Kairos Spiritual Direction Training (SDT) is designed not only for spiritual directors, but for all those who offer spiritual care and companionship. Training in spiritual direction and deep listening provides effective tools for interpersonal relationships, especially when working with those different than yourself. Develop your personal and professional skills of deep listening and learn to incorporate spirituality to create a more holistic understanding of yourself and those around you. SDT is rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus and informed by Ignatian spirituality and the wisdom tradition. Contemplative spirituality is compatible with a spectrum of denominational and theological positions
including those who claim no tradition.
Through this course, students will learn and develop skills in deep listening and noticing the presence of God as they practice being spiritual companions. Ample practicums and supervision give students the best chance to implement their learning, receive feedback, and hone their skills. Students have the opportunity to practice spiritual kinship with those on the margins who may not normally have the chance to participate. Students will nurture a contemplative life through times of reflection and as they work with their own Spiritual Director.
All students successfully completing the course requirements will receive a Certificate of Completion to certify their advanced training in Spiritual Direction. Cohort learning gives students companions on their two-year journey and beyond. Due to COVID, for the first semester everyone will be on Zoom on Fridays and then have the option of doing Saturday on Zoom or attending in-person. Adjustments will be made as necessary to ensure everyone’s safety.
2021-2022 FACULTY
2160 Lincoln Hwy East Ste. 18, Lancaster, PA 17602 www.parishresourcecenter.org (717) 299 - 1113
Rev. Dr. Eldon Fry, D.Min. founded Open Hands, a nonprofit focusing on spiritual direction and formation for pastors and church leaders. Eldon has spent much of his career serving in in-terdenominational settings and has pro-vided coaching and mentoring to those in ministry across 14 denominations.
Eldon had been ordained in The Wesleyan Church for over 50 years and has pastored multiple congregations. He has trained in Spiritual Direction at Kairos and Shalem.
Rev. Julia Bruton-Sheppard, M.Div. is ordained in Baptist Minister. She is the Program Facilitator for Communication and Leader Development at the Phila-delphia Baptist Association where part of her work is providing spiritual direc-tion for pastors and writing diversity curriculum on Cultural Humility.
Julia’s previous career was as a hospice nurse. She is a seasoned Spiritual Director and Kairos SDT alum. She specializes in Jungian dreamwork.
Kairos Spiritual Direction Training
2021-2022 Cohort
Kairos Spiritual Direction Training
2021-2022 Cohort
YEAR 1 Jan 15-16, 2021 Feb 19-20 2021 Mar 19-20, 2021 Apr 16-17, 2021 May 21-22, 2021 Sep 17-18, 2021 Oct 15-16, 2021 Nov 12-13, 2021 Dec 10-11, 2021 YEAR 2 Jan 14-15, 2022 Feb 18-19, 2022 Mar 18-19, 2022 Apr 22-23, 2022 May 20-21, 2022 Sep 16-17, 2022 Oct 14-15, 2022 Nov 11-12, 2022 Dec 9-10, 2022Tuition
Early Bird Price
(Apply before Nov. 1, 2020)$3,000 per year
Application fee of $150 is due with your application. Limited finan-cial aid scholarships are available. Applicants are encouraged to seek funding from their church, religious affiliations, or employer.
2160 Lincoln Hwy East Ste. 18, Lancaster, PA 17602 www.parishresourcecenter.org (717) 299 - 1113
TYPICAL IN-PERSON WEEKEND SCHEDULE
A fully online or hybrid schedule will be used Jan-May 2021, and as necessary,
due to public health restrictions
Friday
11:00 Room check-in (optional)
Noon Bring-your-own Bag Lunch
1:00 Contemplative Gathering and
Scriptural Foundation
1:45 Reporting in and Discussion of
Issues in Spiritual Direction
2:30 Group A Supervision / Group B
Contemplation
4:00 Break
4:30 Group B Supervision / Group A
Contemplation
6:00 Dinner
7:00 Practicum Reflection and
Discussion of the Readings
8:30 Graces for the Gathering and
Compline
9:00 Silence through the night
Saturday
7:30 Breakfast (in silence)
8:00 Morning Prayer and
Reflections on the Silence
9:00 Main Teaching Time
11:15 Fishbowl: SD with Instructor
12:30 Lunch
1:30 Group A Supervision / Group B
Contemplation
3:30 Break
4:00 Group B Supervision / Group A
Contemplation
5:30 Gathering the Graces
6:15 Departure
Schedule
Sessions begin Friday at noon and end Saturday at 6:15 pm. See the typical schedule (left) for more details
Regular Price
(Apply after Nov. 1. 2020)$3,500 per year
Pay Monthly
Set up automatic, monthly payments of $250Pay Yearly
$3,000 due on Dec. 15, 2020 $3,000 due on Dec. 15, 2021
Pay Monthly
Set up automatic, monthly payments of $292Pay Yearly
$3,500 due on Dec. 15, 2020 $3,500 due on Dec. 15, 2021 $250 Savings
Room & board charges will be deducted off of all students’ first semester tuition (listed below). If we continue to meet online,
1 Spiritual Disciplines:
a. Engage in personal, life-giving spiritual practices. Share your spiritual journey regularly with your own spiritual director, and with your SDT cohort through forums and weekend sessions.
b. Complete times of solitary retreat to focus on your own journey and contemplative practices. We recommend discussing these experiences with your spiritual director.
2 Spiritual Direction:
a. Provide spiritual direction for at least two adults (over 18) for a combined minimum of twenty sessions in two years, with a goal of having at least seven ses-sions with one individual. Students should not have more than four directees at one time. We can help you find directees.
b. Write a 1-2 page verbatim each month on a direction session you have given. Submit it to your faculty su-pervisor at least one week prior to class.
3 Spiritual Kinship: Broaden the application of spiritual direction by applying the same skills to new settings. Meet with and offer spiritual kinship to someone on the margins. PRC will make the arrangements through its work in the Community Meal Program in Lancaster City and with immigrants at York Detention Center. Forums and teaching sessions will also emphasize practicing spiritual kinship.
4 Participation: Regular participation in class sessions and on the online student forum each month between ses-sions. Always engage respectfully and thoughtfully with those holding differing views.
5 Readings: Read and interact with the texts and assigned readings each month prior to class.
6 Join Spiritual Directors International (SDI): Join SDI as a student member ($59 per year). You receive their quar-terly journal, Presence, for up-to-date articles in the practice and get special student rates for spiritual direction liability insurance (highly recommended). More information will be provided during the first weekend of SDT.
Kairos Spiritual Direction Training
2021-2022 Cohort
2160 Lincoln Hwy East Ste. 18, Lancaster, PA 17602 www.parishresourcecenter.org (717) 299 - 1113
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A Certificate of Completion is given to all students who satisfactorily complete the measurable requirements (or ap-proved equivalents). The Certificate of Completion shows advanced training in Spiritual Direction but is not intended to certify an individual as a Spiritual Director. There is no certifying body for Spiritual Directors.
Kairos Spiritual Direction Training
2021-2022 Cohort
2160 Lincoln Hwy East Ste. 18, Lancaster, PA 17602 www.parishresourcecenter.org (717) 299 - 1113
1. How are you familiar with the applicant and their ministry? 2. What is your personal appraisal of the applicant's skills and potential in Spiritual Direction? (Please note that skills in spiritual direction—listening, noticing God, tending someone’s spiritual journey—can be demonstrated in any profession).
3. Would you have any hesitation in referring someone to the applicant for spiritual direction?
4. What is your appraisal of the applicant's spiritual maturity and practice?
5. What is your opinion of the applicant's psychological maturity and stability?
6. What is at least one area of the applicant's life or work that you see as an area in need of growth?
REFERENCES
Please ask your references to address the questions listed below as well as any other information that might be relevant to your application and send it to kairos@parishresourcecenter.org.
APPLICATION INCLUDES:
1) Application form (attached)
2) Personal essay: 1-2 pages including • Your discernment around starting
Spiritual Direction Training
• Experience of spiritual direction or spiritual friendships with others • Background in theology, psychology,
communications
• Exposure to readings and/or study in spiritual formation. Please include a bibliography of formative books. 3) Request for financial aid (optional) 4) Application fee: $150 (check made out
to Parish Resource Center or ask how to pay online)
Send to kairos@parishresourcecenter.org or to the physical address above
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Have three personal references write a letter of recommendation answering the given questions. References must be sub-mitted before your application can be con-sidered. Individuals should send letters to kairos@parishresourcecenter.org or to the address above.CONFIRMATION
At the end of this process, you will receive a final letter to confirm your enrollment. At this time, please submit up-to-date state and FBI background clearances, along with your first tuition payment.
HOW TO APPLY
FINANCIAL AID
Scholarships are available on a limited basis. If you are interested in a scholarship, please include a letter of request for financial aid with your application. The letter of request should include why you are seeking financial aid at this time, other avenues of fund-ing you have pursued, and any other information that would be helpful in making this decision. If you receive a scholarship, it may be applied immediately or spread evenly across your first-year monthly payments.
Scholarships are awarded yearly based on the pool of applicants from all SDT cohorts. A first-year scholarship does not guarantee a second-year scholarship. You will need to submit a new letter of request (by Nov. 1, 2021) to be considered.
Additional aid may be available to help students receive spiritual direction throughout SDT. If the cost of this practice is prohibitive, please include it in your letter of request.
APPLICATION FORM
Name: _________________________________________________________ Date: __________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________________ State: ______________ Zip: ____________________________
Phone (c): _________________________________________
Email: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Denominational Affiliation: __________________________________________________________________________
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? Yes No
If yes, please explain:
Special needs/Allergies (Food allergies, mobility challenges etc. — for making arrangements for housing and meals):
Kairos Spiritual Direction Training
2021-2022 Cohort
2160 Lincoln Hwy East Ste. 18, Lancaster, PA 17602 www.parishresourcecenter.org (717) 299 - 1113
A class list will be distributed to the cohort on the first weekend of SDT, which will include student and faculty names and email addresses.
All applicants to Kairos Spiritual Direction Training need to submit three references before their application can be considered. References should address the following questions as well as any other information relevant to the application.
Kairos Spiritual Direction Training
References
2160 Lincoln Hwy East Ste. 18, Lancaster, PA 17602 www.parishresourcecenter.org (717) 299 - 1113
1. How are you familiar with the applicant and their ministry?
2. What is your personal appraisal of the applicant's skills and potential in spiritual companionship? (Please note that skills in spiritual companionship—listening, noticing God, tending someone’s spiritual journey— can be demonstrated in any profession).
3. Would you have any hesitation in referring someone to the applicant for spiritual direction? 4. What is your appraisal of the applicant's spiritual maturity and practice?
5. What is your opinion of the applicant's psychological maturity and stability?
6. What is at least one area of the applicant's life or work that you see as an area in need of growth?
References can be sent directly to PRC by:
Email: kairos@parishresourcecenter.org
