Mission Joy: Finding Happiness in Troubled Times

The Event:

The boldness of this title is not an overstatement. Joy is the subject and this is a mission. Mission: JOY - Finding Happiness in Troubled Times is 90 minutes spun out of simple inner goodness and hope.

Enjoy this inspirational film, and discussion to follow, from the comfort of home with your meaningful movies community. We will be giving away to book to one lucky attendee and look forward to celebrating a joyous season with you!

About the film:

Academy Award-winning director Louie Psihoyos teams up with co-director Peggy Callahan on MISSION: JOY – FINDING HAPPINESS IN TROUBLED TIMES, a documentary with unprecedented access to the unlikely friendship of two international icons who transcend religion: His Holiness the Dalai Lama & Archbishop Tutu. In their final joint mission, these self-described mischievous brothers give a master class in how to create joy in a world that was never easy for them. They offer neuroscience-backed wisdom to help each of us live with more joy, despite circumstances.

Inspired by New York Times bestseller The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, the film showcases the exchange between these two Nobel Peace Prize winners that led to that book. Consisting largely of never-before-seen footage shot over 5 days at the Dalai Lama’s residence in Dharamsala, the film invites viewers to join these luminaries behind the scenes as they recount stories from their lives, each having lived through periods of incredible difficulty and strife. With genuine affection, mutual respect and a healthy dose of teasing, these unlikely friends impart lessons gleaned from lived experience, ancient traditions, and the latest cutting-edge science regarding how to live with joy in the face of all of life’s challenges from the extraordinary to the mundane. MISSION: JOY is an antidote for the times.

About the speaker:

Michael Yoder joined the Associated Ministries team as Executive Director in August 2015, bringing more than 30 years of experience in nonprofit leadership roles. “I’m energized by the vital role that Associated Ministries has played for 50 years spearheading faith-based efforts to positively impact social needs in our community. I believe there has never been a more critical time for interfaith service and cooperation in our community, and my deep desire is to see people of faith fulfill their calling to compassionately serve our vulnerable neighbors.”

As part of his three decades of work with international religious and humanitarian organizations, Mike has traveled to 30 countries and is a dedicated observer of news and trends affecting nonprofits and social justice issues. He earned a degree in Communications from California State University and lives in Puyallup with his wife, Debbie; they have an adult son and daughter who both live locally.