Restoration provides…

• Space for quiet and prayer
• Space to be present to oneself, to God and others
• Space to recognize and shed false attachments
• Space to increase one’s capacity to receive
• Space to restore and renew the soul
• Space to explore, discover, discern
• Space to listen, to learn, to love
• Space to grow into a true sense of who we are, who we have been created to be and become
• Space to know healing, freedom, and belonging
• Space to deepen in faith and relationship with others on the journey

OPPORTUNITIES

Spiritual Direction

The process of Spiritual Direction, either in a one-to-one relationship or a small group of 3-4 others, encourages you to explore a closer relationship with God. In the midst of a busy life, many people find it difficult to notice God’s action in their daily affairs. Yet, at the deepest level, all of us long for a more conscious experience of God’s presence and love. Spiritual direction creates the space for you to put words around your desire for God and how you may be noticing and becoming more deeply aware of God’s presence.

Discern God’s Presence

In spiritual direction you reflect on the experiences of your daily life. Gradually, as you reflect, you may begin to recognize God’s presence and grace in your life. You may come to realize how God’s Spirit is truly with you every day and everywhere. You discover that God has been waiting for you to seek this closer relationship. Spiritual direction is really not about being directed. Rather it is very much about being encouraged to draw closer to God. Spiritual direction invites you into this relationship whether you attend a church or not. God seeks you where you are.

Discern God’s Voice

We live in a busy, noisy world. God’s nudgings and whispers are often drowned out or dismissed. Your God-song may have gotten lost in the midst of your life experience. You may be aware that you have listened to voices and influences that have disrupted or distorted your spiritual life and growth towards God. A spiritual companion through the process of spiritual direction can help you notice, become aware of and to pay attention to God’s holy invitations. You may be invited to notice or engage in spiritual practices that open the windows of your soul for God’s grace and love to enter more fully. Scripture, prayer, study, solitude, and worship may be some of those ways, as also may art, journaling, music, gardening, or physical activity.

Gifts of Spiritual Direction

You might come to spiritual direction for a variety of reasons, including to

• Identify and trust your own experience of God
• Integrate spirituality into your daily life
• Discern and make difficult choices
• Share struggles, losses or disappointments
• Find encouragement and affirmation
• Grow in relationship with God, self, and others

Spiritual Direction Distinctions

Spiritual direction is different from pastoral counseling, therapy, or a mentoring relationship in that the focus is on fostering relationship and intimacy with God vs. focused on a need or goal to achieve. The agenda is set by the Holy Spirit. The director and directee are intentional about listening for and noticing the movements, nudging and invitations of the Holy Spirit. In the process the directee grows in experiential knowledge of God, which fosters an internal awareness and experienced reality to that which is perhaps only known in intellectual knowledge or from external sources. The directee is given space to consider and reflect on thought and emotional patterns and is encouraged to bring those into prayer and reflection. Referral for therapeutic resources may be presented alongside the spiritual direction process.

Prayer

Personal Prayer: Call 952.241.4150 to schedule our personal prayer and retreat room, or to request a prayer appointment with a prayer minister.

Supervision

Facilitated Supervision  may be arranged for those providing spiritual direction and leadership facilitation of groups. Supervision may be arranged for those providing leadership/direction in other settings. Please contact us for further information.

PATHWAYS: A Spiritual Formation Series

We offer a series of sessions in a retreat context to provide teaching and learning for understanding and growth in our spiritual life and awareness of God. Our desire is to provide opportunities that will be forming, informing, and transforming. See our home page for current series opportunities.

SHAPED BY THE WORD


Join us for a manuscript study of the book of Genesis.  Facilitated by Marjorie Karjalahti, MDiv., these sessions meet at the Restoration offices on Tuesday evenings from 7-9pm.  Next session begins January 26, 2010.
registration@restorationmn.org


FOSTERING INTIMACY WITH GOD
Experiencing the Exercises of St. Ignatius

These well-known spiritual exercises were developed and practiced to foster growth into becoming like Christ. Doing these proven spiritual exercises brings the participant into the life of Christ by spending time in Scripture and in a variety of prayer methods. The goal of the exercises is to be with, like and for Christ in the world in which we live. As one grows more deeply in relationship with Christ, we grow in becoming more loving of God, self and others. Participating in these exercises offers hope to us personally, but also for our world as we walk back into it with greater intention to bearing his likeness.
The entire series is 20 weeks, divided into three sessions. Participants can take any of all of the sessions. We will meet on Monday evenings from 7-9pm at the offices of Restoration Ministries.
Session Two: February 1-March 22, 2010
Session Three: April 5-April 26, 2010
Participants will be given 3-5 passages of Scripture each week and will be practicing a variety of methods of prayer over the course of the series. We are asking for a personal commitment of 30 minutes of time 4-5 times per week to be set aside for doing the exercises.
Register at registration@restorationmn.org

Speaker Resources Available on the Following Topics