A Two-Year Experience of
 Spiritual Formation for Leaders

A Transforming Community is a group of Christian leaders who commit themselves to eight quarterly retreats over a two year time frame. Each retreat includes substantive teaching on spiritual formation themes and practices, guided experiences with spiritual disciplines, and significant engagement in community with other leaders.

Based on the themes from Invitation to Solitude and Silence, Sacred Rhythms, and Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, by Ruth Haley Barton, our goal is to help you strengthen the soul of your leadership and to lead from your transforming self.

Objectives:

  • KNOWLEDGE - To establish a working knowledge of the process of spiritual transformation, spiritual community, and spiritual leadership.
  • EXPERIENCE - To explore and experience spiritual practices in the context of community.
  • TRANSFORMATION - To guide you in developing a personal rhythm of spiritual practices that is realistic and sustainable for your life in ministry (rule of life).
  • COMMUNITY - To enter into an experience of transforming community at the leadership level that will equip you to lead others into community.
  • SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP AND DISCERNMENT - To discern God's will in taking next steps to cultivate a community of spiritual transformation in your congregation.

A certificate of completion is awarded to each participant at the conclusion of the two year process.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING about the
Transforming Community

Click here to view a sample schedule of the Transforming Community Retreat.

Prerequisite:
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership retreat (National Pastors Retreat) or another Transforming Center retreat

Who:  Pastors, clergy and senior leaders (elders, pastoral staff, board members) in churches and Christian organizations.

Cost: One-time $200 non-refundable registration fee and $450 per retreat -- Please note: a commitment to the Community is a commitment to pay for all retreats,
apart from actual attendance

Where: Chicago Area
             Marytown Retreat and Conference Center
             Libertyville, IL

January 2009-October 2010
 

Eight Quarterly Retreats.  Dates & Themes:

January 11-13, 2009
A Leader's Invitation to Spiritual Transformation 
in Community

April 26-28, 2009
Encountering God in Solitude and Silence

July 26-28, 2009
Prayer: Deepening Our Intimacy with God

October 25-27, 2009
Engaging the Scriptures for Spiritual Transformation

January 24-26, 2010
Experiencing Transformation through Self-Knowledge and Self-Examination

April 25-27, 2010
Flesh and Blood Spirituality: Honoring the Body as a Spiritual Discipline

July 25-27, 2010
Discerning and Doing the Will of God: The Heart of Spiritual Leadership

October 24-26, 2010
A Rule of Life: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation

Retreat Team:

Ruth Haley Barton -- Teacher and spiritual director*
Joe Sherman -- Liturgist
Rory Noland -- Worship Leader
Cole Griffin -- Host
Dalene Strieff -- Registrar  

*along with guest presenters and others from the Transforming Center team

For more information
or to request your application,
call 630-588-8133 or email dstrieff@thetransformingcenter.org

Ask us about bringing the Transforming Community experience to your location.

The Transforming Center reserves the right to evaluate a participant's readiness to engage in the Transforming Community experience and to refuse admission on the basis of their evaluation.