From Washington, D.C. to San Francisco, San Diego, and eventually Charlotte, Joyce and Craig Cmiel have carried one conviction with them. “Wherever we found ourselves, in the church we found home,” says Joyce.
“Our family has gotten involved in all of the Episcopal churches along the way, and we have been part of many programs, pilgrimages, social groups, and so much more. This has taught us to ‘lean in’ and invest wherever we are.” This gift of belonging for Craig and Joyce has made them passionate about cultivating spaces for people to be themselves around breakfast tables, on yoga mats, on retreat, and more.
Moving Toward Deeper Connections
“Craig has a spiritual gift of not meeting a stranger,” Joyce says with a smile. That gift is on full display as he invites men to join him for the Big Breakfast, a monthly men’s gathering that returned after a pause during the pandemic. For Craig, breakfast is more than a meal. It is a simple first step toward deeper connection. His hope is that men will continue building relationships through retreats, hikes, and honest conversations about life and faith. “We want to normalize men being active in church,” Craig says. “It means something to have a comfortable space to talk about the meaning of life,” he says.
“During our early days at Christ Church, we enrolled in “The Living Compass” program, which examines one’s whole life and helps us answer how is God calling me to be generous right now?”
The Intersection of Two Passions
For Joyce the answer emerged at the intersection of two passions: her faith and her longtime love of teaching yoga. Joyce had spent years guiding others through yoga. She was beginning to wonder, “what if this practice could also become a way to serve others?” Yoga in the Spirit was born.
In the beginning, a small group gathered on Sunday afternoons. Every class became an act of generosity, with all proceeds supporting the church’s outreach ministries.
Over time, the community found a new rhythm. Today, Yoga in the Spirit meets each Wednesday at 10 am, and every class directly supports outreach partner Dahlia Grove. This isn’t your typical yoga class. As a teacher, Joyce notices who walks in and what they might be carrying. It’s adapted for different abilities. Some join on Zoom and others in person. It’s a space where everyone who participates is seen and honored.
Whether around a breakfast table or on a yoga mat, Joyce and Craig have created spaces where people can show up as they are, build meaningful relationships, and encounter God in community. Reflecting on their investment of time, talent, and treasure, they both say the same thing, “We have gotten so much more back.”
Through their hospitality and generosity, Joyce and Craig are helping others discover what they have known all along, that when people find a place to belong, they begin to feel at home and true wellbeing begins to flourish.