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 see the bottom of this webpage to subscribe.

Currently, 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.

Almost all of our past workshops have been recorded, and access to these presentations can be purchased by visiting the 'Shop' page on this website.

See you soon!

Peace to you,

Sarah Donnelly, M.Div.

Upcoming Events

Free-Form, Intuitive Mandala Making for Well-being

Jean Epp-Gauthier

Tuesday, May 20

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. MDT

(note: 1:00 p.m. start for folks living in SK)

12:00 PDT / 1:00 MDT / 2:00 CDT / 3:00 EDT / 4:00 ADT

What are mandalas? The mandala is a circular motif. The word mandala means center, circumference or “magic circle” and expresses wholeness. For thousands of years, the mandala has been used as an art form worldwide, especially to express the sacred. It is a powerful symbol and a tool for meditation, insight, healing, and even transformation. Mandala creation enhances well-being and can be an avenue to self-exploration.

This course is limited to 10 participants. In this workshop participants will be introduced to mandalas, set an intention or theme for their mandala, have the time to create, and then enjoy some time for (optional) interpretation and sharing - to explore mandala symbolism, choice of colour and forms, and glean possible meaning and insights your mandalas may have for you.

Access to a recording of this presentation (but not personal sharing) will be sent to all who register. $30 CAD

About Jean

Near Death Experiences - Hope, Hypoxia & Hypothesis

Rev. David Maginley

Tuesday, June 3

12:00 - 2:30 p.m. MDT

(note: 12:00 p.m. start for folks living in SK)

11:00 PDT / 12:00 MDT / 1:00 CDT / 2:00 EDT / 3:00 ADT

The hope offered in all religions, and held by humanity through the ages, is that we are so much more than mortal. Explore the surprisingly common accounts of those who slip across to the other side and return. Recent studies indicate NDEs are experienced by at least half of patients at the end of life, and 1 in 10 patients who have faced a health crisis. When supported by health care providers and family, these events offer the ultimate opportunity to grow in love and evolve consciousness.

Learn how best to integrate this life changing experience, and the physiological, psychological and spiritual aftereffects of the phenomena. Examine biological and psychological perspectives, explore ethnographic variations throughout history, and implications of the latest scientific insights on consciousness. As a newly-retired palliative care chaplain, now in private practice, Rev. David Maginley hears accounts every month, and all indicate that the homework of life is universal: we are to evolve into love itself.

Access to a recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register. $50 CAD. No fee for Growing in Wisdom participants - you are automatically registered!

About David

Befriending Shame: How to be Present to the Feeling We Most Want to Avoid

Janelle Schneider

Wednesday, June 11

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT

(note: 10:00 a.m. start for folks living in SK)

9:00 PDT / 10:00 MDT / 11:00 CDT / 12:00 EDT / 1:00 ADT

Shame is an emotion we all encounter in our human experience. Yet, by its very nature, it is one of the most difficult emotions to be present to. Our instinctive response to shame is to hide - hide from the feelings, hide from ourselves, and hide from others. In this workshop, we will learn how shame affects us in our three centres: body, heart and head; explore tools that can assist us as we pay attention to our shame; and learn how to uncover the gifts shame offers to us.

Access to a recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register. $50 CAD

Photo credit: Artist - Alison Skaggs

About Janelle

Praying in Colour:
A Creative Retreat

Kathy Berken

Tuesday, June 11

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT

(note: 10:00 a.m. start for folks living in SK)

9:00 PDT / 10:00 MDT / 11:00 CDT / 12:00 EDT / 1:00 ADT

Why Pray in Colour? Here are some reasons:

You want to pray but words escape you.
You feel antsy and can’t sit still.
Your prayers seem puny and silly.
You want to spend time with God but don’t know how.
Your mind wanders and your body complains.
You want a visual, concrete way to pray.
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 is more of a retreat - it 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/

Access to a recording of this presentation will be sent to all who register. $30 CAD

Photo credit: Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash

About Kathy

Ongoing Classes

The Soul of a Pilgrim:
Eight Practices for the
Journey Within

Sarah Donnelly and Nancy Phillips

Eight Thursdays, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. CDT

March 6 & 20, April 3 & 24, May 1 & 15, June 5 & 19

One chapter each session

2:00 PDT / 3:00 MDT / 4:00 CDT / 5:00 EDT / 6:00 ADT

Registration now closed. However, if you would like to receive a copy of the recordings, and participate in future classes, please send an email to SpiritRiverSK@outlook.com. Registration fee remains $50/8 sessions.

An eight-part book study. The renowned author and abbess of the online retreat center Abbey of the Arts, Christine Valters Paintner takes readers on a new kind of an inner journey to discover the heart of God. Eight stages of the pilgrim's way - from hearing the call to coming home - are accompanied by scripture stories of great biblical journeys and the author's unique and creative practices of prayer, writing, and photography.

March 6 - The Practice of Hearing the Call and Responding
March 20 - The Practice of Packing Lightly
April 3 - The Practice of Crossing the Threshold
April 24 - The Practice of Making the Way by Walking
May 1 - The Practice of Being Uncomfortable
May 15 - The Practice of Beginning Again
June 5 - The Practice of Embracing the Unknown
June 19 - The Practice of Coming Home

A recording of each session will be sent to all who register. No fee for Growing in Wisdom participants. $50 CAD for general public.

About Nancy

About Sarah

Down the River...

The following presentations will be offered in the coming months - mark your calendars!

Paul the Apostle: From Tribal Zealot to Global Disciple - Sr. Teresita Kambeitz OSU

Saturdays, September 27, October 25, November 22, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT on Zoom

Mindfulness and Spiritual Well-Being - Allie Kochert: https://www.rootgrowthrive.com/

Wednesday, October 1, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT on Zoom

A Retreat with Faith Nostbakken: https://faithnostbakken.ca/

Thursday afternoon, October 16 and Friday, October 17, MDT on Zoom

Title of retreat and times to be announced soon

Three Seeds of Ecological Spirituality - Shawn Sanford Beck

Workshop 1 of 2

Tuesday, October 21, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT on Zoom

Cultivating Soil of the Soul - Allie Kochert: https://www.rootgrowthrive.com/

Three Wednesdays, October 22, 29, and November 5, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. MDT on Zoom

Kything: Communion with the More-Than-Human World - Shawn Sanford Beck

Workshop 2 of 2

Tuesday, November 18, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST on Zoom

Whole Care for Health Care Professionals Part 1:
Nurturing Body, Mind, Heart, & Spirit in Chaotic Times - Karen Scott Barss

Tuesday, November 18, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CST on Zoom

Whole Care for Health Care Professionals Part 2:
Nurturing Our Relationships & Communities in Daily Practice - Karen Scott Barss

Tuesday, November 25, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CST on Zoom

Befriending Winter: Practices for Cultivating Delight - Rev. Caroline Penhale Lukacs: https://clearmoment.ca/

Tuesday, November 20, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CST on Zoom