Sanctuary is a weekend developed to draw one into the presence of God; to set aside your every day busy-ness and deepen your communion with Jesus. Please visit the Sanctuary page for more information.
- January 11-13, Abbey of St. Walburga, Virginia Dale, CO
The ministry of Spiritual direction in our Diocese is supported by Spiritual Direction Colorado (SDCO). It was formed in 1995 by Bishop Jerry Winterrowd as an on-going committee of the Commission on Ministry (COM) and was charged with looking “into all issues pertinent to the establishment and recognition of a ministry of spiritual direction within the Diocese.” With that charge, the SDCO began and has continued for the past ten years to deepen the vitality of Spiritual Direction in the Diocese.
During that time SDCO has:
- provided continuing education programs for spiritual directors (annual retreat for practicing directors in October)
- provided conferences (annual spirituality conference in January) for those interested in spirituality and spiritual formation
- provided packets on Spiritual Direction available through the Episcopal Church Center
- worked with the COM regarding issues surrounding spiritual direction for those in the holy orders process
- served as a networking hub for anyone interested in spiritual direction or in finding a spiritual director
- provided matching tuition grants for formation programs for Spiritual Directors
- provided ethical guidelines for Spiritual Direction (From Spiritual Director’s International)
- addressed legal and liability issues in relation to the ministry of Spiritual Direction
- organized and hosted the pre-ordination retreats for Vocational and Transitional Deacons
- worked with the COM to train Standing Discernment Groups and Congregational Discernment Committees for Holy Orders
For more information about SDCO and upcoming events, click here.
Cursillo is a lay movement within the church. Its purpose is to help those in the church understand their individual callings to be Christian leaders. The leadership may be exercised in work situations, in the family and social life, in leisure activities, and within the Church environment. Leadership, in Cursillo, does not mean power over others, but influence on others; all of us need to be aware that we can exert a positive influence on those around us.
The heart of Cursillo is the three-day weekend. The Cursillo weekend brings together a diverse group of Episcopalians to share the richness of many modes of worship and to broaden each one's appreciation for our Church. Lay people conduct the weekend with two or three members of the clergy functioning as spiritual advisors. Cursillo presumes that those who attend are already well grounded in the faith. It is not intended to be a conversion experience but an enriching and deepening of what is already there. It often provides new insights into our faith as well as fostering ministry among lay people.
Visit the Colorado Cursillo page.
Upcoming Cursillo dates:
Please check back for dates for 2008
If you wish to make a donation to Cursillo in Colorado Please make checks payable to Colorado Episcopal Cursillo, and send them to Colorado Episcopal Cursillo, Sharon Conrad, Treasurer, 2698 E. Yucatan Ct., Grand Junction, CO 81506
EFM is a non-degree program that exists primarily for the development of lay ministry, and provides the laity with the basics of theological education. The program begins with Genesis, includes two years of biblical studies, a year of church history, and concludes with modern theologians and theological questions.
For more information about EFM, click here or contact Ann L. Dolbier.
The catechumenate is a period of training and instruction in Christian understandings about God, human relationships, and the meaning of life, which culminates in the reception of the Sacraments of Christian Initiation.
The systematic instruction and formation of its catechumens is a solemn responsibility of the Christian community. Traditionally, the preparation of catechumens is the responsibility of the bishop, which is shared with the presbyters, deacons and appointed catechists of the diocese.
— From the Book of Occasional Services
Since the beginnings of Christianity, the catechumenate has served as the central element of adult faith formation in the Church. It is a period of systematic instruction and prayer, originally designed to initiate adults into the mysteries and life of Christian faith. In the early church, this period of instruction – which typically lasted for three years – prepared participants for Baptism. In today’s church, this ancient practice provides adults with a formal program to examine their faith and their life in the church.
