Through a programme of teaching, silence, worship and reflection based on a Benedictine monastic pattern The Community for Spiritual Formation creates transformative space for people to be in communion with God, self, others, and creation for the sake of the world.
Most recent event
‘Views from the broken middle’ with the Venerable Dr. Rachel Mann
12th – 15th March 2024 at Cliff College, Derbyshire.
Set within a rhythm of worship, silence and listening, Rachel Mann offered five outstanding sessions of teaching around the idea of the ‘Broken Middle’ and how we might live within it, refusing to collude with the binary divisions of so much of life and learning to recognise the powerful part our physical bodies play in how we understand and live life. Sharing much of her own story, and the wisdom gleaned from living with disability herself, Rachel drew us into an appreciation of ‘provisional wholeness’, of a shalom which is not experienced in stasis, but in pilgrimage. Whatever we are living through, the glorious ‘Third Day’ will come.
A jigsaw using a verse from one of Rachel’s poems featured throughout the week, as the puzzle was formed and then broken, the pieces dispersing with the participants to Shetland, Iona, Suffolk, London, Wales, Nashville and many places in between.
The Venerable Dr. Rachel Mann, Archdeacon of Salford and Bolton, is a priest, writer, theologian and broadcaster. She has written fifteen books, including the acclaimed ‘Fierce Imaginings’ and ‘Dazzling Darkness’, as well as a poetry collection and novel. She regularly contributes to Thought For The Day, Pause For Thought and a range of radio programmes. She is a member of the Church of England’s Faith and Order Commission and a Visiting Fellow at Manchester Met University
Dates for your diary:
Holiness: Hidden Treasure?
This ‘Online Overnighter’ will be held on Friday 12th July (7:30pm – 9:00pm) and Saturday 13th July (9:00am – 1:00pm).
It will be led by Rev. Dr. Ermal Kirby who will explore the
key ingredients of holiness; how they relate to the ideas and
images found in Scripture; the aspects of holiness emphasised
by John Wesley; and which of these insights might still have
resonance in our day.
More details (including how to register) on the flier, which you can download here.
A return to Drumalis…
- The next residential event will be at Drumalis Retreat Centre, Larne, Northern Ireland where the first Community event took place in 2017.
- Sunday 6th – Friday 11th April 2025
- Provisional title and speakers: ‘Passion and Place’ with Ruth Harvey, leader of the Iona Community and Roger Walton, author and former president of the Methodist Conference.
- More details will be available here shortly, along with the registration form.
Keep in touch
To join the Community mailing list, please email fivedaycsf@btinternet.com
Other previous events:
Advent Online Overnighter: Winter Light
led by Andrew and Jill Baker
The first online ‘overnighter’ took place in November 2023 with sessions on Friday evening 17th (7:30 – 9pm) and Saturday morning 18th November (9am-1pm).
The presentations were given by Andrew Baker, Methodist minister in Glasgow, and Jill Baker, Local Preacher, pilgrim leader, writer. They shared reflections based around both the bleakness and the beauty of winter and offered pointers towards the coming seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.
‘Who are you? Living a Godly life’ 18th – 21st July 2023.
This Three-Day Community was held at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, Oxford with around 40 participants. The teaching was presented by Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, author and broadcaster.
Recognising that we live our lives in multiple identities, Sam Wells explored six identities and how each is vital.
Celtic, Incarnate, Relational: a spirituality for today. 18th March 2023. Online. Around 25 participants shared in an online day during Lent 2023 led by Ruth Harvey, Leader of the Iona Community. Ruth Harvey is Leader of the Iona Community. Drawing on the story of the Iona Community, we explored together how our heritage, our story, informs our spiritual practice today.”
Treasures of Darkness. November 2022. Online Advent Day This Advent themed Online Day attracted 25 participants in November 2022. It was facilitated by Edel McLean, a facilitator and spiritual director who currently works for the Learning Network of the Methodist Church. Edel led the participants in reflection and exercise around darkness, light and hope, interspersed with times of silence and the Community liturgies for Morning, Midday and Night prayer.
Divine Intimacy, Ordinary Holiness: 10th – 15th July 2022, St, John’s College, Durham
Picking up from the June 2020 cancelled event, Gemma Simmonds CJ, a well-known author and broadcaster on spirituality and Rev. Dr. Andrew Walker, well-known spiritual director, teacher, lecturer and author led the Community in exploring this fascinating theme.
Waiting on the Word: 7th – 12th November 2021, Cliff College, Derbyshire
- A full Five-Day Community focussing on poetry and images for the Advent season with Rev. Dr. Malcolm Guite, well-known contemporary poet (and much else besides) and Sister Margaret Crinyion OSM a Roman Catholic nun who lives as a hermit.
- A wonderful pre-Advent gathering in which 30+ participants enjoyed stimulating teaching, thoughtful worship and preaching and a sense of forming, not merely individual spirituality, but spirituality in community as well.
Financial help with Community events
Please download this attachment for some ideas about finding financial help to attend a residential Community event.
General Information about the Community
Through a programme of teaching, silence, worship and reflection based on a Benedictine monastic pattern,
the Five-Day Community for Spiritual Formation
aims to
- root spirituality in Christian faith and tradition
- provide opportunity for participation in community life
- form people for life in a changing world
Community policies: Up-to-date Safeguarding and Health and Safety Policies for the Community for Spiritual Formation can be downloaded below.
Core Values and Ethos: The Community is linked to the Academy for Spiritual Formation, based in the US. Below you can also download the full Core Values of the Academy, as well as a summary sheet, Community Ethos and Values.
Constitution: The Community is a fully registered charity, number 1188824. The constitution can be downloaded below.
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