Deepening at the Root

Deep, gathered worship, vocal ministry, discernment, and leadings for action all arise from the same Source. While entering into that Source is partly Grace, there are also practices we can learn which can help us find our way there, more fully and more often.

While modern Friends have tended to divide ourselves into “contemplatives” and “activists,” that artificial division does not serve us well. The one Source feeds both contemplation and action, and if we want to live fully in its Life and Power, we need to open to all the directions it calls us. This workshop is for Friends anywhere on the continuum between contemplative and activist who are seeking deeper Life in the Spirit and clearer direction in their witness.

Through experiential exercises, small group sharing, large group processing, and worship, we will create a community of deep trust and openness, taking off the armor shielding our hearts and opening us into deeper communion with each other and the Divine Source. We will spend time exploring how that deeper communion enhances each of our experiences of worship, listening for vocal ministry, and listening for and discerning individual leadings for action.

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Leader

Christopher Sammond loves facilitating the creation of safe spaces that invite all Friends to open in heart and spirit, to re-member their wholeness, to share in a sense of rich community, and to touch the Divine Source. He has led scores of interactive workshops and retreats for Friends, including at Powell House, Woolman Hill, Pendle Hill, Earlham School of Religion, the Friends United Meeting Triennial, the Friends World Committee for Consultation World Gathering, and the Friends General Conference Gathering. Bringing years of experience working with meetings on their worship life as general secretary for New York Yearly Meeting, many of his workshops have focused on deepening the experience of worship for monthly, quarterly, and regional meetings.  More recently, he has also been focusing on vocal ministry and has been living questions on better connecting Friends’ spirituality and witness.

Christopher has years of experience doing racial justice work in Friends, doing environmental justice work locally, and working with Friends across the various branches to address climate disruption.  In addition to leading workshops and retreats, he offers spiritual direction and is a core teacher in the School of the Spirit program Participating in God’s Power. He lives in upstate New York with his wife Barbara, dog Ellie, and cats Harriet and Lil.

Financial aid may be available. If you are seeking funds to participate in this program, click to review and complete our Financial Assistance Application and a Pendle Hill staff member will follow-up with you shortly (please do NOT register online). Thank you for your interest.

Travel directions to Pendle Hill. Please make sure to review our health and safety expectations at https://pendlehill.org/stay/covid-19-information/.