I am always developing new ideas and love to research more material for presentation and discussion. I can adjust any course to the needs of the group, and if it isn’t here, please ask – because you and your group may be the beginning of something totally new!

WORkshops:

Art as a Spiritual Practice 

Art as a Spiritual Practice is a contemplative prayer practice that utilizes creative play with art materials to listen for God. In the beginning God created. As humans made in the image of God, our intuitive creations connect us to divine inspiration. These silent meditation sessions include a few guided questions designed to stimulate thought about one’s own art piece and allow time for the spirit to emerge and reveal what the mind is usually too cluttered or too busy to think. No previous art skills or experience necessary, just a willingness to try a different kind of prayer. This course is appropriate for all adults and mature children (sessions require one hour of silence while doing the art and reflection).  Depending on the request of the host, this series could involve multiple art techniques (such as mandala, collage, watercolor, paint, etc) or focus on one technique (such as collage) with topics that change over time. Using one technique pairs very well with labyrinth walking as a final session, using all of the previous art reflections for prayer along the way.

Poetry as a Spiritual Practice

Poetry as a Spiritual Practice is a six week workshop which combines reading and thoughtful reflection on published poetry with responsive writing and sharing of one’s own poetry. Participants will read and discuss poetry from a variety of voices, mining the depths for reflection and thoughtfulness. Each participant will be encouraged to keep a journal in which to respond to the poem with mindful reflection and prayer. Participants will also be invited to write poems through exercises based on the poetry discussed, and material in their journal, which they are encouraged (but not required) to share with the group over the course of the six weeks.

Theatre as a Spiritual Practice

Many techniques used in theatre lend themselves to spiritual direction and deep reflective thinking. Through a combination of exercises to loosen up, cultivating a mindset of letting go of cognitive control, developing subtext for characters in improvisation, and debriefing each encounter and experience, participants will be lead through a series of individual and group games, role-playing exercises, biblical stories, and tableaux. Based on the principle of “yes-and,” this workshop is designed for movement and fun engagement with stories in order to discover what’s going on in one’s spirit.

Music as a Spiritual Practice

This category is dependent on the request of the host group. Possibilities include participation in and/or learning to facilitate: a basic drum circle; bucket ensemble to aid in scripture memorization or relationship building; Boomwhacker ensembles; or getting started with handbells.

Self-paced online courses:

Contemplative Prayer

Contemplative, thoughtful, mindful, meditative. Ever wonder how else you might engage your spiritual life? This six-unit course offers a bit of history, suggested practices, and reflection questions in Contemplative prayer practices: Centering, Ignatian, intercessory, written, Orthodox, and body prayer. Note: this course is based on meditation practices and uses Christian language and history. Contact me for more information or to sign up for this course.

***Newest Course – Enneagram for Life

If you’ve ever said “I want to do Enneagram work…but what do I actually DO?” this course is designed for you. Explore the wisdom of the Enneagram with practical application, reflection questions, and other practices designed to nurture your spiritual path as you craft a balanced and empowered life. Specialized activities guide you as you work with the energy of each type’s strengths and dangers. This course isn’t about the Enneagram, it’s about YOU; I offer Enneagram-inspired content and you explore your own life through reflection and embodiment. Throughout the course you’ll be both encouraged and challenged as you work with your mind, body and emotions and engage your capacity for being, doing and thinking. May this course lift your holistic life force. Click here for more information. Contact me to sign up for this course.

Divine Feminine

This 6 month online course explores the divine feminine and the intersection of spirituality and womanhood, and incorporates practical activities and applications of that knowledge for personal growth and healing through reflective work, guided meditation and story-telling. Readings come from multiple sources but you may consider purchasing the two main texts: Goddesses in Everywoman; Powerful Archetypes in Women’s Lives by Jean Shinoda Bolen and Women Who Run with the Wolves; Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. Contact me for more information or to sign up for this course.

Finding God in Culture series

No artist creates in a vacuum. Many of our human stories are captured in visual arts, music, literature, poetry, and other genres of the Arts. Each period of history and its culture has been laid bare by the prophetic voices of those creative people who have sought to capture its essence, expose its evils, and/or inspire its heart. This series of courses places each artifact into the context of its historical, cultural, and social setting and encourages participants to unearth the possible theological and prophetic messages in each, considering intersections of the art and our own lives. Common questions we consider with each artifact: “What does this artist claim about who God is? Who we are? What does it mean to live as a person of faith?” There are no answers given; intentional engagement with these works will open us up to new perspectives, thoughts and ideas. “A piece of art is never a finished work. It answers a question which has been asked, and asks a new question.” ~Robert Engman, sculptor.

• Finding God in Culture Paintings I (The Bible in Visual Art – from Creation to End Times)
• Finding God in Culture Paintings II (The Bible in Visual Art – Life of Christ)
• Finding God in Culture Music I (Hymnody, Congregational Song and Sacred Music)
• Finding God in Culture Music II (Secular Music: U2 and other pop culture rockstars)

Some of these Finding God in Culture series courses are offered in a self-paced contemplative meditation version. Contact me to enroll in in a self-paced course.

Enhanced worship service experiences:

Choral Reading of Scripture

In this style of scripture reading, participants rehearse together in order to present scripture to the congregation with sound, movement, and visual interest. Like the chorus of Greek plays, participants speak and move together for a powerful effect. This mode of speaking scripture in variously sized groups of one to five, alternating and combining the voices in sync with the underlying scriptural text, brings new perspective to hearing the familiar words without being hokey or acted out (no acting required).

Scripture in Tableaux

To bring additional life to the scripture reading, these directed snapshots give congregations a visual image with gesture to bring out the story as the scripture is read, with pauses or the congregation to reflect a moment on the scene. There is no acting, no sets and no costumes involved. With very simple techniques of gesture and staging, scripture can come alive. This workshop is perfect for pairing with Theater as a Spiritual Practice. 

Performance art

I dislike to brag about my own abilities…sort of…but I am a skilled painter and performer. I would love to talk with you about designing a live painting (right side up or upside down or invisible until the last moment or anything else we dream up) to accompany a sermon, choral presentation, solo or instrumental music. I also design performance art for large group gatherings incorporating the participants in a large scale community artwork or mural. Check out my blog post with the story and time lapse video of one such event. In fondness for the words of Walt Disney: “If we can dream it, we can do it.” Contact me to explore the impossible.

Who’s been doing these workshops?

Wayfaring Companions – CompanionFest event (family constellations workshop, art meditation)

First United Methodist Church, Hurst TX – Art as a Spiritual Practice (online church-wide family-friendly meditative event)

Arborlawn UMC, Fort Worth TX – Finding God in Culture (paintings) Lenten series

Central Texas Conference UMC, clergy retreat – guided mandala meditation

Arlington Heights UMC, Fort Worth TX  – presentation on variety of prayer forms

Arborlawn UMC, Fort Worth TX – instruction and guided Labyrinth walk

First Presbyterian Church of Grapevine, TX – Art as a Spiritual Practice (meditation)

First United Methodist Church of Colleyville TX – Finding God in Culture (paintings)

Peace Together, Northeast Tarrant County – Theater Improv for relationship building

Missional Wisdom Foundation National Gathering, Dallas TX 2018, Asheville NC 2019 – Art as a Spiritual Practice (contemplative reflection with art)

First United Methodist Church of Grapevine TX – Teen Lenten Arts series (collage for prayer series with labyrinth)

Private party, Weatherford TX – Art as a Spiritual Practice (ecumenical contemplative reflection with art)

First United Methodist Church of Keller TX – Finding God in Culture (sacred music, pop culture music)

Central Texas Conference UMC Children’s Worker retreat – Art as a Spiritual Practice (contemplative reflection with art)

Private party, Outer Banks NC – Art as a Spiritual Practice (multi-faith contemplative reflection with art)

Peace Together of Northeast Tarrant County inaugural event – performance art mandala (inter-faith community)

Central Texas Conference Confirmation Celebration – FUMC Killeen TX (contemplative art meditation break-out session)

Vital Leadership Academy worship services, Central Texas Conference, UMC (contemplative reflection with art)

Ignatia House, Chicago IL – Arts Retreat (comprehensive two day event)

First United Methodist Church of Cleburne, TX – Arts Retreat (comprehensive two day event)

Pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland – Missional Wisdom Foundation with Bishop Lowry of the Central Texas Conference (contemplative meditation for young adults in vocational discernment)

White’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Southlake TX – Creative Prayer (contemplative reflection with art), Finding God in Culture (paintings; sacred and secular music), drum circle