Wisdom School 2018 – Entering the Darkness: Responding with Fierce Compassion
Offered by Diane Millis and Bussho Lahn
Monday, June 25 — Saturday, June 30, 2018
$775
For this summer’s Wisdom School, we will explore the role of darkness on the spiritual path, both personally and collectively. Our aim is not to claim the light for ourselves, nor will we settle for easy answers or tidy endings. Rather, we will glean the wisdom to be found in the stories from sacred scriptures, contemporary spiritual writings, and our own lives. We trust that our willingness to engage humanity’s suffering ignites the transformative fire of grace. Each retreat day will consist of time spent in silent sitting, contemplative conversation, a contemplative art exercise, and a presentation by the facilitators.
Read MoreKenosis Retreat
Offered by Ward Bauman
Sunday, July 8 – Sunday, July 15, 2018
$825
Jesus, speaking of humanity, said, “I came that they might have life and have it fully.” This full life is what every human wants. And it’s what we are seeking to find in all of our spiritual work at the House of Prayer. But to get real we must also quickly tell it truthfully. For Jesus also said, “The road to life is narrow and hard, and few find it.” It is this path, the path of self-negation (KENOSIS in Greek) that is the path to life. So, we might call this retreat the Full Life Retreat, but to get there, we go by way of “dispossession,” so we do the hard work, the work of “self-emptying,” or “self-negation,” the work of Kenosis. This is the focus of this retreat.
Read MoreMary, Mother of Jesus: A Woman for our Time
An Intergenerational Retreat for Women
Offered by Emily Wilmer
Friday, July 27 – Sunday, July 29, 2018
$325
What does Mary, Mother of Jesus show us about living in modern times? Can she? As we bring Mary out of the bright lights of Advent and into the ordinariness of daily life, we are invited to ponder three images – the reed flute, the bird nest and the chalice as windows into Mary’s experience, how her life can inform our experience as modern people, and how we, too, are invited to be Christ-bearers in the world. Join other women as we slow down, share silence and song, poetry and prayer, and time for personal reflection.
Read MoreMore Than Words: Encountering Jesus Life of Prayer and Ministry
Offered by David Keller
Friday, August 10 – Sunday, August 12, 2018
$325
Although Jesus of Nazareth was a devout first-century Jew, in the twenty-first century he is often lost in the thickets of Christian theology, reflection on the wisdom of his words, and the busyness of church life. At a time in the church’s life when “spiritual formation” has become a priority what can we learn from Jesus’ Jewish spiritual formation and its influence on his life and ours? This retreat experience will explore Jesus’ life of prayer as a devout first-century Jew and the consequences of his prayer in his personal life and active engagement with society. It will integrate substantive academic presentations with contemplative prayer and discussion. It is designed for clergy and laity.
Read MoreGrowing our God Images
Offered by Mary Ellen Ashcroft
Friday, October 5 – Saturday, October 6, 2018
$155
During this retreat we will explore how our god images must change as we reshape our broken stories within life’s realities. We will delve into our own life thresholds that have forced us to retell our stories. We will consider god images we’ve had to (or need to) abandon as we’ve outgrown them, as well as inviting a bigger god to fill those spaces. Mary Ellen will provide input on spiritual growth and god images, sharing from her new book OMG: Growing With Our God Images. There will be time for quiet, being outdoors, sharing and worship.
Read MoreThe Celtic Knot: What Celtic Christians Can Teach Us about Life, Mission and Ministry Today
Offered by The Rev. Jerry Doherty
Friday, October 19 – Sunday, October 21, 2018
$325
Everything in the Celtic world is interconnected as symbolized by the Celtic Knot. The knot looks multi-faceted but is actually a circle intertwined into one entity; it is a symbol for the church. The Rev. Dr. Jerry Doherty will share how the lifestyle, sacred place, meditation, pilgrimage, and community are all vital parts of the life of the church today. There will be regular times of silent meditation reflection and prayer to reflect on this most holy time of year.
Read MoreThe Silence, the Word, the Music, the Dance: The Four Energies of Christianity
Offered by Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam
Friday, November 16 – Sunday, November 18, 2018
$325
This retreat will be based on the writings of Fr. Cyprian’s late confrere Bruno Barnhart and the writings of Raimundo Pannikar. Both were priests, scholars, proponents of inter-religious dialogue and teachers of deep wisdom. “All the wisdom disappears at a certain point, because we live in a world and an economy of faith. Wisdom seems to go down the drain on you. And then it recovers when you need it. … It also is the wisdom of the cross.” – Bruno Barnhart
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