Crossing the Threshold:
Contemplative Foundations for Emerging Leaders
For those who are between 25-40 and seek a deeper spiritual foundation for their lives
April 2025 – November 2026
Do you sense a deepening desire for authenticity, seeking alignment between your spiritual life and your outer context? Are you yearning for a more grounded inner life that empowers contemplative action in public spaces?
Program runs April 2025 – November 2026
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025
Crossing the Threshold is designed for those who are
- Approximately between the ages of 25-40
- Desiring to deepen the spiritual foundation of their life and work
- Seeking a supportive spiritual community
- Interested in contemplative practices, including prayer and meditation
- Willing to learn within an ecumenical framework that includes wisdom from many traditions
- Committed to participating fully, knowing that the addition of spiritual grounding can bring balance and ease to our life rather than adding to one’s workload.
This program provides authentic connection and support through one-on-one mentoring, confidential peer groups, retreats, book resources and writing, and additional spiritual formation opportunities through Shalem’s short-term programs. The first year of the program prioritizes the inner life and personal practices that help us to sustain spiritual wellbeing and authenticity. The second year of the program challenges us to seek alignment between our inner life and our outer context, bringing contemplative grounding into the home, workplace, leadership context, and places of advocacy (such as DEI).
Free Info Sessions
Join us on Zoom to discern about the rightness of this program for you. Talk with the Director and recent grads. Choose a date below to register in advance.
Crossing the Threshold Timeline
The program begins with the First Retreat. A reading list to begin at-home preparation will be provided in advance.
First Retreat: April 24-27, 2025 (in-person at the Roslyn Conference and Retreat Center.)
Second Retreat: October 18-19, 2025 (virtual meeting on Zoom)
Third Retreat: March 20 – 22, 2026 (virtual meeting on Zoom)
Final Retreat Day: November 7, 2026 (in-person at Shalem Institute)
At-Home Completion and Final Paper or Project due: November 7, 2026
Program Components
At-home work includes:
- Discerning and engaging with contemplative practices, including your unique rhythm of prayer and meditation.
- Introduction to taking a silent retreat, which is included as part of our weekend retreats.
- A complimentary pass to one of Shalem’s shorter online programs.
- Monthly meetings with your Shalem mentor.
- Monthly peer group sessions with other CTT participants using Shalem’s Group Spiritual Direction process. This time of deep sharing and prayerful listening is led by a Shalem facilitator.
- A Year 1 bibliography focused on identity and inner life, and a Year 2 bibliography focused on leadership and community context.
- Brief reflection papers on the readings.
- A final paper, presentation, or independent project that reflects or has grown out of your contemplative leadership journey.
A Certificate of Completion is awarded at the end of the program to all participants who have completed the program components.
RETREATS
The first retreat will be held at Roslyn Conference and Retreat Center in Richmond, VA.
The second and third retreats will be held on Zoom.
The final retreat day will be held at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, DC.
“The program was really special for me because it helped me delve deeper into my spirituality and really understand that God’s presence is all around us.”
– Alfonso Campbell, graduate of Crossing the Threshold
PROGRAM CO-DIRECTORS
ARYN K. DAVIS
Aryn is the co-director of Crossing the Threshold: Contemplative Foundations for Emerging Leaders. She is an educator and mental health professional in DC schools…
Her passion is bringing others to a place of deeper awareness and full presence in heart, body, and mind, to ultimately experience freedom. Aryn is a graduate of Shalem’s Young Adult Life and Leadership program, and she is a facilitator in Shalem’s Group Spiritual Direction Facilitator Training program. Prior to serving as a Shalem leader, Aryn worked in education as a teacher, a reading specialist, and currently is working as a counselor and the Director of Mental Health in a public charter school. She holds a B.A. from Howard University, a Master’s degree in Education from George Mason University, and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Development from George Washington University.
SARAH FORTI
Sarah Forti, co-director of Crossing the Threshold: Contemplative Foundations for Emerging Leaders, is a graduate of the Young Adult Life and Leadership program, and the Group Spiritual Direction workshop…
She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, has an MDiv from George Fox Evangelical Seminary, and studied at Wesley Theological Seminary. She serves in parish ministry with the Episcopal Church, and is also a staff person in Shalem’s Group Spiritual Direction workshops.
COST
Cost: $3550
Tuition assistance is available so don’t let money be an obstacle if you are called to this program. For more information, contact ArDonna at ardonna@shalem.org
APPLY NOW
HAVE QUESTIONS?
ArDonna Hamilton is the registrar for Crossing the Threshold: Contemplative Foundations for Emerging Leaders and can be contacted at ardonna@shalem.org.