Oasis … ahhh …
Drawing from the Depths of Spirit Contemplatively Actively
2016-2017 Program Guide
What’s Inside… “[Oasis] provides the atmosphere for a profound transformation. Come with an open heart and it will be filled with love.” ~ Kathy Meyer-Crane, SDSG program participant
What are these li le black boxes? A QR code. It can be scanned (like a barcode) by a smartphone or tablet and can take you directly to a website. Use them throughout the Program Guide for easy access and sharing.
Celtic Pilgrimage to the Isle of Iona (Oct 2016) ............... 3 A Word from Our Board Chair ......................................... 4 A Word from Our Executive Director ............................ 5 From Our Director of Training and Program ............... 6-7 Y -L P Contemplative Leadership .............................................. 8 Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides .......................... 9 Deepening Year for Direction Ministries ...................... 10 Breath and Prayer........................................................... 11 Men4Directions ............................................................. 12 D R Deeper Into the Wild: Hiking Solstices & Equinoxes .....13 Love in the Presence of Fear ........................................... 15 A Necessity of Shadows ...................................................16 Writing as Witness .......................................................... 17 Meditation and Motion .................................................. 18 Step 11 and the Contemplative Way ................................19 Graces and Glitches: Companioning via Internet.......... 20 Letting Go: Spiritual Practice of Holding Lightly .......... 22 Stations of Prayer: A Lenten Journey ............................ 23 Poetry as Prayer: Robert Lax ........................................ 24 Thomas Merton Retreat Day ......................................... 25 A M ... Ripples Beyond ............................................................... 14 Refreshment for Your Community..................................21 Calendar ................................................................... 26 Information/Registration Page ..................................... 27
Hold Oasis in prayer. More specifically, choo se 3 pages in this Program Guide and pray over those programs. Now write down the names of the people that God brings to mind… share this guide or a brochure with them or drop them an email saying that you thought of them. “God has no hands now on earth but yours…” (Teresa of Avila) Cover Photo Credit: This image was used as the logo for the Returning to the Well program, our first program for spiritual directors, from 2002-2010.
Find Us!
www.oasismin.org
Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development 419 Deerfield Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011
Like Us! Share Us!
Spiritual Pilgrimages—Not Your Average Tour
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About Oasis Ministries Over 25 years of crea ng community as we educate and resource people in contempla on and spiritual direc on
Drawing from the Depths of Spirit Contempla vely Ac vely Training programs offered through Oasis draw from the depths of Spirit revealed in many tradi ons, with the well of the contempla ve Chris an tradi on providing the main source of the teachings. We offer retreat, nourishment and educa onal programs steeped in the experience of community for persons seeking refreshment, deepening and growth for their lives of service to, and presence in, the world.
OUR MISSION: Oasis Ministries fosters a contempla ve community that invites people to experience God in their daily lives. We do this by: Providing training in spiritual direc on Educa ng in mindfulness and prayer prac ces Offering retreat opportuni es for groups and communi es
6 nights on Iona Look for details at: www.oasismin.org/pilgrimages.htm
From Our Board Chair
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From the Chair: A Word from Dale Selover, Chair of the Oasis Board of Directors Dear Oasis Community, I write to share the news that at the March 2016 meeting, the Board of Directors accepted with regret the resignation of Cindy Garis as Executive Director of Oasis Ministries. For nearly twelve years Oasis has been blessed by Cindy's leadership. We give thanks to God for her faithful presence, her gentle spirit, and her commitment to the ministry of Oasis. I ask you to please join the Board in holding Cindy in your prayers as she answers God's call to return to parish ministry. As the Spirit has been stirring in Cindy's life, so too has it been blowing through the life of Oasis. At the May meeting, the Board invited Glenn Mitchell to serve as the new director, and he accepted. With great joy, we give thanks for the gifts that Glenn brings, including his history with and love for Oasis, as well as a clear vision for the future. Beginning with our annual Board Retreat (at Kirkridge Retreat Center, June 8 -9, 2016), we welcome two members who are returning to serve during this year of transition: Mike Allwein and Mike Mumma. We also welcome Teresa Knipper, who will be serving a three-year term. Those board members who will continue to serve in the 2016-2017 year are Cathy Campanaro, Paul Gennett, Margaret Hardy, Kathleen Roney, and myself, Dale Selover. It is indeed a time of transition for the Oasis Staff and Board of Directors. Please hold all of us in prayer as we continue to discern the next steps for Oasis, including determining the best time for Cindy's departure, Glenn's stepping into this new role and the "passing of the baton." Thank you for your continued support as we seek to be faithful to the vision that is Oasis: Did you know? This Program Guide is Drawing from the Depths of Spirit designed so that each page Contemplatively can be copied and used as Actively Blessings,
Dale Selover
a flyer or half-page insert in your church bulletin. Keep Calm and Share On!
From the Executive Director
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From Where I Sit: Musings from Rev. Cindy Garis I love this picture (below) taken by my partner as we were hiking in the Cooper’s Rock State Forest (WV). The ferns in this one area were large and reaching...reaching...reaching. This image contains so much movement, and potential. Even though it was cold, there is a sense in this photo that this fern is not frozen. It is in a state of unfurling, unfolding, opening up. The 2015-2016 year has been an amazing year for Oasis with record enrollment numbers. While I know that there are ebbs and flows, ups and downs in any life, including organizational life, I cannot help but feel as though Oasis is like this fern. We are reaching (not striving), ‘growing into’ and unfurling to open ourselves wide to catch more rays of the Sun (and Spirit). The 2016-2017 program year will also see some changes at Oasis. After all, transformation is about change. You may have already heard that after nearly 12 years I will be stepping down as the Executive Director at Oasis. I leave on good terms, of my own accord, sensing the unfurling in my life back into full-time parish ministry. While timing remains a bit unknown, most likely around the end of 2016, I have received generous and gentle support from my colleagues, Glenn and Betsy, and the entire Board. [See the included letter from our Board chair Dale Selover for additional news about this time of transition for Oasis.]
As with any transformation and transition, news of my resignation brings both a sense of sorrow and one of joy. I have often said, “Oasis people are the neatest people I have ever met.” So, yes, there is sadness in any leaving, but especially when you have a great working relationship with your colleagues and value the depth of ministry that is occurring. And as with any loss, there arises fear and anxiety leading to the desire to hold tight and grasp for safety. (I suppose the fern image could be one where the movement goes the other way, a tightening up and a curling into itself.) However, there is a sense of joy that has come in the many ways we have witnessed God in the discernment. Glenn and I, along with the Board have all encountered a deep synchronicity of Spirit. There is a real sense of hope and promise not only on our individual journeys but also for the organism that is Oasis ... a getting out of the way of the movement of God and a visioning and discerning of what is to come. There is some excitement in that adventure and possibility as well. We hope that you will be an integral part of this process by praying with us and sharing your support with us in years to come. Throughout this Program Guide, I also trust that you will discover ways that Oasis can assist YOU in your own ‘unfurling’ throughout the 2016-2017 season. Thank you for journeying with me. Blessings on your journey,
From Our Director of Training and Program
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A Word from Our Director of Training and Program Friends of Oasis, I am grateful for these movements in Spirit that Cindy and Dale have highlighted. I'm grateful for Cindy's servant leadership, her guiding spirit, her collegiality these 12 years and her faithfulness to her call. I'm grateful for the Board's support and affirmation of me and their passion for Oasis. And I am grateful to God to be able to deepen my leadership with the mission of Oasis. In the spirit and manner of our Founding Mentor, Kent Ira Groff, my intention is to be a teaching Director. I plan to continue to teach and direct our program efforts as I give fresh and attentive direction to the broader well-being of Oasis and our mission to the world. I pray for God's guidance and for your prayers and support as we move in contemplation and love into our future. --Glenn Mitchell
The Year of Mercy from Glenn Mitchell Pope Francis has declared 2016 to be the year of mercy. His timing seems right. I offer these words for the ongoing conversation on mercy. It seems to me that mercy is important in the way it transcends love as an idea. Mercy gives love a lever in life and in the world. Mercy gives love traction. Everyone is for love but when mercy shows up argumentation begins. People tend to not like mercy except perhaps if they are the one receiving it in the moment. Jesus wasn’t killed because he talked and practiced love in some general way; he was killed because of the particular ways he embodied God’s mercy. He said it well in the Sermon on the Mount: “For God makes the sun rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” This is not a quaint metaphor. Speak it in today’s political climate and watch the rage fly. We like fairness even more than we like love. Mercy has no respect for fairness; it operates on an entirely different plane. Mercy posits the freedom of love. Parables like the prodigal son and the vineyard workers underscore the freedom of God to love as God chooses in ways that ignore fairness. And it is mercy that removes merit from the equation of love. Try as we might notions of merit keep crawling back in to our living and loving. We drag out the scales weighing everything, in ourselves and in others, to determine if there is (Continued on page 7)
From Our Director of Training and Program
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(Continued from page 6)
sufficient merit for love to be bestowed. It is hard to hold to the notion that we are loved by God apart from anything we believe, anything we say, anything we do. Mercy shatters our notions of what we need to be and do in order to be loveable. Mercy is the way love as God’s very nature is revealed to us again and again. Father Greg Boyle, a Jesuit priest who works with gangs in LA and has written the book, Tattoos on the Heart, puts it this way: “God is far too busy loving us to have any time to be disappointed in us.” That kind of love is at the heart of mercy. Mercy is also a great teacher in the realm of contemplation. Mercy keeps reminding us that God’s love is not connected causally to our practice, our prayer. God doesn’t love us more when we are faithful to our practice. God doesn’t love us more when we are deep into prayer or service or devotion. God loves us the same whether we have had two contemplative sits in the day or none. What is most revealed in mercy is God’s nature; what is revealed is the very depths of the nature of love. We practice then, not to earn anything but so we might be fully present to the merciful way of God’s love; so that we might be that love in turn, in our relationships with others. We practice and pray, we live and move and offer our being, so the reality of God’s way of loving mercy might flow more freely in our world. 2016 is indeed a great year for mercy. --Glenn Mitchell
Are you receiving our E-News? If so, you should be receiving news of upcoming Oasis happenings, along with Meditative Moments, prayers, and free e-books, delivered to your Inbox at least twice a month. If you are not receiving it but once were, make sure we are not landing in your “Junk” folder. Let us know of problems (cindygaris@oasismin.org). What?? You are not receiving our e-news? Join today www.oasismin.org/Join.htm
Help Us to Sustain Connections— Become a Ministry Maker TODAY! Ministry Makers ar e peo ple like yo u w ho have said, “I want to support and bring stability to Oasis on a monthly basis, please charge my credit card for {$$} each month.” You choose the date and the amount (it can be changed or cancelled at any time.)
You can become a Ministry Maker for as little as $10 a month. Simply call 717-737-8222 or visit www.oasismin.org/MinistryMaker.htm
Equipping Leaders Contemplatively
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Retreats Kirkridge Retreat Center Bangor, PA Monthly Gatherings The Adams House Princeton Theological Seminary
Understanding that the contemplative way is to infuse life with an awareness of God, this program is for persons seeking to enhance this awareness through classical disciplines and other creative practices while also learning how to lead others into the contemplative life ‘back home’. These emphases of personal spiritual formation, transforming as a contemplative leader and hands-on group leadership training will permeate the program. There will be presentations on a variety of practices, reflection on contemplation and leadership, along with much experiential learning. This will be coupled with opportunities in a peer group to learn the means of developing methods, enhancing skills, building confidence, and receiving feedback for leading contemplative programs in one’s own community. P I The intent of Contemplative Leadership is three-fold:
deepening contemplative living (personal transformation) growing contemplative leaders (leadership formation/transformation) equipping teachers of contemplation (leading groups in contemplation) Leadership: Rev. René Colson Hudson, Rev. Dale Selover, and Rev. Andrew Barton (Mo r e co m plete bio s o n line at www.oasismin.org/ContemplativeLeadership.htm) OPENING (2-night) RETREAT at Kirkridge 11:00a.m., Wednesday, September 21, 2016 through 2:00 p.m., Friday, September 23, 2016 MONTHLY SESSIONS in Princeton 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Thursdays Nov. 3, Dec. 8, 2016 Feb. 9, Mar. 9, Apr. 6, 2017
CLOSING RETREAT at Kirkridge 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 11, 2017 thr o u gh 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 12, 2017
Visit www.oasismin.org/LeadDeeply.htm for more program details and to download a brochure. You may also request a brochure by calling (717) 737-8222 or emailing betsykeller@oasismin.org.
Local Group Options Available!
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Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides Expanding Attention and Intention SDSG, now in its 26th season, is a two-year training program in contemplative prayer and spiritual direction. During the two years, participants will experience and learn to practice the disciplines of contemplative prayer and the art of contemplative spiritual direction. Through both years, participants will discover the richness of contemplative community, the intimacy of small group interaction, and the depths of contemplative prayer. Our “Classic Track” format is well refined over 25 years to provide a learning environment offering participants an intimate community, strong teaching and quality supervision. We also recognize that for a variety of reasons related to schedules and distance, participating at this level can be challenging for some. We began last year an alternative track that addresses these challenges. We call it our “Hybrid Track” and it creates a local option for community and learning while maintaining access to the teaching and the content of the program. Wherever we have at least four interested participants in an area a cohort can be formed, a leader provided and five of the yearly meetings will take place locally. Learn more about both tracks online or requesting a brochure. Questions? Be in touch with Rev. Glenn Mitchell, Director of Training and Program for Oasis Ministries at glenn@likeafeather.com
Location: Kirkridge Retreat Center 2495 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, PA 18013
Year I Dates OPENING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Monday, September 26, 2016 through 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Year II Dates OPENING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 28, 2016 through 3:00 p.m., Thursday, September 29, 2016
MONTHLY SESSIONS (Wednesdays) 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Oct. 26, Dec. 7, 2016 Jan. 4, Feb. 1, Mar. 1, Apr. 5, 2017
MONTHLY SESSIONS (Thursdays) 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Oct. 27, Dec. 8, 2016 Jan. 5, Feb. 2, Mar. 2, Apr. 6, 2017
CLOSING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 26, 2017 through 3:00 p.m., Thursday, April 27, 2017
CLOSING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 9, 2017 through 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Visit www.oasismin.org/SDSG.htm for more program details and to download a brochure. You may also request a brochure by calling (717) 737-8222 or emailing betsykeller@oasismin.org.
New Program Format in Celebration of 10 years!
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Deepening Year for Direction Ministries In celebration of its 10th year, Deepening Year for Direction Ministries (DYDM) offers a new format for its established program. The peer group dimension of the program is now carried by local groups scattered throughout our region, while the teaching function is consolidated into three retreats during the year. This model:
Reduces the number of trips to our training site at Kirkridge to three
Opens the possibilities for four spiritual directors anywhere to form a participant group
Provides local peer groups led by experienced spiritual directors Preserves the teaching core of the program while offering it in 7 days of retreat
Format Details Retreat Days. As we have for ten years, DYDM will open and close with a two-day retreat in our beautiful Pocono Mountain setting at Kirkridge Retreat Center, Bangor, PA. DYDM will also gather at Kirkridge for a two-night, three-day mid-winter retreat in February. Local Small Groups. In the “off” months—between large group gatherings, participants will meet in small groups led by an experienced spiritual director. These meetings will last for three hours and will include presentations and supervision in a peer process along with time for sharing, discussion and prayer. Location: Kirkridge Retreat Center 2495 Fox Gap Road Bangor, PA 18013 Download a copy of the Deepening Year for Direction Ministries brochure on-line at www.oasismin.org/DYDM.htm or request one by calling 717-737-8222 or emailing betsykeller@oasismin.org
Our initial plans are to offer to five local sites (with more possible): * Lancaster, PA with Jo Ann Kunz * Trenton, NJ with Ruth Workman * State College, PA with Glenn Mitchell * Harrisburg, PA with Melissa Stock * Bloomsburg, PA with Ruth Zeiders
Dates* OPENING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 14, 2016 thr ough 3:00p.m., Thursday, September 15, 2016 WINTER (2-night) RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2017 through 3:00 p.m., Friday, February 24, 2017 CLOSING RETREAT 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 24, 2017 through 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 25, 2017 * Visit website to learn more about monthly gatherings.
Grow in contemplation… by breathing!
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Breath and Prayer Exploring the Intimacy of Presence “... God is suddenly as available and accessible as the very thing we all do constantly -- breathe.” ~ Richard Rohr
Every moment of existence is suffused with the life and creative force of God. Every breath, every heartbeat is prayer. Created in the image of God, our purpose is to grow into awareness of this intimacy, this energy. Breath and Prayer invites us to explore this intimate knowing of Divine Presence. These experiential days provide support to help us “move the ‘stuck’, needy energies that keep us trapped in our egoic selves, at the mercy of our inner demons.” (C. Bourgeault) Breath and Prayer offers: Devotional Practice Inner Transformation Contemplative Community
Breath practice and centering prayer/ meditation bookend the day.
Ruth offers her gift of creating a deep community and bringing a group of strangers together who quickly become a family. In the safety of this community, we can finally breathe. And in our full exhale is the most beautiful prayer. ~ Erin Shrader, program participant
~ Cindy Baugher, program participant
Dates: 2nd Saturday o f the m o nth
Participants Bring: Soft willingness to test tender edges Hospitable attentive hearts Openness to Holy Mystery
No previous experience required. All are welcome!
Breath and Prayer, for me, is like taking a day to weed and tend to my inner garden.
There will be no class in December. May is adjusted for Mothers’ Day.
Monthly gatherings: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. September 10, 2016 October 8, 2016 November 12, 2016 December – no class January 14, 2017 February 11, 2017 March 11, 2017 April 8, 2017 May 6, 2017
Leadership: Ruth Zeiders has a practice in Spiritual Direction, Reiki, and TriYoga in Bloomsburg, PA. (more bio online) Monthly Gathering Location: St. Matthew Lutheran Church 123 N. Market Street
Download a copy of the Breath and Prayer brochure on-line at www.oasismin.org/Breath-Prayer.html or r equest o ne by calling 717-737-8222 or emailing betsykeller@oasismin.org
A Program Uniquely Tailored for Men
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Men4Directions Men4Directions is a renewable year-long program of Oasis Ministries intended to help men grow in faith, selfawareness, and spiritual wholeness. The program includes small group community, quarterly retreats, and solo-time in the wilderness to engage with Spirit and Soul.
Quarterly retreats
Small group community
Solitude in nature
One-on-one spiritual direction
Readings and reflections
A contemporary vision quest
Why Men? We can all use help finding our way from time to time—men are no different. Men need the support of one another to be honest and real about life. Through small group discussions, monthly consultation with a "spiritual brother", and contemplative practice, men are encouraged to know themselves, listen to the still small voice within, and to honor their souls. The result could change lives and lead to a whole new world. Retreat Dates: August 5-6, 2016 November 11-12, 2016 February 10-11, 2017 May 5-8, 2017 Location: Krislund Camp & Conference Center 189 Krislund Drive Madisonburg, PA 16852 See what participants have to say and download a brochure at www.oasismin.org/M4D.htm
“I am relatively new to men’s spirituality but was looking for a new direction in my spiritual life. My participation in M4D deepened and challenged me in ways that I am still exploring. The readings, poetry and journaling were all very helpful. But it was the community that was most helpful. Knowing that there were others who were both counting on me and praying for me was a support and helped me through the dry times in my spiritual life. ... I cannot remember ever being moved by the Spirit as deeply and frequently as I have through my participation in M4D. It is hard to state in words my full gratitude.” ~ Rob Huffard, program participant
Leadership: Roy Shirley is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Board Certified Coach. Roy has consulted to various community and faith related organizations and churches, both nationally and internationally. (additional bio on-line)
Get out and celebrate the solstices and equinoxes
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Deeper into the Wild: Hiking the Seasons as a Mystic on the Trail The meeting, helping, bonding, and experience of raw beauty, survival and transformation that occurs on the hiking trail is sometimes called "trail magic." Five Oasis pilgrims experienced this magic on a challenging "day one" hike at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, in the summer of 2015. One of the participants, after an exhausting, challenging, rain-soaked, hail-stormed, muddy day, exclaimed laughing, "This is the best day of my whole life!" This team wants to pass it on, helping to guide others into the transforming possibilities and joy that exist when we go deeper into the wild. Deeper into the Wild consists of four hikes, each five to seven miles, occurring, if possible, on the actual day of the solstice or equinox, as a celebration of the season at hand. Registration can be for single hikes or for all four. The hikes are open to everyone, regardless of experience. Hiking participants will be guided into times of reflection and sharing as part of the experience, to deepen awareness, the quality of solitude, the sense of freedom, and the depth of the experience of community. (more details on-line at www.oasismin.org/DeeperIntoTheWild.htm) The hikes will be in south central PA and northern Maryland, from 9:00am to 3:00pm. The September hike will take place at Pine Grove Furnace State Park. Gathering place will be in front of the Pine Grove Furnace General Store, 1 Bendersville Road, Gardners, PA. DATES: Autumn Equinox, Thursday, September 22, 2016 Winter Solstice, Wednesday, December 21, 2016 Spring Equinox, Monday, March 20, 2017 Summer Solstice, Wednesday, June 21, 2017 LEADERS: Michael Allwein Barbara Hutchinson Marjorie Ellen Rupert Mary Grace Shearer COST: $25-$50 as you are able, per hike in gratitude for Oasis To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Share your favorite Oasis story and review of Oasis at: www.greatnonprofits.org.
Making a Difference In Communities
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Ripples Beyond What difference does it make to share your gifts and prayers of support with Oasis? Recently, Glenn Mitchell wrote a thank you letter to Princeton Seminary and the people who gave the grant for seminarians to participated in spiritual direction training. Glenn wrote: “I must also add that what you began in your support of these students has helped tap a much broader interest among Seminary students. In our Year II group there are two others who began our program as Princeton students and in our Year I group there are four others who are Princeton students. In addition, we have a number of people in both years from the larger Princeton community. Clearly your support has rippled out far beyond the focus on the eight. This experience underscores for me the importance of making a beginning. You began with four and it quickly grew to six. You added four and it became eight. Your eight has quickly grown to fourteen! We are never in control of what happens once we begin but that beginning does matter, it matters greatly, for without that beginning the next layer can never happen. Thank you for the resources and effort you have made to make this significant beginning!� You are part of a ripple that continues out from where you are, reaching beyond to meet a much broader need. We asked scholarship recipients to share their "Holy Wow!" -- how participating in Oasis has been a blessing to them. You can read these reflections online by checking out the Benefits of Oasis booklet at www.oasismin.org/Testimonials.html.
We listen to people every day. We speak to people every day. Our lives are not private, but always shared with others around us. The SDSG program at Oasis has helped me to think and appreciate these others around me, in the context of God's activity in the world. ~ Adam Lyons, Princeton Seminary student SDSG program participant
The Gettysburg Cohort group of God's design, has exceeded the vision of the Oasis "Hybrid Cohort." We recognize the formative effect of each member on the others, has gone beyond the readings and cohort meeting times, affecting and enriching the entirety of our lives. ~ Debi Decker, pastor SDSG program participant
Balancing Love and Anxiety
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Love in the Presence of Fear “When you love a person, all fear disappears. And when you are afraid, all love disappears.� ~ Osho Love and fear are states of being that compete to occupy the present moment. It may seem that the condition of life on planet Earth today engenders fear and that fear is contagious and spreading. Fear is what binds us to the world, that which keeps us mired in the struggle and prevents us from resting in our faith. Although fear remains present in our experience, there are teachings and practices that we can access to help us make the choice for love. We will come together to share our experiences with fear and practice staying in the space of love when the invitation to fear arises. We will explore mindfulness practices from the Heartmath Institute as well as the Christian, Buddhist and Yogic traditions. We will also discuss the physiological response to fear and how to work with our bodies to encourage a balanced response to the stresses of daily life. Leadership:
Erin Shrader is a passionate lover o f life. She serves love in her roles as mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend, registered nurse, spiritual director, gardener, cook, amateur herbalist, writer, yogi and lover of all forms of the written word. She fills her days with the smiles of her children, the wagging tails of her pets and as much laughter as she can manage. When: Saturday, August 13, 2016 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Where: Kavanna House 1516 E Market St, York, PA 17403 Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able) Please bring a brown bag lunch
More info online at www.oasismin.org/LoveInFear.htm
To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Letting the Lens Lead
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A Necessity of Shadows: Photography As Spiritual Practice Photography is a practice that can draw us closer to God. It is a process that requires a necessity of shadows to reveal the light, much like the spiritual journey. Nature is a place where we can discover God in unmistakable ways, and photography is a tool that can assist us in a differing kind of seeing. If we enter nature through the photographic lens deeply enough, we can begin to see and experience God in ways we never have before. Our time together will consist of prayerfulness, playfulness, and instruction. No prior knowledge of photography is necessary...a curiosity and a deeper seeking is all that is required. (More details on-line) Leader: Zack Maser is a m u sician, a photographer, spiritual director, and grief work facilitator. He completed his formal spiritual direction training in 2015 through Oasis Ministries, and he is currently working on a degree in social work at Millersville University with the call of specializing in grief counseling. With a life shaped by profound loss, Zack has been deeply invited into the grace and peace of God’s presence, and he believes there is a divine gratitude in grief and loss. Website: http://zackmaser.wix.com/spiritualdirector
OFFERED IN TWO LOCATIONS, TWO DIFFERENT DAYS—Choose to do one or both! August 27, 2016 @ Zack’s family home outside of State College 310 Marengo Lane, Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 16865 AND/OR May 13, 2017 @ Wittel Farm 1753 Mill Road, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 Retreat Fee: $50-$75 each day (as you are able) Please bring a brown bag lunch More info online at www.oasismin.org/NecessityOfShadows.html
To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Holy voices in the world
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Writing As Witness “I write to know more about my own struggle . . . the purpose of my writing is to protect my spiritual health.” – Henri Nouwen A witness is both one who sees and one who gives voice to what is seen. Come explore writing as a means of observing the movement of God within ourselves and within the world. Time will also be given to considering the role our voices might have in the world – how might we share the life that we see and write in a world so desperate for signs of life? Content will be appropriate for both those who write regularly and those interested in exploring writing as a spiritual practice. The day will include: * silent prayer * introduction to a few simple spiritual writing practices * reflection on the role of memoir and personal essay in spiritual formation * exploration of innovative ways to share your gift of words Leaders: Kelly Chripczuk is a 2014 gr adu ate o f Oasis’ Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides program. She has a Master of Divinity degree and is a licensed pastor who is learning to take herself less seriously. She regularly writes reflective essays and poetry at afieldofwildflowers.blogspot.com. Shawn Smucker is the author of numerous books including "Building a Life Out of Words," "How to Use a Runaway Truck Ramp," and the novel, “The Day the Angels Fell." He lives with his wife and six children in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You can find him online at shawnsmucker.com. When: Saturday, October 15, 2016 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Where: Still Waters Retreat House 501 W. Slate Hill Road, Carlisle, PA 17013 Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able) Please bring a brown bag lunch More info online at www.oasismin.org/WritingAsWitness.htm To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Be mindful and gentle with your body
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Meditation and Motion: Finding Stillness in Movement and Rest This retreat day will remind us that at any time we can quiet our minds and bodies and experience the peace of Christ within, that still place within us that is untouched by outside circumstances. There will be times of meditation to “be still and know.” There will be times of body movement (body prayer or meditation in motion) to more fully connect to the very life force of God that we carry within us, to that place of stillness within. These contemplative practices will allow us to sink into God's formless hands for cleansing, transformation, and spiritual growth. There will be opportunities for journaling, quiet individual reflection, and group reflection. This event is suitable for people of all levels of fitness. The body movements are slow and gentle. Participants are asked to wear loose, comfortable clothing. Leader:
Arlyne Hoyt has been involved per sonally in contemplative spirituality since the mid 1980's and currently has a practice in spiritual direction, qigong, and shiatsu in Lewisburg PA. She completed her training in spiritual direction from Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development in 2009 and the Contemplative Living Program in 2014. She is retired from Bucknell University where she served as director of Psychological Services.
OFFERED IN TWO LOCATIONS, TWO DIFFERENT DAYS—Choose to do one or both! November 5, 2016 at St. John's United Chur ch o f Chr ist, 1050 Buffalo Rd, Lewisburg, PA 17837 AND April 29, 2017 at St. Jam es Luther an Chur ch, 109 York Street, Gettysburg PA 17325 Both events: 9:30a.m.-3:30p.m.
Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able), each retreat Please bring a brown bag lunch
More on-line at www.oasismin.org/MeditationAndMotion.htm To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Along the 12-step journey...
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The Contemplative Mind through Step 11 (Another look at The Eleventh Step of Alcoholics Anonymous) We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood [God], praying only for knowledge of [God’s] will for us and the power to carry that out. (Step 11, AA) The Twelve Step program helps people see that addiction is an illness which requires understanding and spiritual healing. Most addictions are not substance addictions (alcohol, drugs, food, consumer objects, etc.), but process addictions (patterns of thinking and reacting). The primary addiction for all humans is addiction to our own way of thinking. Step 11 emphasizes opening to God's will. Tho m as Mer to n said, "The w ill of God is not a 'fate' to which we must submit, but a creative act in our life that produces something absolutely new, something hitherto unforeseen by the laws and established patterns. Our cooperation consists not solely in conforming to external laws, but in opening our wills to this mutually creative act." Join us as we seek though prayer and meditation, discussion and ritual to experience that God's will is not domineering but alluring and inviting, until it is somehow our will too. Leaders: Linda Klopp and Catherine (Cathy) Campanaro. Lin da an d Cathy ar e bo th graduates of Moravian College and of Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development. Linda and Cathy have been mentoring women in 12 step recovery for more than twenty years. and facilitate experiential study groups based on Richard Rohr’s Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps. They also serve on the planning committee of Spiritual Directors of Greater Lehigh Valley. Additional bios online When: Saturday, November 5, 2016; 10:00 a.m .-3:00 p.m. Where: St Francis Retreat House, 3918 Chip m an Rd , Easton, P a Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able) Please bring a brown bag lunch More info online at www.oasismin.org/Step11Contemplative.htm
To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Long distance spiritual companioning
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Graces in the Glitches of Spiritual Companioning by Internet: Skype or FaceTime The internet can link guide and companion across cultures and geography. How can you use tech tools to enhance spaciousness for contemplative conversation? Perhaps, some answers are found in creatively using verbal and visual art, questions and quotations, sound and silence, poetry and prose. Since a lot of communication depends on non-verbal expression, Skype or FaceTime allows for pauses, facial cues and gestures (more than email or phone). Interactively explore creative questions and stories as bridges to the inner Teacher. Kent shares graces in the glitches while walking monthly with twelve to fifteen companions via Internet. O
: You may bring a laptop computer. Leader: R .D .K I G , a spiritual companion for other journeyers (in person or by Internet), a retreat leader and a writer poet, describes his work as “one beggar showing other beggars where to find bread.” Kent is author of ten books, including Honest to God Prayer, What Would I Believe If I Didn’t Believe Anything? and Writing Tides (which he teaches in Colorado prisons and Benet Hill Monastery). He serves as founding mentor of Oasis Ministries, Camp Hill, Pa.
Contact: kentiragroff@comcast.net Web: www.LinkYourSpirituality.com When: Saturday, November 19, 2016 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Where: Christ Presbyterian Church 421 Deerfield Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011 Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able) Please bring a brown bag lunch More info online at www.oasismin.org/GracesInTheGlitches.htm To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
I would highly recommend Oasis to anyone wishing to enrich their spiritual life so as to better serve others. ~ Kiran Wimberly, 2016 Graduate Princeton Theological Seminary, SDSG program participant
Bring Refreshment to Your Community
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Refreshment for Your Community Through Oasis, rest for weary souls and new life can come to you and your faith community. We are excited to bring opportunities to introduce and explore contemplative practices and spiritual direction in your community. We have a simple program in place that allows us to come to you to share in the context of an hour, a half day or a full day around the topic of your choice: A Mindful Approach to Reducing Stress What is Spiritual Directon? Introducton to Contemplatve Spirituality All you need is 6-12 interested people, space to gather and a date coordinated with Oasis and we will be happy to meet you where you are and offer some refreshment. Learn more at www.oasismin.org/WhereYouAre.html
Request a “Refreshment for Your Community� brochure from our office or download one now at www.oasismin.org/RefreshmentWhereYouAre-brochure.pdf
One of my favorite theologians is John Calvin who said; "True wisdom consists in two things: knowledge of God and knowledge of self." Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides has opened my understanding of this wisdom because of one addition: The program enabled me to become aware that the theological concept knowledge of self and God is better seen through the lens of love and the kind listening of the spiritual companion who walks with you to discover God and self. ~ Chuck Link, SDSG program participant, participating from North Carolina
The Oasis program has offered me a safe and sacred space in which to deepen into my inner listening. I have gained valuable resources for opening to God's presence. ~ Jonathan Shenk SDSG program participant
What are you holding on to?
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The Spiritual Practice of Holding Lightly and the Sacred Art of Letting Go How can we live peacefully with lives so filled with activities and possessions? How can I find the freedom of releasing? Stepping back from our lives for a retreat day gives us a chance to reflect on how we live. Are we sometimes overwhelmed by the many things of our lives? Do we deny ourselves the space to live in God’s time by the multitude of good activities and causes that need us? Do we have time to breathe? Whether you need to downsize and de-clutter possessions and activities, or whether you just yearn to simplify your life, the day can help you discover unique spiritual practices that fit you. Together we will open to the Spirit’s guidance, learning to hold lightly that which we hold too tightly, and learning to let go of that which needs to be released. Invitational, rather than prescriptive, this retreat will help us discern how to live more lightly and to find the tools to do it. Leader: Nancy L. Bieber, M.A., M .S, has been on staff at Oasis Ministries for 20 years. In 2008, she guided the creation of the Contemplative Living program and led it for the next seven years. She presently serves as a lead teacher for the Spiritual Direction program. Nancy is a clinical psychologist whose ministry has called her to spiritual direction, retreat leadership and teaching. She is the author of Decision Making & Spiritual Discernment: The Sacred Art of Finding Your Way. A Quaker and a graduate of Shalem Institute, Nancy continues to learn the spiritual practice of holding lightly and releasing.
When: Saturday, March 4, 2017 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Where: Mariawald Renewal Center 1094 Welsh Road, Reading, PA 19607 Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able) Please bring a brown bag lunch More info online at www.oasismin.org/HoldingLightly.htm To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Deepening Lent through the Stations of the Cross
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Stations of Prayer: A Lenten Journey Take time this Lent to Journey with Jesus, retracing his last footsteps along the Via Crucis, revisiting the sacred Stations of the Cross. Examine the Biblical, historical and legendary roots of this ancient pilgrimage, stopping at each station to explore a different prayer form or spiritual practice. Experience chant, the Jesus prayer, centering prayer, Lectio divina, body prayer, praying with beads, icons, objects and more. This pilgrimage will take place at the Lein Home, a river refuge on the shore of the Elk River in Elkton, MD. Bask in the beauty of Creation on the shore of this northeastern gateway to the Chesapeake and, weather permitting, pray your way through the stations in outdoor prayer gardens. Space is limited to 16, so please register early! Leader: Maria Cirillo-Lein, M.A., is a graduate of Oasis’ Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides, as well as its Deepening Year for Direction Ministries. With decades of dedication to the ministry of the laity, Maria has served as Director of Youth, Young Adult, and Children’s Ministries, Associate for Baptismal Preparation and as Director of Christian Formation. Spiritual Direction is her current call to ministry. Contemplative living and sharing the beauty of their riverfront oasis are sources of deep peace and great joy. When: Saturday, April 1, 2017 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Where: The Lein Home
14 Park Ln. Elkton, MD 21921 Retreat Fee: $50-$75 (as you are able) Lunch Provided.
I have been soaked in the Spirit, steeped in the study of contemplative practice and spiritualities and filled up with Love at this Oasis! ~ Maria Cirillo-Lein
More info online at www.oasismin.org/StationsOfPrayer.htm To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Annual Poetry as Prayer Retreat Day
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Poetry as Prayer:
Robert Lax When a Few Words Say it Best Everything that exists can turn to prayer; even the water, even the air. --Robert Lax in “A Song For Our Lady” This year’s poetry day features the life and work of Robert Lax. Lax was Thomas Merton’s closest friend from the day they first met at Columbia University in 1936. As a young man Lax worked at The New Yorker, wrote film reviews for Time and even wrote screen plays for Hollywood. He was a part of the Friendship House community for a time in Harlem, related closely with the Catholic Worker and was international editor for the Catholic journal Jubilee for a number of years. He spent a year traveling with a circus and then wrote his most acclaimed book, Circus of the Sun. Lax continued to write, mostly poetry, in a minimalist style, the poetry equivalent to his abstract painter friend Ad Reinhardt’s work of black on black paintings. Lax is to poetry what the slow food movement is to eating. He lived the second half of his life in solitude on the Greek islands of Kalymnos and Patmos. He died in 2000. More at www.oasismin.org/PoetryRetreat.html Leadership: Glenn Mitchell, M.Div., is Dir ecto r o f Training and Program for Oasis Ministries. He is the lead presenter/facilitator for Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides. Glenn has led a variety of retreats around the country on themes of prayer, spirituality, spiritual direction, nature and spirituality and the interplay of art and spirituality. He has a practice of spiritual direction and retreat leadership based in State College, PA.
When: Friday, April 21, 2017, 9:30 a.m .-3:30 p.m. Where: Lititz Church of the Brethren 300 West Orange Street Lititz, PA 17543 Visit www.oasismin.org/PoetryRetreat.html Retreat Fee: $65-85 (as you ar e able) Please bring brown bag lunch. To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
REGISTER EARLY! Retreat is limited to 18 and fills up!
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Thomas Merton Retreat Day A Repeating Event with New Explorations
Com e join us for a day apar t w ith th e w or ks of Thom as Merton in the beautiful setting of Still Waters, a retreat center along the banks of the Conodoguinet Creek. Thomas Merton (1915-1968), Trappist monk, writer, poet, contemplative, was one of the most influential Christian voices of the 20th century. We will explore his contribution in a contemplative and active way, and experience the ways in which his life and work still speak to us. Leadership: Glenn Mitchell, the Director of Training and Program for Oasis Ministries, who has led a variety of retreats around the country on themes of prayer, spirituality, spiritual direction, nature and spirituality and the interplay of art and spirituality. He has a practice of spiritual direction and retreat leadership based in State College, PA. When: Friday, June 9, 2017 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Where: Still Waters Retreat Center 501 W. Slate Hill Road, Carlisle, PA 17013 Retreat Fee: $75-$95 Space is limited to 18. Register early!
Oasis has really been an oasis in my life, restoring, refreshing, and replenishing me.
www.oasismin.org/Merton.htm
~ Peace Lee SDSG program participant
To register (or receive more information), please contact Betsy Keller at 717.737.8222; betsykeller@oasismin.org
Calendar August 2016 5-6: Men4Directions Opening (p.12) 13: Love in the Presence of Fear (p.15) 27: A Necessity of Shadows (p.16) September 2016 10: Breath and Prayer Opening (p.11) 14-15: DYDM Opening Retreat (p.10) 21-23: CL Opening Retreat (p.8) 22: Deeper Into the Wild (p.13) 26-27: SDSG I Opening Retreat (p.9) 28-29: SDSG II Opening Retreat (p.9) October 2016 2-14: Celtic Pilgrimage to Iona (p.3) 8: Breath & Prayer 15: Writing as Witness (p. 17) 26: SDSG Year I Session 27: SDSG Year II Session November 2016 3: CL Session 5: Contemplative Mind thru Step 11 (p.19) 5: Movement & Meditation (p.18) 11-12: Men4Directions 12: Breath & Prayer 19: Grace and Glitches (p.20) 24: Happy Thanksgiving! December 2016 7: SDSG Year I Session 8: SDSG Year II Session 8: CL Session 21: Deeper Into the Wild (p.13)
Page 26 March 2017 1: SDSG Year I Session 2: SDSG Year II Session 4: The Spiritual Practice of Holding Lightly and the Sacred Art of Letting Go (p.22) 9: CL Session 11: Breath & Prayer 20: Deeper Into the Wild (p.13) April 2017 1: Stations of Prayer (p.23) 5: SDSG Year I Session 6: SDSG Year II Session 6: CL Session 8: Breath & Prayer 16: HAPPY EASTER! 21: Annual Poetry Day: Robert Lax (p.24) 24-25: Closing DYDM Retreat 26-27: SDSG Year I Closing Retreat 29: Movement & Meditation (p.16) May 2017 5-8: Men4Directions Closing Retreat 6: Breath & Prayer Closing 9-10: SDSG Year II Closing Retreat 11-12: CL Closing Retreat 13: A Necessity of Shadows (p.16) June 2017 9: Thomas Merton Retreat Day (p.25) 21: Deeper Into the Wild (p.13)
MERRY CHRISTMAS! January 2017 4: SDSG Year I Session 5: SDSG Year II Session 14: Breath & Prayer February 2017 1: SDSG Year I Session 2: SDSG Year II Session 9: CL Session 11: Breath & Prayer 11-12: Men4Directions 22-24: Winter DYDM Retreat
Looking Ahead… December 2, 2017—Waiting with Our Waiting God: An Advent Day with Jo Ann Kunz
Information/Registration
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Name: ____________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Phone #:____________________________ Email:______________________________ Please contact me about: Men4Directions Breath and Prayer Contemplative Leadership Spiritual Direction for Spiritual Guides Deepening Year for Direction Ministries Please register me for the following Event(s): Event Name/Date of Event _____________________________________ Event Name/Date of Event _____________________________________ Event Name/Date of Event _____________________________________ If paying by check, please make it payable to OASIS MINISTRIES, and send it along with this page to the address below.
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Contact us at 419 Deerfield Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011 phone 717.737.8222 ; email: oasismin@oasismin.org or visit www.oasismin.org.
“Training programs offered through Oasis draw from the depths of Spirit revealed in many traditions, with the well of the contemplative Christian tradition providing the main source of the teachings. We offer retreat, nourishment and educational programs steeped in the experience of community for persons seeking refreshment, deepening and growth for their lives of service to, and presence in, the world.�
Drawing from the Depths of Spirit Contemplatively Actively
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Program Guide 2016-2017 Volume 28, Issue 1
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... a life changing experience in growing closer in communion with God ~Debbi Roldan, Oasis program participant
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