For six weeks, from January 13 to February 19, eleven students gathered online twice a week to explore spiritual practices and the role of spiritual practice in ministry and leadership. They were accompanied on the journey by members of CCS program staff Janet Ross, Alcris Limongi, and Scott Douglas.

As well as discussing the broader themes of spiritual practice (What is it? How does spirituality relate to mysticism relate to theology? What makes Christian practice Christian, and who decides? What is the place of the body in spiritual practice? What does it mean to lead others into spiritual practice?), students had the opportunity to learn a bit about specific practices. Students prepared short ten minute introductions to different spiritual practices. Some practices were individual, some were corporate. Some were more contemplative, others more social. After each spiritual practice introduction students were encouraged to try that practice out in some small way and reflect on the experience.

Over the course of six weeks, students learned a bit about lectio divina (scripture), meditation, keeping Sabbath, silence, honouring the body, simplicity, service, walking the labyrinth, hospitality, generosity, contemplation, and celebration. Siobhan and Nikki prepared and led a whole session on prayer. Angela and Carling designed and led a session exploring the relationship between spiritual practice and the experience of beauty, awe, and wonder.

Students were supported throughout the learning circle by our chaplains, Fergus Brooks-Starks and Jude Chaytors of the eco-spirituality education centre Emberwood. Fergus and Jude also led a session in the circle exploring solitude.

We were also joined by a few guests. Retired minister and spiritual director Linda Butler joined us briefly to talk about her work accompanying individuals and congregations in their spiritual practice, including the creation of a playground or smorgasbord of spiritual practice activities for people to try things out in a safe environment. “As leaders we need to have as broad experience as we can,” she noted.

Former CCS staff person David Lappano and current Integrating Year student Lauri Ladd joined us for a session to share their experience with pilgrimage. David walked a pilgrimage in England where he lives, and Lauri walked the Camino in Spain. (David has a tattoo that reads “solvitur ambulando“, which means “We work it out by walking” in Latin.) Following this, we each did a mini-pilgrimage in our own homes or workplaces, walking with prayerful intentionality and discovering the sacred in our own contexts.

Following the learning circle, many of the students will be doing a “30-day spiritual practice challenge” as their assignment – choosing a new practice they want to commit to for a month and observing how it changes and how it changes them over that period.

The Spiritual Practice 2026 learning circle was a Spirit-filled time of learning in community that we hope will ground and inspire everyone involved going forward. Thank you for the journey.