Rev. Jacquelyn Louise Wolgemuth

Deep River

Ontario Jubilee Program in Spiritual Direction

Member of Spiritual Directors International (SDI) and Spiritual Directors of Ontario (SDO)

My ministry during the past year has been focused on assisting individuals with their spiritual growth via Spiritual Direction (spiritual counseling). I have worked both from my home - house church and from the Marguerite Centre, a spirituality and retreat centre.

In the course of this work, I have been privilege to walk spiritually with clergy of various denominations, Roman Catholic nuns and members of the laity.

Many of the people that I see have trouble with outdated language and imagery in the church or with the patronistic and transcendent aspects of God portrayed there. Some have been hurt or abused by the institution and have left the church. They have however a great need for spiritual nurturance and growth and have been searching for guidance.

I have been able to work in several areas:

Worship:

• Co-ordinated and led monthly ecumenical Taize style services at the Marguerite Centre.
• Planned and led several funerals.
  
• Spiritual Growth and Retreats:
• Designed and led an Advent Quiet Day of study and reflection.
• Co-ordinated and co-led a 5 day Summer Soul Retreat. This gave the retreatants an introduction to a variety of spiritual growth tools.
• Co-ordinated and co-led a 3 day Sacred Threads retreat on spirituality and quilting.
• Private Retreats – throughout the year worked with 7 individuals to plan, facilitate and mentor them on a personal retreat.
• Worked with many people for private spiritual direction. Some came monthly and others for various numbers of sessions.

Study and Courses:

• Facilitated a monthly study group on topics and books relating to Progressive Christianity.
• Taught several courses on Meditation as a means of spiritual growth and personal wellness.
• As a means of group spiritual direction, I co-ordinated and led a monthly women’s spiritual book club.
• Presented an evening program to the annual regional UCW meeting.
• Assisted a local United Church minister t lead her parish through a program of renewal.

Personal Spiritual Development:

• I have been blessed with wonderful opportunities this year to enrich my own spirituality.
• At the Retreats International Conference, I attended workshops led by Fr. Diarmund O’Murchu and workshops by Sr. Barbara Fiand, both renowned authors and leaders in the field of spirituality.
• At the Spiritual Directors International Conference I was able to study under Brian Swimme, a leading teacher and author in the field of Cosmology. I also experienced worship with a variety of religious traditions.
• Throughout the year I attended a monthly Cosmology study group.
• I worshiped with the Dances of Universal Peace.

All Seasons Church provides me with an opportunity to expand my ministry and to offer the sacraments of marriage and baptism to many that I work with who are no longer comfortable within the confines of the traditional church. It also addresses the need for sacred ritual and the acknowledgment of the spiritual for those who have not been raised within a religious tradition but who long to forge deeper ties to the mystery we call God.

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