“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
~ Matthew 5:6
The St. David’s Center for Spiritual Growth seeks to offer Spirit-filled experiences to all who desire a deeper encounter with God in Jesus Christ. The practices offered by the Center cultivate deep, nurturing connections and community and all are welcome. The Center supports individual and group spiritual direction with trained spiritual directors and offers educational series throughout the year, retreats, Centering Prayer groups, Exercise in Faith, Mindfulness Experiences, the St. David’s Labyrinth and Yoga with Spirit classes.
For seasonal updates from the Center for Spiritual Growth, approximately three times annually, please sign up for our email list below.
"*" indicates required fields
For more information about St. David’s Center for Spiritual Growth, please send an email to centerforspiritualgrowth@stdavidschurch.org.
Come Explore the Center!
We are located on the lower level across from the Choir Room in a lovely, comfortable, warm space perfect for spiritual conversation, quiet spiritual reading and prayer. Pray in solitude or with friends. Listen to sacred music, pray with icons. The door is always open.
Come Explore Our Library!
Our library is stocked with writers from C.S. Lewis to Max Lucado to Richard Rohr to Henri Nouwen. We have a book waiting for you to encourage you wherever you are on your spiritual journey.
Center for Spiritual Growth Offerings
Spiritual Direction (Individual and Group)
Spiritual direction is an ancient Christian practice offering companionship on the journey of faith and a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. At St. David’s, we have trained spiritual directors who meet with others for individual spiritual direction as well as group spiritual direction.
In these sessions, the Holy Spirit is the director. The role of the Spiritual Director is that of a companion, one who walks alongside others helping to notice the movements of God in our everyday lives. A spiritual direction session offers a safe, peaceful and confidential space to become aware of a more conscious experience of God’s presence and love. Spiritual Direction invites you to a closer relationship with God.
Individual spiritual direction sessions take place once a month. You will meet for an hour with your spiritual director, and s/he will listen to whatever you choose to share that day and help you to notice the movements of God. Spiritual directors are not teachers or therapists. They are not there to solve your problems or answer all your questions. The spiritual director acts as a pointer, pointing you in the direction of God and helping you to notice what God might be inviting you to in your life and shared relationship.
Spiritual direction groups also meet once a month. The group consists of three or four people and a spiritual director. We are together for one and a half to two hours during which time we have a rhythm of silence, sharing and reflection. Each group member has a chance to share what is on her/his heart that day, and the rest of the group then reflects what they have heard both from the person and from God in the silence that surrounds the sharing. In group spiritual direction, we listen to God for and with each other.
If ever there was a journey when companionship would be helpful, it is now in this time and place of pandemic. When it’s hard sometimes to even remember what day it is, it can be helpful to have someone with whom to share your thoughts, uncertainties, losses, joys, and wonderings. A spiritual direction relationship is a safe place to tell your truth. If you’re not sure what that is, it is also a safe place to wander together and seek that truth.
Spiritual direction offers a safe, peaceful, and confidential space to develop a more conscious experience of God’s presence and love. St. David’s is blessed to have a group of trained directors willing and ready to meet with you.
If you feel that group direction is more your speed, please reach out. We are keeping a list of people interested in joining a group. No matter the format, spiritual direction invites you to a closer relationship with God. Please contact us if you’d like to know more or sign up.
Meet our Spiritual Director
Buff Barnes
Spiritual Director
Buff has been on staff at St. David’s in varying capacities since 1999 and has been offering spiritual direction since 2004. She meets for spiritual direction with individuals as well as groups. She has a certificate in Spiritual Direction from Oasis Ministries for Spiritual Development and a Master’s Degree in Holistic Spirituality and Spiritual Direction from Chestnut Hill College. Companioning others in their lives of faith is a privilege and gentle joy in her life. She is married to James. They have four grown children and six wonderful grandchildren … more joy (though perhaps not always gentle) in her life!
Centering Prayer
Centering prayer is a prayer of silence that offers a time to BE with God rather than a time to DO with God. We come to God in stillness and silence with an intention of opening our mind and heart to God and deepening our relationship with the living Christ. We experience God’s presence and action within us, beyond breathing and thinking and closer than consciousness itself.
Centering Prayer is a very simple prayer. Showing up with our intention to open to the Spirit is all that is required. Fr. Thomas Keating always said that the only way to fail at Centering Prayer is to get up and leave the prayer time. As long as our intention is to be with God in the silence, we believe that God honors that intention. Centering prayer is a time for non-judgment. It is a time to receive the gift of God’s grace.
All are invited to explore Centering Prayer at either or both of our weekly gatherings. The facilitator is happy to offer instruction to anyone new to the prayer. We start with a short opening reading, share 20 minutes of the silence of centering prayer and close by saying the Lord’s Prayer together. We hope you will join us!
| MONDAY, 7 p.m. Meeting ID: 817 2768 9648 Passcode: 015753 | WEDNESDAY, 8:15 a.m. Meeting ID: 940 0643 9521 Passcode: 153011 |
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation is a path to building awareness of ourselves as well as our communities and the world around us. Our sessions are suitable for all levels of experience with meditation practice, and include a short talk followed by a guided meditation and a period of sharing among those present.
Our sessions include teaching and meditations on such subjects as finding focus through mindfulness of the breath and the body, mindfulness of emotions, gratitude, lovingkindness, self-compassion and compassion for others, and forgiveness. Our virtual sangha is a safe, supportive, and inclusive community – your presence is welcome as often as you choose to show up. We meet Tuesdays & Fridays at 9am for 30-45 minutes (depending on the time spent in group discussion). Please join us!
| Join on Zoom (Tuesdays) | Join on Zoom (Fridays) password Metta |
Labyrinth
The Labyrinth is a meditative walk along a circular or spiral pattern ending at a center place. There is one way in and one way out. The Labyrinth, used by Christians since the Middle Ages, is a reflection of our need to return to our spiritual center and a metaphor for our spiritual and life journey. Before entering the Labyrinth, we breathe deeply and clear our thoughts. As we walk, we allow the thoughts that arise from our hearts and souls until we reach the center and either leave what is no longer needed to God or act on what we were given during our walk. On our way out, we reflect on our journey. This quiet reflection after the walk often offers more insights than what we had during the walk and these insights can occur days after the walk. The beautiful canvas Labyrinth used at St. David’s throughout the year offers us the opportunity to delve into a deeper relationship with God and ourselves.