Lamb & Lion Spiritual Guidance Ministries
Group Spiritual Leadership Program
Equipping Clergy and Laity for
Small Group and Retreat Leadership
in the metropolitan Chicago
region
Purpose: The Group Spiritual Leadership Program draws from the richness of the Christian spiritual tradition, in appreciative dialogue with other faith traditions, and current knowledge of group dynamics to equip clergy and lay leaders for effective ministries of group and retreat leadership for spiritual guidance and formation.
Objective: The Group Spiritual Leadership Program (GSL) provides a nine-month academic year program of over 105 contact hours of instruction in the theory and practice of spiritual group and retreat facilitation. People successfully completing this program would be able to use their knowledge and skills to serve in a variety of venues: e.g. church formation programs for youth, young adults, and adults; senior centers; retreat and conference centers; therapeutic group work; institutional settings; community service programs; spiritual direction practices; clergy colleague groups; and organizational discernment work.
Training Method: Readings and reflection, written reflections, presentations, supervised practice both as group participants and leaders, group process reviews, a leadership project, and a final synthesis paper provide the core of the training. A typical three-hour session will follow this pattern: Ingathering and brief announcements; 45 minute topical presentation and discussion; break; 75 minute practicum group(s) 15 minute process review in group; break; 20 minute plenary discussion and closing prayer circle.
Core Group Models: The program will provide exploration of a variety of foci and methods in group spiritual formation and guidance. Following each of the first two terms a brief reflection paper (500-750 words) discussing the experience of the model, readings, and group dynamics will be due. The core group models presented will be:
Term One: Circle
of the Spirit
Circle of the Spirit is
a basic spirituality group--where a "check-in" time for sharing about the
past week is followed by a guided spiritual exercise and group reflection
following the exercise. Students will take turns leading the group.
The spiritual exercise (such as guided imagery meditation, chant, awareness
practices, etc.) and group reflection on what emerged from the exercise
will help cultivate a contemplative awareness of divine presence.
This group method will also assist participants in gaining resources and
practice that will help in leading retreats.
Term Two: Spiritual
Friends
Spiritual Friends
models a group form of spiritual companionship/direction, and provides
communal support for ongoing individual discernment of God’s invitations
and call in Christian life and ministry. This method is complimentary
to individual spiritual direction, and brings the wisdom of the group into
play with life issues and situations.
Term Three: Leaders’ Peer Supervision
Group
The peer group model provides a collegial supervision
and consultation for group and retreat leaders, as well as a community
of care and support for the members. Participants will take
turns serving as facilitator for a session and each will present a situation
from the "outside" group or retreat they are developing or leading as a
focus for peer reflection and collaborative support. In addition,
participants will develop and lead an "outside" group or retreat during
this term as their leadership project. The peer group will support
their efforts.
Introduction to Additional Models: A three-session "mini-term" between terms two and three will introduce participants to three additional group models -- Contemplative Prayer, Lectio Divina (Holy Reading--a contemplative approach to scripture), and Dreamwork.
Guided Retreat: An overnight retreat following Term Two will provide a basic model of a Guided Group Retreat.
Group Leadership Project: Students undertake a leadership project of developing their own group or retreat program. They may form task groups following Term One to assist each other in envisioning, creating, and developing the program project. In the final (third) term trainees will be responsible for running their program project --leading the outside group (for at least six sessions) or retreat (at least one full day). GSL’s practicum time in Term Three will provide a model of a Leaders’ Peer Supervision Group in support of each other’s spiritual lives and their work of outside group or retreat facilitation.
Final Synthesis Paper: At the end of the program a final 5-7 page paper synthesizing the student’s learning through the program will be due. The paper will present the student’s major discoveries over the course of the program; reflect on his/her project experience; show his/her understanding of competencies, challenges, and limitations in spiritual group leadership; and how he/she intends to put the training to use.
Meeting Schedule for Class of 2005-6: Classes will be held once a week, for three hours per session, for ten sessions a term, for three terms. Following Term One there will be an additional three weekly class sessions (ending before Christmas) that constitute a "mini-term." Therefore, there will be a total of 33 weekly class sessions over the course. Additionally, there will be one overnight (Friday-Saturday) retreat held following Term Two. The weekly class meeting time and day of the week will be set based on the best available meeting time for all the program participants and will be set shortly after the close of applications on July 1. All applicants will be contacted to determine their meeting availability.
Example of Meeting Dates for 2004-5:
(Classes met on Tuesdays+ from 7:00-10:00 p.m.)
Term One: September 14-November 16
Mini-Term: November 30, December 7, December 14
Term Two: January 4-March 8
Retreat: March 18-19
Term Three: March 29-May 31
+ The night of the weekly meeting may be changed based on negotiation of the students' and instructor's availability.
Meeting Location:
Class sessions will be hosted at a church in the metropolitan
Chicago area.
The overnight retreat will be held at a retreat center
in the region.
Cost of the Program:
Application Fee: $50 (Non-refundable)
Tuition & Retreat: $1950* (Payment
covers instruction, including retreat.
$650 will be due at the beginning of each of the three terms.)
*The following discounts may apply:
$50 per term tuition reduction
if application is completed before May 1.
$1560 per person total tuition (20% discount) if more than one person is
sent by a church; or for seminarians, spouses, or religious. The
early
application tuition reduction does not apply alongside the 20% discount.
Books: $180 (approximately)
(You are encouraged to seek partial financial sponsorship from your church or other community. Clergy may find that their judicatory offers partial grants for continuing education programs. If tuition payments need to be scheduled over a longer time frame or you wish to explore other possible financial options please discuss this in advance with Dan Prechtel.)
To Apply:
Contact Dan Prechtel at 847.492.9013 or email him at dprechtel@llministries.com. An application is at the end of this prospectus and can be copied and mailed or emailed or faxed. Your application must be completed and received by July 1 for the September program. Complete your application prior to May 1 and receive a tuition reduction of $50 per term ($150 total tuition reduction). All applicants will be interviewed and references will be requested to help assure that this program is a suitable match with the applicant’s interests and abilities. A $50 non-refundable application fee will be due as a condition of acceptance.
Principal Instructor: The Rev. Daniel Prechtel, D.Min. is the principal instructor for this program. Dan is the founder and senior associate of Lamb & Lion Spiritual Guidance Ministries and has over twenty years of spiritual group and retreat facilitation experience. He is a priest of the Episcopal Church and an oblate with St. Gregory’s (Benedictine) Abbey in Michigan. Dan served as a parish priest for eleven years prior to focusing his work as a spiritual director, group leader, trainer, teacher, and church consultant. Dan is a regular adjunct instructor for Seabury-Western Theological Seminary (teaching spiritual formation groups and spiritual direction) and is a presenter and member of the Board of Directors of the Institute for Spiritual Companionship. He completed the Upper Room’s Academy for Spiritual Formation in 1990 and has been a member of Spiritual Directors International since that time. His Doctor of Ministry studies integrated church consulting, historical theology, and communal spiritual discernment.
Group Mentors and Guest Presenters: Depending on class size the program may provide group mentors that are trained in the field of spiritual guidance and experienced in supervision of small groups. Guest presenters may occasionally be invited to share their knowledge and experience.
Continuing Education: After completion of the training program, additional group models will be occasionally offered for continuing skill development. Additional models may include:
Dream Matrix for Spiritual Leaders
Communal Discernment
Benedictine Community
Justice and Peacemaking
Statements
from GSL graduates:
I lead trips of spiritual renewal
in the wilderness. This course in group spiritual leadership has
been invaluable in helping me build quality, authenticity and confidence
into the spiritual work that we do.
Dan has remarkable insights and a passion for his work; it’s clear that he just loves what he does. And while spiritual exploration does deal with the divine in us all, we constantly have room, and time, for laughter.
Dan has a seemingly endless depth of resources and experiences to make this course in group spiritual leadership personally meaningful, personally deepening, and very applicable to the spiritual leadership that we want to do.
I’ve found the course not only gives us the skills to be spiritual leaders of groups, but the class also has become a very safe haven where we’ve been able to voice and explore our own spiritual questions and concerns. When the world gets too noisy, our class has brought some much-needed quiet. I’ve grown in so many ways.
John Lionberger, M.Div., Director of Renewal
in the Wilderness, Evanston, IL
I am quite thoroughly enjoying this laboratory-type "hands on" learning
experience…Learning IS fun!
Dan Prechtel's Group Spiritual Leadership Training Program is a top
notch learning experience. I have enjoyed it greatly. It has been
a blessing in both my personal and professional life.
My spiritual life has been substantially nurtured through the interaction
with other participants, the course readings and the weekly presentations
and discussions. As a result of my participation in the program,
I am able to encourage others with increased confidence and sensitivity
as they seek to experience the presence of the living God.
Dr. Prechtel offers a mixture of didactic and experiential learning
opportunities. I am respected as an adult learner and I enjoy the
variety of teaching methodology and the pace of the course.
The Group Spiritual Leadership Training Program is a new and creative
attempt to equip clergy and laity with skills and practical experience
in helping others discover how to live more fully in the presence of God.
Hats off to the Rev. Dan Prechtel and the Lamb & Lion Ministries for
offering the program.
I have found the Group Spiritual Leadership program very helpful. It has given me confidence in my ability to facilitate several different types of groups. It has given me practical hands-on training necessary for me to build my confidence level. It has also supported my own personal spiritual growth through participation in the small group. Lecture topics are interesting and varied showing us the many different areas a group can be based on. Thanks for everything, it’s been better than I imagined it would be.
Maureen Quinn, Spiritual Director, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, DesPlaines, IL
Dan Prechtel has remarkable skill
as a group leader: I have learned more from watching him than from all
the readings put together--and the reading list has been excellent. He
is also genuinely open to the thousand names by which the Almighty is known,
not from a well-whatever foggy "tolerance" but because he is grounded in
the wise humility of Christian tradition at its very best. I've learned
a lot that will help me cope more confidently with the oddly confessional
conversations readers sometimes want to have with authors.
Catherine M. Wallace,
Ph.D., Writer, Skokie, IL
Copy and Paste Application:
****************************
GROUP SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM APPLICATION
I WISH TO APPLY TO THIS TRAINING PROGRAM
Academic year 2005-2006
Date of Application:
Name:
Address:
Email:
Telephone:
Birth date (optional):
What is your faith (or other) community?
Clergy, professed religious, or lay member?
What nights are you available from 7:00-10:00 p.m.?
(Please briefly respond to the following questions.)
What gifts and experience of group spiritual
leadership do you bring to this program?
How do you hope to benefit from this program,
and how do you plan on making use of this training?
Are you receiving medical or psychological care or have other health
concerns?
If so, how might this affect your participation?
Are there other things you want us to be aware of
in considering your application?
Please give contact information
(name, email/postal addresses, telephone)
about two people who are willing to serve
as references.
(If you are a member of a church community please
include a pastoral leader as one of your references.)
This application and fee must be received no later
than July 1, 2005 for the 2005-6 program (apply before May 1 for tuition
savings)
to:
The Rev. Dan Prechtel
Lamb & Lion Spiritual Guidance Ministries
2135 Orrington Ave.
Evanston, IL. 60201-2936
(phone/fax 847.492.9013; cell 224.636.2874)
Include $50 application fee check made out to:
Lamb & Lion Ministries
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