Full MOON ZOOM ~ Apr. 4, 2026

The meeting focused on discussing Jack’s recent MTEL exam results and his experience organizing an interfaith panel at Kenyan College. Jack shared that he had passed the exam with a score above the required 240, which meant he could keep his job. They discussed Jack’s background in interfaith work, including his involvement in organizing a panel featuring representatives from Muslim, Catholic, Buddhist, Jewish, and other faith traditions, which attracted around 100 attendees. The conversation also covered personal topics like family names and origins, with Jack sharing details about his Swedish heritage and connection to Camp Ripley in Minnesota through her grandfather. Jack’s mom, Carolyn joined us and filled in some details about family history in Europe!   
The meeting included discussions about gardening and nature, with Jack mentioning plans to plant American senna and other native plants, and Deanne sharing about her mushroom growing activities.

Jack and Deanne discussed technical issues with screen sharing permissions in Zoom, which they successfully resolved. Deanne shared photos of a family in Malaysia and expressed interest in the concept of welcoming strangers. Jack described hosting a Dinner Church event at their UU church focused on welcoming strangers, which included readings and small group discussions about both welcoming and being welcomed as strangers.

Deanne and Jack discussed their personal updates, including Deanne’s upcoming mushroom workshop and Jack’s weekly date nights with his husband. They also talked about the concept of “Circles of Grace” from Justin Jones’s work on diversity, which focuses on extending grace to people both within and outside one’s inner circle. The conversation touched on the importance of avoiding “autopilot lumping” when interacting with others and included recommendations for further reading on welcoming the stranger, including resources from Karen Armstrong and Jack’s personal collection of readings.

Jack shared his experience organizing an interfaith partnership group that included a rabbi and reverend, where all members were equals regardless of their titles. He described helping to organize a “Welcoming the Stranger” panel featuring representatives from different faiths, which was well-received by approximately 100 attendees. The conversation then shifted to Jack’s MTEL score report, where he learned he had passed with a score of 240 or above, which qualified him to keep his job. The conversation ended with Deanne practicing how to properly pronounce Nupur’s name.

Jack and Deanne discussed their shared history, including their time together during COVID and their families’ backgrounds. They explored their names’ origins and discussed family ancestry, with Jack sharing details about his Swedish heritage and Deanne mentioning potential royalty in her family. The conversation touched on preserving nature, reflecting both their interests and possibly genetic connections to environmental preservation.

Deanne and Jack discussed plant identification, particularly focusing on American Senna (Senna hebecarpa), also known as pea shrub, and its characteristics. They also talked about their experiences with foraging and plant harvesting, including the time sensitivity of willow harvesting and mushroom log preparation. The conversation concluded with plans for future visits and potential collaboration on a museum project at Camp Ripley in Minnesota.

 

It was fun to talk and share our lives, and weave into Jack’s family through this call!