Listening Hearts programs provide groups—small, medium, or large—an opportunity to grow closer to God and one another as they seek God’s guidance in relation to the realities of their lives. Silence, song, Scripture, and creative meditation activities done in solitude—followed by time to share reflections—all merge to create a spiritual flow that leads to insight and brings forth signs of the Spirit that point the way forward.

Because a community of support is important to developing and maintaining the practice of discernment, these programs are primarily geared to congregations, seeker groups, governing boards, clergy groups, schools, and dioceses/judicatories. The work of Listening Hearts is firmly rooted in classic spiritual wisdom that spans the centuries, yet is keenly attuned to contemporary insights derived from science, psychology, and the arts. Each retreat and workshop is custom-designed for the specific group.

Retreats

In Listening Hearts Retreats, each participant seeks God’s guidance in relation to an issue of personal concern such as a difficult family relationship, a problem in their work situation, a moral or ethical dilemma, reordering priorities, or the general direction of their own life.

A gentle flow back and forth between solitude and community comes through singing, short presentations, creative meditation exercises, and opportunities for contemplative sharing of reflections. Participants learn the basics of spiritual discernment experientially while developing a more personal relationship with God and deepening the bonds of spiritual community.

These retreats can range in length from one-day to a full weekend. A scaled-down version can be scheduled for a morning, afternoon, or evening. Retreats can be designed for specific groups such as a congregation, a clergy group, university students, youth ministries, people approaching retirement, interfaith bodies, and any group with a common bond.

Workshops

A workshop generally focuses on a specific aspect of spiritual discernment, with special attention to the rationale and the fundamentals of how to go about it. The basic text for a workshop is often the Discernment Listening Guidelines or one topic from A Primer on Spiritual Discernment.

Workshops generally range in length from 45 minutes to 3 hours.

Sample Feedback

“Has left me with much ‘food for thought’. . .thought provoking, interesting, authentic, extraordinary—life-changing.”

“I didn’t feel rushed or crowded—Opportunity for quiet reflection and sharing with others.”

“I’ve learned new ways to meditate that I’ve never done. The idea that God can speak to me through the result of my creative activity (drawing or clay) is new and exciting.”

“The (uncommon to me) practice of centering and speaking from the heart in small groups helped me spend time present to God.”

“Spent time present to God, deeply and significantly, inside me, outside me, in others, among us.”

By practicing discernment in relation to a challenging issue of importance to all present, a group learns how to conduct business and resolve group issues using deep prayerful listening, creative engagement with Scripture, and spiritual consensus. Even when faced with an issue that is divisive, a meeting can be energizing and spiritually nourishing—with participants growing closer to God and one another.

Discernment Listening Guidelines provide a foundation for these retreats that are suitable for vestries, sessions, church boards, parish councils, search committees, clergy groups, planning teams, church leadership teams, and even congregations. A special Retreat for Spiritual Conflict Resolution can be especially useful for a body that is severely divided by a controversial issue.

Depending on the size of the group and the complexity of the situation, retreats can range in length from one-day to two-night overnights.

A workshop that focuses on a single aspect of the Grounded in God approach (such as the Discernment Listening Guidelines) or a specific topic in A Primer on Spiritual Discernment can be arranged for a single session such as a morning, afternoon, or evening.

Sample Feedback

“Usually our vestry meetings are electric—with sparks flying. The meeting following the retreat was different. People gave each other time to speak; the atmosphere was calm and more relaxed. People were really listening to each other.”

“We did good work. This question, in some form or another, has been with us for five years. We are leaving with a clear statement and an action plan. I feel we have a very clear sense for listening for next steps.”

“This time together has been helpful for communing outside the framework of our usual meetings and tasks—through our discussions here I do feel that we have a new energy and sense of purpose.”

“Good listening and respect for differing opinions. Being in community while trusting the process and having a leader who modeled ‘trusting the slow work of God.’”

“. . .the lack of preconceived sureness permits fresh, new perspectives and insights.”

In each program, those who attend the training go through the entire program they will be teaching in order to experience it as participants. In addition to this, they gather in workshop sessions to learn all that is involved in leading the program and to delve into the underlying rationale. The program features a practicum portion in which they take part in several actual discernment sessions that are supervised by a mentor who conducts a reflective review of each session for teaching purposes.

Upon completion of the program, participants receive electronic master copies of the designs for all of the sessions they will be facilitating, along with all computer-generated handouts, instruction sheets, and feedback forms needed to lead the program.

All programs to train leaders are in-person at a retreat facility unless otherwise noted.

Training Week for a Discernment Ministry Team

A six-night residential program that trains a group of between six and eight leaders with a single sponsor such as a congregation, diocese, other judicatory, or seminary to train and mentor Discernment Ministry Groups that can provide discernment and cultivate discerning communities.

Overnight Renewal Retreat

This retreat offers an opportunity for a group that has been through the Training Week for a Discernment Ministry Team to gather on an annual basis with the groups they have trained in order to update and reinforce their ministry of discernment and cultivate community in their constituency.

Training Week for Individual Leaders

A seven-night residential program with five participants who will be prepared and equipped to train discernment groups and teach spiritual discernment wherever they may be.

Training Program for Episcopal Commissions on Ministry

To implement the Title III Canons on Ministry mandate for all dioceses to provide discernment opportunities for calls to ministry, whether lay or ordained. Prepares selected leaders to train and mentor parish discernment committees.

Can be adapted for other denominations.

Training Retreat for Leaders of Parish Discernment Committees

A virtual program to train a group of five to eight to train and mentor Parish Discernment Committees on behalf of a Commission on Ministry. Seven two-hour sessions are spread over time, scheduled in consultation with the participants.

Can be adapted for other groups.

Teaching the Art of Spiritual Discernment

An intense program for groups of five participants with a mentor for individuals who want to practice spiritual discernment in their own lives and train others to do the same. Especially suitable for EFM graduates. Includes four weeks of at-home preparation that takes about two hours each week.

Eight-Day Immersion in Spiritual Discernment

An intensive in-depth immersion in the practice of spiritual discernment in relation to both personal issues and group deliberations for a group of six leaders with a common sponsor such as a diocese, other judicatory, or denomination.

Sample Feedback

“The design was comfortable, provided the information we needed, and has filled me with much excitement and enthusiasm.”

“As the week progressed, especially through the practicums, I felt more and more confident about being a leader in this endeavor.”

“The tone was enthusiastic, calm, sincere, and joyous.  I felt an eagerness to begin and continue the work,”

“Even though it was stated many times that ZOOM is not the preferred way of doing these trainings. . ., I felt such an openness of the Holy Spirit during each and every gathering.”

“Wonderfully perceived. . .and graciously carried out!”