Spiritual Formation Leadership Network
Do you need a spiritual director?
Do you want a leader for a spiritual formation retreat?
Do you need someone to lead a class on Reformed Spirituality?
Do you want someone who can help you or your congregation discern God’s yearnings?
If you answer, “Yes” to any of these questions, you are invited to investigate the Spiritual Formation Leadership Network.
What is the Spiritual Formation Leadership Network?
How can I make use of the Spiritual Formation Leadership Network?
How can I apply for inclusion?
What Is the Spiritual Formation Leadership Network?
The Spiritual Formation Leadership Network is designed to connect Presbyterians who are looking for spiritual formation ministries with Presbyterians who are able to provide these ministries. It is a referral system comprised of people who have training, ability and experience in a variety of spiritual formation ministries.
The PDF directory is now available through this Web page (see the link below to get the necessary Adobe software). It provides a profile of each person in the Network and indicates each person's special qualifications and training, and their particular leadership interests. Contact information is provided so they can be reached easily.
For more information about the Network, contact Tammy Wiens.
How can I make use of the Spiritual Formation Leadership Network?
The following information will help guide you through the process of selecting a spiritual director, retreat or workshop leader or a speaker for your event.
The Spiritual Formation Leadership Network is a referral system comprised of people who have training, ability and experience in a variety of spiritual formation ministries. Spiritual Formation provides these names as a part of its ministry, but cannot endorse any person listed. You are encouraged to use the "Questions to Consider" to make your best determination of a director or leader suitable for your needs.
Likewise, the identification of any organization's Web site is not an endorsement from Spiritual Formation, nor do we take responsibility for where links may ultimately lead.
The listings are in two formats:
Alphabetic listing
Use this list if you know the name of the person you're looking for.
Download from resource archives
Listing by state
Search all possible leaders in your area. Don't forget to check states that are nearby.
Download from resource archives
Technical Tip: An easy way to search the listings is to use the Control f function key. [The Control (ctrl) key is at the bottom left of a standard keyboard; "F" is just the "f" key.] You can then search for any key word in the list. For example you can type in the state abbreviation, a person's name, or a particular topic of expertise, such as Celtic Spirituality or Centering Prayer. You don't have to type in the full word; only the first few letters should get you where you want to go.
Questions to consider
We have developed a list of questions to guide you in preparing to contact a potential leader.
Looking for a spiritual director?
Most spiritual directors will offer an introductory session at no charge, to determine if this is a good match between director and directee. A face-to-face meeting is recommended before committing to any kind of relationship.
Questions to ask a potential spiritual director:
- How do you understand the ministry of spiritual direction?
- How long have you been practicing the art of spiritual direction?
- What kind of training have you received?
- Are you receiving spiritual direction as a directee?
- Are you in a supervision group or setting?
- What are your customary fees for a direction session (if any)?
- What is your own faith tradition, and are you comfortable working with someone in the Presbyterian tradition?
Looking for event leadership?
Questions to ask yourself prior to the contact:
- What is the nature of your event or leadership need (e.g., retreat, educational program, spiritual direction)?
- Who will be attending your event (e.g., pastors, Christian educators, members of Presbyterian Women, youth group, church leaders)?
- Are there dimensions to this event that a leader ought to be aware, such as group dynamics, past experiences, or expectations?
- What kinds of experience, training, and personal qualities are important to you, including theological perspectives?
- What budget is available for your event? Honorarium? Travel expenses? Other?
Questions to ask a potential leader:
- What training and experience do you bring to your work, either in formal educational settings or through self-study?
- Does this event sound like something you would enjoy doing?
- Do you have a charge for your services (honorarium, travel expenses, other)?
- Upon describing your group to them by age, gender, theological perspective, or other pertinent characteristics, is the leader comfortable with this type of group?
- Can you give me the names, phone numbers, and email addresses for three persons who have directly experienced your leadership in an event similar to the one we are proposing, e.g., attendees at a retreat, workshop, or class you have led?
Questions to ask the references:
- What was the nature of the event led by the leader in question? Where? When? Topic? Participants?
- How would you describe their overall leadership style? Level of competence? Reliability?
- Is there anything else you would want to share about this person's leadership?
- Would you ask them to lead an event you were planning?
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Terms and links
The following is one way to distinguish between the kinds of ministry opportunities:
Spiritual Direction: One Christian assisting another to discover and live out in the context of the Christian community his or her deepest values and life goals in response to God's initiative (taken from a definition provided by Elizabeth Liebert, San Francisco Theological Seminary). For more information, go to the Office of Spiritual Formation glossary or visit Spiritual Directors International (SDI).
Retreat: meeting with open space, interactive, may or may not include worship, silence, solitude, and/or personal reflection time.
Seminar: more of a lecture type of meeting.
Workshop: more of an interactive type of gathering.
Helpful Links
You can learn more about particular topics at these sites:
How can I apply for inclusion?
Download Spiritual Formation Leadership Network Application in pdf
Download Spiritual Formation Leadership Network Application in Word
For more information, Tammy Wiens-Sorge.
