Annual Society Gathering
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"Shalem always seems to be what I need."
"I feel grounded again in my contemplative leadership. Thank you for your commitment to this grace filled ministry!"
— Comments from previous Society Gathering Participants. Read more comments of "Why I Attend the Society Gathering" by clicking here.
The Sixth Annual Gathering of Shalem's Society for Contemplative Leadership
October 16 - 20, 2011
Gathering begins at 4pm on Sunday, October 16 and ends after lunch on Thursday, October 20.
Contemplative Leadership: Living Silence, Living Word
I am the Living One. (Revelation 1:18)
Transition is happening in so many arenas - religious, global, climate, political, cultural, health, family. Prayerful discernment in leadership is increasingly vital. What is the Spirit inviting? We find hope in knowing that the Divine Word is living and active, present in all of creation, emerging from the depths of Living Silence. The Beloved, the Living One, is writing the next chapter of the Biblical story with and through us now, in the present world context.
This Gathering of the Shalem Society will focus on the first component of our membership commitment: "a desire to grow by grace in personal communion with God as revealed in scripture, realized by Jesus and also known in the lives of great prophets, mystics and in our own experience."
From the ground of our contemplative awareness, we will:
- share our struggles and graces in reading scripture and its stories of leadership;
- connect these struggles and gifts with the scripture of our daily life and the scripture of creation;
- notice how these scriptures flow together as a Living Presence in our contemplative living and leadership, and
- pray that our contemplative leadership will flow in the eternal stream of Enlightened Love serving the vision of shalom on Earth.
Our days will have a varying rhythm of brief talks, small group reflection (including a daily ongoing group, where we can probe our experiences and hopes for the Living Word in our lives and leadership), Earth meditations, body prayer, chanting, extended silence, and time for Society concerns, bonding, and re-commitment.
Through it all, we will be deeply attentive to the importance of contemplative leadership now, in this new chapter being written by Love's ever-creative Spirit.
Location
Bon Secours Spiritual Center
1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD 21104
(410) 442-8219
Attendees
As one of the components of the Society for Contemplative Leadership, the annual gathering is open to all people who have completed the second residency of Shalem's Extension programs: Clergy Spiritual Life & Leadership Program, Facilitating Group Spiritual Direction Program, Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups & Retreats Program, Personal Spiritual Deepening Program, Spiritual Guidance Program, and Soul of the Executive Program.
Please note: if you are a graduate of one of Shalem's extension programs and are considering membership in the Society, you are welcome to come to the annual gathering to discern if the Society is right for you at this time.
Cost
$750 after September 15, 2011
Cost includes tuition, room and board.
Registration
To register online, please click here.
For more information, please contact Program Registrar, Chris Jeffrey ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), (301-897-7334)
Directions
For directions and travel information for Bon Secours Spiritual Center, please click here.