Deepening Spirituality was a day organised by HeartEdge in partnership with the London Centre for Spiritual Direction that was held at the Church of St Edmund the King, Lombard Street yesterday.
The day explored a range of approaches to deepening the spirituality of congregations including accompanied prayer, art, Godly Play, lay communities, open door retreats, spiritual direction, and more.
The day began with a session by Neil Evans, Director of Ministry for the Diocese of London, on strategies for developing congregational depth. Neil considered what ways in which we can talk about church growth in terms of depth of spirituality within congregations and asked what factors influence or shape the deepening of spirituality in congregations. He presented a case study demonstrating the strategic and contextual use of Lent Courses, Pastoral Care Teams, Godly Play and Weeks of Accompanied Prayer.
Beki Rogers, Director of the London Centre for Spiritual Direction, chaired a panel session on lay communities with contributions from:
- Nazareth Community – Richard Carter
- Moot Community –Emily Richardson
- St Thomas’ Community – Simon Cartwright
- Community of Spiritual Directors – Antonia Lynn
- St Anselm’s & Nazareth Communities – Georgina Illingworth
The day also included table talks:
- Weeks of Accompanied Prayer and Open Door Retreats: Alison Christian - How can we open up, deepen and support the prayer lives of the people we are alongside and give them a taste of retreat without having to go away? This table talk explores two tools that can be used to do just that in our own communities.
- Spiritual Direction: Julie Dunstan - Spiritual Direction is the best kept secret in the church. It’s not just for some spiritual elite, it’s available to all. Someone to walk alongside you and to help you to listen more deeply to the direction of the Spirit in your life. What’s not to like?
- The Art of Contemplation: Jonathan Evens - The experience of viewing art is contemplative in nature as the kind of looking that is involved has significant synergies with the practices of prayer and contemplation in the Christian tradition. The discipline of paying attention which is fundamental to the visual arts is also a useful discipline for Christians.
- Ignatian Spirituality: Antonia Lynn - The spirituality of Ignatius Loyola, described as a “journey into freedom”, is a spirituality of the whole person and for all walks of life, allowing each of us to find our own way of living out our deepest beliefs and desires in a growing intimacy with God in Christ. It invites us to a radical transformation of heart and mind, and the discovery of each person’s unique calling to “love and serve in all things”.
- Forming A Rhythm Of Life: Simon Cartwright - A rhythm of life is a set of statements that encourages a pattern of living for an intentional Christian community. It recognises that we all have uniquely different personalities, interests and vocations. But a rhythm of life enables people to explore their own spiritual journey, while finding support and depth with others who are joining them on that journey. In this table talk we will share how forming a rhythm of life helps shape Christian community.
- Lent Courses: Neil Evans - Lent Groups are a tried and trusted way of bringing people together to meet and discuss issues of faith. They can succeed where attempts to draw people together for more on-going group meetings can be more difficult. Using such groups fruitfully for mission and ministry can offer a real richness to parish life.
- Listening groups: Richard Carter - I first came across the idea of a listening group from the late Gerard Hughes. He said that often with discussion groups people try to show how much they know and ideas can quickly become competitive or an interaction dominated by a few. A listening in contrast aims to provide each participant a place to share and to listen. It allows space for the stories of others.
- Godly Play: Neil Evans and Ali Lyon - A wonderfully simple, yet profound way of sharing the Gospel. So often when we tell bible stories we can put a spin or our interpretation on the story. Godly Play, rather, invites people – children and adults alike – into the story. Through open ‘wondering’ questions each person is given the opportunity to bring their experience and promptings of the Holy Spirit to the story. It helps people make the story, the bible, their own.
- Art Oasis: Jonathan Evens and Sarah Sikorski - Included quiet scripture reflection, prayer and practical art. Art materials were available to explore, play with colour and be creative through collage, painting, drawing or writing. Lectio Divina provided the prompt to our creativity.
- Silence: Alison Christian and Richard Carter - Cicero said, "Silence is one of the great arts of conversation." This workshop will look at the value the Church has always placed on silence and consider the "conversation" we can have with God through silence. The main part of the workshop will be largely experiential. We will explore ways which help us keep a deeper silence, explore how to face distractions, and reflect upon the places of silence which can enrich our lives.
- The Examen: Antonia Lynn - One of the simplest of prayer practices, the Examen enables us to make gratitude a way of life and to find and cooperate with the presence of God in all aspects of our daily living.
The day ended with discussion of how to evaluate growth and depth using methods that track personal spiritual development and approaches to evaluating a day such as this day on deepening spirituality.
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Will Todd - Greater Love.
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