Meet Your Host

Hi, I’m Michael. I’m so glad you’re here.

I grew up in a truly great town - the kind of place where the neighbors would all come outside after a snowstorm to shovel out the block together. A place where you’d find fresh veggies on your porch all summer from the guy next door with the garden out back.

In that town, I rode my bike everywhere. I tromped through the nature preserve at the end of our street. I politely asked at the town library if maybe they could raise the limit on how many books I could borrow at once - and they said yes.

Everywhere I went, I was surrounded and supported by my community.

Since then, I’ve been looking for ways to pay it forward. In January of 2020 - such innocent times - I created a podcast called DadLine with my friend J.C. so we could ‘hang out’ virtually with our Dad friends. 

Then, during COVID lockdown, I started a newsletter called Hope Notes, later renamed Build Notes. I wanted to offer some encouragement during tough times.

Soon after that, I created a print project called Postcards from the Future, collaborating with independent artists. I also went back to school for a grad certificate in Adaptive and Innovative Ministry, at the (progressive) seminary where Mister Rogers went, because I could sense that I needed to level up my game for the work I was trying to do.

And here we are, in yet another tough time.

Here’s what I want for us now:

I want us to dream of what’s possible - for all of us.

I want us to remember our own values of care and generosity, when it feels like the world around us is going in very much the opposite direction.

I want us to connect with each other, and with more people who share our values and dreams. There is great strength in community.

Neighborful Station is hand crafted with love. In creating this show, my aim is to gather a community that is generous and kind. I want us to remind ourselves how it feels when we all choose to be good to each other.

“We have an opportunity - a responsibility - to make magic in a world that desperately needs more of it.” (Will Guidara, Unreasonable Hospitality)

Thank you, truly, for visiting. I hope you’ll stick around.

If you have any questions or ideas to share, you can call or text me at (267) 436-7378, or email me at mjsperger at gmail dot com.

Kind regards, Michael