 Space for
Gratitude
From February 22-23, Shalem Board
and Staff
will gather
for a retreat,
which we are calling
"Space for Gratitude."
During this time of silence, we will offer prayers of thanksgiving for the
abundant blessings we have received during 40 years of trusting the Spirit, and we will reaffirm
our commitment to a radical willingness to continue this journey of trust.
Please join your prayers with ours during these two days in February-in gratitude and in thanksgiving for all that we have received!
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Shalem's Mission is to
nurture
contemplative
living
and leadership -
a way of being
prayerfully
attentive
and responsive to
God's presence
and guidance.
Thank you!
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"Love is the
"why" of life,
why we are functioning at all.
I am convinced
it is the
fundamental energy
of the human spirit,
the fuel on
which we run,
the wellspring of our vitality."
- Gerald May, Living in Love
Join Shalem's FB page to view contemplative photos, inspiring quotes and be part of an online praying community of almost 1800 people.
To join, click on the FB link below and LIKE Shalem's page.
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Support Shalem by
Donating through Amazon!
When you make a purchase on Amazon through the link below, as well as through the Amazon links on Shalem.org, a portion of the proceeds will go to Shalem!
Please consider Shalem the next time you order something from Amazon. Do it via Shalem!
Thank you!!!
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The Gift of Silence
by Robert W. Guffey, Jr.
As a minister, especially as one whose  too busy mind can think in a day of more than one person - or congregation - can or should do in a year, I have felt the need to deepen my prayer life in ways that would slow me down so I may hear God's still, small voice more clearly and follow the leadings of God's Spirit more nearly than my own plans, purposes and ambitions.
During the week of my first Shalem residency, I learned to hear spoken words with renewed freshness, with a keener sense of the reality of the meaning of those words, as opposed to what I hoped or over-interpreted those words to mean. Perhaps more importantly, in my case, I was reminded of the power of silence for preparing the whole person to experience the reality of God and God's love.
 That is not to undercut the value of words and our attempts to communicate verbally. Words matter. Human beings are shaped by words; communities are shaped by words. Words hurt, and words heal. Words tear down, and words build. Words manipulate, reflect trust and despair, evoke hope. Living within the words of God, living into the blessings of God as the every moment practice of our lives can radically transform how we see ourselves and how we see others in God's world.
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Robert W. Guffey Jr., a graduate of Shalem's Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership: Going Deeper Program, is a pastor living in South Carolina, who also spent several years in the world of business. He has served churches in Texas, Louisiana, Connecticut and South Carolina, and ministries in the U.S. and Haiti. He is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the Candler School of Theology; is a contributor to EthicsDaily.com, the online presence of the Baptist Center for Ethics; and maintains a personal writing space online at www.lightreading.org.
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Clergy Spiritual Life & Leadership:
Going Deeper Program
Now Enrolling
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 Do you wish to deepen your spiritual life and open yourself more fully to God? - Do you yearn to lead from your spiritual heart and from a revitalized sense of call?
- Are you searching for an inspiring faith community of peers?
"The Shalem program has been transforming my life and is influencing my church. The match could not have been more perfect with where I am in my life and how God is calling me into more and more contemplative practices. All this is occurring at a time when my congregation is ripe for going deeper as well."
- A Program Graduate
 This 16-month Program is for clergy of all denominations and geographic locations who serve on the staffs of local churches or whose ministry involves the local church. This Program offers dedicated time and support for nurturing one's own soul and for deepening one's contemplative orientation as a congregational spiritual leader. Applications accepted: Now through May 2013
Application deadlines: March 15, 2013; May 1, 2013
Program begins: June 2013
First residency: August 13-20, 2013
Second residency: July 22-29, 2014
Program ends: September 2014
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Personal Spiritual Deepening Program Washington, DC Now Enrolling
 Opening Retreat Day - March 9, 2013, 9:00am-4:00pm
Saturday Sessions - 9:00am-12:00pm, April 13, May 11, June 8, September 14, and October 12, 2013
Closing Retreat Day - November 9, 2013, 9:00am-4:00pm
The Shalem Library at the Hecker Center, 3025 Fourth Street NE, Washington, DC
Led by Margot Eyring and Elizabeth Tuckermanty
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Group Spiritual Direction Conference & Retreat - To Deepen and Strengthen the Practice of Group Spiritual Direction
April 7-10, 2013
For those who are currently engaged in or offering group spiritual direction and want to enhance their practice as facilitators or participants, this conference/retreat is an intentional opportunity to-
- Experience group spiritual direction each day;
- Fine tune the foundation of this practice through reviewing key elements and addressing questions and concerns;
- Learn about and share the variety of ways that people are using group spiritual direction; and
- Be inspired regarding the possibilities that emerge from the use of this practice.
April 7- April 10, 2013  The Bellfry, Lexington, VA
Led by Anne Grizzle, Patience Robbins and Nan Weir
$475 by March 21, 2013 *
$525 after March 21, 2013 *
Cost includes tuition, shared room and meals.
* Please visit web site for additional information on pricing
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Empowering Leadership III:
Conflict & Creativity
April 19, 2013
A Chance to Bring Mind and Heart to YourOrganizational Leadership
Friday, April 19, 2013
10:00am - 4:00pm
St. Paul's College
3015 Fourth Street, NE Washington, DC
Led by Ann Dean, Leah Rampy & Kendrick Curry$100 for the workshop
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FOR SHALEM GRADS
Personal Spiritual Deepening Program Leadership Training Conference
Preparing Teams for Partnership with Shalem
June 7-13, 2013
This week-long conference is to prepare Shalem long term program graduates who are called to offer  contemplative leadership for Shalem's PSDP in their local settings as part of a two-member co-leadership team. Each team is asked to commit to the full conference together. The conference schedule will include morning seminars on PSDP core components, afternoon sessions on leadership issues and spiritual practices regarding the seminar topic of the day, evening sessions in small groups, experiential contemplative practices and course materials. June 7-13, 2013
Dayspring Retreat Center, 11301 Neelsville Church Road, Germantown, MD 20876
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Yoga & Drumming Retreat Photos
Last month's Yoga & Drumming Retreat was a weekend of prayer with drumming, silence, gentle yoga and stillness. It was a lovely gathering and we look forward to offering it again next winter. Click on the images to see the complete album. 
Photos by Susan Etherton.
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Shalem Open House, 1980
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"In the beginning was not the word but silence. Shalem's early meditation groups were composed
of seekers not quite sure about what was being sought. The seeking happened mostly in silence. Although I sat (on the floor) with other women and men for hours each week, it was months
before I knew the names of those with whom I shared the intimacy of silence."
- Dolores Leckey, early Shalem board member and adjunct staff member.
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