Exploring Your Spiritual Journey (EYSJ) provides intentional time to slow down and listen to what God is calling you to do in the midst of every-day living.  EYSJ is for both those wishing direction in lay ministry as well as a requirement for anyone potentially seeking ordination.  You will walk with others as you explore your spiritual journey, identify your gifts, understand what God is calling you to do, identify the tools you will need for your ministry, and develop a plan to gain the skills you will need.  Space is limited! 

Registration: Registration is via application only.  Completed applications must be received in the Whitaker Institute office on or before August 20, 2014.  Download the application here. 

Dates:  Beginning on Sept 5-6, 2014 with an overnight retreat, this course consists of 15 sessions.  Subsequent meeting dates will be determined by the cohort at the first meeting.

Location:  Opening retreat will be held at the Emrich Retreat Center, 7380 Teahen Rd, Brighton.  Subsequent meeting locations will determined by the cohort.

Course fee:  $1000. 

Instructors:

Karen Laing is the Executive Director of New Hope Center for Grief Support in Northville. She is also the owner of a coaching/consulting business, Seasons of Change. She is a member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Plymouth where she participates in the Befrienders Ministry. She also was part of the Exploring Your Spiritual Journey Class in 2014-2015.   She lives in Novi with her two children, David and Julia.

Stacy Salles is rector of St. Paul's Church in Romeo. 

This 8-month course will give you the skill and connect you with the resources you need to be an inspiring lay preacher in your congregation. In addition to learning the art and practice of preaching, you will deepen your familiarity with scripture and become more aware the pastoral and spiritual implications of preaching from scripture. Upon completion of all sessions and approval of the instructors, you will be a licensed lay preacher in the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Register early because space is limited! Permission from your supervising clergy is required.

Registration:  Register on or before September 24. Registration will close early if the class is full.

Date:  Class meets on Tuesday evenings beginning September 30. The full schedule will be discussed at the first session.

Location:  St Clare's Episcopal Church, 2309 Packard St, Ann Arbor.

Course fee:  $400. Scholarships are available.  Download the scholarship form here.  

CEU's: 15

This year's preaching faculty:

Ian Reed Twiss is the pastor/priest-in-charge at Holy Faith Church, a federated Lutheran and Episcopal congregation in Saline, Michigan. Before becoming a priest in 2007, Ian taught undergraduate creative writing at the University of Michigan where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in fiction writing. He has a passion for words and for helping new preachers develop their unique voice in proclaiming the gospel.

Susie Shaefer serves as the vicar at St. John's in Clinton and lives in Ann Arbor. When she isn't preparing a sermon or tending to work, she often can be found playing imaginary zoo with her two young kids in the living room.

Leading worship requires much more from us than an ability to read and understand the directions in the Book of Common Prayer. The Worship Leader class is designed to prepare you to craft and lead non-Eucharistic services of worship, especially Morning Prayer.  Over the course of three 6-hour sessions, on a calendar set by the class at its first meeting, you will learn all the basics of planning worship according to the Church canons and the rubrics set out in the Book of Common Prayer. More importantly, you will learn about the preparation, wisdom, and confidence needed to lovingly lead God's people in prayer. You will be required to lead worship in the time between class sessions.

Registration: Register on or before October 22. Permission from your supervising clergy is required to attend.

Date:  The class meets 3 times beginning Saturday, Nov. 1. The dates of other sessions will be determined by the group during the first meeting. All sessions are required.

Location: St. Paul's Church, Brighton, MI 

Course fee: $150. Scholarships are available.   Download the scholarship form here.  

CEU's: 6

Whitaker has hired experts in the field of anti-racism to provide training to the diocese this year. Crossroads Antiracism Organizing & Training develops and offers training for a wide variety of groups - including various dioceses and synods across the Episcopal Church and the ELCA. We are excited to bring Crossroads to the Diocese of Michigan this coming year.

Are you required to take Anti-Racism training?

All clergy and lay leaders of the Episcopal Church are required to attend anti-racism training in fulfillment of Resolution B049 of the 73^rd General Convention. This includes all candidates and postulants.

Registration:  Register on or before Wed, Sept. 10. Space is limited.

We are joining with the Diocese of Eastern Michigan this year to embark on a new venture to deepen our knowledge of scripture. By reading scripture through an historical rather than canonical lens, you will gain more insight about the context of these words we proclaim to be the Word of the Lord. This series is perfect for lay preachers, clergy, or anyone else who wants to learn more about scripture. You may take an individual session or we recommend you join us at a discounted rate for the entire series.

• Sept 13: Introduction to the Year

       Register on or before Sept 3

• Oct 4: The Persian Period

       Register on or before Sept 24

• Nov 1: Deuteronomic History

       Register on or before Oct 22

• Dec 6: Prophetic Literature

       Register on or before Nov 26

• Jan 24: Responses to Hellenism

       Register on or before Jan 14

• Feb 14: Pentateuch

       Register on or before Feb 4

• Mar 21: The Roman Period

       Register on or before Mar 11

• Apr 25: Matthew and Luke/Acts

       Register on or before Apr 15

• May 16: John and Paul

       Register on or before May 6

• Jun 6: Paul and the Canon

       Register on or before May 27

Registration:  Register for the entire series on or before Wed, Sept 10.  Register for individual class sessions on or before 10 days in advance.  Register here.

Times:  All sessions on Saturdays from 9:00 - 3:00. You are welcome to join us for Morning Prayer at 8:15!

 Location:  All sessions will be held at Colombiere Retreat Center, 9075 Big Lake Rd, Clarkston, MI

Course fee:    $300 for entire series, includes lunch (a savings of over $100!)  $45 for each session, includes lunch. 

CEU's: 20 for entire series; 2 for each session

Safeguarding God's Children is a training program in sexual abuse awareness for clergy, Sunday school teachers, nursery workers, vestry members, and others who work with minors in our churches. This training covers prevention, detection and reporting guidelines, and was created in response to General Convention Resolution B008.

Safeguarding God's People is a diocesan requirement for anyone in a pastoral or one-on-one situation, such as Eucharistic Visitor or Pastoral Caregiver. This training includes guidelines for the prevention of misconduct in all pastoral relationships. It covers healthy boundaries; high risk situations; the abuse of power; accountability; ethical and theological concerns; and diocesan policies and procedures, to ensure safety in our congregations.

Safeguarding Children: 8:45 am - 12:00 pm

     Workshop fee: $30

Safeguarding People: 12:45 - 4:00 pm

     Workshop fee: $30

Are you required to take either or both of the Safeguarding trainings?

• Clergy: All Clergy and Total Ministry Support Teams are required to complete both of these workshops and attend a workshop every 5 years to renew their knowledge. This includes all candidates and postulants.

• Lay leadership: Safeguarding Children must be taken every 5 years by all those who regularly work with children and youth. Safeguarding People must be taken every 5 years by Eucharistic visitors and pastoral care providers.

This year's Safeguarding Instructors:

Tim Spannaus, Mark Hastings, Pam Wagner, Mike Walbridge, Ron Byrd, Maryjane Peck, assistant rector at Christ Church Dearborn, Katherine Blakley, Rosemary Spatafora, John Wakevainen, Sherry Bass, Silvia Huth