Forum Mission and progress – Spiritual Direction Forum UK

Group 3. To advocate and encourage the creative development of this ministry within the church and in a changing world by

- - - To advocate and encourage the creative development of this ministry in a changing world by
    - Embracing the wisdom of the Christian tradition and learning from all people’s lived experience both in the church and in society.
    - Understanding and supporting the prophetic and contemplative dimensions of our ministry.
    - Fostering contexts for creative conversations about spiritual direction in the 21st Century.
    - Exploring and encouraging a diverse range of ways and places to bring the wisdom of spiritual direction to the wider world.
    - Promoting awareness of the value of spiritual direction amongst those involved in church leadership and resourcing them to signpost their communities towards engagement in this practice

Progress made:

Group Members: Julie Dunstan, Chris Chapman, Julia Mourant, Naomi Gates and Sarah Lear

- - - established the Edge Walkers series of events.

Group 2. To promote and protect good practice by

- - - an ongoing articulation of a shared understanding of good practice
    - involving networks, training courses, relevant organisations
    - producing clear guidelines and resources
    - establishing an ongoing process for developing these over time
    - inviting ongoing discussion and development
    - commending good practice to practitioners

Progress made:

Group Members: Susanne Carlsson, Nick Helm, Chris Mason, Rachel Overton, Ruth Holgate

- - - - hosted events for spiritual direction network leaders
      - working at producing information around Safeguarding and spiritual direction.

Vision

We desire

to support and resource spiritual directors
to promote and protect good practice
to advocate and encourage the creative development of this ministry within the church and in a changing world.

Values

In the same spirit in which Spiritual Direction is conducted, we will endeavour to:

be a ‘common table’ through dialogue and hospitality
be led by the Spirit, in prayer and discernment
be theologically reflective
act with wisdom and humility
be exploratory and collaborative
be responsive and gracious
be inclusive and ecumenical
be appropriately professional and not professionalised
promote equality and respect for all
maintain openness and transparency
build things organically, being both adventurous and realistic
use simple communicative processes

Mission

Create a Core Committee

- with wide representation and a time-limited period of office.
- responsible for developing sustainable structures and processes for the initial and ongoing work of the forum.
- focussing on the following aspects:
  - Vision
  - Communications including website, social media, mailings, newsletters etc
  - Co-ordination of the work of the sub-groups
  - Finance & Administration including membership and fundraising

Create three working groups to represent the three faces of the forum

Progress made

The committee has been operating from the beginning. Current membership is: Nick Helm & Julie Dunstan (co-chairs), Ruth Holgate, Susanne Carlsson, Catherine Williams.

It has:

- run a number of online events and issued several mailings a year
- established the three sub groups
- established a website and mailing list (the mailing list currently has about 1000 members)
- raised finances through inviting donations
- established the Forum as a Charity

Group 1. To support and resource spiritual directors by

- - - developing ways to come together to encourage, listen and discern; by zoom gatherings, national conferences, regional meetings
    - gathering and sharing wisdom and inspiration by newsletters, websites, social media

Progress made:

Group Members: Catherine Williams (Chair), Ray Andrews, Mary Flitcroft, Henriette Howarth, Peter Rainford & Vron Smith

- - - - hosted events exploring aspects of spiritual direction
      - established a FaceBook group that has over 200 members

Website Pages

The Spiritual Direction Forum UK is registered charity.

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Vision

Values

Mission

Progress made

Website Pages

The Spiritual Direction Forum UK is registered charity.

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Contact us:

Vision

Values

Mission

Progress made