Conference Workshops and Opportunities
Friday, April 17, Workshops
1.5 Hours (choose two and one alternative)
F1 Engaging Spirituality in the Work of Justice
Together we will explore the interplay between contemplation (living deeply) and compassionate action (loving broadly). You will be introduced to a new small-group program, entitled Engaging Spirituality, to use with spiritual directees and others who authentically seek to connect their spirituality with acts of justice. You will receive ideas, activities, and materials to assist your work in spirituality and justice. 33%, 33%, 33%
GARY AND MARY BECKER live in California, USA, where they offer spiritual direction to individuals and small groups. They serve on the board of directors of JustFaith Ministries and Stillpoint: The Center for Christian Spirituality. They received spiritual direction training in programs offered by the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, USA, and Mercy Center, Burlingame, California.
F2 Raising Energy Levels for Greater Presence in Spiritual Direction
Learn to raise your energy levels to achieve greater presence in the art of spiritual direction. Come and explore the things that will either boost or zap your energy. You will learn non-caffeinated ways to increase your energy along with exercises to promote rejuvenation and longevity. Areas covered include nutrition, movement, and positive vibrations. 50%, 30%, 20%
REV. GIBBON BOGATSU, BTH, is a speaker, author, experienced pastor, and business consultant. He lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.
F3 Being Contemplative in a Digital World
How can we be truly present when we are immersed in the digital world? What is the hunger that drives us to communicate, network, consume information, or get lost in cyberspace? Discover exciting technological resources that can enhance our ministry as spiritual directors. Explore the impact that technology can have on our ability to be present. 40%, 40%, 20%
KATHLEEN BRYANT, RSC, is a lecturer, author, and retreat director who has worked in Ireland, California, and Africa. She resides in California, USA.
F4 Sacred Presence in the Losses of Our Lives
How do you experience loss in your own life or with people you companion? The practice of attending to small daily losses can prepare us for when life’s greater losses are experienced. Learn to look for the gift of daily loss, develop a posture of letting go, and perhaps even experience sacred presence in experiences of great loss. 40%, 40%, 20%
REV. NANCY COPELAND-PAYTON, MD, is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and ordained Presbyterian clergy person from Idaho, USA. She has practiced medicine for twenty years.
F5 A Worldly Spirituality for a Secular Age
Ignatian spirituality has proven to be a major influence to deepen personal and spiritual freedom. Many people have learned Ignatian spirituality through retreats and courses or by engaging the Spiritual Exercises, and thousands of Christians apply Ignatian spirituality to their lives every day. The Spiritual Exercises are an ordered manner of praying through the truths of God’s relationship with the world, in time and place, and can be experienced by persons of any Christian tradition. 33%, 33%, 33%
NANCY DUNKERLEY, DMIN, is cofounder of Spiritual Ministries Institute. She promotes ecumenical Christian formation and spiritual growth ministries, including HeartPaths Dallas, a program for spiritual direction training. Nancy lives in Texas, USA.
REV. JOSEPH TETLOW, SJ, director of Montserrat Retreat House, Texas, USA, is author of a guide for the Ignatian Exercises, Choosing Christ in the World (available in ten languages) and Making Choices in Christ: The Foundations of Ignatian Spirituality.
F6 Awakening Your Body: Welcoming Your Body’s Voice
Are you committed to your inner work, a contemplative attitude to life, and attentiveness to others? At the same time, do you neglect or forget to care for your own body? Drawing on various bodywork approaches and unique, guided meditations, you will discover how to be more present to your body, thus deepening your spiritual freedom. 33%, 33%, 33%
MAYRA C. HALL, MA, is a spiritual director, licensed massage therapist, and teacher. She cofounded Tree of Life Healing Arts in Florida, USA, where she lives.
JOANNA SALERNO is a licensed massage therapist, interfaith minister, and spiritual director. Her work includes cranio-sacral therapy and healing touch. She lives in Florida, USA.
F7 Henri Nouwen and His Integrated Ministry of Presence
Henri Nouwen embodied an integrated ministry of presence based on his equally integrated construal of the nature of our spiritual life. With Nouwen as our guide, we will learn how to employ the practices of solitude, service, and prayer as we seek to be a companioning presence to the people God brings into our midst. 70%, 20%, 10%
WIL HERNANDEZ, PHD, resides in California, USA, and authored Henri Nouwen: A Spirituality of Imperfection and its companion sequel Henri Nouwen and Soul Care: A Ministry of Integration.
F8 Reclaiming the Gift of Darkness
Are you afraid of the dark? For many of us, sin and evil are equated with darkness. Explore the gift of darkness from the perspective of cosmology and chaos theory. Learn about its implications for your spiritual journey and the ministry and service of spiritual companioning. 40%, 20%, 40%
DR. ALEXANDRA KOVATS, CSJP, is an adjunct professor in spirituality at Seattle University, Washington, USA, and a spiritual director and retreat facilitator in the United States, Canada, and beyond.
NEW! F9 Being Present to the Homeless: An Experience
Open yourself to the presence of five hundred street people who congregate for food, showers, and laundry at the Beacon, a ministry of Christ Church Cathedral. After sharing a meal and listening to individual stories at the Beacon, you will meet with other workshop participants to reflect on your inner experience and implications for your ministry. 20%, 30%, 50%
NOTE: This experiential workshop will only be offered once, beginning at noon, and is limited to the first twenty people who register. No prior familiarity with marginalized ministry is necessary.
F.W. (MIKE) LUEDDE, DMIN, is a life coach and program manager of the Cathedral Urban Service Experience at Christ Church Cathedral, Texas, USA. He is the author of Breakfast with the Island Mystic: Parables for a New Christianity.
F10 Being Present at the Threshold: Spiritual Direction for University Students
In the quest for transcendence and personal integration, young people known as the Millennials long for patterns of expression to articulate and honor this unique time in their journey. We will look at the current spiritual trends of young people and emphasize the tools of personal narrative, the contemplative practices of identity, and the need for an embodied presence. 33%, 33%, 33%
SYLVIA MADDOX teaches prayer and spirituality at the University of the Incarnate Word in Texas, USA. She leads retreats and workshops in a variety of ecumenical settings and is coauthor of Holy Companions: Spiritual Practices from the Celtic Saints.
F11 The Healing Power of Forgiveness
Our spiritual directees often delve into aspects of pain, resentment, and injustice in their lives. The power of forgiveness has the potential to heal and offer freedom. Together we will explore obstacles and benefits found in the practice of forgiveness, and you will learn a process to deepen the power of forgiveness. 33%, 33%, 33%
PATRICIA M. MCDERMOTT, IHM, has been a spiritual director, supervisor, and retreat leader for more than twenty years. She is the director of Loyola Retreat House in Maryland, USA.
F12 Being Present to Native Voices and Story
Native Americans often speak of living in two worlds and thus express difficulty with congruence. Communities share the effects of historical scarring and ancient wisdom yet believe that life is holy and imbued with Spirit. Participants will receive listening tools, cultural sensitivity awareness, and guidelines for building lasting relationships with Native Americans. 50%, 50%, 0%
SANDRA MCKEE, MS, MA, LCPC, NCC, is a spiritual director, licensed counselor, and chaplain for Native American patients at Billings Clinic, Montana, USA. She has been a professional listener for twenty-eight years.
F13 Listening with the Heart
Do you have difficulty finding time to pray or meditate? Are the people you accompany too busy to be present to divine Presence? The Rule of Benedict can provide a map to navigate a balance between our prayer and the activities of daily life, teaching us how to be present to life by listening with the ear of the heart. 50%, 25%, 25%
MARY LOU MLECKO, PSYD, MA, lives in Pennsylvania, USA. She is a clinical psychologist, spiritual director, Benedictine oblate, and faculty with the spiritual direction program at Sacred Heart University, Connecticut, USA.
F14 Presence in a Health Care Setting: Sacred Time, Sacred Space, and Sacred Touch
What innovative approaches can be used to provide spiritual direction in today’s workplace? Discover how Seton Cove fosters a sense of spiritual presence in a health care setting for thousands of employees and patients. Learn the logistics of the programs and experience examples of how to offer spiritual support in the workplace through sacred space, sacred time, and sacred touch. 33%, 33%, 33%
HANNAH O’DONOGHUE, CCVI, RN, MS, and SCOTT QUINN, MDIV, MA, are spiritual directors at Seton Cove, an interfaith spirituality center in Texas, USA. They work with health care employees, patients, and the community.
F15 Mysticism and Social Justice: Walking on the Two Feet of Love
Catherine of Siena’s felicitous phrase “walking on the two feet of love” describes the harmony of prayer and action in one’s life. Love as prayer in action will be explored in the lives of Ignatius of Loyola, Evelyn Underhill, Thomas Merton, and South African religious leaders Denis Hurley and Desmond Tutu, together with reflections on the Christian Martha and Mary dilemma. 66%, 33%, 0%
SUSAN RAKOCZY, IHM, PHD, has worked in Africa for twenty-six years as a theologian and spiritual director. She is the author of Great Mystics and Social Justice: Walking on the Two Feet of Love.
F16 The Presence of God in the Teachings of the Hasidic Masters
In the nineteenth century, the masters of the early Jewish movement of Hasidism were articulate and inspiring about the human experience of God and the ways in which that experience manifests when we are present in the moment. This workshop introduces participants to texts on Hasidic views of being present. 33%, 33%, 33%
RABBI JACOB STAUB is professor of Jewish philosophy and spirituality at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in Pennsylvania, USA, where he established and now directs the program in Jewish Spiritual Direction.
Friday Evening, April 17, Opportunities
(choose one and one alternative)
FE1 Yoga as Prayer: Being Present to Presence
If we practice yoga with the intention that the practice itself is prayer, we create a contemplative meditation resulting in a felt sense of the body. An effective tool for practicing being present and moving into Presence is as simple as using gentle stretches while sitting in a chair. Learn how to share easy experiential practices with spiritual directees and in group prayer.
SUSAN ALONSO is a spiritual director and certified yoga teacher who leads prayer experiences combining elements of bio-spiritual focusing with yoga. She lives in Texas, USA.
FE2 Being Present In Your Body through Movement and Music
Spiritual dancing and movement is universal and can become an important practice for anyone. Explore body movement and connect with the individual wisdom that is present within you. Together we broaden our own spirituality through movement and music. No previous dancing or spiritual movement experience is required.
RICHARD BOUGH, MFA, lives in Illinois, USA, and is committed to incorporating artistic expression with spiritual direction. He teaches at Loyola University and Seabury Western Seminary and has contributed to Presence journal and Listen: A Seeker’s Resource for Spiritual Direction.
NEW! FE3 Being Present with Marginalized Women: An Experience
Experience the gift of being present with women who are marginalized. Participants will eat and work alongside residents of The Women’s Home. At the end of the experience, participants will take a personal inventory of the attitudes and emotions that occurred and share implications for ministry and service. NOTE: This experiential workshop is limited to the first twelve people who register. No prior familiarity with marginalized ministry is necessary.
RITA CUSACK is a spiritual director, coordinator of spiritual development services for The Women’s Home and president of the board for U-Bar-U Spiritual Retreat Center in Texas, USA.
FE4 Pilgrimage into the Present Moment
iPods, pilgrimage, and meditation: ancient practice meets modern technology. Experience a pathway into the present moment through guided meditations downloaded on an iPod or MP3 player. Ideas will be offered to create a pilgrimage in your own setting.
DEBRA DONNELLY-BARTON is a writer, spiritual director, and director of the Center for Spiritual Development in Maryland, USA. Author of Souls Illuminated by Light and Presence article “The Arctic as Desert.”
FE5 Lovers of Soul: Wisdom from the Desert Mothers
Who were the desert mothers? What ancient wisdom do they have to offer us for contemporary spiritual direction? We will receive some of the sayings from these women, learn about their spiritual direction insights, and discover ways that their wisdom may support our own wisdom, ministry, and service.
MARY C. EARLE is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director, and author of The Desert Mothers: Spiritual Practices from Women of the Wilderness. She teaches spirituality electives at the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Texas, USA.
FE6 Designing Contemplative Space as a Tool for Spiritual Direction
The physical space where spiritual directors meet with spiritual directees fulfills many needs: a space to explore a relationship with God, a place of self-expression, a refuge from the outside world, and a cocoon where spiritual directees can experience hospitality. Together, we will examine how to create a sacred space of wholeness, a place that nurtures the soul, body, and mind.
DANA HENGST, MFA, is an interior designer and founder of Spatium in Virginia, USA. The work of the studio is grounded in the Benedictine spirituality of contemplation, hospitality, and beauty.
FE7 Creating Sacred Spaces in Health Care: One Hospital’s Story
This workshop chronicles the journey of a spiritual care department in establishing a spiritual direction program in a major hospital system. Learn from the interdisciplinary perspective of a professional, board-certified chaplain, licensed clinical social worker, and registered nurse. Three spiritual directors will speak to the key issues and rewards in offering spiritual direction in an institutional setting.
DEBBIE LEWIS, MDIV, MS, is a board-certified chaplain and manager of Dr. P. Phillips Hospital’s Spiritual Care Department, in Florida, USA. She is a spiritual director and healing touch practitioner.
JULIE HARPER, MRE, is an RN, LCSW, and spiritual director. She has been in health care for thirty years and is a supervisor in the Orlando Health Behavioral Health Department.
ANDREA HENSON, RN, is an ordained minister, spiritual director, and certified healing touch practitioner living in Florida, USA.
FE8 Navigating the Spirit: Being Present to God Moments through Storytelling
We all have a story to tell—a story that’s rich in tradition and memories and that holds the mystery of God’s presence in our lives. Learn how engaging storytelling can help guide the spiritual seeker to become more present to the sacred moments emerging from the grist of life.
JULIE MUSSCHÉ, MA, is a spiritual director, supervisor, author, and the director of the Center for Spiritual Development in California, USA.
FE9 Anam Cara: Soulful Celtic Relationships
Allow this Celtic spirituality workshop to foster a spirit of celebration so that you may better serve as an anam cara or soul friend to yourself, others, and the world. Join an ongoing story that teaches us that the body and soul share much in common; that culture may use creativity and the arts to heal and teach wisdom; and that creation is alive with the animate presence of Spirit.
SEÁN PATRICK O’REILLY, MA, MDIV, blends advanced degrees in spirituality and psychology with the lilt of Irish laughter in his work as a counselor, writer, and celebrant. He lives in Washington, USA.
FE10 Cultivating Presence through the Expressive Arts
In the expressive arts we move from one modality to another in order to become increasingly present to the sacred dimension of experience. Together we will engage simple ways of using poetry-writing, collage-making, and gentle movement as practical tools that can be used in spiritual direction.
CHRISTINE VALTERS PAINTNER, PHD, lives in Washington, USA, and co-teaches “Awakening the Creative Spirit,” an experiential program for spiritual directors to learn to integrate the arts and imagination into their ministries.
FE11 Spiritual Companioning with Hispanic Immigrants within Small Communities
This workshop will present the theology and praxis of small faith communities and the practice of group spiritual direction within communities of Hispanic immigrants.
HELEN MARIE RAYCRAFT, OP, DMIN, has ministered with Hispanic communities as a spiritual companion in Latin America and the United States. She resides in Texas, USA.
FE12 The Body as Prayer: Using the Body as a Tool for Spiritual Awareness
Learn ways to calm your mind, relax, develop body awareness, and strengthen your prayer life. We will view our bodies as sacred vessels, experience the Holy Spirit within, and promote healing. The three key components are yoga techniques, prayer to movement, and body and energy awareness.
PHYLLIS REITZ, BA, has more than twenty years’ experience as a licensed massage therapist and yoga instructor. She specializes in a bio-energetic healing technique entitled “sacred touch” and lives in Ohio, USA.
FE13 Being Present to Gay and Lesbian Spiritual Journeys
Women and men of various ages, life experiences, cultures, and religious traditions who identify as lesbian or gay are increasingly seeking spiritual support. They integrate sexuality and spirituality while navigating the challenges of family, culture, and religious institutions. An informed and compassionate spiritual director can be a lifeline and a guide toward growth and hope.
FATHER JIM SCHEXNAYDER, MDIV, is resource director of the National Association of Catholic Diocesan Lesbian and Gay Ministries. He lives in California, USA.
Saturday, April 18, Workshops
3 Hours (choose one and one alternative)
S1 Being Present in Health Care
Buffeted by economic, social, and technological changes, health care is in danger of losing its soul. Health care organizations, many of which started as religious missions, are at risk of losing their spiritual identity. How can spiritual directors, responding to a critical opportunity, enter health care institutions and tend the souls of leaders, of patients and employees, and of entire institutions? 33%, 33%, 33%
MARGARET BENEFIEL, PHD, lives in Massachusetts, USA, and offers spiritual direction to leaders and organizations. She addresses the soul of health care in her books Soul at Work and The Soul of a Leader.
MARILYN HENDRICKS, DMIN, from Illinois, USA, offers spiritual direction and retreats as a hospice chaplain, and authored The Spiritual Journey—Mentoring and Ritual in Faith Formation.
MIRANDA LAU, MDIV, is a spiritual director living in Ontario, Canada. She has been employed in hospital chaplaincy since 1988.
S2 Experiencing the Shared Mystic Heart: Experiments in Interspiritual Education, Practice, and Mentoring
Faculty from two interspiritual education programs will provide an overview of their programs, including the deep questions that continue to engage their inquiry. Each program seeks to contribute to “the recovery of the shared mystic heart beating in the center of the world’s deepest spiritual traditions.” There will be experiential processes, practices, and dialogue with any or all of the teachers. 33%, 33%, 33%
JOAN BORYSENKO, PHD; GORDON DVEIRIN, EDD; JANET F. QUINN, PHD, RN; ED BASTIAN, PHD; SHAIKHA CAMILLE HELMINSKI; SHAIKH KABIR HELMINSKI; and RABBI RAMI SHAPIRO each have substantial interspiritual training and experience.
S3 There Is No Center without the Margins: Presence on the Creative Edge
Explore how Presence on the margins is a transformative spiritual practice both for speaker and listener. What are the implications of such Presence for both our own prayer and spiritual practice and that of those we encounter? What is the creative potential, both personally and communally, of interactions that take place on the social margins? 33%, 33%, 33%
VIE THORGREN, DMIN, is the executive director of the Center for Spirituality at Work and its formation program for spiritual directors, focusing on the spiritual needs of marginalized people.
SHARON BROWNING, ESQ., spiritual director and poverty lawyer, is currently working with the Pennsylvania, USA–based JUST Listening Project, which focuses on being present to and accompanying people on the social margins.
S4 Creating a Culture of Awakening
Discover potential ways spiritual direction may awaken communities in order to transform churches and worship gatherings into places of deep listening—which leads to noticing and sharing God’s presence. Exploration of individual, group, corporate, and community spiritual direction builds the foundation for the fourth great awakening into the twenty-first century for the church. 33%, 33%, 33%
REV. DR. BRENDA BUCKWELL LIFLAND is a pastor, cofounder of the Fellowship of United Methodist Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders, faculty instructor with United Theological Seminary, and workshop leader. She lives in Ohio, USA, and articulates spiritual direction’s impact on contemporary church.
S5 “If Not Now—When?” Interfaith Approaches to Practicing the Present
Celebrate the moment in all its fullness. Grow in appreciation of how mindful listening releases us from our own story. Practice the present through teachings from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, and explore the blessings and the curses of being present. Learn specific techniques to help deepen our ability to model practicing the present. 33%, 33%, 33%
RABBI TED FALCON, PHD, guides Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue in Washington, USA; teaches the universal spiritual wisdom of Jewish tradition; cohosts Interfaith Talk Radio; and authored A Journey of Awakening.
PASTOR DON MACKENZIE is minister and head of staff of the University Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington; cohost of Interfaith Talk Radio; and a frequent presenter at interfaith programs.
BROTHER JAMAL RAHMAN is the Muslim Sufi Minister at the Interfaith Community Church in Washington, USA; adjunct faculty at Seattle University; cohost of Interfaith Talk Radio; and author of The Fragrance of Faith.
S6 “To Bind Up the Brokenhearted”: Spiritual Direction with Persons Who Are Grieving Suicide
Examine issues related to companioning a person who has lost a loved one to suicide. Explore how the ministry of spiritual direction can facilitate God’s healing. 50%, 25%, 25%
CAROLYN KEATING, MED, is a spiritual director and group facilitator, Houston Cenacle Retreat House. She is a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and lives in Texas, USA.
S7 Presence: Direct Experience of Body and Spirit
The sensations of the body are our immediate connection to our reality with the Holy, with the world, and with the cosmos. When we open up to these sensations, our bodies become the bridge between our inner and outer landscapes. Brian Swimme’s powers of the universe will be used as a model to help us grow in awareness of our participation in creation. 50%, 25%, 25%
MARY MILLERD, MATS, BED, codirects the Pacific Jubilee Program for Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction in Vancouver, BC, Canada. She is a spiritual director, teaches energy work, and leads retreats.
SUSAN BUTLER-JONES, DM, RMT, coordinates the Prairie Jubilee Program for Spiritual Direction in Winnipeg, Canada. She is a minister in the United Church of Canada, spiritual director, registered massage therapist, and Reiki practitioner.
S8 Awakening Consciousness
A new dimension of consciousness is awakening within: an evolutionary shift from the small ego-self we know as “me” to a sense of self that is experienced as Wholeness, God-Consciousness, and Oneness of all. We will explore the emerging Reality, receive input on how to open to it, and discuss its implications for spiritual direction. 33%, 33%, 33%
JAN NOVOTKA, MA, lives in Pennsylvania, USA, and is a spiritual songwriter, retreat director, and wilderness fast retreat guide. She is committed to the evolutionary shift taking place in consciousness.
S9 Being Present to the Healing Christ Within
The blocks that people experience in prayer and in relationships are often caused by painful or forgotten memories. When memories are healed, we experience greater freedom, increased ability to receive God’s love, and movement toward more authentic personhood. Through prayer, scripture, and self-examination, healing of memories can be experienced by the presence and action of the Spirit of God. 40%, 20%, 40%
KAY CRONK is a spiritual director at the Houston Cenacle Retreat House and director of Congregational Care at St. Thomas Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, USA.
SHARON FULLERTON, MA, has been with the Houston Cenacle’s Inner Healing Team since inception.
LINDA HAND is a Quaker and a staff spiritual director at the Houston Cenacle Retreat House.
BECKY OATES is a staff spiritual director at the Houston Cenacle Retreat House. She coordinates Charis, a Methodist spiritual direction training program.
S10 Spirituality for Extroverts (and tips for those who love them)
Do introverts have a deeper spirituality than extroverts? Do extroverts need to turn in to have a rich spiritual life? Explore the results of Reeves’ research into the spiritual life of extroverts. Through lecture, discussion, and activities, participants will examine
ways to help extrovert seekers on their paths. Tips will be offered on how introverted helpers can keep from becoming overwhelmed by extroverts. 33%, 33%, 33%
NANCY REEVES, PHD, is a clinical psychologist, author, poet, and international speaker in areas of grief, loss, and spiritual discernment. She is adjunct faculty member at University of Victoria, Canada.
S11 The Search for the Beloved: Love Mysticism and Spiritual Direction
What is love mysticism and how does it relate to intimacy with God? How do we companion spiritual directees as they experience God as their Beloved? In the context of contemporary and classical writers such as Bernard of Clairvaux, we will explore love mysticism in relation to sexuality, pleasure (consolation), and the relationship between human and divine love. 50%, 50%, 0%
DR. JANET RUFFING, RSM, is a professor in spirituality and spiritual direction at Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA. She is the author of two books on spiritual direction and more than seventy articles.
S12 Presence in the Male Soul: Using Archetypal Energy for Balance in Labor, Love, and Leisure
Explore the archetypal energies of king, magician, warrior, and lover and their corresponding importance for finding balance in men’s lives. Methods of encouraging deeper presence to the Holy and dedicating these archetypal energies in the spiritual quest are the focus for our time together. 33%, 33%, 33%
KARL RUTTAN, PHD, is canon for formation with the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, USA, and has a longtime interest in men’s spirituality.
S13 Being Present in Our 14-Billion-Year-Old Universe
As spiritual friends, how do the evolutionary insights from the unfolding story of the universe impact our theology, spirituality, and vocation? Using an experiential process, we will address questions like these to deepen our sense of awe—without losing sight of the challenge to participate in the emerging human story so that we may all share in its wonder. 25%, 25%, 50%
TIM SCORER is a freelance educator, writer, and spiritual director within the tradition of the United Church of Canada. He lives on Bowen Island, a twenty-minute ferry ride from Vancouver, BC, Canada.
S14 Care for Creation: Franciscan Ecological Spirituality
Can Saint Francis inspire us to love all creation and to learn to respond to the spiritual confusion and despair that result from modern day ecological crises? Based on the book Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth, this workshop will foster ecological consciousness and the love and compassion necessary to sustain us during this time of struggling on behalf of creation. 20%, 40%, 40%
PAM WOOD, MA, ATR, is an art therapist, spiritual director, and retreat facilitator living in Oregon, USA. She coauthored Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth.
NEW! Special Saturday Midday Meal: Breaking Bread across Traditions
Houston community members of many faiths will join participants to provide a culturally rich and spiritually diverse meal experience. As we break bread together, Amazing Faiths Project will facilitate an interfaith dialogue. The goal of the intentional dialogue is to promote understanding and peace among all people and all faith traditions. The dialogue is sponsored by Amazing Faiths Houston, a joint project of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, The Boniuk Center for the Study and Advancement of Religious Tolerance, and The Office of the Mayor, City of Houston, Texas, USA.
Saturday Evening Celebration
Drawing from a splendid variety of creative arts, we will celebrate joyful presence within our own sacred center and integrate our conference experience. We will take pleasure in the sacred voices from many spiritual traditions and explore the unfolding creativity alive in each of us through our senses. We will sing, move, hear, taste, and see the Spirit calling us to be present as we prepare to return to our communities. Canadian Ray McGinnis, author of Writing the Sacred: A Psalm-inspired Path will facilitate our lively celebration.
