\u2022 Every individual has a unique spiritual journey, and is in a certain place on that journey in the present moment
\n\u2022 Everyone has a desire to grow into a deeper relationship with God and to be more open to the Spirit moving in their lives
\n\u2022 Moving from the intention to deepen our relationship to the Divine requires both individual work and corporate support from others
\n\u2022 Everyone is committed to sharing from their own lives and experience, recognizing that deeper sharing will come as trust (in each other and God) increases
\n\u2022 We will do what we can to participate fully: the commitment to each other and to the program is important to all of us
\n\u2022 We will risk honest plain talk regarding our own spirituality: feel free to use the words that best speak to and for you
\n\u2022 We will listen tenderly to each other and strive for acceptance and understanding. We will listen under and through the words we use.
\n\u2022 In order to build trust, we will hold in strict confidence what is said in all of the sessions.
\n\u2022 In a capsule: show up, be fully present, pay attention, speak truth, hold confidences, let go of outcomes, expect miracles.<\/p>\n
We want to give you an opportunity to get to know one another and where you are on your spiritual journeys, and build some trust among the whole community. To do this, we will share in pairs using concentric circles. Queries: Choose from this list according to your best guess as to what would be appropriate\u2026or make up your own. Know that folks appreciate the chance to go deeper than they usually get a chance to\u2026 8:15 pm Debrief Concentric Circles (Worship Sharing) 8:45 pm Introduce the Program: Goals, Assumptions and Expectations, Structure, and Break into new, mixed groups of four (or five) randomly. All groups would be gathered in the same room, able to hear the leader.<\/span><\/p>\n 11:35<\/span>\u00beLeader: Read the poem aloud, Invite participants to share a word that stayed with them, moved them, or had resonance with them for whatever reason. As in worship sharing, people share as they are led with generous silence in between speakers. 12:15 Debrief Journaling exercise (Worship Sharing) The purpose of this exercise is to either experience being held in the light or to hold another in the light in your SF\/AGs. 9:40 am Break \u2022 Every individual has a unique spiritual journey, and is in a certain place on that journey in the present moment \u2022 Everyone has a desire to grow into a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":315,"featured_media":0,"parent":136,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"iawp_total_views":35,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-135","page","type-page","status-publish","entry"],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/315"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/135\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pym.org\/spiritual-formation-program-collaborative\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n2:00 pm Leaders arrive. (Usually three people, sometimes a fourth serving as elder))
\n4:00 pm Registration and Book Purchase (Books ordered from FGC or Pendle Hill, with a very clear invoice for folks to use to calculate how much they owe)
\n6:00 pm Dinner
\n7:00 pm Worship
\n7:15 pm Welcome and Introductions: Names and Meetings (or whatever\u2026)
\n7:30 pm Concentric Circles Trust Building exercise (Adapted from Alternatives to Violence Program (AVP) design)
\nInstructions (5 min.): Including moving time, allow 6 minutes per question (15 sec. silent contemplation, 2 min a piece for sharing, 1 min for shifting position and introductions). <\/span><\/p>\n
\n1. Please count off by two\u2019s.
\n2. Will the ones turn their chairs to form an inner circle facing outward? The two\u2019s please remain in place to form the outer circle\u2014each \u201ctwo\u201d should now be directly opposite a \u201cone\u201d. When one or more people are movement-impaired, request they be the \u201ctwo\u2019s\u201d in their partnership; in this case, the directions would always be to ask the one\u2019s to \u201cmove one space to the RIGHT.\u201d
\n3. When you meet your partner, shake hands and introduce yourselves.
\n4. You and your partner will take turns talking about a topic I will give you. When you are listening, you are ONLY listening, with no comments or discussion. Respect your partner\u2019s pauses to think.
\n5. After I give you the topic, you will have a few moments of silence to think about it, and then I will say \u201cbegin,\u201d and the first speaker will have 2 minutes to talk.
\nThe ones will be the first speakers\u2014those sitting in the inside circle. Do not be afraid of sitting in worshipful silence if no words seem to be coming forward.
\n6. The first question is: _______. Wait 15 seconds, and say \u201cBegin.\u201d
\n7. Call \u201ctime\u201d at the end of two minutes. Some people give a warning\u2026
\n8. Falling silent, please maintain eye contact. The speaker will now become the listener. Repeat the question, wait 15 seconds, and call \u201cbegin.\u201d
\n9. Now both partners have had a turn as speaker and listener, please shake hands, thank your partner, and will the two\u2019s(outer circle) please move one space to the RIGHT (counter clockwise).
\n10. Repeat the process again until you have completed the topics. At the second round, the two\u2019s will be the first speakers. Pay attention so you can alternate which group begins as first speaker. Usually five or six queries are asked and answered. If less time is available, use only four.<\/p>\n
\n1. What was an early experience that there is a Presence (God, Awe, Spirit)?
\n2. What words do you use to name the Divine? Share as many as you can think of. Another way to phrase this: \u201cHow do you call God?\u201d Interesting ambiguity that permits a large range of answers.
\n3. What is your spiritual hunger at this moment?
\n4. As a youth, what was your early experience of being formed spiritually like? On your own, in your family, early experience in a religious community, church, etc. Try to think of the good parts: what were some benefits you took away?
\n5. Who is a spiritual inspiration to you, a mentor? What are the characteristics of the person that makes this so? Fictional, historical or someone you know\u2026
\n6. In your religious experience, what are some of the things that didn\u2019t sit well with you, that got in the way of your relationship with the Divine, with what had deepest meaning for you, or with your connection to the human family near and far?
\n7. Describe a particular time in your life when you discovered the spiritual life as something important to you, when you felt called to seek God, when you were aware you wanted to know more about \u201cthe spiritual life.\u201d
\n8. Describe a time in your life when you felt out of touch with God, alienated, in a spiritual \u201cdry spell,\u201d or Dark Night of the Soul. A time when access to the Inner Light was missing.
\n9. Describe a time when you felt in harmony with the Divine Will, in synch with the Inner Light, \u201cunder the wings\u201d of the Spirit, in \u201cGospel Order.\u201d
\n10. Describe a time when you felt led, called to action by the Inner Light.
\n11. Why is the Society of Friends your choice of a spiritual community?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u2022 \u201cWhat did you find out about yourself by doing this exercise?\u201d
\n\u2022 \u201cHow was what you just experienced spiritually nurturing?\u201d Perhaps discuss corporate spiritual nurture a bit. Quote: \u201cIf one may judge by the writers of early Quaker journals, it becomes evident that these pillar Friends rated spiritual nurture at the very top of Quaker spiritual virtues.\u201d \u2014Rufus Jones
\n\u2022 This might be a good time to present paper describing Parker Palmer\u2019s Circles of Trust: \u201cThis is the core of what our program is about\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
\ndefine Quaker Spiritual Formation, Agenda for Weekend (especially Saturday
\nmorning spiritual practice groups). On Saturday afternoon you will be using the Conti-Entin PHP on Spiritual Disciplines that was mailed to you. Please make sure you have read it by then.
\n8:55 pm Closing (song, reading etc.)
\n9:00 pm Adjourn (Leaders assign people to reading and friendship\/accountability groups (SF\/AG))<\/span><\/p>\nSaturday<\/em><\/h3>\n
\n7:00 am Spiritual Practices Groups (All) Workshop leaders, and volunteers from the group offer short workshop experiences of a variety of Spiritual Disciplines (examples include: Grand Silence; Quiet Nature Walk; Loving kindness Meditation; Examen,; Journaling and praying, Yoga or body prayer, Scripture reading, etc.)
\n8:00 am Breakfast
\n9:00 am Worship
\n9:20 am Assigning to Regional and SF\/AG
\n9:30 am Introduction to SFAG (Resource: Margery Larrabee\u2019s or Nancy Beiber\u2019s paper)
\n9:45 am Telling our Stories (in SFAG) (Marty Grundy\u2019s paper as guide)
\n(Journaling then sharing)
\n1. Your own experience of the Divine.
\n2. Your own deepest intention.
\n10:45 Break
\n10:55 Telling our stories (all together in one group)
\n3. What supports?
\n4. What hinders?
\n11:20 am Spiritual Disciplines: Introduction )
\n11:30 am Practice a spiritual discipline:
\nPoems Along the Way: an exercise in practicing journal writing<\/span><\/p>\n
\n11:45\u2014Read the poem aloud again. Invite participants to share a phrase or image that stayed with them.
\n11:55<\/span>\u00beRead the poem again and invite participants to write freely, about what is happening in this moment of your spiritual life: how is God speaking to you through this experience. Remember what William Stafford said; \u201cNo need to worry about writer\u2019s block, just lower your standards\u201d. In other words, write what comes: thoughts, associations, images. Begin if you like with a word or phrase from the poem and write it down again and again. Writing the same word or phrase again and again is fine. It\u2019s a good contemplative practice. Keep in mind though that our brains hate repetition. Their natural inclination is to wander off. All we have to do as writers in this practice is to wander along with them, pen in hand.
\n12:10<\/span>\u00beRead the poem aloud again. Then invite participants to read, as they feel led (as in worship sharing). Allow for generous periods of silence in between readings. Periods of silence in between readings allows for deep listening and for the words to settle.
\n<\/span>\u00beRead the poem one last time.
\n12:15\u2014End of exercise.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n12:30 noon Lunch\/Free Time
\n2:30 pm Worship (Jeff)
\n2:50 pm Introduction to Devotional Reading and Reading Groups
\n3:05 pm Reading\/Discussion Experience using Conti-Entin (In Reading Groups) (All)
\n4:30 pm Scheduling Group Meetings (calendars) (All)
\n5:30 pm Worship
\n6:00 pm Dinner
\n7:00 pm Read \u201cIn Prison, Yet Free\u201d by Eva Hermann
\n7:30 pm Worship Sharing on this reading
\n8:00 pm Music or something else
\n9:00 pm Adjourn<\/span><\/p>\nSunday<\/em><\/h3>\n
\n7:00 am Spiritual Practice (All)
\n8:00 am Breakfast
\n9:00 am Worship
\n9:20 am Explain and model \u201cHolding in the Light\u201d (in SF\/AG or Regional Groups, depending on size) exercise Use handout in packet.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nIn small groups we will take time to hold each person in the Light, to pray for them and bless them silently and aloud. This can be a very wonderful experience and I encourage everyone to push beyond inhibitions and to pray for or bless one another generously and with a whole heart.
\nDoing this within an hour requires a disciplined procedure, as follows:
\nForm a small circle, with chairs close together and one in the center of the circle. A member of the group sits in the center chair. One member serves as clerk. The clerk asks if there is a special request. The person in the center may speak briefly. The clerk asks if the person welcomes being touched.
\nFor six or seven minutes, the group holds the individual in the Light. Group members are encouraged to pray aloud or bless the individual.
\nSome suggested ways to do this\u2014as moved by the Spirit:
\nThank God for the gifts of this person, for the beauty of their soul, for what they have contributed to the gathering, etc.
\nAffirm that the loving spirit of God is always present with, to, and in this person.
\nAsk God to help, be present with, heal, console, or give attention to the special needs of this person..
\nDescribe an image that may come to you during the silence
\nExpress appreciation, affection, or love for the person; and\/or faith in them.
\nThe clerk says \u201cAmen\u201d to end the time of holding this person in the Light.
\nThe focus person is given a minute to tell what their experience was like.
\nThat person leaves the center chair and another person sits down and another person serves as clerk..
\nIt is important to move from one person to the next, maintaining a quiet atmosphere of prayer during the change.
\nAfter all members of the group have had a time in the center, take hands around the
\ngroup for a moment of concluding prayer together.
\nIf your group finishes early, speak quietly so as not to be disruptive to other groups.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n9:55 am Holding in the Light exercise (SF\/AG) (All)
\n11:00 am Process Holding in Light (Large Group)
\n11:15 am Concluding business (how to stay in touch, how to deal with problems etc.)
\n11:30 am Worship
\n12:00 Lunch and farewell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"