Who is a Spiritual Deepening eRetreat for?
A Spiritual Deepening eRetreat may be for you if:
- You are curious about Quaker thought and practices and want to go deeper in your own spiritual journey
- You are seeking to build a relationship with others and explore Quaker practices and faith together
- You live far away from a Quaker meeting or church or are not connected to a Quaker community and you’re looking for spiritual companionship
We encourage participants to consider the eRetreat as a personal retreat and to make the program work for their individual lives. Within the Spiritual Deepening eRetreat content, you’ll find opportunities to build relationships, deepen your personal spiritual practice, learn from others, and explore Quaker thought. Remember that spiritual growth often involves stretching, so invite yourself to try new things and consider new perspectives.
Do I have to be a Quaker to participate?
Not at all! Newcomers and curious seekers are very welcome to join a Spiritual Deepening eRetreat. You don’t have to have any experience or expertise to jump into the Spiritual Deepening program. There is no expectation that participants will be members of a Quaker meeting.
What is the time commitment?
Each eRetreat runs for four weeks. You can expect to spend 2-5 hours each week engaged in discussion and activities both online and offline. In addition to one 90-minute Community Building Call each week, you can engage with eRetreat materials at a time that works for you throughout the week. As newcomers and Quakers come together to build a spiritual community online, the experience is made richer through the commitment, intention, and active participation of all members of the community.
The weekly Community Building Call is a time for reflecting on the eRetreat materials, sharing spiritual questions, and connecting “face-to-face” (via Zoom).
What is the technology requirement?
The eRetreat materials are organized on a password protected page of FGC’s website. The webpage can be accessed by computer, tablet, or smartphone.
The weekly Community Building Calls are held using Zoom.
What is the cost?
The Spiritual Deepening eRetreats and book discussions are flexible and affordable. The suggested fee for participating in the program is $35-45 per participant, on a pay-as-led basis. Pay-as-Led is a method of offering sliding scale pricing so that paid events are more accessible for people with a wide range of abilities to pay.
What can I expect from the eRetreat Experience?
Each Spiritual Deepening eRetreat is an experiment in building spiritual community online.
How do I sign up?
Upcoming eRetreats and book discussions will be listed here and on FGC’s Events Calendar.
Registration for each eRetreat session will open about three weeks before the start date.
Sign up for the Spiritual Deepening email list to receive announcements about registering for an upcoming eRetreat.