Articles on Community

  • What Does it Mean to Be Beloved of God?

    What Does it Mean to Be Beloved of God?

    It happened at the last day—the last hour really—of the 2013 Shalem YALLI kick-off retreat (Young Adult Life and Leadership Initiative). As our ragtag group of contemplatives wrote down on paper the blockages we sensed to living lives connected to the Spirit, we placed them in a bowl. We were then asked to come up,…

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  • Why Pilgrimage? Why This Pilgrimage?

    Why Pilgrimage? Why This Pilgrimage?

    Article by Carole Crumley (featured in September 2014 eNews) We live in what some have called “threshold times,” not just a time of change. We are in an era of profound re-ordering of the social, political, economic, religious and spiritual landscape. In this contemporary context, the ancient-yet-ever-new practice of pilgrimage is undergoing a remarkable resurgence.…

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  • Cultivating Discernment in Community: Another Chapter

    Today’s post is by Lois A. Lindbloom This is a season of grieving for me and throughout the college town in which I live. Jennifer, a beloved campus pastor, died at the age of 47. She was wife, mother of two young children, daughter, sister, friend to neighbors and colleagues, active supporter of children’s activities…

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  • Becoming Love

    Today’s post is written by Kate Coffey. I’ve been told there are only two states of being: fear and love. All the other inner landscapes that seem so real are simply shadows of one or the other. Just as we are rarely aware of the air we breathe, we often consider it normal to live…

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  • Changes

    By Stephanie Gretchen Burgevin. Stephanie is a writer and retreat leader. She is an associate faculty member of Shalem and a graduate of their Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats Program and leads spiritual and secular programs. Stephanie manages Shalem’s blog. You can see more of her writing atblessedjourneyblog.com. Photo by Stephanie Gretchen Burgevin. We’ve all heard the…

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  • Being a Companion

    By Stephanie Gretchen Burgevin. Stephanie is a writer and retreat leader. She is an associate faculty member of Shalem and a graduate of their Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats Program and leads spiritual and secular programs. Stephanie manages Shalem’s blog. You can see more of her writing at blessedjourneyblog.com. How does one support a dear one…

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Mission

Our mission is to nurture contemplative living and leadership.

Vision

In 2025, Shalem will be a dynamic and inclusive community, empowered by the Spirit, where seekers engage in transformation of themselves, their communities, and the world through spiritual growth, deep connection, and courageous action.

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