Spirit River Community
Spirit River Community
Spirit River Community: A Retreat Centre Without Walls
Welcome to Spirit River Community - A Retreat Centre Without Walls
The South Saskatchewan River flows through the Canadian prairies, bringing life and beauty. In a similar way, the Spirit flows through our lives, bringing curiosity, hope, comfort, and creativity.
In the spirit of Queen’s House Retreat & Renewal Centre, where for more than 65 years people gathered on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River for group and personal retreats, workshops, and conferences, we gather together online and in person to listen, explore, pray, learn, heal, and grow. This retreat centre closed its doors in August 2024, but the community which formed over the years continues to be vibrant and engaged, and new participants are warmly welcome.
Welcome to the SRC website. Thank you for your interest as a 'retreat centre without walls' begins to take shape. I'm convinced that with the guidance of thoughtful and prayerful facilitators, meaningful connections can be formed and nurtured online. I invite you to subscribe to the Spirit River Community e-newsletter to be informed about our upcoming presenters – please send an email to SpiritRiverSK@outlook.com
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Currently, with the exception of a retreat being offered in Saskatoon in March, presentations are only being offered on Zoom. A Zoom link will be emailed to you following your registration for a program. If the presentation is recorded, a copy of this recording will be sent to you to watch/review following the event. See you soon!
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Peace to you,
Sarah Donnelly, M.Div.
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Upcoming Online Classes
Your Journey of Faith: Exploring the Stages of Spiritual Growth
Kalyn Falk​
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Tuesday, November 12, 2024
3:00 - 5:00 p.m. CST
Have you thought about how your faith has changed over the years? In this two-hour online workshop, we’ll introduce two key frameworks for understanding stages of faith formation. Through teaching, conversation, and reflection, you’ll explore how faith develops over time, often moving back and forth between stages or feeling “stuck” in one. Discover how these insights can bring peace and hope as you recognize God’s work in your life and envision your ongoing growth in your spiritual journey.
A recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register.
Photo credit: Photo by James Forbes on Unsplash
A Beginner's Guide to
Lectio Divina
Sr. Mary Coswin OSB
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Wednesday, November 27, 2024
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. CST
What is Lectio Divina? Lectio Divina is a contemplative way of reading the Bible. It dates back to the early centuries of the Christian Church and was established as a monastic practice by Benedict in the 6th century. It is a way of praying the scriptures that leads us deeper into God’s word. We slow down. We read a short passage more than once. We chew it over slowly and carefully. We savour it. Scripture begins to speak to us in a new way. Lectio is not Bible study or even an alternative to Bible study but something radically different. The practice understands Scripture as a meeting place for a personal encounter with the Living God. It is a practice we come to with the desire to be changed at all sorts of levels. It operates very much on the emotional rather than the purely cerebral level. It is perhaps hearty rather than heady; it is about formation rather than instruction.
A recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register.
Photo credit: Photo by Olivia Snow on Unsplash
Praying in Colour
Kathy Berken
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Monday, December 2, 2024
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST
Here are some reasons to Pray in Colour
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You want to pray but words escape you.
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You feel antsy and can’t sit still.
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Your prayers seem puny and silly.
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You want to spend time with God but don’t know how.
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Your mind wanders and your body complains.
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You want a visual, concrete way to pray.
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You need a new way to pray.
Maybe you love color. Maybe you are a visual or kinesthetic learner, a distractible or impatient soul, or a word-weary pray-er. Perhaps you struggle with a short attention span, a restless body, or a tendency to live in your head. Maybe your prayers feel more like a list for Santa Claus than a love letter to God, or you’re just bored with the same old prayers you’ve said since you were a toddler. Maybe you’re not sure that anyone out there is listening, or you just feel deep in your bones a hunger to know God better. This workshop will introduce you to a new and engaging way to pray. Facilitator Kathy Berken will be using Sybil MacBeth's resource, Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God. It is not necessary for you to purchase this book prior to this workshop. For more information on this resource, visit: https://prayingincolor.com/
A recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register.
Living with an Expansive Faith
Kalyn Falk
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Tuesday, December 10, 2024
3:00 - 5:00 p.m. CST
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As faith deepens and integrates, life becomes an expression of our journey’s growth, rooted in intimacy with the Divine and extending toward others and creation. This workshop explores how to live faithfully in this stage, with attention to the unique call and challenges, or “shadow,” it may bring.
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Join us as we discuss the life of an “ordinary mystic”—someone who experiences moments of union with the Divine in daily life—and consider practices like breath prayer, active imagination, and creating a Rule of Life to support this journey. Learn to embrace contemplation and become more fully the self God calls you to be, living with intention and deep connection.
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A recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register.
Photo credit: Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash
Aspects of the Resurrection
of Jesus
Rev. Dr. Don Schweitzer
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Three Wednesdays
January 22, January 29, February 5
1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CST
Session 1 - January 22/25. The Resurrection of Jesus and Western reason
Faith in the resurrection of Jesus is often seen to clash with Western reason. But there are also positive relationships between the two. This session will examine four of these. First, Jesus’ resurrection reveals something that Western reason seeks. Second, faith in Jesus’ resurrection can stabilize reason in times of social or personal stress. Third, Jesus’ resurrection answers a historical question that otherwise remains an enigma. Fourth, Jesus’ resurrection provides a source of the kind of hope that critical reason requires.
Session 2 - January 29/25. The Resurrection of Jesus Enlarges Our Hearts
This session will examine how Jesus’ resurrection can enlarge our hearts by expanding and re-directing our moral vision and empowering us to pursue this. It will first examine a crisis of hope in the present moment. It will then look at how Jesus’ resurrection is a source of hope, how it enables people and communities to continue to seek to love others despite their failures, and how it can open people to listen to those who are different.
Session 3 - February 5/25. A Role for Christians (and Others) in the Resurrection of Jesus
Resurrection as the overcoming of death is often seen as something that only God can do. This session will examine how Jesus’ resurrection is also something in which people can play an important role. Jesus’ resurrection would be incomplete without our contributions to it. This class will look at Augustine’s notion of how the risen Christ is the whole Christ: the head and the body - the risen Jesus and those who believe in him. We will then look at Ignacio Ellacuria’s idea that people participate in Jesus’ resurrection by taking people who are being crucified down from their crosses. Finally, we will explore how Jesus’ resurrection can be both actual and yet open to and requiring further expression in history.
Recommended (but not mandatory) prior reading: Resurrection: A Guide for the Perplexed by Lidija Novakovic. New York: Bloomsbury, 2016.
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A recording of each class will be sent to all who register.
Photo credit: Photo by Patti Black on Unsplash
Down the River...
The following presentations will be offered in the coming months - mark your calendars!
Workshop Series: Exploring Spiritual Growth Through Reflection and Practice - with Kalyn Falk
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Second Tuesday of the month, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. CST
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Join us for a transformative monthly workshop series designed to deepen your spiritual journey. Led by Kalyn Falk, a seasoned spiritual director, each 2-hour session will provide a space to explore new mental frameworks, engage in self-reflection, and participate in group discussions.
Over the course of the year, we will explore topics that include Spirituality, Counselling, Bodywork and Conflict Resolution, helping us connect the mind, body and spirit. These courses will introduce new practices, tools, frameworks and invitations for reflection. Topics will include:
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Your Journey of Faith: Exploring the Stages of Spiritual Growth - November 12, 2024
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Living with an Expansive Faith - December 10, 2024
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Taking Another Look at God: Renewing Our Images of the Holy - January 14, 2025
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Working with Emotions
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Sexuality
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Stages of Change
Whether you're looking to explore new spiritual understandings or deepen your current path, this series offers a supportive, reflective environment for growth and connection.
Bless to Me This Day: Celtic Prayers for Daily Life - Rev. Dr. Mary Earle
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Friday, February 7, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. CST on Zoom
Befriending Winter: Practices for Cultivating Delight - Rev. Caroline Penhale Lukas, ACC
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Thursday, February 27, 2:00 - 4:00 CST on Zoom
The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within - Sarah Donnelly and Nancy Phillips
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An eight-part book study on Zoom - Thursdays, March 6 & 20, April 3 & 24, May 1 & 15, June 5 & 19, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. CST/CDT
And So We Wait: A Spiritual Journey of Transformation. A Weekend Retreat for Women - Sarah Donnelly ​
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Friday, March 21 - Sunday, March 23. Held in Saskatoon, sponsored by The Refinery Arts & Spirit Centre.
For details and to register, visit: Classes
Three Seeds of Ecological Spirituality - Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck
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