Presence is the way that human beings experience God directly. When we are fully present in our minds, bodies, and hearts, the Divine shows up. It’s that simple, and it’s that difficult.
Christine Marie and Dan Martin warmly invite you to join us for this new series, beginning October 17, 2021.
Coming Home to Presence will be a nine-month series. It is for all seekers who feel called to deepen their connection with God and each other. Using scripture and poetry, practices of reflection, journaling, and small-group sharing, we will take a spiritual pilgrimage together through the Christian year. We will explore God’s invitation to Love in all its dimensions, diving into the deeper meanings of the seasons of our liturgical year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost.
Each meeting will take place on Sunday from 3 to 5 PM. We will meet in Berktold Hall at St. Mary’s. There will be a Zoom option for those who wish or need to attend virtually. Attendance at all meetings is required, except for the first, which is an optional Enneagram training. Here are the dates of the nine gatherings:
October 17 Session 1: Optional Enneagram Training
November 21 Session 2: Advent
December 19 Session 3: Christmas
January 23 Session 4: Epiphany
February 20 Session 5: Lent I
March 20 Session 6: Lent II
April 24 Session 7: Easter
May 22 Session 8: Pentecost I
June 19 Session 9: Pentecost II
One of our own, Rosie Hammond, said recently in a Zoom service: “You need community for both healing and wisdom, and that’s why we gather.” We agree! Please gather with us for this St. Mary’s pilgrimage back to Presence.
The cost of the program is $50 to $75, sliding scale, you decide. Scholarships are available, so please do not let money be a reason not to come. Participants must sign up by September 30 and commit to attending all sessions. We ask that those who sign up for the in-person program option be fully vaccinated.
To sign up, or ask questions, email: christine@saint-marys.org.
About our presenters:
Christine Marie has been an Episcopal priest for 18 years, and is currently the Small Groups Ministry Developer at St. Mary’s. She has been training peer counselors and leading listening support groups, classes, workshops, and retreats for 45 years. She was raised Catholic in Alaska, and became an Episcopalian 25 years ago. Christine has been a poet and writer her whole adult life and is working on several books.
Dan Martin, a life-long Episcopalian, has over 30 years of experience as a trainer, consultant, and presenter for a variety of programs. He specializes in adult spiritual formation and healing workshops for troubled religious congregations. Dan has completed many years of education and training with the Sacred Art of Living Center, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, OR, and The Enneagram Institute. He has been a part of St. Mary’s since 1978.
Christine and Dan have been leading spiritual formation programs with a small group component at St. Mary’s since 2017. Previous series have included Sanctuary, Trinity, Anam Cara—Group Spiritual Direction, The Sacred Work of Grief, and a Lenten program, Into the Wilderness. They love working with spiritual seekers who long for a deeper relationship with God and the community, for the good of the world.
