Urban Well Retreat

Praying for Peace & Practicing Nonviolence
on World Labyrinth Day

Saturday, May 2 | 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

In the morning, Father David and others will reflect on what Gandhi’s insights can teach us about nonviolent social change and the spiritual practices that have made them possible over the last century. A live practice session will give participants the opportunity to explore the dynamics and challenges of maintaining a loving and nonviolent Christian witness when encountering threats of abuse or violence.

The afternoon session celebrates World Labyrinth Day with a chance to deepen your personal prayers for peace by walking a labyrinth with others. Every year on the first Saturday in May, thousands of people around the globe participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace and a celebration of the labyrinth experience. Many “Walk as One at 1:00 PM” local time to create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next.

Registration required for planning purposes. This is a FREE and ACCESSIBLE event.

Schedule

8:30 AM - Registration and check-in 
9:00 AM - Morning session with Fr. David in the main church

11:30 - 12:30 PM - Lunch, bring a bag lunch or enjoy the downtown eateries

12:30 - 2:00 PM - Labyrinth walk in the Parish House (This is an ADA accessible activity)

Please use the form below to let us know you'll be joining us.

 

Gifts of spiritual direction

Spiritual direction can have many benefits. These may include enabling you to:

  • Identify and trust your own experiences of God.
  • Integrate spirituality into your daily life.
  • Discern and make difficult choices.
  • Share your hopes, struggles and losses in the context of strengthening your faith.
  • Develop a sensitivity for justice and empathy for others
  • Live the essence of your religious affiliation with integrity

What does a spiritual director do?

A spiritual director is one who sits with and listens to your story and experience with the expressed purpose of discerning, with the help of the Holy Spirit, where God might be moving and speaking in your life. Spiritual direction can be a beneficial process for you if you desire to deepen your awareness of God in your life – in the profound experiences, mundane activities, suffering, transitions, and disillusioned aspects of life and faith. Your spiritual direction session may include some exploration of different spiritual practices that may help you increase your intimacy with God.

Spiritual direction is:

  • An ancient practice in Christianity dating back to the Desert Mothers and Fathers.
  • A spiritual process in which you are invited to notice, savor, and deepen your ability to listen to God’s direction for your life.
  • A personal relationship characterized by a foundation of mutual trust, respect, warmth, genuine care, honesty, and openness
  • A contemplative, confidential relationship grounded in God-centered, mutual listening to the unique spiritual unfolding in all aspects of your life.

Spiritual direction is not:

  • Psychotherapy
  • Counseling
  • Theological teaching

About Ignatian Spirituality

Ignatian spirituality is a spirituality for everyday life. It insists that God is present in our world and active in our lives. It is a pathway to deeper prayer, good decisions guided by keen discernment, and an active life of service to others.

The Urban Well is a registered trademark of Saint James Episcopal Church.