Deepening Spirit

WHAT?

Deepening Spirit is a free, five week series enabling us all to explore ways to engage and connect with the Divine on a deeper level — in the world, in our daily lives, and in within.

What if the Divine is closer than we think?

What would it mean if God was not distant or detached, but present, surrounding us, sustaining us, and even dwelling within us. This is a God who will never leave the world she so deeply loves.

WHERE?

The Old Crypt, St John’s Waterloo, London, SE1 8TY.

WHEN?

Monday evenings 7pm - 8.15pm

20th October - Who is God calling me to be?

27th October - The spirituality of Jesus in John’s Gospel.

3rd November - Deepen our spirit with imagination, creativity, and heart.

10th November - Building an alternative rhythm to our lives.

17th November - Going deeper with prayer.

Drinks and nibbles served from 6.45pm with session start time at 7pm - 8.15pm.

Our meditative service - BREATHE - will take part in the Old Crypt 6pm - 6.45pm. You are welcome to come along to both Breathe and Deepening Spirit.

20th October - Who is God calling me to be?

Led by Nicola Smedley.

Nicola is a member of St John’s and a spiritual director https://www.lcsd.org.uk/directory

A space to explore just how close we are to the Divine and how God calls us towards life in abundance. In this session we will draw on scripture, our lived experience and the created world to deepen our awareness of God and God’s invitation to us.

The session will include led meditation, personal reflection, the opportunity to share and some practical next steps. You might like to bring a journal or notebook.

27th October - The spirituality of Jesus in John’s Gospel.

Led by Rev Giles Goddard

Giles is vicar of St John's Waterloo, author of Generous Faith and chair of the interfaith climate charity - Faith for the Climate.

A deep dive into the Gospel of John. It’s often seen as being the most ’spiritual’ Gospel - what does that mean, and what can we learn from the way the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is narrated in this pillar of the New Testament?

3rd November - Deepen our spirit with imagination, creativity, and heart.

Led by Dr Shanon Shah

Shanon is a member of St John's, Visiting Research Fellow at the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, King's College London (KCL). He conducts academic research on minority religions and alternative spiritualities at the Inform, an educational charity affiliated with KCL. He also teaches the Study of Islam and interfaith relations at the university of London divinity programme.

Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) was a soldier who became a priest and then left a legacy of Spiritual Exercises that remain popular and much loved. But does this sound a bit too much like having to join a spiritual gym? This session explores how the exercises can help to deepen our spirit with imagination, creativity, and heart - even for those with busy lives.

10th November - Building an alternative rhythm to our lives.

Led by Rev Paul Smedley

Paul is a member of St John's Waterloo.

A Franciscan Spirit: Living Differently - be inspired by St Clare and St Francis of Assisi? We can each build an alternative rhythm to our lives that add purpose and can help us to live authentically and see differently, whatever is happening in the world around us.

17th November - Going deeper with prayer.

Led by Rev Georgia Ashwell

Georgia is Curate at St John's Waterloo and host of the Generous Faith podcast.