Spirituality

What is Christian Spirituality?

• "Spirituality has to do with our experiencing of God and with the transformation of our consciousness and our lives as outcomes of that experience" - Richard O'Brien, in Catholicism, p. 1058


• "... spiritual maturity or spiritual fulfillment necessarily involves the whole person – body, mind and soul, place, relationships – in connection with the whole of creation throughout the era of time. ...spirituality encompasses the whole person in the totality of existence in the world, not some fragment or scrap or incident of a person" - William Stringfellow, in Politics of Spirituality, p. 22


• “….  Spirituality is concerned with the shaping, empowering and maturing of the ‘spiritual person’ (1 Cor 2: 14-15) – that is, the person alive to and responsive to God in the world ….” - Alister McGrath, Evangelicalism and The Future of Christianity Downers Grove: IVP, 1995 p. 125

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The Revd Richard Bunyan

Spirituality Adviser
01480 812950

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An Introduction to Spirituality

Websites:

www.sacredspace.ie/ 

Books:

Wait and See by Angela Ashwin

Open to God by Joyce Huggett

Seeking God by Esther de Waal

Spirituality Quiet Days and Retreats

• Try a Quiet Day at Bishop Woodford House or Ferrar House.

• Look for weekend retreats or even longer ones at Bishop Woodford House, Ferrar House or further afield. Information available from the Retreat Association or email info@retreats.org.uk. Look out for Courses in Christian Prayer and Spirituality.  There may be one coming to a venue near you.  More courses are being planned at different locations in the Diocese.

• Braver now?  Look out for a Retreat in Daily Life.  This is a non-residential retreat where you meet with a Prayer Companion for about 30 minutes daily for four days; this gives you an opportunity to talk about what’s going on in your prayer and the relationship between prayer and the whole of your life.

• Going deeper?  Look for an Individually Guided Retreat.  These are silent retreats usually lasting 6 to 8 days.  An hour each day is spent talking with your spiritual director.  For more information you can email or write to:
  • Clare Priory, Clare, Suffolk,  CO10 8NX
  • St Michael’s Convent, 56 Ham Common, Richmond, Surrey TW10 7JH
  • or visit the St Michael's Convent Website
   

Spiritual Accompaniment?  What on earth is that?

“Having someone alongside you as you explore your relationship with God.  This involves a form of ‘holy listening’ under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to help you be more responsive to the presence of God in your life.”

(from An Occasional Information Paper produced on behalf of the Diocesan Spirituality Group by the Rev’d Andrew McKearney)

Spiritual Accompaniment for me?  Well, maybe.  How do I find out a bit more about it first?

There is a helpful leaflet called Choosing a spiritual guide, produced by The Retreat Association, The Central Hall, 256 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3UH or visit their website

If you would like to be put in touch with a Spiritual Companion, please contact the Spirituality Officer, Richard Bunyan, telephone 01480 812950 or email

The Cambridgeshire Course in Spiritual Direction

There have been successive two year, part-time training courses in the Cambridge area held either at Cambridge or Ely. They are open to lay people and clergy,men and women and are ecumenical. The next course will begin in October 2010. These courses are led by an ecumenical team of people trained in this ministry.

If you would like to find out more please contact The Course Administrator, Hilary Elliott, 11 Perowne Street, Cambridge CB1 2AY

The Simeon Centre for Prayer and the Spiritual Life

The Simeon Centre, based at Ridley Hall in Cambridge, is dedicated to helping both leaders and laypeople grow in their desire and capacity to pray, and to be better equipped to guide and enable others to pray. You can get involved through:

• Conference and quiet days
• Prayer resources and prayer training
• Projects in spirituality as evangelism
• Spiritual direction and sabbaticals at Ridley Hall
• Membership in an intentional praying community, the Simeon Community

The Simeon Centre is supporting Ely 900 in prayer. They invite parishes to send in prayer requests for specific projects and events which they are planning to celebrate Ely 900. These requests will be prayed for weekly by individual members of the Simeon Community, in a weekly prayer meeting at the Simeon Centre and also by the wider Ridley Hall community.

Visit The Simeon Centre webpage for more information or email Director with specific queries.

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