
Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Groups & Retreats
Experiences, resources, and encouragement for those called to create and lead contemplative spiritual groups and retreats for personal and social transformation
September 2025 – July 2026
Do you feel a nudge to create and lead contemplative spiritual groups and retreats?
Program runs September 2025 – July 2026
Early Bird Deadline: May 15, 2025
Regular Deadline: July 1, 2025
Enrollment information coming soon!
Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Groups & Retreats is designed to equip, encourage, and support those called to create and facilitate contemplative spiritual groups and retreats. Through experiential learning, seminars, reflection, and a sacred learning community, participants will expand their contemplative awareness of the Divine and grow in their contemplative leadership and skills.

Free Info Sessions
Join us on Zoom to discern about the rightness of this program for you. Talk with the Director and recent grads. Register in advance by clicking on a date below.
Transforming Community Timeline
We recognize that accessibility and practicality are important factors when considering spiritual deepening and professional development programs! To limit time away from home, family, and work and to minimize expense, Transforming Community has been designed with one in-person eight-day residency and a series of online class sessions that provide a deep and rich learning experience in sacred contemplative community. Our schedule includes:
At-Home Work:
• September 2025 – July 2026
Online Opening Weekend:
• Friday, September 19, 2025 from 6:00pm – 8:30pm ET
• Saturday, September 20, 2025 from 10:00am – 4:00pm ET
In-Person Residency:
• Thursday, October 30 – Thursday, November 6, 2025
Online Class Sessions – Saturdays from 10:00am – 4:00pm ET:
• January 10, 2026
• February 21, 2026
• March 21, 2026
• April 18, 2026
• May 16, 2026
Program Components
Transforming Community includes at-home work scheduled at your convenience and participation in online class sessions and an in-person eight-day residency at Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center in Marriottsville, MD.
At-Home Components:
- Reading and engagement with selected texts and resources
- Participation in online Class and Peer Group sessions
- Creation and facilitation of a six-week contemplative spiritual group with a short opening retreat in one’s home community
- Participation in a two-night organized silent retreat of the associate’s choice
- Preparation of two spiritual practice sessions to be led with one’s Peer Group at the residency and at an online Peer Group session
- Four short reflection papers responding to specific program components
- A final integrative paper focused on the design of a contemplative spiritual group or retreat
- A personal spiritual practice, as well as regular meetings with a Spiritual Director/Guide/Companion.
Residency Components:
Residencies enjoy a daily rhythm of prayer, practice, learning, reflection, rest and renewal, including:
- Topical Seminars
- Grounding in a variety of spiritual practices
- Opportunities for reflection and sharing
- A guided silent retreat
- Leadership in a small group setting
Sample Seminar Themes and Practices:
- Grounding and Intention of Contemplative Spiritual Practices
- Radical Presence and Identity
- Contemplative Leadership
- Creating and Facilitating Contemplative Groups and Retreats
- Contemplation and Sacred Activism
- Unity in Diversity
- Discernment in Leadership
- Dynamics and Challenges in Groups
- Sound & Silence
- Embodiment
- Creativity
- Sacred Text
- External Images
- Interfaith Practices
A Certificate of Completion is awarded upon completion of all program requirements.
RETREAT LOCATION
The residency will be held at Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, MD. You will have a private room with bathroom. Some meals will be included at each residency: dinner on the first day; breakfast and lunch on the last day; and breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the days in-between. The center and grounds have walking paths through woods and fields, in-season swimming pool, and a fitness center.

“Honestly TCP [Transforming Community Program] changed my life and breathed much needed vitality, creativity, and equanimity into me, a weary mental health provider. I wasn’t exactly clear why God guided me to this particular program but I knew I felt a deep longing to help support the healing of our wounded world in a way that seemed larger than just working one-on-one with clients in my psychology practice. TCP gave me the tools to teach others to access and listen to the transforming and deeply healing voice of God. Through engaging seminars, small group practice, monthly book reading and discussions, modeling by leaders, and collaboration with others I felt like my understanding of contemplative practices and leadership expanded greatly and I became well equipped to guide others into practices of connecting with the Presence. I’m now incorporating my passions for nature, creativity, deep healing, and connection and leading retreats at a local retreat space as well as weekly contemplative prayer groups. This work is life-giving for me and I’m so thankful I trusted that quiet voice that nudged me to start!”
-Laura Kirby, Class of 2023
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
LORIE CONWAY
Lorie Conway is the program director for the Transforming Community: Leading Contemplative Spiritual Groups and Retreats Class of 2025. Lorie has a passion for deep listening and accompanying others on their spiritual journeys through spiritual companionship, contemplative small groups, and spiritual retreats…
Lorie is a graduate of Shalem’s Living in God and Transforming Community programs and received her certificate in spiritual direction from the Kairos School of Spiritual Formation. She also holds a M.A. in Religion from Lancaster Theological Seminary and a M.A.S. in Behavioral Management & Human Resources from Johns Hopkins University. Lorie’s spirituality is rooted in the Christ tradition and welcoming of the many paths and unique journeys enfolded within Divine Mystery.
COST
- Early Bird price (by May 15, 2025): $4,680
- Regular price (after May 15, 2025): $5,200
Need-based tuition assistance is available. For more information, contact Katy at Katy@shalem.org.
APPLY NOW
Enrollment information coming soon!