The School of Mercy and Justice

Over the last year, we have spent much time in conversation about our Vineyard School of Justice (VSOJ), and about what God may be inviting us into this next season. In short, we sense his pleasure over the VSOJ these past four years – that it has accomplished what it was intended to – and that God is doing something new.

Today, in partnership with Sustainable Faith (the organization that facilitates the School of Spiritual Direction), we are very excited to announce a new school: The School of Mercy and Justice (SOMJ)! Our first cohorts will be this October in Winnipeg and Montreal.

Below, you’ll find a reflection on the VSOJ, the vision of the SOMJ, an overview of the new school curriculum, and tuition and registration information.

APPLY FOR THE SCHOOL OF MERCY AND JUSTICE


Reflection: The Vineyard School of Justice

The end of March, 2017 marked the completion of our fourth school since rebooting the VSOJ in the fall of 2013. As people have set aside six months to pursue what it means to love God and their neighbour in the contexts of poverty and injustice, God has done remarkable things. Here are a few highlights over the last four years (Video Reviews of Each School):

  • 21 total students
  • 12 women & 9 men
  • 2 students from the Vineyard in Montreal
  • 11 students who were street-involved / at risk of homelessness
  • All 5 students in the 2014-2015 school year were street-involved / at risk of homelessness
  • 7 Indigenous students
  • 18 – 63 years: student age range
  • 2 trips to the Himalayan Region Vineyards in Nepal (including visits to every Vineyard church; 1 Nepali VSOJ; and several gatherings/meetings with leaders)
  • 1 intern (Natalie Hamm) who served for a year, then became a leader the next year
  • 1 practicum student last year (Tara Glowacki)
  • 569 “likes” (and counting!) on Facebook
  • We established an articulation agreement with Vineyard Institute (VI) whereby our students could receive credit towards VI programs and certificates

The SOJ’s exposure has grown over the last years. As director of the school, Suhail has been invited to speak about the program / justice / compassion at various gatherings including:

As a result of CauseCon, 7 people (5 students and 2 leaders) from the Heroic Leadership Institute in Duluth came to spend a week with us.

VSOJ class of 2015.

Vision: The School of Mercy and Justice

The SOMJ involves three main changes from the VSOJ.

  • The school will be modular (5 modules, each 2 days, with a particular theme) as opposed to the format of the VSOJ (which was 5 days a week, for 6 months). Modular learning is more in line with trends in modern education and will also allow those who are working or studying to access the program and participate more easily.
  • The school will more intentionally focus on joining the contemplative and active life. The SOMJ offers participants an immersive, integrated, and robust spiritual formation for those who desire to cultivate a deep life with God and engage in the work of mercy and justice in the world. To use Ignatian language, we envision the school as training for those who desire to live as “contemplatives in action.” We want to facilitate joy, purpose, and wholeness in people and churches as they seek to embody mercy and justice in the manner and Spirit of Jesus; that the beauty and good news of the Kingdom may increasingly come to those our world considers “poor.”
  • The school will be an official Sustainable Faith school; it will not be a WCV ministry as the VSOJ was. Sustainable Faith’s Schools of Spiritual Direction comprise the largest spiritual direction training in North America (26 locations, 23 teachers, around 250 students / year, and around 800 students in the last eight to nine years). The organization is increasingly well-known and trusted. Being connected to and overseen by Sustainable Faith will:
    • give the SOMJ greater exposure and credibility. This will likely encourage greater engagement (more students), which will likely precipitate greater breadth (more schools).
    • allow possibilities for the SOMJ to scale and expand beyond WCV, thereby contributing to the spiritual formation of a broader scope of people and churches.
    • relieve WCV of significant administrative responsibilities. Sustainable Faith will administrate all details related to web presence, student applications, and tuition payments.

Who is Involved?

The Winnipeg cohort will be led by Suhail Stephen and Natalie Hamm; the Montreal cohort will be led by Erin O’Neill and Matte Downey.

From left to right: Natalie, Erin, Suhail

Matte

Natalie grew up in Steinbach, Manitoba. She has been a part of the Vineyard since moving to Winnipeg in 2013 where she lived at Flatlanders Inn (a ministry of Winnipeg Centre Vineyard that is an intentional community and place for those at risk of homelessness to get their feet back under them) for one year while also attending the Vineyard School of Justice. Upon completing the school, she spent nine months working with the Himalayan Region Vineyard churches in Nepal and IndiaSince returning to Winnipeg she has lived and worked at House of Hesed (a transitional community for those living with HIV/AIDS), spent two years interning and leading the Vineyard School of Justice, and completed Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction. Natalie loves to run, read, bake, and always has at least one knitting project on the go.

Erin is from Quebec and currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she is part of the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard. She graduated from the Vineyard School of Justice in 2016, and completed her first year of Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction in 2017. She resides and has interned at Flatlanders Inn. She has a Master of Occupational Therapy from the Université de Sherbrooke, and presently works with seniors in long-term care.

Suhail is from India, grew up as a missionary kid, and has lived in a total of seven countries. He currently serves on staff at the Winnipeg Centre Vineyard (WCV) as pastor of the Drop-In (street parish ministry), directed the Vineyard School of Justice for four years, and now directs the School of Mercy and Justice. He has been part of the Vineyard since 2001 and prior to WCV, was part of and led worship at Trinity Vineyard Christian Fellowship in St. Charles, Illinois, and at Kowloon City Vineyard in Hong Kong. He has a B.A in English Literature and Philosophy from Wheaton College and an M.A in Community Leadership and Philanthropy Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He recently completed Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction. He and his wife, Jennifer, met at WCV, have been married almost three years, and are expecting their first child this September!

Matte lives in Montreal, Quebec where being an English-speaking, Protestant, white female makes her a minority (and she is good with that). She has a B.Th. in Biblical Studies, an M.A. in Theological Studies, and a Ph.D. in Humanities (Theology/Theatre). She has taught in the Theological Studies Department at Concordia University and is currently an adjunct lecturer at Threshold School of Ministry in Saint John, New Brunswick. She co-hosts The Imaginators Podcast which features conversations on creativity and faith and has presented her work (both theological and theatrical) in conferences near and far. She and her husband, Dean, pastor the Vineyard Montreal Church, and you can find her blog at outword.blogspot.ca.


Overview: The School of Mercy and Justice

Through the combined experience of learning together through teaching and discussion, reading superb literature, film, engaging in individual and group activities and reflection, receiving spiritual direction, and practicing spiritual disciplines — all in a communal setting — students will grow in embodying the contemplative, missional life.

Module Themes and Dates

There are five modules, each two days, with a particular theme:

  • Module 1: The Story of Our Life and The Life of Christ
    • Sharing “sacred stories” of personal experiences with mercy and justice; an overview of the life of Jesus through the lens of action and contemplation.
  • Module 2: Compassion and Grief
    • Encountering the God who sees, feels, and responds to our suffering; grieving loss and the power of lament in sustaining a soul’s work in mercy and justice.
  • Module 3: Humility and Power
    • Encountering the God who “empties himself” and welcoming his upside-down Kingdom; invitations to poverty and simplicity.
  • Module 4: Mercy and Justice
    • Responding to people’s immediate needs and addressing systemic/structural issues; discerning vocation in mercy and justice.
  • Module 5: Rhythm and Rule
    • Arranging life for wholeness and spiritual transformation; crafting a rule of life that embodies the rhythms of action and contemplation.

Each module is from 9:00am – 5:00pm, Fridays and Saturdays.   

  • Winnipeg, Canada (location TBD)
    Oct. 27- 28, 2017
    Dec. 8 – 9, 2017
    Feb. 9 – 10, 2018
    Apr. 13 – 14, 2018
    June 8 – 9, 2018
  • Montreal, Canada (location TBD)
    Nov. 10 – 11, 2017
    Dec. 15 – 16, 2017
    Feb. 16 – 17, 2018
    Apr. 20 – 21, 2018
    June 15 – 16, 2018

Requirements

  • Readings (12)
    • Approximately two books per module, with a pace of about a book a month.
  • Activities (8)
    • We are not solely or even primarily thinking beings; much of what actually forms us are the activities with which we engage our bodies. As such, participants will undertake certain activities with a view to more fully encountering God and his heart of mercy and justice in and amongst those who are considered “poor.”
  • Receiving spiritual direction (minimum 6 sessions)
    • Spiritual direction encourages you to rest from doing, and be reflective; to notice, savour, and respond to the presence, voice, and activity of God. This is especially important in mercy and justice work, where needs and issues always seem urgent, ubiquitous, and inexhaustible.
    • Introducing Spiritual Direction [PDF]
  • Practicing spiritual disciplines
    • Each participant selects one to two spiritual disciplines to engage in more deeply over the course of each module.
  • General reports (4)
    • Before each module, you’ll post a one to two page report in which you:
      • share the current circumstances of your own life and spiritual journey
      • reflect on your experience of the readings and activities, receiving direction, and practicing spiritual disciplines
      • answer one or two specific questions related to the module
      • submit any question(s) you’d like to discuss in the upcoming module

Tuition

    • $900 USD (CAD ~ $1,211.40)
    • Note: The above figure does not include books or meals (lunches).
    • A $200 USD (CAD ~ $269.20) deposit secures your place.
    • You can either pay the remaining $700 USD (CAD ~$ 942.20) up front or in monthly instalments throughout the duration of the school.
    • You will be invoiced directly from Sustainable Faith.
    • There is an additional US $40 (CAD ~ $93) fee to cover debit/credit card charges incurred by the school. This charge can be avoided by using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT); tuition invoices will provide details regarding this.
    • Note: Given that Sustainable Faith establishes tuition in US$, all above fees in CAD$ are approximate. Amounts in CAD$ may fluctuate based on currency exchange rates with the US$.

Who is the School for?

You do not have to be part of the Vineyard to be part of the school. The SOMJ is open to pastors, church leaders, and laypeople alike, and is geared to serve not just one denomination or church tradition, but the larger body of Christ. The training is Christocentric and guides people to embrace the entirety of the life of Christ in terms of his priorities of solitude and prayer, and of engagement and ministry.

    • Note: Each school will typically have no more than 12 students.

Application and Deadlines

October 1, 2017: Registration due
October 8, 2017: $200 USD (CAD ~ $269.20) deposit due to secure your place

    • We encourage you to apply as soon as you can as spaces may fill up.
    • Once we receive your application, we will get in touch with you for an interview and provide deposit/payment information.
    • The link below will take you to Sustainable Faith’s website. Please select the appropriate location (Winnipeg or Montreal), and then fill in your personal information.
    • APPLY FOR THE SCHOOL OF MERCY AND JUSTICE

School of Spiritual Direction (Years 1 & 2)

Year Two Graduates (June, 2017).

In light of our tremendous experience with the School of Spiritual Direction this past year at WCV, we are very pleased to offer along with Sustainable Faith another Year One School and a Year Two School this fall. Below, you can find information about Spiritual Direction, the schools, and register.

  • Note: Year Two is only for those who have completed Year One.

What is Spiritual Direction?  

God is always working (John 5:17) and communicating (Psalm 19:2) yet despite being all around and even within us, we are often so profoundly unaware of his presence, activity, and voice, as well as how we want to respond to these things. Many of us also sense an invitation to learn more deeply how to pray.

Spiritual Direction is an ancient practice intended to facilitate a deeper experience of God in our lives, both in terms of our conversation with God (speaking and listening) and our attention to him (noticing and discerning God’s presence and activity).

Spiritual Direction is a shared, collaborative experience whereby a director and directee “come together for the primary purpose of focusing on the presence and activity of God in the directee’s life. In a word, Spiritual Direction is co-discernment. We learn to ‘see what the Father is doing (John 5:19),’ not just in that moment, but over the months and seasons of a person’s life. The goal is to deepen the relationship with God by growing in attentiveness [Introducing Spiritual Direction, p. 1].”


Why a “School of Spiritual Direction?”

There are two primary purposes of the school, broadly understood in terms of an inward and an outward dynamic. First, inward: the school is designed to promote personal growth in love for and devotion to God, in experiencing him, and in discerning the movement of the Holy Spirit. We believe that you will be enriched significantly in your faith and deepen your intimacy with Christ.

Second, outward: the school is designed to strengthen your ability to be attentive to others, especially in relation to accompanying them well on their own journey with Christ. We believe that you will develop honed listening skills and be equipped to offer Spiritual Direction to others in your own context.

Ultimately, the School of Spiritual Direction is intended “to cultivate excellent pastoral care and deeper spiritual formation within the local church” [Introducing Spiritual Direction, p. 2].


Who is Involved?

Sustainable Faith is responsible for running Schools of Spiritual Direction and has been doing so all over the U.S. and the Netherlands since 2007; we hosted Canada’s first school two years ago. We are thrilled to be offering this in the Vineyard and to have Danny Mullins (pictured below) facilitate it once again this year.

Danny Mullins 2 8x12 FO_Copy copy

Danny began full-time vocational ministry in 1979. He has since served as an Associate Pastor in three different congregations in Texas and Arizona, including eight years as a Senior Pastor. He has spent the past fifteen years as Associate Pastor of Vineyard Community Church, Gilbert, Arizona. He has also served as a worship leader for more than forty years. Currently, his primary emphasis in the church is in the area of spiritual formation. He completed a Masters of Ministry Diploma at St. Stephens University and became a certified Spiritual Director through Sustainable Faith’s School of Spiritual Direction. He is now a part of the teaching staff for Sustainable Faith and is actively involved in training others in the ministry of Spiritual Direction. He and his wife Janet have been married for forty-one years and are the proud parents and grandparents of four grown sons and four grandchildren, respectively.


School Information and Dates

The school is comprised of seminar intensives, practicing spiritual disciplines, receiving and offering Spiritual Direction, reading, and written reflections. The syllabi below may be subject to change but will give you an overview of what to expect.

Year One: Five seminar intensives, each two days, 9am-5pm each day.

  • Year One Syllabus (2017-2018) [PDF]
  • Module 1: October 13-14, 2017
  • Module 2: December 1-2, 2017
  • Module 3: February 2-3, 2018
  • Module 4: April 6-7, 2018
  • Module 5: June 1-2, 2018

Year Two: Five seminar intensives, each two days, 9am-5pm the first day; 1pm – 5pm the second.

  • Year Two Syllabus (2017-2018) [PDF]
  • Module 1: October 15-16, 2017
  • Module 2: December 3-4, 2017
  • Module 3: February 4-5, 2018
  • Module 4: April 8-9, 2018
  • Module 5: June 3-4, 2018

Financial Information

  • Year One: US $1,850/person (~ CAD $2,520)
  • Year Two: US $1,850/person (~ CAD $2,520) + CAD$70 for communal meals
  • There is an additional US$40 (~ CAD $51.19) to cover the debit/credit card charges incurred by the school for tuition. This charge can be avoided by using Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT); tuition invoices will provide details regarding this.
    • Note: Books (approx. US$120 (~CAD $153.57)), travel, and accommodation are not included in tuition. Meals (lunch) are not included in Year One.
  • After paying an initial US $440 (~ CAD $563.09) deposit to secure your place in the school, you can either pay the remainder of your tuition up front or pay a portion each month for the duration of the school (9 payments of ~ CAD $211.14 for Year One or Year Two, for example).
  • You will be invoiced directly from Sustainable Faith.
    • Note: Given that Sustainable Faith establishes tuition in US$, all above fees (except for Year Two communal meals) in CAD$ are approximate. Amounts in CAD$ may fluctuate based on currency exchange rates with the US$.

Who is the School for?

You do not have to be part of the Vineyard to be part of the school. “The School of Spiritual Direction is open to pastors, church leaders, and laypeople alike, and is geared to serve not just one denomination or church tradition, but the larger body of Christ. The training is Christocentric and guides people to embrace the contemplative life; helps us honour sabbath and observe life-giving rhythms; draws us toward healthy, embodied spiritual practices; nurtures self-awareness and vocational clarity; and ultimately, launches Kingdom enterprises” (Introducing Spiritual Direction).

  • Note: Each school typically has no more than 12 students.



 


Application and Deadlines

September 15, 2017: Registration due
September 22, 2017: US $440 (~ CAD $563.09) deposit due to secure your place

  • We encourage you to apply as soon as you can as spaces may fill up.
  • Once you apply, we will get in touch with you for an interview (for Year One students only) and provide payment information.
  • The link below will take you to Sustainable Faith’s website. Please select the appropriate school (Year One or Two), select Winnipeg Manitoba as the location, and then fill in your personal information.
  • APPLY FOR THE SCHOOL OF SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

How Can I Get More Information?

Contact Winnipeg Centre Vineyard.

Unseen Love Tailoring School

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The following is an update from our family in the Himalayan Region Vineyard Churches:

We just concluded another of our three month Unseen Love Tailoring Schools – this time in Kathmandu! The schools are intended to train struggling mothers and women with marketable skills and to therefore enable them to generate income and become financially self-sufficient. To date, the Unseen Love projects have trained over 200 people in the Himalayan Region Vineyard.

Below, you can find some photos of the sending off where we commission the women to start their own tailoring shop. It’s a great moment for the church to celebrate and everyone says thank you to our Winnipeg Women’s Co-Op and to those who gave generously to make the school happen.

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