Resurrection: New Life, New Song January 27-30, 2013
January Seminars
What can worship committees do – with or without – musicians and pastoral staff to shape coherent, faithful worship, week after week, season after season? How can Christian Education for children of God of all ages complement Sunday worship? Read More.
Instructors: Mary Louise “Mel Bringle, Tom Long, Paul Huh, Antonio Alonso, others
The Spirituality of "Stuff" February 7-10, 2013
in the Gospel of Luke (Certificate in Spiritual Formation)
Our modern lives are full of "stuff." The way we dress, the car we drive, the house in which we live are not just tools for everyday life but are central to our identity. We have more and more and so often feel like we have less and less. Where do these tensions come from and how does Scripture address our modern anxieties about our possessions. In this course, we will turn to the Gospel of Luke and his sequel in the Acts of the Apostles as we reflect on the intersection of spirituality and "stuff." Read More.
Instructor: Eric Barreto
S3 2012 Cohort Orientation/Retreat February 18-20, 2013
This is the final retreat for the five groups accepted as part of the 2012 cohort. The retreat includes sessions designed to facilitate final evaluations (individual group and cohort as a whole), engage in peer group learning among incoming 2013 cohort group members, reflections on the peer group experience and conversations about how/if to continue peer learning. The agenda includes an opening dinner for 2012 and 2013 groups. The 2012 cohort gathering will conclude by Wednesday afternoon. Registration information will be sent via email in the fall of 2012.
S3 2013 Cohort Orientation/Retreat February 18-21, 2013
This is the initial orientation retreat for the groups accepted as part of the 2013 cohort. The retreat includes sessions designed to facilitate final evaluations (individual group and cohort as a whole), engage in peer group learning among incoming 2013 cohort group members, reflections on the peer group experience and conversations about how/if to continue peer learning. The agenda includes an opening dinner for 2012 and 2013 groups. The 2013 cohort gathering will conclude by Thursday afternoon. Registration information will be sent via email in the fall of 2012, following acceptance into the program.
Henri J.M. Nouwen: February 28- March 3, 2013
The Wounded Healer (Certificate in Spiritual Formation)
"We are healed by his wounds," it is said of Jesus. But our spiritual lives may be shaped and healed by our own wounds as well. We have "wounds with a view" that open us to new possibilities, enlarging our compassion, expanding our prayer life. Henri journals, "What seemed primarily painful may then become a feeling that...opens for you the way to an even deeper knowledge of God's love." Read More.
Instructor: Chris Glaser
Western Christian Spirituality March 10-15, 2013
(Certificate in Spiritual Formation)
This class traces the central focus of spirituality in the Christian community throughout its existence. We will deal with practices and understandings that provided the center of faith and renewal in the life of Christians throughout the centuries. Beginning with the early church that is largely in the East, and then shifting to the West in the Medieval period we will give attention to the renewal of spiritual life in the church, its sources, and its relationship to context in order to determine what sources are useful for the church and ministry today. Read More.
Instructor: Catherine Gonzalez
Immersion Experience: April 7-10, 2013
An Invitation to a Deeper Spiritual Life
(Certificate in Spiritual Formation)
This course will explore the origins of the Christian Spiritual Tradition. Participants will study the formative elements of Biblical Spirituality, Monastic Spirituality, and Reformed Spirituality. This course is the starting place for the Certificate in Spiritual Formation. Participants not enrolled in the Certificate in Spiritual Formation are welcome! Location: Montreat Conference Center. Read More
Instructors: Jim Dant, Carl McColman, Deedra Rich
Baptism and Beyond April 11-13, 2013
Scaffolding a Life of Discipleship
How does one guide children, youth, and young adults in being followers of the living Christ in the world rather than simply handing them information about Jesus? How do we nurture all ages to live out their baptismal vows in their daily lives in ways that are counter-cultural to a life of consumption and self-fulfillment? Read More.
Instructors: Rev. Anne H.K. Apple, interim associate pastor, Idlewild Presbyterian Church, Memphis, TN; Dr. Kathy Dawson, associate professor of Christian education and director of the Master of Arts in Practical Theology Program
Holy Wells and Thin Places: April 25-28, 2013
Exploring Celtic Spirituality
(Certificate in Spiritual Formation)
Shrouded in legend and imbued with romance, the Celtic lands such as Ireland, Scotland, and Wales have produced a surprising number of saints and spiritual guides, both ancient and contemporary. In our day, as Christians seek ways to celebrate stewardship of God’s good creation, a healthy and balanced relationship between men and women, and a spirituality that links the quest for holiness with a profound sense of the nearness of the love of God — again and again... Read More.
Instructor: Carl McColman
Evangelism: A New Scorecard April 30 - May 3, 2013
Thompson Scholars
Many of us think about evangelism in terms of numbers of people we are able to draw into the church. Ralph Watkins wants to turn this concept upside down and get us to start thinking about evangelism in a new way. Read More
Instructors: Dr. Ralph C. Watkins, associate professor of evangelism and church growth
Women's Contemplative Retreat May 20-24, 2013
(Certificate in Spiritual Formation)
Each Spring Columbia Seminary offers a contemplative retreat for women--open not just to members of the CTS community, but to any woman seeking a deeper experience of God. Under the sheltering arms of the Benedictine Monastic Community of Cullman AL, we will explore the mystery of God's great love and longing for us, and seek ways to open more fully to this transformational experience. Read More.
Instructor: Lalor Cadley, Sister Kathleen Gallas