A nonprofit Christian ministry organization

Way of the Spirit

CLICK TO APPLY for FOLLOW THE LIFE in Prayer and Practice: Apr 3, 17, May 8

Intriguing opportunities unfold in challenging times, when we most need deep roots in the Holy. Since 2012, Way of the Spirit has offered residential retreats over an 18-month program cycle. With retreat centers closed into the foreseeable future, we’re offering a new Way of the Spirit format:

In 2020-2021, interactive online mini-courses are exploring essential program themes. Each course will stand alone. You can attend any one, or continue through all the courses in a year. With a uniquely collaborative and experiential approach, we’ll build encouraging spiritual community over the miles.

Way of the Spirit Mini-Courses Online:

    • Three Saturday mornings of learning, reflection, and prayer
      • 9:30am-1:30pm Pacific Time
      • Interactive group sessions, presentations, and guided exercises, with 30 minute break
      • Group size limited to 14 participants
      • Additional optional Individual spiritual accompaniment session with staff
      • Private online community for program resources and sharing
      • What are online retreats like? 
    • Mini-Courses Fall 2020 – Spring 2021 • Detailed Course Content Here
      • FULL Listen—Personal Spiritual Awareness and Discernment. Nov 21, Dec 5 & 12, 2020
      • FULL Forgive—Relationships in the Holy: Jan 30, Feb 13, 27, 2021
      • OPEN Follow the Life in Prayer and Practice: Apr 3, 17, May 8
      • Be Led—Spiritual Gifts and Everyday Ministry: Dates to be discerned
      • Fall 2021 Accompany—Foster Sacred Conversations: Fall 2021

Inner Awareness, Prayer, Discernment

Ground efforts for peace and justice. Grow in awareness of the guidance of God within. Revitalize your relationship with the Holy with new forms of prayer. Stretch into contemplative silence, movement, creative, intercessory, vocal, and or healing prayer.

Bring Your Own Experience

The specifics of your life, character, skills, spiritual giftedness, and inner sensibilities matter in the life of faith. Engage a gently guided, experiential approach to spiritual discernment, relational spirituality, Quaker “leadings,” and universal ministry or Spirit-led service. Way of the Spirit seeks to integrate the wholeness of our experiences in God. The ordinary, or practical, and the “spiritual” weave one Reality. More here.

Grow Beloved Community

Join the extraordinary community of participants and alumni, intentionally fostering each others’ faithfulness over time. Enjoy spiritual accompaniment (Quaker “eldering”) by program staff during and between retreats. Grow through participants’ mutual support of your unique faithfulness. Class size limited to 15-18. Read what participants say.

Way of the Spirit welcomes sincere seekers from several faith communities. We are enriched by the gifts of Quaker spirituality even as Quakers are nourished by other perspectives. We connect in our common yearning for the Holy, share deeply, and grow in faithfulness to our own paths.

Step Out Spirit-Led

Engage Way of the Spirit program content. Act on what you learn  at home, at work, in your faith community, on the streets, in your witness to the world. All have a part in the “universal ministry”—lived faith, intentionally exercised toward others. Grow in spiritual accompaniment or become an “everyday prophet.” Serve food, clean up, organize, lead… Do what is “yours to do” with the joy and freedom of Holy Love.

Learn from Quaker Wisdom

Study and integrate Christian and Quaker resources through a highly responsive curriculum. Approx. 70 pages of carefully selected materials in preparation for distance sessions.

Way of the Spirit is funded through participant fees and tax deductible donations through Good News Associates

Nine Years of Way of the Spirit

We’ve offered 45 retreats between January 2012 and June 2020. That’s over 230 days of reflection, prayer and growing with God. Read the inspiring origins of this program here.