Dear Readers,

We shipped our Summer issue, Animal Being, just a few weeks ago so we hope you’ve been enjoying a nice break with the printed word. We also hope the issue inspires you to relate to our fellow creatures in a new way. If you haven’t received your issue yet, let us know at subscriptions@geezmagazine.org and we’ll help figure things out.

Geez Appeal
You should have seen our appeal for 50 new Monthly Donors. You may also remember us mentioning that we’ve been in a low financial situation this past year.

2015 has been a trial year for us – we’ve been working hard to put in place strategies to keep us sustainable so that we can continue making Geez magazine. Monthly donors are essential to that strategy as a way to provide us with steady income to cover production costs and pay workers.

To that end, we hope you’ll consider joining our league of monthly supporters who keep Geez going – even $5/month is a big help to us. All monthly donors receive an on-going Geez subscription, as well as some sweet rewards, such as a 2-inch letter “g,” a Geez Activist Assistance Kit, or a personalized poem written by either Aiden (editor) or me.

If you’re already a monthly donor, thank you so much for your continued support! (And, if you’d like any of the applicable rewards mentioned, just let us know!)

Crowdfunding Success
We’d like to again thank everyone who contributed to the success of our crowdfunding campaign to print a full-colour children’s story in the magazine. It was a valuable project for us that definitely wouldn’t have happened without your support. We’ve sent out your copies of the children’s book, as well as thank-you notes and other rewards, so if you haven’t received yours yet, you should soon.

Call for Experiments and Sinners
This is an open call for stories:

Are you or your community engaging with truth or practices to resist the influences of corporate capitalism, consumerism, or other dominant Western narratives? We’d like to hear from you! Send your story to our Experiments editor, Katie Doke Sawatzky, at experiments@geezmagazine.org.

Or, maybe you’ve got some secret sin or guilty pleasure you’d like to get off your chest. Readers enjoy hearing about other people’s struggles and seeing what our editor serves as penance. Email our Confessions editor Margot Starbuck at sins@geezmagazine.org and find absolution.

Upcoming Festivals

Wild Goose Festival, July 9-15, 2015
The Wild Goose community explores spirituality, social justice, music, and the arts. This four-day festival takes place each summer in Hot Springs, North Carolina. Find more information about the festival and tickets prices at the Wild Goose website.

Cahoots!Fest, July 9-15, 2015
The Cahoots!Fest of faith, social justice, and DIY is happening this year just outside of Toronto in Milton, Ontario. Look forward to camping, good music, and challenging workshops. More information about the festival and tickets is available on their website.

Skylight Festival, July 31- August 2, 2015
Modelled after the U.K.’s Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival, Skylight offers music, drama, art, film, and talks on faith, peace, and justice. Find out more at skylightfestival.ca.

Why Christian? Conference, September 18-20, 2015
Organized by Rachel Held Evans and Nadia Bolz-Weber, WX2015 brings together 11 women to tell their real-life, flesh-and-blood stories of living out the Gospel of Jesus. This is not just a conference for women, but for all who want to attend. Check out their website for more information. (Note: they may be sold out.)

Hellos and Goodbyes
We’d like to give a fond farewell to John Goossen, who’s been doing the books for Geez since day one (that’s 10 years!). Thank you for everything!

And, welcome to two new board members, Mandy Elliot and Carolyn Mount; we’re looking forward to working with you!

As always, here are several ways you can support the Geez project:

- Subscribe to Geez magazine for your self (if you haven’t already)

- Subscribe to Geez magazine as a gift for a friend

- Make a one-time donation or become a Geez monthly donor.

- Tell your friends about Geez and help spread the word.

Thank you everyone for your on-going support of this important work of faith-inspired social justice, art, and activism. We couldn’t do it without you.

On behalf of the Geez team,

Kyla Neufeld
Managing Editor