CONTEMPLATIVE COMMUNITIES FOR CLERGY
A one-year program designed for the pastor or ministry leader to tend to their soul, cultivate their life with God, and flourish in their vocational calling.
These contemplative communities offer clergy spacious retreats to nurture spiritual wholeness and personal wellbeing and, coupled with spiritual direction groups, foster meaningful relationships with other experienced leaders.
Program Overview
Quarterly retreats in a restful retreat center and monthly connections over the course of one year encourage clergy to companion with God in the company of others.
On retreat. Companions in this community gather with about a dozen men and women on retreat every quarter to rest and be renewed in their calling. These three-day retreats provide a haven from the relentless demands of ministry to be still and become reacquainted with oneself and with God.
Between retreats. Companions meet online as a spiritual direction group of three to four plus a facilitator to share how God has been encountering them in their life’s journey. Groups are structured around guidelines that encourage spiritual listening to one another and to Jesus. There’s no fixing, no saving, and no setting one another straight. Confidentiality safeguards these honest conversations grappling with the very real challenges of a life given in ministry.
Retreat Themes
Retreat 1
Known: Cultivating Friendship with God and Self
Recalling God’s companioning presence with us and for us as we tend to the wellbeing of our souls.
RETREAT 2
Held: Deepening our Companionship with God
Tracing the map of our spiritual journeys in Christ through time-honored stages of spiritual transformation.
RETREAT 3
Integrated: Befriending our Shadows
Embracing our humanness and discovering God’s healing presence in our seasons of desolation.
RETREAT 4
Differentiated: Becoming Whole and Holy Companions
Learning healthy differentiation as a contemplative leader in wounded and broken communities.
RETREAT 5
Sustained: Flourishing in our Calling
Practicing soul-nourishing rhythms of companionship with God, ourselves and others.
Program Commitments
Retreat Participation. The program year typically begins in early February and ends in late January of the following year. Every retreat begins on Sunday evening and concludes on Wednesday after lunch. Retreats include talks from seasoned leaders, communal contemplative spiritual practices, times for solitude and personal prayer, and group spiritual direction. Every retreat follows the same simple schedule to offer a healthy rhythm of engagement and disengagement. Each participant is expected to attend all five quarterly three-day retreats in their entirety.
Reading. Our program is rooted in Scripture and enhanced by voices from the Christian tradition. Companions commit to reading between every retreat and are encouraged to intentionally integrate these readings into their lives and ministry. Opportunity is given at each retreat to reflect on these readings.
Spiritual Direction Groups. Companions are placed in spiritual direction groups that meet during the retreats and monthly (online) between each retreat to listen and reflect on God’s invitations to one another.
The quarterly retreats and spiritual direction groups between retreats amount to a monthly commitment for the one-year program.
Retreat Location
All retreats (with one exception) are held at Mt. Olivet Retreat Center, a peaceful lodging surrounded by rolling hills, prairie, and woods in Farmington, MN. All meals and snacks are included and prepared from an on-site garden and locally sourced foods whenever possible. Accommodations feature individual hotel-style rooms with a private bath.
Important Dates and Deadlines
Cohort 2024-25 at Mt. Olivet Center, Farmington, MN
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Retreat 1: Feb 4-7, 2024
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Retreat 2: May 5-8, 2024
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Retreat 3: Aug 4-7, 2024
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Retreat 4: Nov 10-13, 2024 (location TBD)
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Retreat 5: Jan 12-15, 2025
Space is limited. Applications are processed as received and registration will remain open until the community is filled.
What is the cost?
With the help of a generous donor, the subsidized total cost for the program is $2250 (includes $250 non-refundable registration fee due upon acceptance). Cost of readings are not included. Scholarships are available; please contact John March (john@restorationmn.org) for further information.
Who can apply?
Anyone who is serving in the ministry of the Church or a Christian non-profit agency with at least five years’ experience is welcome to participate in these contemplative communities.
How do I apply?
Please prayerfully complete and submit the application. Within two weeks of submitting your application, someone will contact you to set up a phone interview to mutually discern your fit for this community. We are committed to reflecting the diversity of the body of Christ in gender, ethnicity, age, and denomination.
Here are some questions to support you in your personal discernment process; there is no need to provide these answers in your application.
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What choices will I need to make in my current life to prioritize the spiritual practices, reading, and spiritual direction group attendance expected in this program? Does this experience seem doable at this time in my life?
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How is God speaking to me through my body, longings and desires, feelings of consolation or desolation, Scripture, reason, and timing?
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How does this contemplative community experience align with the other things God has been saying and doing in my life these days?
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What are my family members and/or respected friends and colleagues encouraging me to do in response to my interest in this community?
Still have more questions?
If at any point you have questions about the program or the application process, please feel free to contact John March (john@restorationmn.org).
We are praying for you as you seek God’s heart for your soul’s sake.
Logistics