Special Guests

  • Stephen Jenkinson — Activist, Teacher, Farmer, Author of COME OF AGE: The Case of Elderhood in a Time of Trouble
    Stephen Jenkinson has a Master's degree in theology from Harvard University and a Master's degree in social work from the University of Toronto. He is a former programme director and medical-school assistant professor. He is the subject of the National Film Board of Canada documentary film, Griefwalker. With Nathalie Roy, Jenkinson founded The Orphan Wisdom School in 2010, which convenes in Tramore, Canada, and in various places in northern Europe. He is the author of How It All Could Be (now translated into four languages), Money and the Soul’s Desires, Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul, and, most recently, Come of Age: The Case of Elderhood in a Time of Trouble. With Gregory Hoskins and band, Stephen has offered Nights of Grief & Mystery to sold-out houses on three continents, most recently during the 26-city Nights of Grief & MysteryNorth American Tour 2018.

  • Lilia Tarawa — Author of DAUGHTER OF GLORIAVALE: My Life in a Religious Cult
    Daughter of Gloriavale is one young woman’s true story of growing up in a repressive cult led by her charismatic grandfather, Hopeful Christian. In an idyllic valley in New Zealand, the Gloriavale Christian Community seemingly flourished. Founded by Lilia Tarawa’s grandfather, Hopeful Christian, Gloriavale was run according to an oppressive interpretation of fundamental Christianity and became a strictly controlled world of arranged marriages, religious control, and spiritual abuse. Born into the cult that her grandfather had started, and surrounded by friends and family, Gloriavale seemed like paradise for Lilia Tarawa at first. Her mother, Miracle, had grown up in there too and Lilia’s father managed a thriving moss export business, one of several companies owned by the community. As Lilia grew older, however, she began to see and experience the darker side of the cult, with its strict rules, tight control, and shocking abuse. As Lilia and her family started to question Gloriavale’s beliefs and practices, Lilia was forced to make a desperate choice: stay with people she loved or flee to a world that she had always been told was evil. In Daughter of Gloriavale, Lilia Tarawa exposes the shocking world of the secretive cult and details her heart-wrenching journey to break free, find happiness and discover her own strength.

  • Christa Hesselink — Founder of SOULPLAY “Slow Down. Wake Up. Love Well”
    “What is your soul saying to you? Not sure? Let us help you listen. Explore and choose a best-fit experience now. Retreats | Workshops | Pilgrimage | Yoga | Spiritual Direction | Personal Coaching. SOULPLAY offers creative experiences, curated resources, and personal support to help individuals and groups dig deeper, listen well, and journey towards loving themselves, others, God, and our world, well. What do you need to slow down? What do you need to wake up and love well?” *Christa Hesselink has been guiding individuals and groups as they dig deeper into their spiritual life for her entire twenty-year career. She is a well-respected keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and retreat leader, and her focus content includes; transformation & vulnerability, the inner-life of an effective leader, contemplative spirituality, grief & loss, and soul care. She holds a Master’s of Leadership and a Masters of Theology degree and has been named a “Hero of Children” from World Vision Canada. She is the Canadian best-selling author of Life’s Great Dare and the founder of the Love2Love Project which, to date, has given over $45,000 to vulnerable children in Syria and Mozambique. Christa is a certified coach, certified yoga instructor, and is training to become a spiritual director with the Haden Institute. Christa’s “happy place” is hiking on the trail. Her favorite adventure to date has been her solo trek across northern Spain, walking 800km on the Camino de Santiago. She loves traveling to new places, devouring podcasts, practicing yoga, cooking for friends, or curling up with a glass of wine and a good book.

  • Phillip Adsetts — Director of North American Business Development, Kinetico Incorporated
    Kinetico designs and manufactures innovative water softening, filtration and purification systems. Systems that are third-party certified, environmentally friendly and solve water problems in over 100 countries with offices in London, Paris, Barcelona, Shanghai, Brussels, and Copenhagen. Kinetico is committed to ensuring the safety of Canadian water through innovation, information and their network of knowledgeable Kinetico Water Specialists. Water is essential to all life and Kinetico is about a holistic view of responsibility and stewardship for this treasured resource.

LIVE! on TDMS - Devoted Souly to the Art of Music

  • Darcy Windover
    Ask any artist why they make music and chances are they’ll say that, at least in part, it’s a form of therapy. That was definitely true for Darcy Windover as he made his latest album whose title, Cope, pretty much says it all. For the Toronto - based singer/songwriter originally from Sarnia, Ontario, the new 10 - song collection is the summation of a difficult period revolving around his mother’s struggle with Alzheimer’s, and the mental toll it took on everyone close to her. That theme is encapsulated in the album’s opening track “How To Be Lonely,” which Windover specifically wanted to release to help fight the stigma surrounding anxiety and mental illness. Although, the song addresses tough issues, its anthemic, modern roots rock sound — the foundation for the album overall — is sure to inspire hope within anyone dealing with similar circumstances. Windover had previously entered the song in the 2017 edition of CBC’s Searchlight contest where it earned a more than respectable showing among the thousands of other entries. That momentum helped Windover complete Cope a year later with producer John Dinsmore (Kathleen Edwards, NQ Arbuckle) and his trusted band, including co-writer and duet partner Stacey Dowswell. Together, they built on the foundation of “How To Be Lonely” with songs that look at the causes and effects of mental illness from various perspectives. Some, like “This Is Gonna Hurt” and “Get By,” are powerful meditations on relationships in crisis, while others like “Simple Words” and “Where The Sound Don’t Go” explore the challenges of communicating effectively in our modern world. But what is perhaps most impressive about Cope is its immediate sonic appeal, particularly for anyone who appreciates classic roots-rock sounds. As a songwriter, Windover draws inspiration from his heroes such as Tom Petty, emphasizing melody, hooks, and atmosphere above all else, with a little twang for good measure. Sure, melancholy is unavoidable, but never as a distraction from pure songwriting Craftsmanship.
    *Darcy and his band invite you to their CD release party for their new album, COPE at The Dakota Tavern in Toronto on April 18th 7-9 PM.

    www.darcywindover.com

    CHECK THIS VIDEO OUT: DARCY WINDOVER on The Drew Marshall Show
    **AND… Check out our DrewTube page to watch over 100 videos from some of our previous recording artists.