Episcopal Spirituality: Individual Spiritual Growth and Parish Development
First Weekend: January 13 - 15, 2017 Second Weekend - TBA
Follow up resources
Our work on newsprint - The work done during the retreat and at the Sunday forum.
Retreat Handout Packet - Used during the retreat (Friday - Saturday)
Sunday forum packet Sunday Sermon - Michelle Heyne, OA
Rule of Life - Daily Office Sessions
There was a fair amount of work done in these areas. Mother Liz will be following up with people to schedule follow up sessions for those interested in developing a Rule or reflecting on their current one; as well as those wanting to learn how to do the Daily Office in a manner that fits their temperament and life circumstances.
The place of the Daily Office in a balanced and full spiritual life Episcopal Church web site on the Office
Daily Office Resources - for saying the Office on your own
We explored how in living the spiritual life it can be useful to have a range of options in doing the Daily Office -- from its fullness to rather minimal expressions.
Many people undermine themselves by being either legalistic (for example, "I must do it all as in the Prayer Book") or taking on too much ("I will do both MP and EP"). You need to give yourself time to figure out the logistics that work for you. That’s partly a matter of spending some initial time thinking it through and partly experimentation and revision.
Father Bob noted the three essential elements of the Daily Office:
1. Psalm(s) - as appointed
2. Scripture Reading - as appointed
3. The Prayers - as appointed in the Book of Common Prayer
He shared that his own practice was to attend Evening Prayer at his parish each night. Michelle Heyne shared that she did Morning Prayer on her own each day.
Each of them also had practices in which they made use of some element from the Office at other times of the day. For example -
In the morning saying the The Song of Zechariah (Benedictus Dominus Deus) and in the Evening, the Song of Mary (Magnificat) A card with both canticles
Saying this from Compline - Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
On-line resources for the Daily Office -
From the Brotherhood of Saint Gregory - automatically goes to the Office for the time and the day.
Mission Saint Clare - More complex, includes hymns and other elements
The Public Saying of the Office in the Parish Church
A blog posting on how to establish a public saying of the Office in the parish -- here
The First Weekend
Michelle Heyne, OA, and Robert Gallagher, OA, will be leading the parish in two weekends open to all who are interested in deepening their practice of Episcopal spirituality and learning more about the often hidden spiritual dynamics present in a parish church. The program they’ve developed for us is directed at helping us with our individual spiritual practices, as well as looking at how the parish can better support us in those practices.
The two weekends will cover different material and both will include a mix of presentation, small group work, and individual and group reflection. The weekends will provide opportunities to deepen practice for both long-term Episcopalians and those newer to the church. They will also serve as a jumping-off point for the parish’s leaders in their own work in continuing to improve parish life and faithfulness. We hope to have a significant percentage of the parish participating.
Sessions will be videotaped for educational purposes with other groups. Taping will be limited to Bob and Michelle’s presentations and the large group Q&A, not small group work or individual reflections.
Advance Reading - Those planning to participate should complete these readings
Benedictine spirituality and the parish church
The Benedictine Promise
Schedule
Friday January 13 5:30 - 8:15 pm
5:30 pm Dinner
6:00 - 8:00 pm Work Session: Renewal-Apostolate Cycle - how the baptized person moves in a cycle between spiritual renewal and being an instrument of God's love in daily life.
8:00 pm Compline
8:15 pm End
Saturday January 14 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
9:45 am Coffee
10:00 am Morning Prayer
10:20 am - 12:00 pm Work Session: The Benedictine Promise - Understanding and managing the dynamics among stability, change and listening in our individual spiritual life.
12:00 pm Noon Prayers
12:10 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Work Session: Renewal-Apostolate Cycle - How the parish church can better support people in their movement between being renewed and acting as instruments of God's love in daily life
2:15 pm Break
2:30 pm Work Session: The Benedictine Promise - Exploring our parish's spiritual dynamics of stability, conversion of life and obedience.
4:00 pm End
Sunday January 15
At the Eucharist Michelle Heyne will preach
Adult Ed time - 9:15 to 10:00 Shaping our spiritual life: Exploring a pattern of spiritual living rooted in Anglican tradition and effective in the contemporary world.
Michelle Heyne, OA brings empathy, humor, and a solid grounding in ecclesiology and effective organizational dynamics to her work as a trainer and consultant. She is committed to helping parish leaders bring about effective change by developing the skills they need to make the most of the gifts they already have. She has worked as a financial services executive for over 30 years and served as a parish lay leader for 15; she began consulting and training with Episcopal parishes and leaders in 2006. Michelle is the 8th Presiding Officer of the Order of the Ascension, the first layperson to hold that role. She is also the author of In Your Holy Spirit: Traditional Spiritual Practices in Today’s Christian Life. She lives in Seattle with her husband, Sean.
Bob Gallagher, OA brings nearly 50 years of experience in leadership training and parish development. Bob offers exceptional skills in facilitating shifts and changes in people and organizations. He provides practical methods and vision for a transformed parish. He has served as a parish priest, on diocesan staff, and as a consultant to hundreds of parishes and numerous dioceses. He is the founder of The Church Development Institute (CDI) and directed that training program until 2011. He is the author of Fill All Things: The Dynamics of Spirituality in the Parish Church, and In Your Holy Spirit: Shaping the Parish Through Spiritual Practice. Bob is a professed member of the Order of the Ascension. He lives in Seattle, within walking distance of his parish, St. Paul’s, Seattle.