Retreat Forward 2019-20

Christian Contemplative Experience Programs 2019-2020
Nancy Stimac, a longtime
contemplative prayer
practitioner, is a Centering
Prayer facilitator and
commissioned presenter of
Centering Prayer and Lectio
Divina for Contemplative
Outreach. She is a graduate
of the Archdiocese of Hartford’s Catholic Bible
School and Lay Ministry programs. She uses
her gifts to serve the Catholic community of
Windsor Locks as a prayer group facilitator,
Bible study leader, RCIA teacher, lector, and
evangelization team member.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020
CCE – Contemplative
Enrichment Day
James Baldwin: Contemplative
Prophet of Love
Rev. Mark Longhurst
8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
In this workshop, we will explore the work of
American writer and activist James Baldwin
through the lens of mysticism, prophecy, and
love. We’ll consider the Hebrew prophets as
mystics, James Baldwin as continuing the witness
of prophecy, and Baldwin’s reflections on racism
fueled by the fierce vision of love that grounded
his work. Included in the day are intentional
practices of silence, chanting Psalms, and
conscious dialogue.
Offering: $65 (includes lunch)
Rev. Mark Longhurst
is a writer and pastor of
the First Congregational
Church in the Berkshire
hills of Williamstown, MA.
His deepest passion is to
support the awakening
and renewal of a justiceseeking
contemplative vision for our own lives
and time. He worked for activist organizations
in the Boston area and earned an M.Div. at
Harvard Divinity School but credits his study
with Richard Rohr for setting his heart on fire
with love for God through the Christian mystical
tradition. He regularly blogs for Ordinary
Mystic, hosted by patheos.com.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020
CCE – Formation
The Dark Night of the Soul:
Night of Spirit
Susan Komis
8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
How do we find words for a “dark” experience…
or is it really dark? St. John of the Cross, a
sixteenth century Spanish mystic, charts the
fundamental journey of the human spirit. “Dark
nights” are the misunderstood and amazing
stories of spiritual development. The program
will focus on the Night of Spirit, which presents
the experience of being spiritually wounded and
simultaneously healed by the Divine Physician.
Offering: $65 (includes lunch)
Susan Komis is a pastoral
minister, spiritual director,
retreat leader and presenter
of contemplative prayer
and spirituality. She is
the former director of
Contemplative Outreach
Chapter Programs and
Services and coordinator of Contemplative
Outreach of St. Louis.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020
CCE – Formation
Centering Prayer Introductory
Workshop
Mike Smoolca, Nancy Stimac
8:30 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M.
In this introductory workshop, you will learn
the method and principles of Centering Prayer
practice in a quiet, reflective atmosphere. We will
cover the history, psychology, and theology of
the practice. Two prayer sessions and a question
and answer session are included.
Offering: $30
Mike Smoolca — see Mike’s biography on
page 13.
Nancy Stimac — see Nancy’s biography on
page 14.
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2020
CCE – Contemplative
Enrichment Day
A Contemplative Reformation:
Parish Life
Rev. Stuart Higginbotham
8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
When encountering a “decline” in typical
congregations, there can be much anxiety and
fear. Rather than a time for despair, what if this is
a season of deconstruction and reconstruction?
Let’s imagine the living experience of Christian
community through the lens of a contemplative
posture rather than simply a program
maintenance model.
Offering: $65 (includes lunch)
Rev. Stuart Higginbotham
is an Episcopal priest and
rector of Grace Episcopal
Church in Gainesville, GA.
He has studied and worked
with the Shalem Institute
for Spiritual Formation for
over a decade, and he draws
on the richness of the Christian contemplative
tradition in his ministry to a community of a
thousand souls in North Georgia. He is a coeditor
and contributor to the forthcoming book,
Contemplation and Community: A Gathering of
Fresh Voices for a Living Tradition.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2020
CCE – Contemplative
Enrichment Day
Integrating Nature and Body in
Contemplative Practice
Mark Kutolowski
8:30 A.M. TO 4:30 P.M.
This day-long immersion centers around the
relationship of the physical world, with the
journey of transformation in Christ. Participants
will practice disciplines for integrating the body
in the journey of contemplative transformation.
We will also learn methods of prayer and
meditation that support intimacy with God’s
presence in the natural world.
Offering: $65 (includes lunch)
Mark Kutolowski is an Oblate of Saint Benedict,
a contemplative retreat leader, Centering Prayer
teacher, wilderness guide, and instructor in
the Russian martial art and health practice,
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www.holyfamilyretreat.org