Spiritual Formation Program

The Baltimore Yearly Meeting Spiritual Formation Program invites its participants into a deeper experience of God’s presence through retreats, devotional readings, spiritual community and individual spiritual practices. Spiritual Formation provides a practical way for people in our busy culture to turn to God with their minds through spiritual reading, with their hearts through daily spiritual practices and with their human relationships through local friendship groups.

Participants attend retreat weekends at the beginning (September 7-9, 2012) and end (May 10-12, 2013) of the Program year. During the year, participants attend two meetings per month: (1) the monthly meeting of the local group to share reflections on a spiritual book that all have agreed to read; and (2) the monthly meeting of the friendship group, a subset of the local group -- usually three to five people -- who meet to share spiritual journeys and to support one another in spiritual practices. In addition, each participant is encouraged to devote at least 15 minutes per day to a spiritual practice. Those who participate in the Program are rewarded with a closer relationship with God and an opportunity to form deep spiritual friendships.

If you seek a richer spiritual experience or yearn for a deeper spiritual community, the Spiritual Formation Program may be for you. The Program serves Friends (and meeting attenders) who are at many stages of their spiritual journeys. Those who are new to Friends find that the Program is an effective way to learn about Quaker spirituality and to form personal friendships within the meeting. Long-time Friends who are experiencing a period of spiritual dryness or who have become burnt out with committee work turn to the Program for spiritual renewal. Friends who are beginning to feel God’s call into service and who want to explore their gifts and leadings in community find that the Program meets their needs. The Program meets all of its participants wherever they are in the journey, and all benefit when the group includes Friends with a variety of backgrounds and reasons for participating. Whatever your reason for wanting to participate in the Program, you will find it transforming.

In addition to enriching the spiritual lives of individuals, the Spiritual Formation Program benefits the meetings to which its participants belong by building community, nurturing spirit-led ministries, and developing spirit-led leadership.

If you would like to participate in the 2012-2013 Spiritual Formation Program, download, complete and send in the registration form along with payment (the cost covers both retreats) by August 16, 2012. Mark your calendar for the retreat dates: beginning retreat September 7-9, 2012, and ending retreat May 10-12, 2013.

Payment of at least half of the registration fee must be received by August 16 to reserve your place at the opening retreat.

* Please consider a tax deductible donation to Baltimore Yearly Meeting to help support others this year. If you already have contributed to the Program, THANK YOU!

Please complete and return your registration before August 16 to:

Baltimore Yearly Meting
17100 Quaker Lane
Sandy Spring MD 20860-1267