The Prairie Thistle

“Deconstruction is the opposite of both construction and destruction; it is the responsible identification of the constructed elements of one’s faith and then taking them apart in order to see the underlying layers of construction wondering what might be useful again and in what configuration.” – Josh de Keijzer

Deconstruction Group: Open Meeting – FREE

Join us for Deconstruction Group: Open Meeting on every third Tuesday of the month. This will be an online, open meeting held once a month for anyone who wants to join in. This drop-in style group will meet together for visiting, loosely formatted topical discussions, questions and answers, and hosting a space for those who are interested in learning more about what faith deconstruction is, how it is impacting Southeast Manitoba, and having conversations with people who are actively deconstructing their faith. Organized by Sara and Daniel Dacombe.

If you’d like to receive a reminder email each month, please message sara@prairiethistle.ca to be added to the email list (your email is kept private; no spam will be sent). Or click the link below to join the meeting.

Meeting Platform: Microsoft Teams
Time: 7:00-9:00PMCST
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025
Topics: Hope

Deconstruction Group: Peer Meetings – $10 drop-in rate (or $50 for 6 meetings)

Join us for Deconstruction Group: Peer Meetings starting in January 2026. This online, sign-up only group will meet once a month for a presentation from a selected speaker, questions and answer with the speaker, group discussion, and an opportunity to connect authentically with others who are deconstructing their faith in Southeast Manitoba – and possibly beyond. Organized by Sara and Daniel Dacombe.

Your registration fee gets you:

• curated articles and recommended reading on topics relevant to faith deconstruction
• teaching and support from the intersectional skillset of spiritual formation and psychology
• community connection in a small group format
• 5 online Peer Meetings, plus 1 wind-up social event
• AND a FREE 1-hour one-on-one Spiritual Direction session with certified Spiritual Director Sara Dacombe

Being part of Peer Meetings means you get access to a small group of peers dedicated to open-minded, open-hearted learning and discussion about their faith and religious deconstruction. Online Peer Meetings format will include:

• 20-minute knowledge-sharing presentation from Sara Dacombe, Daniel Dacombe, or special guest speaker from the community. (Topics will be provided ahead of time. Light reading may be suggested, but not required.)
• personal reflection time, integration of teaching, and embodiment exercises
• question and answer time with the presenter, moderated sharing and discussion time, group visiting and community-building

Fill out the form using the button below to register. Registration closes Dec. 31.

About the Organizers

Hi! I’m Sara Dacombe, a writer and Spiritual Director. I have a soft spot for people who are struggling within their faith tradition, do not want to leave their faith, or have already de-converted and are processing the church hurt and spiritual abuse they’ve suffered. Some people I have worked with have called me a “deconstruction doula”. Whether you are deconstructing, have deconstructed, don’t know why people around you are deconstructing, or are trying to begin reconstructing, I may be able to help meet you where you’re at or journey with you as something new reveals itself. CLICK HERE to read more on my About page.

As a Spiritual Director, my education and life experience enable me to bring added awareness of certain issues, such as:

• deconstruction from Evangelical Mennonite traditional faith background
• grief and loss of community during/after deconstruction
• feminist, egalitarian, liberation, and eco- theology
• LGBTQ+ affirming theology
• ecumenicism/inter-faith interests and exploring non-religious spirituality

Hi! I’m Daniel Dacombe. I am a former Evangelical Christian who spent years in Bible college, seminary, professional ministry, and speaking at churches and Christian conferences across Canada. After leaving ministry, I first began deconstructing my faith in 2010, and now identify as a secular humanist. I have a Masters of Science in Psychology and am enrolled in PhD studies. As a social scientist, I bring added awareness in the following areas:

• psychology of religion
• religious disaffiliation and deconversion
• positive mental health after deconversion
• religious residue
• humanism and moral philosophy

Why are we doing this?

Faith, as with anything worth contemplating in life, is both more straightforward and more complicated than many people think. It is simultaneously intensely personal and collective, with implications for living that affect both individual and societal trajectory. It behooves us, then, to approach it with every tool at our disposal – including, especially, critical thinking and encouraging questions.

If you are already deconstructing, you probably know all of this ↑, and more. If you would like to know more about our approach, read more on The Prairie Thistle using the links below:

Deconstruction (a light intro article)
All articles tagged with Deconstruction

*All info submitted will be kept confidential by organizers. All participants will be contacted within two weeks of survey close date with a summary of options for future participation.