Friends General Conference

Nurturing faith and Quaker practice

Spiritual Deepening Program

The Spiritual Deepening Program is now available!  Read more to learn how you or your meeting can enroll!

The Spiritual Deepening Program seeks to deepen the life, worship, and witness of Quaker meetings, individual Friends, and newcomers.  The program serves those who are new to the Quaker way by presenting resources important to the personal and communal spiritual journey.  It serves Friends who are no longer new by providing additional depth and encouragement to continue their travel on the Quaker journey.

 

 

There are two ways to get involved:

Join a Spiritual Deepening in-person small group. 

Meeting together in a small group, Spiritual Deepening program participants share their spiritual stories, explore how Quaker thought and spiritual practices can transform lives, and go deeper together into the life of the Spirit.

 

Participate in a Spiritual Deepening eRetreat

Newcomers and Friends can participate in a Spiritual Deepening experience online through an 8-week eRetreat based on the same program content and led by a trained facilitator.
 
The eRetreat Schedule for 2017:

January 9 - March 3, Silence & Light eRetreat

March 26 - May 19, Silence & Light eRetreat

June 4 - June 30, Beloved Community eRetreat

September 24 - November 17, Silence & Light eRetreat

 

Join the Spiritual Deepening mailing list to receive announcements when registration opens for these upcoming eRetreats in 2017!

 

Explore

Spiritual Deepening Program participants explore Quaker thought, share and listen to each other’s spiritual stories, and practice new ways of connecting to Spirit as they explore together three topic areas:
 

Silence and Expectant Waiting

The Quaker experience of worship, silent waiting, and vocal ministry

The Light, Seed, Christ Working in Us

The experience of being led by the Inner Guide

Friendly Practices

The practices of Friends, including discernment, meeting for worship with attention to business, worship sharing, and more

 

Seek Together

The program materials are designed for participants of all ages and stages in their spiritual journey.  Participants engage in activities, discussions, role-plays, spiritual practices, art and music exercises, and worship sharing. The content has been compiled and developed by Friends throughout the U.S. and Canada and includes materials drawn from high quality existing curricula and resources, as well as newly developed activities.
 
Take a tour of the Spiritual Deepening Program Library:
 

Accessible and Affordable

The suggested fee for participating in the program is $20/person, on a Pay-as-Led basis.  Pay-as-Led means you can pay less than $20 or more than $20 based on your own sense of what you can afford and how well you feel you can support this program for the benefit of others.  This fee registers participants for a small group or an eRetreat that will explore exercises and activities on the topic of Silence & Light or Beloved Community.  The participation fee allows FGC to continue to support, develop, and grow the Spiritual Deepening Program and to make it broadly available over time, with the ultimate goal of increasing the depth of Spirit and the strength of our Quaker communities.
 

Facilitator Training Available

For in-person small groups, FGC provides orientation and ongoing support for small group leaders to use the Spiritual Deepening process and materials to lead deep and meaningful small group experiences within their home meetings.
 

Small Groups Can Start at Any Time.  Sign Up Now!

Want to learn more about the Spiritual Deepening Program and share it with your meeting?

The Meeting Resources page offers step-by-step recommendations for forming Spiritual Deepening small groups.  If you'd like to lead a discernment session with your monthly or yearly meeting, you'll find talking point, sample activities, and other key information in the Sharing Spiritual Deepening with your Monthly Meeting or Yearly Meeting guide (PDF).

Once you've decided to form a Spiritual Deepening small group, one person can register the group here:

 

 

 

Further Resources

Spiritual Growth
Spiritual Growth

Try out the Spiritual Deepening Program!

Consider forming a small group and exploring this sample content from Silence and Expectant Waiting.

Grounding:

Texts and Videos

Sharing:

Making a Listening Mural

Practicing:

Unwrapping the Parcel

Activity for Children:

Does God Hear My Prayer?

 

Related Content

FGC Program Updates - February 2015
News