God is love and God's love heals. Nothing is a surprise to God and your whole self is welcome with him and with us. Our work is to point others to the movement of God. It is out of that movement we train and equip the people of God for the renewal of the Church. We realize we have nothing except for Jesus, so we don’t rely on our own understanding and know we don't have the answers. But we do know the One who has the answers, and together we learn to listen and wait on the Lord.
Show Notes:Join us as we sit down to talk about the ancient practice of Lectio Divina. We talk about the process of Lectio, its movements, invitations, and how God meets us in it. Then, practice with us as we enter into Lectio together using Psalm 23:1-3.Episode Outline:-An overview of Lectio Divina-The movements of Lectio Divina (Attending, Pondering, Responding, & Being)-How God encounters us in this practice-Practicing Lectio Divina using Psalm 23:1-3-Peg & Jess share reflections on the practicePracticing Lectio Divina using Psalm 23:1-3 begins at 35:30Resources:Quote by Teresa of Avila: “The important thing in prayer is not to think much but to love much.” from (Interior Castle, New York: Paulist Press, 1979)Opening to God - David G. Benner, Intervarsity Press, 2010Lectio Divina - Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures - M. Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O. - The Crossroad Publishing Co., New York (1998)Too Deep for Words - Rediscovering Lectio Divina, Thelma Hall, r.c. Paulist Press, New Jersey (1988)https://www.anglicancommunion.org/media/253799/1-What-is-Lectio-Divina.pdf
Show NotesResources:Books:Margaret Guenther Holy ListeningDavid Benner Sacred CompanionsWeb:spiritualmovementcenter.com/appointmentsfacebook.com/spiritualmovementretreatcenterinstagram.com/spiritualmovementcenterSummary:Welcome to the podcast of the Spiritual Movement Center. Your hosts are Jess Kennedy & Peg Hutchins.On this month’s episode, Peg & Jess sit down together to talk about spiritual direction.For Peg, “spiritual direction is a relationship where the director guides a person into a deeper relationship with God.” It’s all about pointing people to God. She finds many people come seeking spiritual direction unsure of what they want. As they sit with a spiritual director they find they are wanting God and to know themselves in relation to God, and they don’t know how to articulate it.Ultimately, in Christian Spiritual Direction, the real director is the Holy Spirit—it is never just the spiritual director & the directee. Peg shares some important information to know about spiritual direction and what your part is in “taking charge of your process” as you seek spiritual direction as well as questions to ask a potential spiritual director.Both Peg & Jess share how spiritual direction has impacted their relationship with God along their spiritual journeys.Finally, Peg shares from David Benner’s book Sacred Companions on what spiritual direction is not, offering ways to see ultimately what spiritual direction is.We’re grateful you listened to this episode of the Spiritual Movement Podcast. If you have a question or topic you’d like us to explore on the podcast, send us an email at podcast@spiritualmovementcenter.com.
Show NotesResources:Books:Richard Rohr The Divine DanceMargaret Guenther Holy ListeningWeb:spiritualmovementcenter.com/aboutfacebook.com/spiritualmovementretreatcenterinstagram.com/spiritualmovementcenterSummary:Welcome to the podcast of the Spiritual Movement Center. Your hosts throughout the podcast episodes will be Peg Hutchins & Jess Kennedy.The Spiritual Movement Center began out of a spiritual direction relationship between Jeanne & Peg over thirty years ago. An idea was birthed to offer formative opportunities for Christian leaders and as Peg & Jeanne listened together, the name of the Center became clear. Movement reminding and pointing to the movement of God and Center continuing to bring us back to Christ, who is our center.Peg began leading retreats, and after moving to Wilmore, KY, and waiting on the Lord, was given a physical location to house the Spiritual Movement Center. In this location, it continues to be a sacred space where people are welcomed, seen, andJess is a master of divinity student at Asbury Theological Seminary and in the process of ordination in the UMC. She works with Peg at the Spiritual Movement Center. She’s a writer, reader, and student of most everything...and loves to sit at the feet of Jesus with others as they set aside time to come away to the retreat center to meet God.Peg is married to Rick, who is the love of her life. They love to ride their motorcycle--their Honda Goldwing which is Kentucky blue. They have become to be Kentucky fans after moving there from the state of New York. They have two adult children and a granddaughter who they love dearly.Peg is an ordained UMC clergy, now retired (woohoo!) after serving in the church and at Asbury Theological Seminary. She is not retired from ministry, however, and continues to work in the ministry of the Spiritual Movement Center. Nothing gives her greater joy than seeing the captives set free and see the way that God loves us into our best selves. She never gets tired of it and feels more alive the older she gets!God has given Peg her work, which is to love. Her work now is to train and equip the people of God for the revival of the Church. Why this training and why Peg? It’s become clear that her hope in this ministry is to first do no harm. Second, always have everything pointing to God--it’s not about Peg or the person being trained, but about God and the movement of God. She has learned not to rely on her own understanding, knowing that she doesn’t have the answers, but she knows the one who does. She has learned through experience how to wait on the Lord and how to listen, and continues to learn and listen from God.One of the important aspects about the ministry of the Spiritual Movement Center is the practice of the “Little Way”--focusing on the person in front of us. Retreats, training, appointments are all done with an attitude that God meets us in the common and ordinary. Retreats and trainings are done in small groups (5-7 people max) that reflect the simple intimacy of the little way.You can read more about our approach to ministry by going to spiritualmovementcenter.com/aboutPeg’s specific approach to training includes a mixture of spiritual direction, Gestalt pastoral care, and healing prayer. She is not a therapist, she is a pastor--the Gestalt pastoral care aspect is paying attention to the whole person.On upcoming episodes you can expect to hear conversations about spiritual direction--what it is, who receives it, why do it--as well as our image of God, healing topics like forgiveness, shame, lies we believe. If you have something you’d like us to explore on our podcast, send us an email at podcast@spiritualmovementcenter.com.