A Nine Month Prayer Journey
Background
Hi, simplechurch friends! Before we go any further this fall, we welcome our newest simplechurch (maybe 2) into our network. The new community is joining us from Squamish (more on all of this soon!), and one of its members/leaders is Claudia Weiland. This September, she is starting a nine-month-guided prayer experience which she has received training to lead.
I (Andy) did something similar two years ago and found it very rewarding, and I highly commend it and Claudia to you.
Claudia Writes
Dear friends,
I would like to invite you to consider praying through the Ignatian Exercises with me - along with a small group of others - starting this fall.
The Ignatian Exercises are a classic program of prayer where the participant prays with scripture passages (primarily from the gospels: the life ministry, passion and resurrection of Jesus) using imaginative prayer. For 9 months - from September to May - you would spend an hour a day, five days per week, with Jesus. "Being together with Jesus" for that much time and encountering Him perhaps in new ways is a wonderful, truly transformational and likely life-changing experience. It has been for me.
Here is what it will look like:
Over the course of these 9 months, starting in the last week of September, there will be 9 group sessions (2 1/2 hours long, meant as a half-day "retreat" for sharing, encouragement and support), and an additional 9 individual check-ins that are 1 hour in length, all offered via Zoom.
The group sessions are further supported and enriched by the teaching videos of Bill Zuelke, a former Jesuit priest, who has been guiding people through these Ignatian Exercises for decades. If we met in person, we would watch these videos together in our group meetings, however, given that we will already be on screen for quite some time as it is, I feel that watching these teachings before we come together on Zoom will give each participant more flexibility.
Group Meeting Time
Monday mornings: 9:30am - 12:00pm on the following dates: Sep 26; Oct 10 or 17; Nov 7; Dec 5; Dec 19; Jan 16; Feb 27; Apr 10; May 22
I will likely open up a separate, slightly shorter Monday evening group: 7:15pm - 9:15pm (same dates).
Individual Meetings
for additional one-on-one support / spiritual direction by individual arrangement
Cost
$285 for the Ignatian Exercises program: the 9 group sessions and use of all materials, including Bill Zuelke's video teachings.
$35 per session for the 9 individual 1h check-ins.
Of course, I am happy to offer a sliding scale as I wouldn't want cost to keep anyone from participating or be a hindrance in any way. Please talk to me if finances are an issue.
If you are interested in hearing more - or if you happen to know others who might be interested (?) - please let me know. I would be excited to share more about this transformational practice with you and others. It truly provides a beautiful rhythm that helps participants grow in their "heart-knowledge" of God’s love and, in turn, they will probably find that their love for God will grow deeper, too.
Please reach out to me - claudiauweiland@gmail.com - I would love to talk with you further about the details and help you decide if this may be a good fit for you at this time.
Love & Blessings,
Claudia