Spiritual Formation



Spiritual Formation group, Leaven Center, 2005

The Lake Erie Yearly Meeting Spiritual Formation Program encourages Friends to listen carefully to God's call in their lives. All who wish to deepen their spiritual lives are invited to join a Spiritual Formation Group.

This includes participation in a local group and attendance at both an opening and closing retreat along with members of other spiritual nurture groups.

For more general information on the program, please view this Brochure for Spiritual Formation, saved as a pdf file. For the 2009-2010 program, see this flier and registration form.

Please check the LEYM News link (see left sidebar) for more information on upcoming events.

Through the retreats and regular local group meetings, participants create with one another a close faith community for spiritual growth, mutual support, and encouragement.

The group provides a structured, supportive community in which each member can discern the divine call and prepare to follow it.

LEYM Spiritual Formation Program 2009-2010

Retreat Leader: Michael Birkel
September 25th-27th 2009
Weber Retreat Center
Adrian, MI
May 1st 2010: Location TBD
Get flier and registration form here.

The retreats will explore the themes of giving and receiving spiritual nurture, and of listening and discernment. Early Quaker letters of spiritual counsel will be used as examples of nurture from our heritage as Friends.  There will also be group exercises in giving and receiving these gifts.

Michael Birkel has led retreats among Friends for many years and has written books on John Woolman, reading Scripture with early Friends, and Quaker spirituality.  He is a member of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting of Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting.  He teaches in the Religion Department at Earlham College, where he also directs the Newlin Center for Thought and Practice.

Overall Program
Who: The spiritual formation program is for anyone who longs or thirsts for a deeper spiritual life.
What: The program provides a flexible structure for spiritual development.  It balances between enough structure to guide and enough flexibility to be customized to individual needs.
When: It is a nine month program, with a kick-off (or renewal) retreat in the fall and a wrap up retreat in the spring.  Both these retreats have participants from many Monthly Meetings across LEYM.
In between the retreats, local groups meet on a regular basis and participants practice a daily spiritual discipline.  These spiritual disciplines are discerned by each individual.
Where: Local groups:  Across the breadth of LEYM
Why: To share our spiritual journeys!
A shared journey:
Gives us a shoulder to lean on when we need it.
Helps us when we hit road blocks or detours.
Gives us Friends to share our moments of excitement, joy, awe and wonder.