Rev. Dr. Frederick Schmidt

Rev. Dr. Frederick Schmidt, is the Keynote Speaker at this year’s “Drawing Closer to God” retreat, sponsored by the NIC Spiritual Formation Committee, on Nov. 3 at  Grace United Methodist Church, 1718 Avalon Ave., Joliet, IL.  He is the Rueben P Job Chair in Spiritual Formation and the Director of the Reuben P. Job Institute for Spiritual Formation, both at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He is an Episcopal priest, spiritual director and retreat leader.

The topic for Rev. Dr. Schmidt’s message is “Praying for Discernment: Changing the Way We Do Church.”

According to Rev. Dr. Schmidt, when people walk through the doors of our churches, the implicit message that many hear is, “Welcome, it will be interesting to see how your being here changes you.” We should be saying, “Welcome, it will be interesting to see how your participation in our community changes us.” All the former requires is an “org chart.” The latter requires prayers of discernment and those can change everything.

In addition to Rev. Dr. Schmidt, eight workshops will be offered at the 2018 Drawing Closer to God retreat that will present a variety of spiritual practices.   Participants may choose a morning and an afternoon workshop when they register. See the brochure for workshop descriptions.

MORNING WORKSHOPS
Dream & Spiritual Interpretation presented by Rev. Dr. Regina Davis 
Centering Prayer presented by Wendy Mospan 
Spiritual Journaling presented by Rev. Irene Taylor 
Basic Labyrinth Walking presented by Becky Potter 

AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS
Dream & Spiritual Interpretation  presented by Rev. Dr. Regina Davis 
Lectio Divina presented by Barbara Miller 
Sacred Moments with Yoga  presented by Joanne Richter
Praying with Beads  presented by Becky Potter

Please download and share the brochure and flyer with your church and friends.  Also consider sharing on social media. Click here for more information and to register.