About Us | elements-of-life

Jake Bradley holds an MDiv in Urban Ministry from Acadia University, and has provided pastoral care, emotional support, and spiritual leadership for over 30 years. They have facilitated all sorts of rites and rituals, and have participated in gatherings of every major world faith group. They identify as Genderqueer and Pagan, are a foster and adoptive parent of special needs kids, and are engaged in committed polyamory. They enjoy making music, wilderness adventures, disaster response volunteering, and direct public action on a wide range of justice issues. They are an earnest student of Non-violent Communication, a Naturalist in training, an avid devotee of vegan nutritional and homeopathic / naturopathic healing, and a passionate promoter of Harm Reduction philosophy and practice. On Myers-Briggs, they're ENTJ, and on the enneagram they rate 2 and 7. They're allergic to cats (and most everything else).

Nate Metrick is a native of New York City, but they live in Chicago. Nate grew up Jewish, and currently identify as a pluralist Christian. They went to seminary, imagining that they'd be a local church pastor. Maybe they will some day. For now, their dream vocation is "shame-exterminator." They hold an MDiv from Chicago Theological Seminary, and have provided ministry and pastoral care in both conventional and unconventional settings. They feel most comfortable in spaces and communities that are diverse, and have felt espeically at home working with youth who were experiencing homelessness and people with disabilities. They identify as genderqueer or gender non-conforming.

When Nate was in their early 20s, they cared for their godmother in her dying process, and it was both impossibly heart-wrenching and a huge gift. They felt somewhat isolated at that time, and were hungry to find other people who understood and had room for the incredibly strange mix of emotions they experienced in trying to care for, and then grieve for, someone they loved so dearly. They would love to be able to offer company and affirmation to others who are in their dying process, and to those who love them.

They enjoy writing and drawing, are devoted to their television programs and podcasts, and lovingly tend their pet Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches.