Spirituality Resource Guide
Dear
friends and colleagues,
This resource is a invitation to Love – to the Holy
Love to which God invites us and in which we become most
fully alive, most fully all that we were created to be. It
is intended as an invitation for anyone who is seeking
support, nurture or companionship on their spiritual journey:
an invitation to trust that the stirrings we feel to
know God more fully, to pray more deeply or to find others
with whom to walk are all of God, gifts from the One
who created us in love and daily invites us to grow more
fully into that Holy Love.
In recent years, more and more people have been seeking out
companions with whom to share their spiritual
journey. The tradition of spiritual direction, long practiced
by members of religious orders, has experienced a
resurgence and new life across denominational lines, with
increasing numbers of clergy and lay people receiving
training to serve as spiritual guides or directors, and also
seeking out places in which they can receive spiritual
direction. Individuals, congregations, committees and businesses
are discovering the value of “quiet days,” retreats
and time away from the demands of their normal routines to listen
for the stirrings and invitations of God.
It is often difficult to know where to begin to find the
support we need for our spiritual life. How do we find a
spiritual director or companion? Who could lead a retreat
for our group, and where might we go? How could we
learn more about spiritual direction? Where might we go for
workshops or retreats to feed our soul and stretch
our faith?
This resource is intended as a first step in answering these
questions. The Massachusetts Conference of the
United Church of Christ has received a grant from the Lilly
Foundation to develop resources for the spiritual
support and nurture of clergy and congregations. The compilation
of this booklet was one piece of this project.
This booklet includes an ecumenical listing of spiritual
directors, retreat leaders, retreat centers, resources for
spiritual direction and training programs for those interested
in the ministry of spiritual direction or guidance.
Inclusion in this booklet does not imply endorsement by the
MACUCC nor by any other group, as no process
currently exists to endorse or license spiritual directors
or retreat leaders.
Blessings!
Nancy Elder-Wilfrid
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