Rolling Bay hosts October conference
Published 7:00 am Monday, October 11, 2004
The information booth may not help those seeking help on their spiritual journey, but Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church hopes its annual conference Oct. 22-23 will.
“We’re doing it for people of the church, but really doing it for the community at large,” said Barbara Hollis, an elder of the church’s Spiritual Formation Committee. “It’s something we can share with the community.”
The committee has been holding such conferences since 1996, inviting spiritual leaders from a variety of religious backgrounds to speak.
This year’s speaker will be Margaret Guenther, a well-known author described as having written the definitive book on spiritual direction – “Holy Listening: The Art of Spiritual Direction.”
When selecting speakers, “We’re looking for somebody who can add some wisdom to make us think,” Hollis said, “a kind of a ‘help along the way.’”
Karen Carson, a committee member, describes the goal of spiritual formation as “the work of the Holy Spirit within each person.”
Conferences and workshops reflect the two focuses of the Rolling Bay church: spiritual journey and meaningful worship.
“I see it as assisting people to become the person God meant us to be – inward and outward… Our spiritual journey is our path through life,” Carson said. “When we go inward in prayer or therapy or counseling… at that place where you find your authentic self is where you meet God.”
The four talks Guenther will give are entitled “Praying Boldly and Creatively – Prayer 101,” “Finding Time for Prayer,” “How Do I Hear God’s Voice?” and “‘Tis the Gift To Be Simple.”
The talks will be intermixed with small group discussions or musical interludes.
Guenther, an Episcopal priest, is currently associate rector for spiritual formation at St. Columbia Episcopal Church in Washington D.C.
Past conference speakers have included Richard Rohr, Howard Rice, Cynthia Bourgeault and Lynn Bauman, not all necessarily Presbyterians.
“We’ve made a concerted effort to offer many different avenues to help people along their spiritual journeys,” Hollis said.
Past attendees have also been of various faiths or none at all; audience members have come from as far as Canada, Idaho or even the East Coast. Hollis says she has received a lot of positive feedback from the audience and some form study groups on conference topics afterwards.
For attendees of Guenther’s talk this year, “I hope it’ll help them to grow and learn a little bit more about themselves,” Hollis said. “We’re not looking for people to agree… but if they can get some wisdom or insight – great.”
The conference with Margaret Guenther will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 22, continuing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 23, at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church.
Conference cost of $50 includes refreshments and a box lunch on Oct. 22. Scholarships are available. Guenther will also preach at the church’s 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services Oct. 24, which are free and open to the public.
For more information or to make a reservation, call 842-3098 or email office@rbpres.org.
