Our Gatherings |
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What will we do?
What will I need? |
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What we do together....
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Loving the Questions 2024-25 is held virtually via Zoom and runs from September through March.
We adhere to a core guiding spiritual principle that none of us know exactly where the Spirit is leading, either as participants or facilitators. As the Evangelist notes in St. John's Gospel, "The wind blows wherever it pleases, you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from, or where it is going" (John 3.7). Thus, we are on a path of discovery and discernment together, and much of how we engage and what we include is up to what the Spirit reveals to the unique mix of individuals that gather in community each year. Each year brings a new group of participants with their own unique desires, needs and questions. We aim to explore and begin to discover more clearly the fullness of our life in God. Each year as we gather anew, our facilitators pay close attention to our previous years' experience to help us hone our facilitation for the current community of discernment. We seek to honor the reality of our unknowing and acknowledgement of "un-mastery" as we come together - we do our best to respect and honor this reality. The Core Meetings Our 2024-25 cohort runs from September through March. We open with a two-day full-cohort workshop in September. We then commence with bi-monthly sessions beginning in November and concluding in March (see schedule here). Our contemplatively-based small groups are comprised of 3 or 4 participants with the support of a facilitator. Our small group process is based on a group spiritual direction model developed in partnership with Shalem Institute. Our aim is to grow in self-knowledge, purity of heart, and maturation in the virtue of discernment. To this end, we practice prayerful listening to God, to one another, and to ourselves in community. Contemplation at the Core and More... In addition to our small group work, we do our best to provide participants the opportunity to explore ministry callings that they sense they might be gifted for, or wish to know more about. We believe that everyone has a unique life calling that is rooted in the fullness of their life (ministry or otherwise). We believe that there is no human role or gift that is any more or less valuable in the economy of God's creation. Our hope is that participants grow in being present to their daily life, deepen in their appreciation of their unique gifting, and see with greater clarity how their gifting is alive in the present moment. |
What you'll Need |
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Our format is twofold. First, it is virtual format and requires a Zoom-enabled device that includes an Internet connection.
Second, the format is spiritual, which requires a certain type of connection as well. This connection could be defined in a threefold manner: 1) connection to God; 2) connection to one another; and 3) connection to yourself. The overall connection is one that calls for humility, vulnerability and openness — a place where one's soul can show up and safely participate without judgment by others. This format is not for everyone. Sometimes the heart is not ready for the degree of vulnerability and openness that this space invites us into. If you are unsure of your readiness, or simply wish to inquire about our community in more detail, do not hesitate to reach out to us. |
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Loving the Questions
sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts www.diocesewma.org www.diomass.org |
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Retreats
Opening Workshop, Saturday Sept 18th Midway Retreat, Jan 8th Closing Retreat, Mar 4th-5th More information about retreats will be posted as plans are finalized and Covid factors are considered |
Zoom Meetings
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