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“In
God, we live and move and have our being.”
(Acts 17:28)
Beneath the
activities and busyness of our lives is a yearning to live more
deeply into this truth, to live so we truly know we have our being
in God.
The new
Oasis program for spiritual formation,
Contemplative Living: Spirituality of Daily Life,
invites us to explore living contemplatively in the middle of life's
busyness, not only through special set aside devotional times.
Indeed the spiritual life is not what we do when we stop our busy
lives and sit quietly in a practiced prayer form; it is how we
infuse our hours and days with an awareness of God's presence. We
believe that true contemplative living integrates our lives.
The focus of
Contemplative Living: The Spirituality of Daily Life
is on the life of the participant. The goal of the program is to
open more of our individual lives to contemplative awareness.
Although some core prayer practices will be included, the focus will
be on the experience and process of the individual in deepening
his/her life in God. In addition to the shared core curriculum,
parts of the program will be shaped by the participants and leaders
to honor each person's unique life situation. |
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Monthly Gatherings:
Program participants gather for an opening and
closing retreat and for six monthly sessions in between.
Each month will include:
Engagement with the themes through
Time for personal
retreat & solitude
Sharing & mutual support
among participants
Prayer & worship experiences
Is this program for YOU?
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Do
you desire to root your life more deeply in God?
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Do
you hope to encounter God’s “extra”-ordinary in your ordinary days?
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Do you want to journey
in community
with others who share the desires of your spirit?
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Session Themes Include:
world
The
need for spiritual practices—rhythms and rituals
Times of darkness and fear—growing into trust
Prayer and the creative spirit
Daily relationships
(work, family, community)
The opportunities of
our working lives
Justice and
mercy—the overflow of contemplative living
The
opened heart—healing, gratitude and freedom
Contemplation is being with what is.
Gerald May
Prayer is paying attention.
Simone Weil |
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Leaders:
Nancy L. Bieber, M.A., M.S., has
been on staff at Oasis Ministries for thirteen years, and serves as
a lead teacher for the
Spiritual Direction program and the
Contemplative Living program. Nancy is a clinical psychologist but
focuses now on retreat leadership and spiritual direction. She is
the author of Decision-Making and Spiritual Discernment: The
Sacred Art of Finding Your Way (September 2010).
Marc Oehler, M.Div., LCSW, has
been on staff at Oasis Ministries for six years serving as a leader
in the
Spiritual Direction program and has
served over ten years as Associate Pastor for Congregational Life at
the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township. Marc leads retreats,
does individual and group spiritual direction and is a licensed
social worker.
Melissa Stock received her
training at Oasis through
Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides.
She also completed three years of Spiritual Formation and two of
Ignatian Spiritual Direction Training at the Kairos School of
Spiritual Formation. Melissa is active in retreat leadership,
spiritual direction, and Taize worship.
To learn
more about our leaders and teachers, visit:
www.oasismin.org/People.html |
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Interested?
Contact us today
No
pre-requisites...
All are welcome!
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Dates
OPENING
RETREAT
10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 7, 2010 through 3:00 p.m.,
Friday, October 8, 2010
MONTHLY SESSIONS
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursdays
November 11, December 16, 2010
January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, 2011
CLOSING RETREAT
10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 12, 2011
through 3:00 p.m., Friday, May 13, 2011
TO APPLY, OR,
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION:
-
Click
here to download and print a PDF version* of
the 2010-2011 Contemplative Living
brochure and Application form.
- Call 717-737-8222 to request a copy of the program brochure.
- Email your request to oasismin@oasismin.org.
* Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view and print the brochure. If you do not have the software, a free copy can be downloaded by clicking

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Location:
Mariawald Renewal Center
1094 Welsh
Road
Reading PA 19607
Phone:
610.777.0135
www.mariawaldrenewal.com
Tuition
TUITION: $1,550
Plus an
Application Fee of $200 (non-refundable after program begins*) sent
with application from brochure.
If application received by May 30:
discount $50 from application fee
If application received after August 30:
add
$50 to application fee
Tuition is to
be paid in five equal installments of $310 due upon acceptance into
the program (by August) and on class meeting days in October,
December, February, and April.
Participants are asked to pay for and attend all sessions.
Payments by Discover, MasterCard & Visa are welcome.
*If
you withdraw from the program prior to September 1, 2010, we will
refund your application fee less $50.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Some
scholarship help is available. The amount of help depends on the
number of requests we receive and the amount of money in our
scholarship fund. Contact us after seeking assistance from other
local sources of funding (like your church or denomination). |