Nurturing the Call: Spiritual Guidance Program
In-depth support for the ministry of one-on-one spiritual direction.
Do you companion others on their spiritual journeys?
SAVE THE DATE
Program runs March 2027- December 2028
Early Bird Application Deadline: November 30, 2026
Regular Application Deadline: January 15, 2027
Nurturing the Call: Spiritual Guidance Program offers both resources and experiential support for the ministry of spiritual direction or holy listening. At the heart of this program is the radical conviction that spiritual companionship is a form of prayer and that contemplative listening comes from being grounded in one’s relationship with God.
Check back soon for enrollment information for the upcoming cohort.
To learn about upcoming offerings, join our mailing list.
Hear from recent graduate, Lauren Drummond Littrell, on how SGP informs her work in chaplaincy and reconciliation; what she continues to benefit from in the sacred community of her peer group; and how “the Spirit shows up!”
RESIDENCY LOCATION
The Residencies will be held at Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, MD. You will have a private room with bathroom. The center and grounds have walking paths through woods and fields.
“When I first entered the Shalem Spiritual Guidance Program, I felt adrift, unsure of my path and the depth required for the role of a spiritual director. What I discovered was far beyond what I expected. Immersed in a deeply supportive community and a curriculum that was both rich and profoundly transformative, I experienced a shift not only in my role as a spiritual director but in my entire spiritual life. The program helped me uncover a clarity and confidence I never knew I had. With the guidance of the deeply experienced staff and the flexibility of the program’s invaluable resources, I emerged not just prepared—but transformed. Today, I am the spiritual director I was meant to be, and for that, I am profoundly grateful.”
-Wes Lambert, Psychotherapist, Coach and Spiritual Director, SGP Class of 2023
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
PHILLIP STEPHENS
Phillip, program director of Nurturing the Call: Spiritual Guidance Program, is an Episcopal lay-person and graduate of the 2006 Spiritual Guidance Class. In addition to being an associate of the Order of the Holy Cross, he serves as a spiritual guide and retreat facilitator. His special areas of interest are cross-cultural studies and interspirituality.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Katy Gaughan is the Registrar for Nurturing the Call: Spiritual Guidance Program and can be contacted at katy@shalem.org.