The Summer Institute for Spiritual Formation at Eastern Mennonite Seminary from June 19-30 provides training for those interested in individual spiritual direction and congregational spiritual formation. It also gives participants an opportunity to deepen their own faith and explore their own faith formation more fully.
The two-week institute is offered annually. If students complete three consecutive summers or 12 semester hours, they will receive a certificate of course completion (not an academic degree).
“The beauty of the Summer Institute for Spiritual Formation is its appeal to a wide range of students,” says Les Horning, director of admissions. “Current seminary students can use it as part of their degree programs; pastors can use it as a time of sabbatical and rejuvenation; lay leaders can utilize it to strengthen the gifts they bring to their local congregations. The ecumenicity and diversity of participants only adds to the richness of the experience of growing in one’s spirituality.”
Core courses in the Summer Institute are “Spiritual Guidance in Life and Practice,” taken the first year of participation, and participation in the spiritual directors peer group, offered for participants in year 2 and 3. A home-based practicum is also available.
Additionally, two or three spiritual formation electives, with a spiritual direction or worship focus, are offered each summer.
The day begins and ends with approximately 30 minutes of worship, with a morning and afternoon class session, and time for lunch. Housing is offered through Eastern Mennonite University.
The seminary also offers a special program, Oasis, for pastors on summer sabbatical and spiritual directors who want continuing education. The Oasis program provides opportunities for intentional guided reflection and prayer time or the option of sitting in on classes with no record. It also provides continued training options for spiritual directors. In place of coursework, Oasis offers intentional Sabbath and space. Cost is equivalent to one semester hour of study with no seminary credit available.
Read about one couple’s experience at the Summer Institute of Spiritual Formation
For Tom and Carolyn Albright, pastors at Ripple Church, Oasis has been a welcome opportunity to worship, to meet with spiritual directors, to enjoy the stimulation and engagement of classes without the obligation to meet credit requirements. The week at EMS was, in some way, an anniversary celebration of their past milestones: the Albrights both earned certificates of spiritual formation by attending SISF every summer from 2007 to 2009; additionally, Tom and Carolyn both earned certificates of ministry studies in 2013 and 2015 respectively.