Praying & Journal-keeping in Anxious Times

OVERVIEW

Invest a day in growing spiritual practices that can ground you for many days to come. You will acquire practical handles on how to pray and journal - two spiritual disciplines that complement each other and help us personally, and collectively, to follow Christ amid these changing and uncertain times. All are welcome, whether exploring new faith practices or enriching existing ones.

Throughout the day, expect an interactive, conversational environment where instruction will be interwoven with writing and devotional exercises. NCB gatherings always seek to foster co-learning, discernment and relationship-building across cultures, generations and theological traditions.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

9:15am | Writing to Meet the Moment with Dr. Marilyn McEntyre

We’ll begin with prayerful, open-hearted approaches to journaling that can lead us into deeper places of prayer. Sometimes the page is a place of prayer.

11:00am | Small Group Workshops (choose one, repeat after lunch)

• Visio Divina: Incorporating art in prayer - Sharon Henthorn-Iwane

• Longing, lament & the prophetic imagination - Karen Lee Seth

• Sabbath practices for everyday people - Rev. Dr. Steve Wong

• Honoring ancestors with memories & gratitude - Rev. Dr. Russell Yee

12:15pm | Lunch Break

1:30pm | Small Group Workshop Options (choose one, see above)

3:00pm | Letting the Spirit Speak with Dr. Marilyn McEntyre

A writing practice can make us more attentive to the voice of the Spirit who prays within us, sometimes in ways that are "too deep for words," but sometimes with words we need to hear.

DETAILS

Registration: General $75 / "Living Lightly" $50 / Students $20

There will be a one-hour lunch break; visit one of many nearby restaurants or bring your own. Refreshments will be available throughout the day.  Please reach out to info@newcollegeberkeley.org with any workshop questions.

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

Dr. Marilyn McEntyre, a longtime professor of literature and medical humanities, teaches for New College Berkeley and Westmont College, and is on the faculty of Western Seminary’s “Sacred Art of Writing” doctor of ministry program as well as the “Forest Dwelling” program at the Oblate School of Theology. She offers spiritual retreats and writing workshops and continues to write about spirituality, language, healthcare and earth care. She also works as a writing coach. Her recent books include When Poets Pray, Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict, and a collection of Lenten readings, Where the Eye Alights.

Sharon Henthorn-Iwane is a spiritual director and iconographer. She has over thirty years of experience leading others in prayer. Sharon spent ten years working in campus ministry as a prayer specialist. In 2018, Sharon completed a three-year course to become an Ignatian spiritual director through the Pierre Favre program and has been active since in private practice and with staff positions at New College and Church Without Walls Berkeley. Sharon began her iconography journey studying with master iconographer Charles Rohrbacher in 2004 and has apprenticed with him since. You can see some examples of her work here.

Karen Lee Seth is a spiritual director and retired healthcare administrator. She received her Certificate in Spiritual Direction and Formation from the San Francisco Theological Seminary and her MBA in Healthcare Administration from Loma Linda University School of Public Health. For 25 years Karen has led teams who care for the chronically and critically ill in non-profit health and hospital settings. She is now pursuing her passion for contemplative prayer and spiritual direction, especially with those who work in healthcare settings.

Rev. Dr. Steve Wong is a native Californian, born and raised in San Francisco (original home of the Golden State Warriors!). He's a graduate of Biola University with an MDiv in Theology, and a PhD in psychology, and he's a trained spiritual director and a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory.

Rev. Dr. Russell Yee is the Academic Director of NCB and also teaches at Logos Evangelical Seminary. He also serves on the State of California Citizens Redistricting Commission, which drew all the current statewide election districts. A third-generation Bay Area native, he graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM) and the Graduate Theological Union (PhD). For 10 years, he pastored a Bay Area church, and was also a longtime history docent at the Oakland Museum of California. His book, Worship on the Way (2012) explores cultural contextualization in Christian worship, especially in Asian American settings.