Gatherings for Spiritual Directors

We offer Spiritual Directors opportunities to network and receive continuing education.  We have invited speakers who were able to instruct us about the financial and mandatory reporting responsibilities associated with our work.  

Gatherings are typically held on a Saturday morning from 9:00-11:30 am.  We have been blessed to have speakers such as

Dr. Maria Tattu Bowen
Co-founder / Trainer at Together in the Mystery

Dr. Susan Phillips
Executive Director at New College

Jeff Gaines
​Liturgist and Spiritual Director

Supervision

We offer opportunities for both individual and group supervision.  This is available for all Spiritual Directors in our area.  Some supervisors may also offer Skype or phone sessions.  Check out our Director profiles to find a supervisor for you.

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Practicing Direction at the Contemplative Center

Who can use this space?

​Is there a fee to use these rooms?

As you know, it's not easy to find a space to give spiritual direction that ensures quiet and privacy, not to mention, affordability!  We have rooms specifically designed for giving spiritual direction, both individual and group.  These are available any time to the Directors who have applied and been accepted by our Discernment Board.

Thanks to Westhope Presbyterian's generosity, we only ask our Directors to kick in $5 per use to help with the cost of maintaining the rooms and supplies (like candles and kleenex).

How do I apply?

Once you have surfed our website and read all the requirements for our directors, we want to meet you! The first thing to do is attend a Spiritual Directors Gathering and introduce yourself.  Let someone from the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) know you are interested in joining and one of us will guide you through our discernment process of joining the Center.

What is expected of me?

Spiritual Directors who have met the qualifications and been approved by the Discernment Board are asked to sign the Spiritual Direction Covenant, which asks all of our directors to 

• Follow SDI's Code of Ethics
• Be in regular supervision and personal spiritual direction
• Attend the Center's annual meeting
• Be respectful of other Directors with regard to scheduling and use of space
• Employ a sliding scale so that everyone has the opportunity to experience this ministry
• Contribute $5 per session for the care and upkeep of the rooms
• Renew this covenant annually

What are you looking for in applicants?

In hopes of presenting to the world spiritual directors who embody contemplative attentiveness to God and gentleness toward the other, here are our ideal criteria for applicants to the Contemplative Center:

Individuals who

1. Have a sense of own groundedness in God
2. Have a sense of personal health, maturity and wholeness
3. Have attuned sensibilities to the Spirit of God: intellect, intuition, emotion, imagination, bodily awareness and “something else”
4. Are committed to their continued growth in their own practice of prayer & meditation, spiritual learning & practice
5. Observe ongoing practice of involvement in a faith community
6. Are committed to the confidentiality and well-being of the other
7. Have experienced validation of this call by the fact that others have come to them to attend God in their lives
8. Have life experience and history which reflect a deepening relationship with God
9. Currently in spiritual direction and supervision for themselves
10. Have completed a serious experiential and academic program with an ecumenical mix of peers in a Christian context, open to learning from other faith traditions
11. Have evidence of their faith community’s support for their ministry of spiritual direction
12. Have completed a 2+ year training program