Immersion: Invitation to a Deeper Spiritual Life
Registration for this event is closed. Retreat is cancelled.
May 17-June 12, 2020
Come immerse yourself in this overview of spiritual formation. Those who seek to nourish a deeper relationship with God are sure to gain enrichment as we spend time learning about the history of Christian spirituality and participating in various spiritual practices. If you have ever wanted to try guided meditation, spiritual writing, praying through movement or with centering prayer, meditating with icons and beads, or sitting in contemplative silence, this is the time and place for that to happen. Join us and be refreshed!
The class consists of readings, lectures, group discussions, and personal reflection on your spiritual journey. Community and practical application of acquired knowledge are also a part of this experience. This course serves as the foundational class for the Seminary program to earn a certificate in spiritual formation that explores community-based Christian spirituality. You are welcome to participate in any of the program electives that offer serious contemplation of historical, theological, and spiritual views as well as the practice of prayer, worship, and meditation.
Instructors / Dates / Preparation / Lodging / Questions
Instructors
Mary Lynn Callahan, Spiritual Life Ministries Director, East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Spiritual Director
BJ Woodworth, Lead Pastor, Open Door, Pittsburgh, Pa., and Spiritual Director
Dates
This class will be offered in a hybrid format: some sessions online and others in person (face-to-face/F2F).
Class/Retreat Time: May 17, 7:00 p.m.-May 20, 12:30 p.m., 2020
One-on-one Online Spiritual Direction Sessions: May 20-June 12, 2020
Advance Preparation
If you are taking this class for personal enrichment, you are encouraged to read the books, but it is not a requirement for participation. For those enrolled in the Certificate Program for Spiritual Formation, please read the required books (listed below) prior to your arrival. A one-page reflection paper on each required text will be due the first evening of class.
Required
An Invitation To A Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation, revised and expanded edition, M. Robert Mulholland Jr., InterVarsity Press, 2016
Common Prayer: A Litany for Ordinary Radicals, Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma Okoro, Zondervan, 2010. - No reflection paragraph required.
The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality, Ronald Rolheiser, Doubleday, 1999
Living in the Presence: Spiritual Exercises to Open Our Lives to the Awareness of God, Tilden Edwards, HarperOne, 1995
Recommended
Thirsty for God: A Brief History of Christian Spirituality, 3rd ed., Bradley Holt, Augsburg Fortress, 2017
Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation, Martin Laird, Oxford University Press, 2006
Registration
Registration for this event is closed.
Fee: $560; includes lodging, all meals, and all refreshment breaks throughout the course.
Lodging
The class will be held at Crestfield Camp and Conference Center in Slippery Rock, Pa. Rooms are private.
Questions
Email or call 412-924-1345.
