A Ministry of Spiritual Direction

SOUL BATHING

This morning I opened the blinds on my

sliding glass door and proceeded to do my

exercises. The sun was pouring through the

window and I was aware of how good it felt

to just lie in the sunlight. I was reminded

of sunbathers and how they go to great

lengths to find the perfect spot and plenty

of time to bask in the sun.

Recently I was asked what contemplative

prayer was as opposed to conversation with

God, prayer, intercession etc. I gave a

pretty standard answer about

contemplation being the focused attention

of the soul toward the Divine. It occurred to

me this morning as I enjoyed the sun

pouring in through my window, that

contemplation is like sun bathing. It

requires deliberate attention and setting

aside time and place to allow God’s love

and Presence to pour down upon you. But

once you are settled in, conversation is not

necessary all one has to do is bask in the

SON -light of God’s love.

When one is sunbathing, it is important to

turn frequently and avoid being burned

by the sun. When one is SOUL BATHING,

there is no danger of being burned as the

refreshing winds of the Spirit blow in

and through you.

The most amazing thing is that God is

always inviting us to just enjoy being

bathed in His goodness and love.

Take time to go Soul Bathing today and

everyday.

Karen

UPCOMING EVENTS

A Day Apart: Solitude & Silence As Spiritual Disciplines         At the Home of Donna Miller, Foulk Road, Wilmington, DE      Saturday, January 13, 2007 Space is limited Call Karen to reserve your place

Living In The Embrace of God's Immense and Incredible Love—6 week study of Ephesians at Aldersgate UMC Thursdays, February 1 to March 8, 6:30pm to 8:30pm

Intersect: Exploring the Intersection of God’s Love and Our Daily Lives – at Aldersgate UMC on Tuesday evenings 7pm to 8:30pm, April 17 to May 22, 2007

Healing Hearts Ministries (See article below):

Retreats - Beauty for Ashes, Transforming Loss

                Jan. 26-28, 2007 St. Francis Renewal Center, Wilmington, DE

                         Karen - 302-798-1478

               May 4-6, 2007   Franciscan Spirituality Center   La Crosse, WI

                         608-791-5298

Workshops – Spiritual Direction with Suicide Survivors: Spiritual Directors International Conference, Vancouver, B. C., April 12 - 15, 2007

Course – Suicide Prevention & Pastoral Ministry – Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C.

                June 11-15, 2007

Karen Receives Certification

At the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in June, Karen received Certification in Spiritual Formation Ministries from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. This is the first such certification in the Peninsula-Delaware Conference.

HEALING HEARTS

Anne Cronin Tyson and I met for the first time at the Spiritual Directors International Conference in Costa Mesa, California. We are both survivors of multiple suicides. (The term survivor of suicide describes someone whose loved one has died by suicide. It is not the term generally used for someone who has attempted suicide and survived the attempt.) Anne’s youngest son, Ted, died by suicide 12 years ago. Her husband’s uncle died by suicide in the 70’s and, sadly, the daughter of her half-sister took her life last year. I lost my mother to suicide at the age of 5 and lost my youngest son, Charles, to suicide 5 years ago. These losses have forever changed our lives and our ministries.

When Anne and I agreed, as strangers, to share a room at the conference, we had no idea that we shared similar losses and that we were being called to share in a ministry together. Before our time together was over, it became clear that the Holy Spirit had brought us together and was calling us to minister to survivors in a retreat setting, as well as to do educational work with clinicians and pastoral care professionals around the nature of survivor grief.

In our experience, we find that a good deal of outreach is directed at survivors through support groups, but there is little work that is focused on the spiritual crisis that this loss can precipitate. There are not many opportunities for being ministered to spiritually for the deep sorrow and woundedness in spirit that can occur through suicide loss. Both of us had felt for some time that God was calling us to minister to the spiritual needs of survivors. In California it became clear that this ministry was ours.

          Before Anne left California, her lifelong friend, Joyce, said, ”I think this belongs to you,” and placed a small heart shaped stone in her hand. There was a hole in the left side of the heart. Shortly after, I was serving as a spiritual director for an Emmaus Weekend and found an identical stone on my path as I walked and prayed during a break. Soon after Healing Hearts became the name of the ministry, and two hearts with holes on the left side became our logo.

It is through dependency on God’s Spirit and a willingness to serve that others will be touched and transformed. Anne and I continue to pray as we move into this ministry and ask your prayers as well.

          See Upcoming Events for information regarding upcoming retreats, workshops and courses. If you know someone who might benefit from any of these offerings you might pass the information along.

Healing Hearts Ministries, is a retreat ministry to those who have lost a loved one through suicide and an educational outreach to those professionals who might work with survivors in clinical or pastoral settings.

KAREN LEADS SPIRITUAL FORMATION TEAM

This year, Karen accepted the invitation to recruit and lead a Spiritual Formation Team for the Peninsula-Delaware Conference of The United Methodist Church. The Team was charged with the responsibility to

Advocate for and highlight the importance of Spiritual Formation in the life of the Conference
Plan events and opportunities for personal and group Spiritual Formation
Serve as a resource for individuals, groups, churches, etc. in identifying and locating resources.

The Team began the year with a retreat led by Susan Ruach from the General Board of Discipleship. This allowed the team to the opportunity to focus and clarify their purpose and goals.

In October, the Team sponsored a contemplative retreat led by Sara Davis– Shappell at Rehobeth Beach, DE. The participants were delighted with this opportunity to draw near to God in what was for some new ways.

FELLOWSHIP OF UNITED METHODIST SPIRITUAL DIRECTORS AND RETREAT LEADERS (FUMSDRL)

Since its founding in 2003, Karen has served on the steering committee of the Fellowship of United Methodist Spiritual Directors and Retreat Leaders.

As a member of the Steering Committee, Karen hosted a luncheon gathering of United Methodists attending Spiritual Directors International in Costa Mesa, CA.

In July, the steering committee led a workshop in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina at Soul Feast, a spiritual renewal conference sponsored each year by the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church. The Committee also led morning prayer at the Conference and facilitated listening circles in the evening. Karen was privileged to be a part of this endeavor

FUMSDRL is now on the web check them out at www.FUMSDRL.org

A THOUGHT TO PONDER ...

God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything, and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As one Psalmist puts it: He throws caution to the winds, giving to the needy in reckless abandon. His right-living, right-giving ways never run out, never wear out.”

2 Corinthians 9: 8-9 (The Message)

Thanksgiving is coming. Have you ever considered the difference between thanksgiving and gratitude? According to Brother David Steindal-Rast, thanksgiving is our expression of gratitude and gratefulness permeates and informs all our experience. Brother David says that gratefulness is being full of the greatness of God.Check out the website www.gratefulness.org to read more of Brother David’s writings and the ABC’s of gratefulness