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Church and Main is a podcast at the intersection of faith and modern life. Join Pastor Dennis Sanders as he shares the stories of faith interacting with the ever-changing world of the 21st century.
Music.
Hello and welcome to Church and Main, the podcast at the intersection of faith
and modern life. I'm Dennis Sanders, your host.
Church and Main is a podcast that looks for God in the midst of issues affecting
the church and the larger society.
You can learn more about the podcast, listen to past episodes,
and donate by checking us out at churchinmaine.org or churchinmaine.substack.com.
Consider subscribing to the podcast on your favorite podcast app,
and leave a review. That helps others find this podcast.
So, over the last few years, I've started to hear this phrase that I hadn't really heard before.
It's kind of a newer phrase, and it might be now new to you as well. Side hustle.
Side hustle is a way to make money in addition to your full-time or part-time job.
It can also be a way to explore a new career. Probably an older term for that
would have been moonlighting.
Side hustles can be a way for folk in jobs that may not pay very well,
like, I don't know, being a pastor in a congregation,
to earn some money and also to gain some new skills.
And today we're going to talk to someone that is engaged in a side hustle,
a pastor engaged in a side hustle, Ruth Hetland.
She is a Lutheran pastor living here in Minnesota and she started a side hustle
a few years ago to support women in ministry.
Now I've known Ruth since our days in seminary back in the late 1990s And I
especially got to know her very well during a seminary trip to China.
Since then, this pastor's daughter has served as a pastor herself in congregations
in New York State, Texas, Colorado, and Minnesota.
And she is currently an interim minister at an ELCA Lutheran congregation in northern Minnesota.
In this interview, we talk about how she started Consecrate in 2020 and how
it has grown in intervening years.
Consecrate is a subscription box service serving primarily women in ministry,
and it has grown to over 500 subscribers from various denominations.
In the interview, we talk about what led her to start a side hustle and also
what advice she has to other pastors that might be interested in trying a side hustle of their own.
One note, Ruth was getting over a cold and so I kind of edited out some of the
portions where it was really, for her, was kind of coughing fits and things
to that extent. So we've edited those out.
But just if you notice some kind of missing gaps or things, or just even in
the way that she is talking, that's what's happening, which actually is mirroring
what I'm dealing with right now, because I'm getting over a cold.
So my voice is a little bit lower than usual. But with all of that,
let's listen in to this conversation with the Reverend Ruth Hetland.
Music.
All right, well, Ruth, thank you for joining me on the podcast today.
It's been, we've known each other for many years, over 20 years now,
especially our time together out in Hong Kong and in China.
And so it's been great to try to also follow your career and calling as a pastor.
And so I'm glad we kind of had this time to chat.
Thank you so much, Dennis, for inviting me to come.
And yes, it's so nice to see you. It's been a long time since we were traveling around China.
And oh gosh, yeah, that was a while ago. Dennis Yes, it has. Hard to believe.
So I think first, before we kind of go into consecrate, just to know,
let people know a little bit about who you are and your ministry and all of that.
Okay, so I, and I'll apologize to your audience too that I have a cold right now.
So my voice, I sound a little bit more gravelly than I usually do,
but I, so I live in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.
I grew up in Minnesota and, but my, I'm a ELCA Lutheran pastor and I have been now for 24 years.
And my first call was in upstate New York. And then my second call was in Colorado.
And then we were in Texas for a few years before I came back to Minnesota.
And we've been back here now, boy, eight years. And I have two sons.
They are 17 and 16. So, they're at the end of high school and they're wonderful boys.
And right now, I serve a church in Menomine, which is about 45 minutes from
here in Detroit Lakes, and I'm a part-time interim.
So just a couple of days a week, I go up there, and then otherwise, I work on my business.
All right. And so speaking of that business, what led you to start it?
When did you start it? And then kind of.
What was the background? What made you decide, I'm going to start this,
as you call it, side hustle?
Yeah, well, I had always been interested in different projects.
I've loved the work I do as a minister, but also just am interested in a lot
of things and honestly, always trying to earn a little extra money because it
seems like you're trying to make ends meet.
And so I had tried different projects, I was always trying different things
with, you know, writing and writing for different publications. I did that quite a bit.
And, oh, just different things I would try, I would listen to all these podcasts about side hustles.
And so it was in 2020, that, well, earlier in that year, a friend and I were having a conversation.
And And we were talking about, she had just gotten a subscription box for the first time.
And she was telling me about it, and it sounded, you know, kind of interesting.
And right that same day, I was listening to one of my side hustle podcasts,
and it was talking about, it was a woman who had started a subscription box.
It was for a different group of people.
But then the person who is in charge of the podcast, after the podcast,
after his interview part was done,
he was kind of talking about how her business had been so successful because,
she found a group of people who were underserved and found a way to serve them.
And it was a group of people that she knew well.
And I was just thinking about how, I mean, there's getting to be more and more
things that are created just for women in ministry, but for a long time,
there wasn't much at all.
And then I went on to a Facebook group that I'm a part of with women in ministry,
and I just said, you know, if I were to create something like this,
a subscription box for women in ministry, Because at the beginning,
it was very specifically just women that it was for.
I said, would you be interested? And there was a lot of excitement about the idea.
And so I thought, well, why not try this? Why not just give it a try and see
what happens? I don't have anything to lose.
And so then I started listening to podcasts.
There's podcasts about everything, which is so beautiful. You know,
you can learn anything you want to know.
And there was one very specifically for if you were interested in starting a subscription box.
And so I followed that I did everything she said to do.
And so yeah, so that in the advent of 2020 was when it started.
And what was the beginning like?
How many people did you start to get who were interested in getting subscriptions?
Well, it was kind of funny because my husband, he liked to do some woodworking,
and so he was trying to be supportive,
and he came up with this idea for an advent candle holder, and it was really pretty.
And he said, you know, I could make this for your first box.
He thought there might be like 20 subscribers tops that he'd have to make these for.
And then and then we ended up with one hundred and seventy for the first box.
And he's like, I'm never making anything for this box ever again.
But but he made he made all those candle holders and they were so popular that
then people wanted to order more of them. And so then he made a few extra,
but yeah, it started off strong and it grew fast.
It grew fast, like up to 500 within the first six months.
And then now we kind of hover at that 500 mark. MIKE And what does the subscription box include?
What kind of things does it have? And then who usually orders?
Are they people who are ordering them as gifts, or is it people ordering it for themselves? Well.
Yes, I try to have it be a good mix of items that are useful and inspiring and
funny, you know, that kind of humor that ministers would get, you know.
And I like to, I really like to support ministers who are making things.
And so almost every month, there's something in the box that every month that a minister has made.
Whether it's a book, or I mean, we have ministers who, like a beekeeper who
we've had his honey in the box.
Minister who's a baker, she made cookie, you know, a decorated cookie,
I mean, just everything that you can imagine and.
And so, yeah, it's a balance of five to six items, and I try to have it be just
a good mixture of items, and then either from creative ministers or other small businesses.
And how helpful... You saw a need there, and I think one is kind of looking
at these boxes to help support especially women in ministry.
How would you describe why was there in that way,
and this is probably one of those questions that I could answer,
but why was there a need for these type of boxes, especially for women who are called to ministry?
And I guess what I'm trying to say is, what has the kind of the outlook been,
and I know that there are some still, in this day and age, challenges for women in ministry?
Yeah, you know, I thought a lot about when I was first starting out,
and you know, my first call, I was single, and I was,
you know, all by myself to Western New York, and I didn't Noah's soul,
and getting Happy Mail, you know, it meant everything,
and I know we live in a much more digital age now, but Happy Mail is still a beautiful thing.
And especially when, I don't know,
it's something that is supporting these side projects of other ministers too,
because I know how much life I get from my things I do outside of ministry,
how they add to my ministry.
And so to support the things that they do and share it with other people around,
the country and the world, it's really been a beautiful thing.
And, you know, I don't know, for, and women are really good at supporting other
women too, I think, like, I just, you know, all of my subscribers have been
such cheerleaders from the very start.
And, and it's so it's a beautiful community that gets built too.
And like how they talk to each other on our Instagram page.
And we've built a book group where now we have a book group that meets monthly.
We actually have a trip, excuse me, we're doing a trip in January and they're all consecrate people.
And so, you know, getting to know each other too and building community. community.
So, actually, one kind of curiosity I always had is what made you decide to
come up with the name Consecrate?
So, I had a big list of names when I was trying to come up with the name,
like Amazing Crates and How Crate Thou Art and, you know, different things like that.
But consecrate seemed to just seem to right from the start.
Yeah. And are you getting requests from people from, I mean,
obviously as a Lutheran pastor, a lot of Lutheran ministers,
but other ministers from other denominations?
Yeah, in fact, I have subscribers who are, I mean, all across the mainline denominations,
a lot of United Methodists, a lot of Presbyterian.
I mean, I don't even know that Lutheran is our majority.
So that's really been a fun thing, too, because with the book group and with
the trip that we're doing, it's this cool way for ministers across denominations
to spend time together, too.
BD So about that trip that's coming up to Belize, tell me a little bit about that.
What is the goal there, the plans, and how did that actually come to be.
So, it came about on a winter day in Minnesota when I was thinking, I've got to get away.
And I understand that, being in Minnesota. Yes.
And I happen to have a good friend who just, well, she has had her own business
for a while, a travel company. She's a pastor as well.
And Sarah Raymond, her company is called Sunlight Tours.
And we had just had coffee and I had been toying around with this idea of a trip for a while.
But then I thought, well, you know, excuse me.
You know, I have this idea and I have this group of people and I also have a
travel person who can help me plan it. So why don't we just plan something?
And I didn't even, the only direction I gave Sarah was warm.
I want it to be warm in January.
And I wanted it to be in January because that just seemed like a good time before
Lent, after Christmas, you know.
The one sabbatical I've taken, it was January, February, March,
and it was just perfect, you know, perfect time to get away.
And so, she had some connections with beliefs.
And so that's why we decided on that for the first one.
And it's going to be just a lot of rest and adventure and time together.
We also have a spiritual director who's going who's going to be leading some
sessions. You know, excuse me.
Self-care, and the, we call these, um, consecrate out-of-the-box,
and,
kind,
of
The theme of the first retreat is sort of that idea that we all put ourselves
in boxes of how we think we're supposed to be and how we're supposed to act,
and what would it be like if we didn't, you know, have that box.
And if we let ourselves think bigger and more different and differently.
And so, and I'm, I've really, really gotten into yoga in the last few years.
And so I, I did my yoga teacher training this past year, just so I would be
able to also lead yoga at the retreats for anybody that would like to do it.
So I think it's gonna be, I think it's to be fun. We've got a group of 20 women
who are going this January.
So if there are ministers out there who are interested, and as like a lot of
ministers, I think a lot of ministers are always looking at other sources of
income because, of course,
being a minister does not make you rich. What would you suggest?
How would you suggest that they look into other, into side hustles that are
not simply just, even just a paycheck, but also something that allows them to do what they,
part of their kind of maybe vocation or avocation?
You know, the best thing that I did, there's a podcast called Side Hustle School.
And what's fun about it, he does an episode every day, and it's just,
they're really short episodes, like five minutes long, and everyone features a different,
something that some other a regular person has done to create,
you know, extra income or side project in their life.
And it's just so wonderful to see the variety out there and, and to think about that.
Excuse me, if all these people came up with some idea that, you know,
has been a blessing in their life and life giving to them and,
and maybe has brought them a little extra cash, I bet I could come up with something too.
And also that idea of...
Maybe the first thing you try isn't going to be what you end up doing,
but then try something else, you know?
What does it hurt to just to try something? And we have all of this experience.
I mean, you know, like if you had told me four years ago that I'd be running
a business, I would just have laughed because I have no business training whatsoever.
And yet, everything about my life as a minister informs what I do with consecrate, you know?
It just feeds into it, and yeah, I've had to learn a lot of things too,
but you know, all the life experience that we bring to these things, it matters.
So yeah, so I don't know, I guess it's this blending of what are you interested
in, And what makes you excited to get out of bed and talk to people and engage with the world?
And, excuse me, as Rob Bell would say, just start throwing things at the wall
and see what sticks. Yeah.
Yeah, I think that that's something that is important, and especially,
I think it's interesting because more and more,
I think the future of the church as churches are not as large as they once were,
so salaries are not going to be as large as they once were, that pastors are
going to have to find ways of being creative in remaining true to their call,
but also finding ways of of finding sustainable sources of income as well.
Yes, that's so true. And it's made me enjoy my ministry.
I do a lot more because I'm less worried about the money piece of how much the
church can afford to pay me when,
you know, I've got this other piece where money comes in.
And so, I don't know, it just helps free up my mind so I'm not worried so much
about, well, how's the church budget doing, you know, and just be able to do ministry.
So, it's all tied together.
So, what do you think is the, where do you see consecrate going in the future?
Are there any kind of big plans or ramping up or? Yeah.
Well, the journey to Belize is the first in a series.
So when we're in Belize, we're going to announce where the next one is going.
So, excuse me, it's kind of,
as long as people are interested in going, I think that would be a fun series
to continue to do, to once a year have this trip for women in ministry.
So that's a big one.
And I have to add, one of the things that I've enjoyed,
especially as you're putting out new product and merchandise,
I saw that you have a new t-shirt out,
the one that has both a man and a woman, and it has the one that says male pastor.
And I kept seeing that, I was like, I think I want that.
Because I think that they're, obviously, I get the joke. And I think that there's
something kind of cool about that.
Yeah, that's, yeah, so probably about a year ago, I started an Etsy shop where
I have t-shirts and cups and things because, you know, there's some people who love the.
The surprise element of, oh, what's coming in the box? Well,
let's see what's coming in the box.
But then there's other people who don't like the surprise. They want to know what they're getting.
Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. And so I thought, well, I'm going to make it Etsy shop
where people can get an idea of my sense of humor and then just buy things and
see what they're buying and actually get them all a cart, you know.
And so that's been really fun too, to design those things. And I get a lot of joy.
And then sometimes just, you know, like, I think, boy, I really think this is funny.
I wonder if, I think this is funny. I wonder if anyone else will think this is funny.
And then it's such a joy because, you know, we all, you know,
other ministers get it, and then they laugh too.
And maybe people who aren't ministers don't get it, but who cares if they don't think it's funny?
That's okay. Everyone has their own style and everything.
But yeah, I saw that and so I will be getting that at some point.
So I just thought, okay, Yeah, I like that, yeah, I do, so. Yeah.
So, yeah, go ahead. And I've loved to like.
You know, as I put things out there, a lot of times customers will come to me,
like if they like a design, but they would like something slightly different,
then it gives me a whole other idea of something I can make and put up in the shop.
So my customers have been a great help to my business in a lot of ways. Awesome.
Yeah, so if people want to know more about consecrate Or get a subscription
or even go to your Etsy place Where should they go on the internet?
So, the website for Consecrate is consecrate.createjoy.com,
and.
Then on Etsy.
We're,
called Consecrate Box. So, just all one word, the regular just consecrate was
taken, so, Consecrate Box.
So, someday everything will be under the same website, but we're not at that point yet.
Yeah, so yeah, but yeah, come and take a look at what's there,
and remember us as Christmas is coming if you ever miss Christmas.
And there are a lot of, if you want to say thank you to your pastor or kind
of a Christmas place, this is probably where you want to go.
Yes, you won't find, you won't find, I like to think that it's pretty unique,
some of things that you'll find to consecrate.
Pete Well, Ruth, thank you for taking the time to chat. This was really great,
and thank you for your business.
I think that that is going to be, it's been a help for a lot of people,
and I'm thankful to see the joy that is brought to you as you are continuing your ministry,
and hope to have you back on the podcast soon, and maybe talk a little bit more
about women in ministry, especially, and maybe about the retreat.
Yes, I'd love to talk more, and hopefully that day I won't be coughing and also
a little more like myself.
But thank you so much for having me, Dennis.
All right. Take care. You too.
Music.
Well, I hope that you enjoyed that interview with Ruth Hetland,
and thank you for taking the time to listen.
As usual, there are going to be links of interest that are going to be included in the show notes.
There are links there for Ruth's business, Consecrate.
Also, there was a link to a new podcast that she is doing called Created Creative.
She's doing that with someone else, and so we wanted to link to that podcast
and hopefully that you would consider giving it a listen.
So that's it for this episode of Church in Maine.
Remember as always to rate and review this episode on your favorite podcast
app so that others can find the podcast, and consider donating so that we can
continue to produce more episodes. I'm Dennis Sanders, your host.
Again, as I always like to say, thank you so much for listening.
Take care. Godspeed, and I will see you very soon.
Music.