Oasis Ministries

Our part in spiritual direction, I think, is mostly willingness and deep openness; everything of significant value for our minds comes from these qualities. ~Tilden Edwards Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Companion	Deepening Year for Direction Ministries, (DYDM) is a year-long program in continuing education consisting of two retreats and six monthly sessions for practicing spiritual directors who desire to deepen their discernment and enhance their direction skills in a contemplative approach to the art of spiritual direction.

Topics explored this year include: Manifestations of grace and spiritual transformation Resistance: its meaning and message Transference and counter-transference Ways we can listen to dreams Developmental cycles in the spiritual life Loss and mourning: a recurring experience Story and metaphor: language for direction Addiction and co-dependency Body wisdom and non-verbal communication Darkness, spiritual dryness, and suffering Love, Mysticism and Desire Mindfulness and Contemplative Awareness Discernment and interior freedom Self-care for spiritual directors and their directees Legal and ethical issues of spiritual direction	Each month will include: Opportunities to observe spiritual direction sessions followed by group reflection Listening to presentations by staff and guests on topics and themes of the day Inter-active reflection and dialogue with staff on various themes Engagement with themes through guided retreat time. Peer sharing, mutual support, and the experience of contemplative community Use of verbatim and response questions to enhance growth in discernment Sharpening skills through supervision by staff and peers Celebrating gifts and growth in self-awareness and self-understandings Developing the art of prayerful self-supervision “I think the program is a fit for anyone choosing to live a contemplative life - or even beginning to pray about it. I have found a safe path to prayerfully explore my journey with Grace.” Linda Klopp 2006 graduate of DYDM
Leaders: Hugh Smith III, M.Div., D.Min. is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, USA. He served as a pastor to congregations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for over three decades and currently ministers as a spiritual director in Ewing, New Jersey. In addition to his ministry of individual spiritual direction, he serves as facilitator for group spiritual direction for clergy in the Presbytery of New Brunswick. Hugh also provides group and individual direction at Princeton Theological Seminary, where he has served as visiting lecturer. He received his M.Div and D.Min from Princeton Theological Seminary, graduated from the School of the Spirit in Contemplative Living and Prayer as well as Oasis Ministries’ Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides program, and received certification in the supervision of spiritual direction from Chestnut Hill College. Ruth Workman, EdM, MA, is a Certified Spiritual Director, Retreat Leader, and Certified Supervisor of Spiritual Directors. She earned a Master of Education at Rutgers University and a Master of Arts in Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction from Chestnut Hill College. She has been offering Spiritual Direction since 1995. In addition to her ministry of individual spiritual direction she offers contemplative retreats at The Sanctuary, her home in Stone Harbor, NJ, and facilitates spiritual direction groups at Princeton Theological Seminary. Ruth serves the Langhorne Presbyterian Church as Pastoral Care Associate. She is ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church USA.
For Whom Participants must: a. Be graduates of either Oasis’ Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides (SDSG) program, or another equivalent program b. Be practicing spiritual directors c. Be meeting regularly with a spiritual director themselves d. Provide two letters of recommendation e. Provide a personal letter stating the reason(s) for their interest in the program and specifically what they hope to gain from the program Class Size and Credits: Limited to 15. If you are seeking Continuing Education Credit, 6.6 CEUs are available per year. Dates for 2007-2008 OPENING RETREAT 3:30 p.m., Sunday, September 30, 2007 through 5:00 p.m., Monday, October 1, 2007 MONTHLY SESSIONS 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., November 5, December 3, 2007 January 7, February 4, March 3, March 31, 2008 CLOSING RETREAT 3:30 p.m., Sunday, May 4, 2008 through 5:00 p.m., Monday, May 5, 2008 "When we gather in a spiritual direction session we are called to recognize the holy ground upon which all life stands. Together we probe what God is growing in that ground. We seek for our unique place among the growing shoots of life we see. We listen for how the Spirit is loosening, planting, pruning, healing and enjoying us." ~Tilden Edwards Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Companion	Location: Kenbrook (45 minutes east of Harrisburg) 190 Pine Meadow Rd. Lebanon, PA 17046 Phone: 717.865.4547 www.kenbrook.org “Oasis Ministries has been a God-Send for me during a dry period of my life; literally an Oasis.” Jane Politi 2006 graduate of SDSG TO APPLY, OR, FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Click here to download and print a PDF version* of the 2007-2008 Deepening Year for Direction Ministries 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 Tuition & Payments TUITION: $1,950 Includes an Application Fee of $200 (non-refundable after program begins). If application fee received by May 30: discount $50 from application fee. If application fee received after August 30: add $50 to application fee. The balance of tuition is to be paid in five equal installments of $350 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 withdrawing your application from the program, the Application fee less $50 is refundable if withdrawing prior to September 1, 2007. SCHOLARSHIPS Some scholarship help is available. Scholarship is granted based upon scholarship receipts and requests. Contact us after seeking assistance from other local sources of funding (like your church or denomination).

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