Do you want to be able to prayerfully hold the suffering in today's world?
This second program of the EngagingSpirituality series invites participants to be attentive to the suffering and darkness in the world with a listening heart.
Program Overview
Into the Dark: Bearing Witness to Suffering and Mystery encourages participants to learn about, bear witness to, and lament the injustices in the world in order to inform their personal and social response.
Program Goals
There are three primary goals for Bearing Witness to Suffering and Mystery.
Facilitation
Two volunteer co-facilitators are needed for Bearing Witness to Suffering and Mystery. JustFaith Ministries provides strong facilitation support.
Sessions
Bearing Witness to Suffering and Mystery consists of eight 2 1/2 hour sessions and an immersion experience.
Books/Resources
There are three books used in Bearing Witness to Suffering and Mystery – all available through our JustFaith Ministries Bookstore.
Program Promotion
A comprehensive set of program promotion materials are provided.
Cost
When you register, you have three options:
- Participants register and pay individually based on a sliding fee scale of $35, $55, or $75/person with additional scholarships available. (You will need a minimum of 9 people in your group).
- Participants register and pay individually, but a faith community, organization, or individual subsidizes their registration costs.
- A faith community or other organization pays $275, which covers everyone in the group (up to 12 participants).
JUST FAITH TESTIMONIALS
What They’re Saying
Christine S.Boise, ID
Lisa Dobson-WhitingProgram Registration
Program Includes:
- Comprehensive materials and session guides
- Facilitation guidance
- Retreat and Immersion guidance
- Adaptations for virtual groups
- Direct access to program staff for support
- 12-month access to program materials
When you register, you have 2 options:
- Participants register and pay individually based on a sliding fee scale of $35, $55, or $75/person with additional scholarships available. (You will need a minimum of 9 people in your group).
- Participants register and pay individually, but a faith community, organization, or individual subsidizes their registration costs.
- A faith community or other organization pays $275, which covers everyone in the group (up to 12 participants).
- Coming soon!
In order to make our programs accessible to everyone, our new website will only feature the individual registration model with a sliding scale (first and second option above).
Books & Resources
for Group Participants
Participant books/resources are sold separately through our JustFaith Ministries Bookstore. The cost for books for EngagingSpirituality Program 2 is approximately $14/person (assuming participants already have Embracing the World and the ES Prayer Journal from program one of EngagingSpirituality). Note that there may be a small additional fee for an occasional video purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the programs in the EngagingSpirituality series different from other spiritual programs?
EngagingSpirituality follows the trajectory of Jesus’ prophetic ministry and mission. It calls participants to dismantle injustice with a spirit of compassion, opening their lives to Gospel-based justice and peace. It invokes the disturbing and unsettling Holy Spirit that rouses people from complacency. It demands a willingness to cultivate a wider and more tender heart, an open mind, and a deeper connection to struggling people and vulnerable life.
Do groups need to meet weekly?
We recommend meeting weekly or every other week.
Can I pick which EngagingSpirituality program I’d like to do first?
The programs in the EngagingSpirituality series were designed to be taken in order. Groups should begin with Creating Sacred Space for Self and Others (program one), followed by Bearing Witness to Suffering and Mystery (program two) and then Embracing Healing, Justice and Joy (program three).
Do we have to do all three programs in the series?
No. At the end of programs one and two in the EngagingSpirituality series there is time for members of the group to discern whether or not they would like to continue on to the next program in the series. A minimum of five members of the group need to commit to moving on to the next program or your group will become too small.
Can new participants join our group at any time?
We recommend that new participants not join a group that has already begun because of the community and trust that has already been established among group members. However, we do encourage keeping a contact list of all those who would like to do the EngagingSpirituality series and forming new groups later in the year.