Great Art and Spiritual Formation
How can the visual arts serve as a catalyst for spiritual formation? By looking together at classic Christian art, we will see how focused experience of the visual arts can deepen reflection on Scripture. The concepts discussed here can be applied for individual use or for a class or retreat. We will look at great works of art and learn how different artists have depicted Biblical themes over the centuries.
The Rev. Mary Amendolia Gardner is a Spiritual Director with Coracle. Previously Mary served at The Falls Church Anglican (TFCA) for five years as a Pastoral Associate. While at TFCA she worked with immigrants and asylum seekers in Outreach, provided pastoral care for congregants and served as Pastoral Associate for Evangelism. She trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford, England, the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and Heythrop College, University of London. Mary earned an MA in Christian Spirituality with a focus on the visual arts and spiritual transformation and she also holds a BA in Art History. Mary loves to help others discover the good news of Jesus and introducing people to the visual arts through museum tours. She speaks at retreats, enjoys international travel, learning about other cultures and kayaking. She and her husband John are active in missions with Restoration Anglican.
Introducing the 2019 Book of Common Prayer
Introducing the 2019 Book of Common Prayer…The Anglican Church in North America’s new Book of Common Prayer 2019 is a tremendous resource for our churches and for our own personal devotions. This session will describe the convictions that guided its creation, explore its rich content, and explain some noteworthy differences from previous Prayer Books.
The Rt. Rev. John Guernsey, Bishop of the Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, served on the bishops’ panel that reviewed in detail the work of the ACNA’s Liturgy Task Force, editing and preparing the various rites for approval by the College of Bishops.
To be Silent: The Too Busy Church
A workshop on developing the spiritual discipline of devotional silence in your personal life and in the life of your church. For many of us, life has become busy and noisy and oh so demanding. Our minds race to figure out the latest puzzles of life while bombarded with overwhelming stimulation. This session will highlight the value of silence as a key resource in our spiritual formation to overcoming the power of the world. The purpose is to learn how to experience the transformational benefits of being silent in God’s presence—simple, but not easy.
The Rev. Dr. Craig Stephans has served as Rector at Church of the Redeemer in Camden, NC since 2010. He is the author of To Be Silent: The Too Busy Church, published by Anglican House in 2019. He graduated from Trinity School for Ministry and Asbury Theological Seminary. For the past 7 years, Craig has served as Chaplain to the Albemarle Pregnancy Resource Center in Elizabeth City, NC. He completed his doctoral dissertation on the project of “Spiritual Formation Training for Pregnancy Resource Center Staff.” He and his wife Missy have two children and two golden retrievers.