Drawing from the Well of Christ
Contemplatively
Actively

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"Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness, streams flow in the desert. Hot sands will become a cool oasis, thirsty ground a splashing fountain."

Is. 35:6-7, The Message

This very meaningful, very powerful piece is the beginning of an edifice of witness that will stand for all time for all the world to see. It will be part of the chorus of voices across the ages now rising up to cry unjust to would-be preachers of justice.

—Joan Chittister, OSB
(click to see all endorsers)

During a sabbatical in India, I was fortunate to have as my retreat director a Jesuit who had been a close friend of author Anthony de Mello, as well as a spiritual director for Mother Teresa during much of her life.

Why poems? Letting the flow of words, images, and metaphors out through our fingertips—or in through our eyes—creates a holistic and primal way of praying.
I hope my reflections prepare the fertile soil for the seeds of your own faith, hope, and love to break open—praying and studying alone or with others, on retreat in silence or at a workplace in stress.

The effect may take the form of a spontaneous poem of your own, a surprising act of love, or a serendipitous moment of joy. Think of poetry as a museum that sharpens your eye for some unexpected beauty in the world’s grit.
 

—The author (read Excerpt)
 

Order Facing East, Praying West

"Kent Ira Groff gets us to take that long second look... and hang around long enough to see what happens: a poem, a novel, best of all a prayer."

~ Eugene Peterson

People write all the time—memos, cards, or emails, presentations for speaking, teaching, or preaching. Whether you write for personal reflection or for others, this book will deepen the creative process by finding meaning and mystery in ordinary notes or analytical essays, prose or poetry, sermons or lectures, music or lyrics, committee minutes or family stories.

“Writing is a form of contemplation,” wrote Thomas Merton. Exquisitely written, Writing Tides embodies Kent Groff’s passion to help anyone discover contemplative insights through personal reflections, practical notes, or work-related writing.

Drawing upon the author’s experience leading courses in writing, spiritual formation, and vocation, Groff guides readers to discover writing practices that aid meditation, prayer, and spiritual growth.

- Abingdon (Publisher)

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What Would I Believe If I Didn’t Believe Anything?
A Handbook for Spiritual Orphans

What Would I Believe if I Didn't Believe Anything? is a guidebook for spiritual orphans that shows how they can “doubt their way home” by embracing their doubts and asking the hard questions as a meaningful path toward genuine faith. The author helps readers value their own questions and learn to talk about spiritual matters in fresh, non-religious language. Rather than handing down doctrines “from above,” Groff invites readers to look at life “from below,” exploring experiences of daily living. He helps the reader to find the grace in the grit of everyday life, seeking analogies of faith in film and literature, psychology and science, poetry and arts, music and sports. Drawing primarily from the well of his Christian experience, Groff also incorporates insights from the world's primal myths and major religions.
Fifty reflection exercises make it ideal for group use with journeyers of varied backgrounds for campuses, prisons, communal residences, religious communities and work places.
— Jossey-Bass (Publisher)

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The Soul of Tomorrow’s Church:
Weaving Spiritual Practices in Ministry Together

Excerpt       Endorsements and Table of Contents

Kent Ira Groff invites congregational leaders to weave spiritual practices into all aspects of ministry. The Soul of Tomorrow’s Church will be restored as spiritual practices are woven in five ministry functions: worship, administration, education, soul care, and outreach. Every chapter teems with practical ways to weave spiritual practices of prayer, discernment, faith stories, silence, and hospitality in each one of these five specific ministry functions.
— The Upper Room (Publisher)

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Journeymen: A Spiritual Guide for Men
(and for Women Who Want to Understand Them)

Excerpt

Journeymen encourages readers to make the connection between being men and being Christian, integrating the feeling of power and the power of feeling. Exploring men’s particular wounds and the promise of healing through Christ, Journeymen offers biblical examples, the author’s own stories and those of other men, prayer exercises, meditations, and reflection questions.
— The Upper Room (Publisher)

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Active Spirituality: A Guide for Seekers and Ministers

A practical guidebook for the inquiring layperson seeking a holistic, intelligent look at the spiritual life, and for the pastor or religious professional seeking a systematic framework and spiritual practices to re-ignite the flame of faith. Groff explains what it means to believe and what to do after you say you believe—through a unique integration of spirituality and service, heart and mind, and various faith traditions. Explore five spiritual disciplines: community, solitude, learning, service, and vocation. Great for study groups.
— Alban Institute (Publisher)

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Spiritual Practices for Beginners and Leaders

Spiritual Practices is an excellent self-guide for new members. It has an adaptable six-week study guide for adult classes—or for church boards who want to cultivate spiritual goals for their church.

“ Every new and long-term member will benefit from Spiritual Practices for Beginners and Leaders; every committee chairperson can apply Spirituality Matters for Committee Meetings; every church officer needs to have both.”
— Ben Campbell Johnson, Columbia Theological Seminary, Georgia

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Spirituality Matters for Committee Meetings

Spirituality Matters can transform committees into communities… sensitive to the agenda and relationships.

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Articles and Excerpts

"Writing in the Dark to Love" by Kent Ira Groff as it appeared in the March 2009 issue of Spiritual Directors International journal, Presence:

http://sdiworld.org/uploads/V0/At/V0AtqcbIo55eFKmCQ268pQ/Writing-in-the-Dark-to-Love.pdf

Kent Ira Groff: Companioning Spiritual Orphans as it appeared in the September 2005 issue of Spiritual Directors International journal, Presence. http://www.sdiworld.org/index.pl/home.html

Kent Ira Groff: Writing as Contemplation
Summary of Perspectives and Methods

Kent Ira Groff: Excerpt, Journeymen
An Orientation Toward Male Spirituality

Kent Ira Groff: Excerpt, Soul of Tomorrow’s Church
Weaving Contemplative Practices in Ministry Together