October 2014
Raising Whole Young Men
Living Compass becomes a school-wide initiative

When young men enter St. John's Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, they expect rigorous academics and athletics. What they might not anticipate is the amount of thought and attention given to their value systems and character development.

 

"We are an Episcopal military school, and one of the things we have tried to do is look at intentional ways to raise whole young men" said Dr. Jennifer Henery, director of spiritual life and character development at the academy.

 

St. John's is a 7th through 12th grade private, all-male college preparatory and leadership development school that combines academics, mandatory participation in athletics, and instruction in ethics and values in a structured, military-style environment.

 

The founder of the academy, an Episcopal priest named Sidney Smythe, developed the four pillars on which the academy stands: a commitment to excellence in academics; spiritual and character development; athletics; and military traditions.

 

"We say we have four pillars and those are the things with which, when you walk out of here, you'll be a man of honor," Henery said. But St. John's staff wasn't sure the spiritual and character development pillar was as strong as it should be.

 

They turned to Living Compass for help. 

 

Read more.


Celebrating the Nicholas Center
Nicholas family, Presiding Bishop gather in new leadership training center

The Rev. Scott Stoner, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, Ab Nicholas, Nancy Nicholas, Susan Nicholas Fasciano and Bishop Jeff Lee.

 

On October 7, Ab and Nancy Nicholas visited the Nicholas Center for a reception with Bishop Lee, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, and the Rev. Scott Stoner. Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas, who were joined at the event by their daughter, Susan Nicholas Fasciano, made the new facility possible with a 2013 gift to Living Compass and the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.

 

Learn more about the Nicholas Center.

Living Well Advent Booklet Available November 1   

The Rev. Scott Stoner, Living Compass founder, has written a booklet of daily encouragement for the Advent journey incorporating "heart, soul, mind, and strength." The book, titled "Living Well through Advent 2014," will be available online on November 1.

In the booklet's introduction, Stoner writes, "There are three primary ways this devotional can be used:

First, it can be used by individuals as a daily personal guide through Advent. Congregations could make this devotional available to all it's members to help them keep the focus on Christ in this season of Advent. 
 
A second way in which this devotional could be used is as a small group or education program in a congregation during Advent. Each week people could gather to discuss their responses to the daily readings. 
 
Finally, this devotional could also be used as the resource for a half or full day Advent retreat. The daily readings could serve as the reflections, or as starting points for reflections offered by the retreat leader. Following each reflection, participants in the retreat could record their reflections either in the devotional or in a separate journal. Giving each person at the retreat a copy of this devotional would insure that the experience of the retreat would carry forward through the daily readings and reflections in this booklet.

Visit the Church Publishing website to learn more and order booklets for yourself, your friends and your congregation.  
Living Compass Wellness Weekend at St. Paul's Chattanooga
 

  From October 3-5, Holly and Scott Stoner hosted a Living Well with Living Compass Wellness Weekend at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Chattanooga with events for clergy, lay leaders, parishioners, youth advisers, parents and youth.

Youth Leaders Gather at Nicholas Center
Living Compass leads wellness retreat for Province V, Chicago youth ministers

Province V youth leaders at the Nicholas Center
In October, Holly and Scott Stoner facilitated Living Compass wellness retreats for two groups of Episcopal youth leaders at the Nicholas Center.

From October 7-9, youth ministers from Province V of the Episcopal Church, which includes dioceses from Ohio to Missouri, gathered for one of their twice-yearly meetings.

Chad Senuta, associate for youth and campus ministry for the Diocese of Chicago attended the event. "Scott and Holly facilitated the retreat for us, focusing us on our own wellness as leaders, and sharing resources for youth ministry from Living Compass. Everyone was blown away by the hospitality of the Nicholas Center and grateful for the rich time of sharing as well as the practical resources received. What a blessing."

Holly and Scott Stoner with 
Diocese of Chicago youth leaders.


On October 10-11, congregational youth ministers in the Diocese of Chicago participated in an 
Orient retreat designed to help them find direction for their ministries. The Stoners led sessions on participants' own wellness as leaders and what today's teens need from youth ministry, while Senuta and the Rev. Jess Elfring-Roberts of the Diocese of Chicago led training sessions on engaging adults in relationship with youth, planning service trips, and how to lead fun games with young people.

CWA Heads to Sewanee
February 3-6 at the Beecken Center

  

Living Compass LogoIn February, Living Compass will offer its Certified Congregational Wellness Advocate (CWA) training program at the School of Theology's Beecken Center at Sewanee.  

 

At the training, to be held February 3-6, 2015, participants will learn to enhance their congregation's vitality by beginning or expanding a wellness ministry in their church. To be certified as a Congregational Wellness Advocate, participants must complete the training and lead two Living Compass programs within six months.  

 

Congregational Wellness Advocate training is ideal for people excited about integrating faith and wellness in their own lives and helping others to do the same. Lay and clergy leaders are all welcome to attend. Congregations are encouraged to send several people to be trained together whenever possible.

 

Download a flyer for more information and contact either Jim Goodmann or Scott Stoner with questions.

 

Churches are encouraged to send a group to this training and to that end, scholarships are available for churches that send more than two people to this training.  

Living Compass Wellness Training and Certification Retreats
2014 events sold out; 2015 dates announced

Leaders from congregations across the church have the opportunity to visit the Nicholas Center at St. James Commons and become certified as Living Compass Congregational Wellness Advocates. Advocates will return to their congregations and be able to begin or expand wellness ministries.

 

The 2014 trainings are now sold out. Next year, Living Compass wellness training and certification retreats will take place:

  • Mar 12-14, 2015

  • Apr 20-23, 2015 (Optional Parent and Teen Track)

  • May 14-16, 2015    

Other dates may become available. Check the website or future newsletters for updates.


Download a flyer for more information or contact Megan Krings at 312.751.4206 or via email with questions.
 
Your Living Compass Now Available in Print and E-Book
New review says book "reflects the rich texture of real existence"

The Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner, founder of the Living Compass Faith and Wellness Ministry, has written a new book for people seeking balance in heart, soul, strength and mind."Your Living Compass:  Living Well in Thought, Word and Deed," is now available in print and e-book versions from Church Publishing Incorporated.

In a Sermons that Work review, the Rev. Charles Hoffacker, rector of St. Paul's Parish in Baden, Maryland, writes, "A major strength of "Your Living Compass" is the way diverse aspects of human living are addressed. Our lives are accurately presented as complex and organic, with the various sections influencing one another. The wellness that is advocated and advanced here is not something simplistic, but reflects the rich texture of real existence."

 

Read more about "Your Living Compass." 


Sample "Your Living Compass" online at no charge by downloading Chapter One: Preparing for Your Retreat (pdf).

 

Order "Your Living Compass" online:

 

Paperback edition (from Cokesbury)

 

Kindle edition 

 

Nook edition 

 

ePub edition 

 

Visit the Church Publishing website to learn more.

Living Compass Classes Online
ChurchNext offers video learning for congregations, small groups, individuals

ChurchNext, an organization devoted to helping people grow in their faith through online learning, has produced the following 45-minute Living Compass courses featuring Scott and Holly Stoner: ChurchNext courses, ideal for adult formation, small groups, families, and individuals, are $10 or $15 for an unlimited monthly subscription. Visit the ChurchNext website to learn more and register online.
Weekly Words of Wellness
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Visit our website to subscribe to "Weekly Words of Wellness," the Friday column offered by the Rev. Scott Stoner who covers a new topic each week providing insight and wisdom for our everyday lives.

Permission is freely given to use any or all the Weekly Words of Wellness columns in newsletters, emails, or any other manner. We only ask that you give proper attribution to Living Compass.   

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