Send my Roots Rain will explore ways of allowing the life-giving water of the Spirit to soak down to the roots of those involved in ministry – whether lay or ordained.

The zoom link has been sent out - if you have not had an email please email r.young@staugustinescollege.ac.uk

Our roots lie in our story, in our experience of calling, and above all in abiding in relationship with our life-giving God. With the demands of ministry and the uncertainties that hang over the future, our roots can become dry. In caring for others, we can neglect to look after ourselves. Yet every minister is also a disciple, called to the intimacy of companionship with Christ and continued growth in the Spirit. Our spiritual, physical and emotional health matters to God, who calls each one by name.

This day aims to help participants discover practices and ways of prayer that will refresh and sustain their ministry and, at the same time, go with who they are and how life is.

Christopher Chapman is an experienced spiritual director and retreat leader. He is a guest director at St. Beuno’s Jesuit Spirituality Centre and coordinates the retreat programme for St. Augustine’s College of Theology. Formerly he was Spirituality Adviser for the Anglican diocese of Southwark. He is the author of three books, published by Canterbury Press:

1. Seeing in the Dark: Perspectives of suffering from the Christian spiritual tradition
2. Earthed in God: Four movements of spiritual growth
3. Send my Roots Rain: Refreshing the spiritual lives of priests.
4. Send my Roots Rain: Finding refreshment and spiritual sustenance within ministry

Programme

10am Rain for our roots

There are pressures within ministry, and yet God cares about us – not just the work we do. Whilst prayer can feel like an ‘ought’ it is also God’s generous gift of living water to soak down to the roots of our being

11am Reflection groups

11.15am Break

11.30am Bread for pilgrims

While we have a passion for resourcing others, God also desires to feed us. We are on a pilgrim journey in companionship with Jesus, still discovering who we are

12.15pm Dwelling in the word – a time of prayer12.30pm – 1.30pm Lunch break

1.30pm The shelter and the shade

Humility – properly understood – is a shelter where we can face and own our reality under the compassionate gaze of God. We also need the safe refuge and shade of relationships that restore us and places that refresh our spirit

2.15pm Reflection groups

2.30pm Ways of prayer for a pressured life

3pm Plenary

3.15pm Speaking the word of your life – a closing time of prayer

3.30 Close