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Date: June 23, 2005
Contact: Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
V: 847/742-5100 F:  847/742-6103
E-MAIL: _CoBNews@AOL.Com_ (mailto:CoBNews@AOL.Com) 
 

CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN NEWSLINE
June 23, 2005
 
Church of the Brethren spiritual directors hold fourth annual retreat
 
June 23, 2005 (Elgin, IL) -- The Church of the Brethren Spiritual  Director's

Network held its fourth annual retreat May 16-18 at Shepherd's	Spring, the 
outdoor ministry center of Mid-Atlantic District. Carolynne Ervin,  who
teaches 
spiritual direction at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia,  provided 
leadership on the topic, "Working with People's Faith Experiences in 
Spiritual 
Direction."
 
Through a series of presentations and personal exercises, Ervin led the  
group in understanding "how a contemplative heart notices, evokes, discerns,
and  
responds to religious experience." The 22 participants, all trained as 
spiritual  directors, were encouraged "to attune themselves to God and those
who come 
to  them for direction. Directees are sharing the music of their lives. Help 
them be  open to these religious experiences. Help them find God in all 
things," Ervin	said.
 
A highlight of the retreat was a 20-hour Sabbath time of shared silence.  
Believing that God works in both words and silence, participants were led to 

creative expression and a simple noticing of the Spirit's leading. A time of 

group spiritual direction helped each to find words to express God's
interaction  
in his or her life through prayer.
 
A new brochure on spiritual direction was introduced by the Advisory  
Committee. "About Spiritual Direction" has been developed to introduce Church
of  the 
Brethren members to this ancient prayer tradition. Written by Glenn Mitchell 

and Kathy Geisewite, the brochure answers such questions as: What is 
spiritual  direction? Who seeks it? Who gives spiritual direction? How can I
find a	
spiritual director? Copies are available from Chris Douglas of the General 
Board  staff; e-mail _cdouglas_gb@brethren.org_
(mailto:cdouglas_gb@brethren.org)  
or call  800-323-8039 ext. 297. Members of the Spiritual Director's Network 
are available  to offer spiritual direction to clergy and laity in the Church

of the	Brethren.
 
The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to  
continuing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its
faith  in 
community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith  
traditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrates its
 300th 
anniversary in 2008. It counts about 130,000 members across the United	
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Brazil, the  
Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nigeria.
 
# # #
 
For more information contact:
 
Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
Director of News Services
Church of the  Brethren General Board
1451 Dundee Ave.
Elgin, IL 60120
847-742-5100  ext. 260
_cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org_ 
(mailto:cbrumbaugh-cayford_gb@brethren.org) 
 
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The  Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford,

 director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. 
Newsline  stories may be reprinted provided that Newsline is cited as the
source. 
To  receive Newsline by e-mail, write _cobnews@aol.com_ 
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