Year Ashes Story03:01 Spain Update and Worldschooling Pitch04:12 Choosing Countries and Timing05:56 Closed System Schooling Explained06:46 Introducing Brian Interview07:13 Brian in Fort Wayne07:42 Wildwood Studio in Brooklyn08:29 Pastor to Chaplain Career Path09:06 Youth Encounter Team Days09:52 Catching Up With Tammy10:21 Songwriting Origins11:09 Music Industry Shifts12:00 Why He Stopped Writing13:02 COVID Spark Returns14:55 Monday Song Challenge16:54 Finding His Voice19:51 Validation Versus Streams21:28 Relational Music Making22:53 Making Time To Create23:50 Advice For The Hiatus24:48 Closing Thanks And Links
- May 11, 202613 min
Ep 127 - The Magic is in the Pivot
Dawn and Ruth are shifting Created Creative to every other week episodes. Why? Running a top 5% podcast (yes, our humble little podcast is in the top 5% in the world) comes with an admin and editing load that’s getting heavy, and they need help.They're asking listeners to join their Patreon to help hire support and keep the show ad-free. In return, patrons get to join monthly "Created Creative Conversations" for community and coaching. They explore why people pay to belong to communities like NPR, churches, and yoga studios, while acknowledging how weird it feels to ask for support for less tangible creative work.But here's the core message: Creative projects are allowed to change. Rigid rules choke creativity, and "the magic is in the pivot"—as long as you communicate openly instead of just quitting.Dawn and Ruth model this beautifully, sharing life updates that show them both pivoting: funerals and sermon writing, painting projects, planning for Spain, and decluttering goals.This episode is for anyone who's felt guilty about changing direction on a creative project, or who thinks pivoting means failure. It doesn't. Sometimes the magic happens precisely when you're brave enough to adjust course and keep going, don't cha know.Because the opposite of quitting isn't sticking rigidly to the original plan—it's staying curious enough to let your project evolve.LINKS: Join our Patreon: patreon.com/u1107241700:00 Magic In The Pivot00:21 Why We Need Patreon01:14 Community Membership Mindset02:24 Patron Perks And Coaching03:49 Changing The Rules05:23 Life Updates And Sermons07:31 NYC Plans And Kid Crafts09:09 Decluttering Ten Percent11:03 Asking For Support Feels Weird12:02 Pivot Advice And Wrap Up
- Apr 27, 202634 min
Ep 126 - Thomas Maltman on Making Stories Real
What do you do when you have no ashes the night before Ash Wednesday? You burn something, of course. And then twenty years later, you write a novel about it.That's exactly what happened to novelist Thomas Maltman, who teaches at Normandale Community College, is married to a Lutheran pastor, and has four novels under his belt, including Ashes to Ashes (currently in Minnesota Book Award contention).The real-life Ash Wednesday mishap became the premise for his latest book: What if the ashes wouldn't wash away? What if this happened in a small town? How would people react? That's how you turn an awkward church moment into compelling fiction.Dawn and Ruth also dive into Thomas's writing process. He shares his morning routine, drafting by hand with full permission to "write badly," then revising through typing, printing, and reading everything aloud. He talks about the value of writing community, headphones, and why you should always start new projects during those long publishing waits.This episode is for writers, obviously, but also for anyone who's ever wondered how real life becomes story. Because sometimes the best fiction starts with the moments that make you think "you can't make this stuff up."LINKS: Join our Creative Community and support this podcast by joining our Patreon: patreon.com/u1107241700:21 Springtime City Vibes01:15 Confirmation Walk Treats02:12 Botanic Garden Learning02:59 Meet Thomas Maltman04:56 Ashes to Ashes Origin09:22 Writing in the Morning10:23 Publishing Without an Agent12:09 Writing Anywhere Tools14:14 Finding Readers Today17:29 Long Form Comeback17:52 Start Small Write Rough18:46 From Journal To Draft20:39 Living In Story Worlds23:21 Embodiment And Truth24:50 Writing For Love Not Money26:48 Favorite Creators And Community27:58 Fantasy Roadblocks Coaching29:56 Find Your Genre Audience32:02 Gargoyles To Novellas
- Apr 15, 202638 min
Ep 125 - Creativity, Faith, and Early Brain Development with Dawn Rundman
Dawn and Ruth welcome Dawn Rundman, a publishing professional at Augsburg Fortress since 2002 who also happens to have a PhD in developmental psychology. Her book Little Steps, Big Faith dives into using what we know about early childhood development to nurture children's faith through rituals, language, music, symbols, and worship. Dawn's suggestions for churches are practical and brilliant: upgrade those sad nurseries, provide higher-quality worship activity bags (not just broken crayons and photocopied sheets), create intergenerational making opportunities, and actually showcase children's art instead of hiding it away.Dawn also talks about creativity and discipline: how she leaves home to write because inspiration isn't enough, you need structure. She connects creativity and spirituality through communal worship traditions, showing how the practices that shape little brains also shape our own capacity for wonder and connection.This episode is for parents, church leaders, anyone who works with children, or anyone who's ever wondered why some environments nurture creativity while others shut it down. Because luck might be the residue of design, but good design starts with understanding how humans actually develop and thrive.LINKS: learn more about Dawn Rundman's work: https://www.dawnrundman.com/Join our Patreon community: patreon.com/u1107241700:17 Welcome And Weekly Catchup00:57 Yacht Rock Flashbacks02:03 Discern By Doing Business03:50 Patreon Community Momentum04:51 Meet Dawn Rudman08:23 Little Steps Big Faith10:28 Screens Boredom And Faith11:53 How Creativity Begins16:24 Church Spaces For Kids18:41 Kids Art On Display19:18 Beyond Art Creativity20:21 Adults Need Permission21:20 Small Steps To Start23:02 Creative Inspirations27:48 Life At Augsburg Fortress29:24 Coaching A Team Well32:35 Discipline Beats Inspiration34:15 Writing Space And Routine35:34 Creativity And Spirituality
About Created Creative Podcast
Embark on a journey with Ruth, creator of the wildly popular ConseCrate subscription box for ministers, and Dawn, veteran life coach to leaders to churches and non-profits through her business Big Picture Big Purpose, as they navigate the labyrinth of creativity on "Created Creative." Together, these creative entrepreneurs delve into the universal aspects of the creative life. From the restlessness within that compels us to build something new, whether it's a Lego castle or a life-altering venture, they celebrate the beauty and sanctity of these creative stirrings. Join them in exploring the transformative power of paying attention to that inner restlessness and making space for the growth of new, beautiful things. Welcome to a podcast that recognizes and celebrates how we are all "Created Creative."
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