Events and Studies
Book Study: The Wild Edge of Sorrow
“Where there is sorrow, there is holy ground.” – Oscar Wilde
After years of companioning those who are grieving, both as a spiritual director and a grief and trauma therapist, NCISDF co-director Khris Ford returns to this book time and again. Frances Weller writes of the sacred work for grief, identify the “five gates of grief.” These gates open for us the “communal halls of grief.” We are guided to a deeper understanding of the ways loss has touched our lives; the ways loss has touched our souls.
This is a book for everyone who has known loss – which means it’s for all of us. We are all moving through times of loss and carrying remnants of past losses. There is a freshness about the approach in “The Wild Edge of Sorrow.” It is enlivening, deep, challenging, and hopeful.
Together, we will explore what it means to be, as Weller says, “an apprentice to our sorrow,” opening the five gates of grief along our way.
Participants will need to purchase the book. Please read the Foreword and Preface before the first session on April 1st.
April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 7:00pm – 8:30pm via zoom
Cost: $75
REGISTER HERE (click the drop down menu at the top of the registration page and look for Book Study in the drop down menu) **Partner Church members should enter their coupon code on the registration form to receive a discount**
Turbulent Waters: Navigating Loss and Grief in Modern Times
These are times of turmoil, division, and great loss. How do we navigate these turbulent waters fraught with grief? How do we carry this grief? Where is the hope?
Grief and loss are the “stuff of life.” We grieve as individuals, families, congregations, and even as a country. Grief has many faces and manifests in a myriad of ways. While most grief is never fully resolved, it can certainly be integrated into our bigger life story. In this workshop, Khris Ford will introduce the concept of becoming an apprentice to our grief. She will present a framework for understanding the process of grief, what is most often needed in the various movements, as well as the basics of trauma and how to recognize it.
Thursday, May 8th, 9am- 3pm
White Memorial Presbyterian Church
Cost: $80
REGISTER HERE (click the drop down menu at the top of the registration page and look for Turbulent Waters in the drop down menu)**Partner Church members should enter their coupon code on the registration form to receive a discount**
Spiritual Director Gathering
Saturday, May 10th, 2025, 10am – 12pm
Cost: $25. Free for those in our Spiritual Director’s Network. (Want to join? Email director@ncspiritualdirection.org)
In order to provide continuing education and support for those who serve in the ministry of spiritual direction in Eastern NC, NCISDF sponsors quarterly gatherings. Every other gathering is virtual, in order to be accessible to those a distance from Raleigh/Durham. All Spiritual Directors and Spiritual Directors in training are welcome. Future gatherings: Monday, August 25th, 7pm-8pm (zoom).
Rooted: A Contemplative Path Through Lent
Are you feeling like you would like this Lenten season to be different? Is the way of Jesus who modeled silence, detachment, and stepping away calling to you this year? Would it be helpful to learn some new prayer practices for yourself and your directees?
This spring, join us for a six week exploration of Contemplative Prayer Practices where we will have the opportunity to breathe and rest in God. Each practice will invite us to walk in the path of Jesus and follow his wisdom for quieting our minds and spirits and opening our hearts to the mystery of God’s presence. There will be opportunities for practicing, sharing, reflecting, and journaling.
Week One: Introduction & Breath Prayer
Week Two: Lectio Divina
Week Three: Centering Prayer & Welcoming Prayer
Week Four: Guided Visualization with Scripture
Week Five: Art and Images
Week Six: The Examen and Prayer Collage
Location: Joslin Gardens 2431 W. Lake Drive in Raleigh
Dates: Tuesday March 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15
Time: 11-12:30p.m.
Cost: $120 (Includes supplies and materials)
Guided by Laura Kirby who is a spiritual companion and contemplative leader who has trained at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as well as the Haden Institute. Laura spent her “first half of life” as a psychologist with children and families.
REGISTER HERE (click the drop down menu at the top of the registration page and look for Rooted) Registration is Closed for this event
Spiritual Authenticity in a Global Crisis
In honor of Women’s History Month, join Karen Simms-Tolson for a singular Wisdom Circle Session at no cost where we explore spiritual responses in the face of ongoing global crisis and celebrate women who have helped guide us to this point. There will be an article to read before the session. We will break into small groups and glean deep wisdom from it and one another.
For 2025, the National Women’s History Alliance proudly presents the theme “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating and Inspiring Generations.” This theme celebrates the collective strength and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, leadership, and mentorship. Through their efforts they have served as an inspiration for all generations – both past and present. (from https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org)
March 13, 7:00 – 8:30pm via zoom
Cost: Free
Registration is Closed for this event due to maximum capacity.
Coming Soon!
Racial Healing Circles
What are Racial Healing Circles?
Racial Healing Circles are community gatherings designed to foster individual and collective awareness about the historical and ongoing impacts of racism and exclusion on Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, Latino/a, Asian, and other communities of color. Facilitated by trained leaders, these circles guide participants through a structured healing process, nurturing both inner transformation and communal healing.
The purpose of racial healing circles is to create safe, non-judgmental spaces where participants can openly share their experiences with racism, discrimination, and exclusion. Through storytelling and deep, empathetic conversations, participants identify and address personal and collective wounds, fostering emotional release, healing, and a renewed sense of identity. This process not only helps individuals reconnect with themselves and their communities but also promotes intergroup understanding and reconciliation.
Research has shown the profound impact of racial healing circles in addressing trauma. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation found that 91% of participants in their Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) circles experienced meaningful shifts in their perspectives on racial justice, and 80% reported feeling more connected to their communities after participating in a healing circle. By promoting honest dialogue and shared vulnerability, racial healing circles help to break down barriers, dismantle stereotypes, and challenge the deep-seated effects of systemic racism. These conversations facilitate healing for individuals and lay the groundwork for collective action towards racial equity and social justice. Furthermore, the ripple effects of these circles extend beyond the individual, empowering participants to become agents of change within their own communities. Racial healing circles can help build a foundation for more inclusive policies, educational reforms, and practices that promote racial equity in various spheres, including schools, workplaces, and local governments.
Statistics also show that participation in racial healing efforts leads to tangible, positive community impacts. Communities that have implemented racial healing circles have seen increased participation in civic engagement, a stronger sense of community belonging, and greater cross-cultural collaboration. A 2019 study conducted in cities hosting racial healing initiatives found a 22% increase in civic participation among marginalized communities as a direct result of healing circle engagement.
Racial healing circles are transformative spaces where the painful legacies of racism are acknowledged and processed. They help individuals and communities heal, connect, and work toward a future where justice, equity, and belonging are a reality for all.
Stay tuned for more info and registration details or email director@ncspiritualdirection.org to be notified when registration opens.
Civil Rights Pilgrimage: Birmingham-Selma-Montgomery
WHO? This pilgrimage is for anyone who would like to learn more about the people and places of significance from the Civil Rights movement.
WHY? It is important to remember the people and events of our history. Visiting these historical places and reengaging with the stories can be transformative. While we cannot change the past, we can learn from it. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke often of beloved community as a way of transforming people and relationships; creating communities grounded in reconciliation, friendship and human dignity. The Beloved Community was not meant to be a vision of heaven in the clouds, but a practical possibility humanity could create-on earth.
E-mail: director@ncspiritualdirection.org to be notified of the next opportunity
Ongoing Spiritual Formation Programs
Lectionary Musings
“Lectionary Musings” is a weekly online offering for clergy and laity to discuss the week’s Lectionary Readings. Whether you regularly preach from the Revised Common Lectionary or simply would welcome joining together with others to reflect upon these sacred texts, it is our hope that you will find this time together both spiritually formative and intellectually informative, leaving you feeling encouraged and equipped for ministry in the days that follow.
Mondays at 9:00 am EST
Questions? Contact: Ivy Parker | ivygparker@gmail.com | 919-280-2083 | REGISTER HERE
Faith Connections
Join an informal group who gather on zoom each week to discuss Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditations from the Center for Action and Contemplation. The meditations can be accessed online or you can sign-up to receive them each day via e-mail. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/
This year’s theme is “The Prophetic Path”. It can be easier to turn away from suffering than face it with an open heart. The Prophetic Path, empowers us to not avoid or fear the pain of the world, but turn toward it with compassion.
Fridays at 9:30am EST
REGISTER HERE