• Announcement of a retreat on Sabbath Rest
• Report on the Gathering on Reformed Spirituality
• Survey of interest in a group tour
• Book Reviews: Prayers from the Reformed Tradition and Protestant Spiritual
  Exercises

 "Receiving God's Gift of Sabbath Rest"
A retreat in Lent, March 1-2. 2002 

                     The Lenten season has traditionally been a time in which the Christian
          community has focused upon spiritual disciplines to cultivate our heart for God.
                    Join us Friday night (6:30 registration, 7:30 beginning) and Saturday (until 4:00
          pm) March 1-2, 2002 at Geneva Retreat Center, 3995 N. Lakeshore Dr., Holland,
          Michigan for a time of reclaiming and enjoying the Sabbath.
                    How can we, and the people of the faith communities to which we belong,
          receive more fully God's great gift of the Sabbath?  In very simple, practical ways this
          retreat will be a time of experiencing how we can live into John Calvin's good words:
          "On the Sabbath we cease our work so that God can do God's work in us."
                    The cost of the retreat will be $65 per person double occupancy, $85 single
          occupancy, $40 for Saturday only.  Please register by filling in the form on the last page
          of this newsletter and sending it to Gladys Verhulst.
                    The Rev.  Dr. Steve Doughty will be leading the retreat.  Steve is an ordained
          minister of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). With 23 years experience as a pastor and
          ten as a Presbytery Executive, he is now engaged in a full time ministry of writing,
          teaching and retreat leadership.  A graduate of the two-year program in spiritual
          guidance offered by the Shalem Institute of Spiritual Formation, his writings have
          appeared in numerous publications including "Weavings," "Presbyterian Outlook,"
          "Fellowship in Prayer" and "Catholic Digest." He is the author of Discovering Community
          - A Meditation on Community in Christ, published by Upper Room Books in 1999.  Steve
          served on the denomination-wide workgroup that developed "An Invitation to Sabbath"
          which was adopted by the 212th (2000) General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church

Gathering on Reformed Spirituality

Summary written by J. David Muyskens

          The Gathering on Reformed Spirituality, July 18-20, 2001 at Western Theological
          Seminary, Holland, MI was all it promised to be.  The speakers were outstanding and
          the workshops well received.  It was a renewing and inspiring event for all who
          attended.

          In the first plenary event there was a dialogue between the two keynote speakers, each
          of them telling his or her personal formation story.  Marjorie Thompson is a Presbyterian
          minister and director of the Pathways Network of the Upper Room.  Ben Campbell
         Johnson is a retired professor of Columbia Theological Seminary and author.  Beyond
          the Ordinary is his most recent book on leadership.

Marjorie Thompson addressing the Gathering 

          In his first presentation Ben Campbell Johnson discussed the language of God.  The
          biblical story is grounded in God's speech.  Jesus is the incarnate speech of God to the
          world.  Ben asked, "What would the church community look like if we were a community
          of God-speech?"

          In her first presentation Marjorie Thompson talked about "The Family as the Spiritual
          Center:" The unit of relationships that revolve around children is of particular concern for
children's formation.  The way we relate to each other can reflect
God's love, in the quality of our presence to one another, in
acceptance of one another, in affirmation of one another, in
accountability to one another, and in forgiving one another.

Marjorie Thompson's second presentation was on "The
Congregation as the Center for Spiritual Nurture:" She outlined
'how fundamental practices can build congregational spirituality.  
The practice of prayer will enhance worship.  The practice of
discernment will give shape to administration.  The practice
of sharing our stories will support education.  The practice
of silent presence will provide soul care.  The practice of hospitality
will extend outreach.

 In his second presentation Ben Campbell
Johnson talked about "The Spiritual
Dimension of Leadership:" The church
needs leadership with the courage to
address these cutting edge issues.-
            1.  A Focus on Spiritual Formation.  
                 Invite people to see how God is
                 present and active.
            2.  Discovery of a Spirituality of
                 Action.  Spirituality and ministry
                 are mutually dependent.
            3.  Reaffirming the Authority of
                 Scripture.  Listen for God to
                 speak.
            4.  Learning to Work with the
                  Congregational Myth.  A
                  congregational myth is the
                  story it tells about itself.  The
                  story may be taking a new
                  turn.  If there is enough trust
                  people can let that happen.
            5.  Discerning a Vision.  Vision is given by God, comes intuitively, discerned by
                 leadership, embraced by the congregation,  
            6.  Discerning God's Guidance in the Present.  
            7.  Equipping and Nurturing Spiritual Companions.  Spiritual companionship is the art of
                 being with another on his/her journey.

         Workshops were enthusiastically received: Marjorie Thompson led a workshop on
         congregational spiritual formation through small groups.  In it she introduced the
         Companions in Christ resources published by Upper Room Books, Nashville.  Chris
         Overvoorde, art professor at Calvin College, led a workshop on art as a means of reflecting
         and responding to God.  Chuck Olsen of Worshipful Work led a workshop on discerning the
         guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Carl Schroeder, author of In Quest of Pentecost: Jodocus van
         Lodenstein and the Dutch Second Reformation led a workshop on Dutch Reformed
         Pietism.  Cheryl Molhoek, minister at Central Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, led a
         workshop on making disciples through the catechumenate.  John Witviiet, director of the
         Calvin Institute of Christian Worship led a workshop on corporate prayer.  David Muyskens
         led a workshop on John Calvin's teachings on prayer and the practice of Centering Prayer.

Tom Schwanda presided and
members of the leadership team
of the Reformed Spirituality
Network assisted. Worship
leaders included Don Postema,
Cindy Holtrop, Bob Funk, Mary
Huisman, Ellen Mers, Dick Adams,
and Carl Hilgarth.

At left Ellen Mers, Dick Adams
and Carl Hilgarth await the
beginning of the closing liturgy.

Reformed Heritage Tour

          We are assessing interest in a group tour of sights important to the spiritual formation of
          people in the Reformed faith.  If there is sufficient interest, the Reformed Spirituality Network
          will sponsor a tour to Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland; the Taize Community in France and
          the Chartres Cathedral near Paris.  The group will see the places where Reformation
          leaders, Calvin and Zwingli, ministered, worship with the community of Taize, which has
          Reformed roots; and walk the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral.  We are looking at dates in
          the fall of 2002 or the spring or summer of 2003.  The trip will take about 1 0 days.  We are
          aiming at a cost of around $2500.  If this is something you would like to do, please indicate
          your interest and the time of the year best for you to David Muyskens, 2130 Griggs St. SE,
          Grand Rapids, MI 49506, 616-452-2234 or e-mail [email protected].

          BOOK REVIEW by Tom Schwanda

          Prayers front the Reformed Tradition: In the Company of a Great Cloud of
          Witnesses  compiled and edited by Diane Karay Tripp.  Louisville: Witherspoon Press,
          2001.  Pp. xii + 404. $24.95 paper.

          Diane Karay Tripp, a Presbyterian minister, research scholar, and writer is a member of the
          Reformed Spirituality Network and no stranger to those who have attended our Gatherings.
          Diane collects prayers.  This collection of 500 prayers has been gathered from diaries,
          journals, spiritual memoirs, biographies, service books, hymnals as well as devotional
          books of prayer.  These prayers represent a sampling of how Reformed Christians have
          prayed over the past 500 years and is the fruit of 12 years of rigorous study and prayer.  An
          introductory chapter provides a valuable overview to this work.  Some Christians mistakenly
          believe that extemporaneous prayers are more spiritual than written prayers.  Tripp corrects
          that distorted perception reminding us that Reformed Christians have always made use of
          prayer books.  While Puritans might have been resistant to their use in public worship they
          were quick to embrace them in personal and family worship. Interestingly seventeenth
          century Puritans were typically more likely to use inclusive language than writers fifty years
          ago.

          Reformed Christians, as other Christians, have benefited from the practice of daily morning
          and evening prayers.  This book is divided into four sections; daily prayer for morning and
          evening over the course of four weeks.  Prayers around the Christian year, prayers related
          to the life cycle (i.e. pregnancy and the birth of children, marriage, sickness and healing,
          death and dying, preparing to meet God, facing adversity, spiritual desertion, temptations,
          and a fourth section on sentence prayers.  It is the rare book which combines both the rigors
          of careful research and academic excellence and the delight of devotion and nourishment
          for our soul.  This book should not be read hastily but savored slowly to drink daily from the
          wells of spiritual refreshment of Reformed Christians.  Those who adopt this book as a
          traveling companion will be inspired by the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before
          and those who still accompany us in our relationship with our triune God.
 

         BOOK REVIEW by David Muyskens

         Protestant Spiritual Exercises by Joseph D. Driskill, Morehouse Publishing, 1999.

         Have you ever wondered why it is that people don't talk about their personal experiences of
         God in church?  Joseph Driskill explains some of the reasons in this book on spirituality in
         mainline Protestant denominations.  While he speaks generally about mainline Protestants
         what he says is definitely applicable to many churches in the Reformed tradition.  The author
         sees the need for spiritual nurture for leaders and members of the church.  He outlines some
         theological affirmations and spiritual practices that emerge from the Protestant tradition.
         The theological affirmations are: creation in the image of God, justification, sanctification
         and the reign of God.  The spiritual practices are: relaxation exercises, a rule of life, the
         four-stranded garland (the method of prayer with scripture taught by Martin Luther), the
         prayer of examen (applying Calvin's four rules of prayer), the prayer for a new earth, morning
         and evening prayer, keeping a journal and being in a covenant group.  The book offers
         helpful suggestions for reviving practices for spiritual renewal which are firmly rooted in
         Protestant tradition.

          ANNOUNCEMENT

                      The next issue of this newsletter (in the Spring of 2002) can announce events and
          web sites sponsored by members of the network.  Send your announcement to J. David
          Muyskens, 2130 Griggs St. SE, Grand Rapids, Ml 49506, or by e-mail to
          [email protected].

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Registration for Sabbath Rest retreat with Steve Doughty, March 1-2, 2002; at Geneva Camp and Conference Center, 3995 N. Lakeshore Dr., Holland MI:

Name ___________________________________________  telephone#  _______________

Address  __________________________________________________________________

Number attending _____ double occupancy _____ single occupancy _____ Sat. only _____

Enclosed find check made out to "Reformed Spirituality Network."
$65 per person double occupancy, $85 single occupancy, $40 Saturday only.

Send to Gladys Verhulst, 5918 Leisure South Dr., Kentwood, Ml 49548

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