Contemplative Living


Contemplative Living: The Spirituality of Daily Life A Year-Long Program in Deepening Daily Life through Contemplative Practice October 2008 to May 2009	“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.

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 presentations by staff dialogue among participants inner reflection Time for personal retreat & solitude Sharing & mutual support among participants Prayer & worship experiences Is this program for YOU? h Do you desire to root your life more deeply in God? h Do you hope to encounter God’s “extra”-ordinary in your ordinary days? h Do you want to journey in community with others who share the desires of your spirit?	Session Themes Include: Our holy longing Paying attention and being mindful Embodiment—God of the physical 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
Leaders: Nancy L. Bieber, M.A., M.S., has been on staff at Oasis Ministries for eleven years, serving presently as a lead teacher for the Spiritual Direction program as well as in the Contemplative Living program. Nancy has been a clinical psychologist for 25 years but focuses now on retreat leadership and spiritual direction. A Quaker and a graduate of Shalem Institute, Nancy leads retreats each summer at Pendle Hill, the Quaker Study Center, and has taught classes on prayer at Lancaster Theological Seminary. Besides her ministry, Nancy's joys are in her garden, her involvement in Lancaster Quaker Meeting, traveling with her husband, Larry, and spending time with their four small granddaughters. Marc Oehler, M.Div., LCSW, has been on staff at Oasis Ministries for four years serving as a leader in the Spiritual Direction program and has completed over ten years service as associate pastor at the Presbyterian Church of Chatham Township. Marc leads retreats, does individual and group spiritual direction and is a licensed social worker. He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work, and trained with Oasis Ministries' Spiritual Direction program. Marc and his wife Nicole have two young children, and his joys include playing with his children, reading at the beach, singing with two bands, and watching the Yankees play.

Interested? Contact us today No pre-requisites... All are welcome! [return to top] Dates OPENING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Thursday, October 2, 2008 through 3:00 p.m., Friday, October 3, 2008 MONTHLY SESSIONS 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursdays October 30, December 11, 2008 January 15, February 12, March 12, April 16, 2009 CLOSING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 14, 2009 through 3:00 p.m., Friday, May 15, 2009 TO APPLY, OR, FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Click here to download and print a PDF version* of the 2008-2009 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	Location: Mariawald Renewal Center 1094 Welsh Road, Reading PA 19607 Phone: 610.777.0135 www.hometown.aol.com/mariawald 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 MasterCard & Visa are welcome. If you withdraw from the program prior to September 1, 2008, 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).

[return to top]