Perspectives: “Meet the Spiritual Directors”

Meet the Spiritual Director: Cheryl Lyon

December 17, 2019 / By Cheryl Lyon

The Way It Is There’s a thread you follow. It goes among things that change. But it doesn’t change. People wonder about what you are pursuing. You have to explain about the thread. But it is hard for others to see….1 -William Stafford   Over the last 12 years, the thread I follow has taken me on twists and turns I could never have anticipated and …more

Meet the Spiritual Directors: Pastor Cheryl Hine

November 18, 2019 / By Cheryl Hine

My name is Cheryl Hine. While reading books, I often came across the phrase “spiritual direction.” I wondered, “What exactly is spiritual direction!?” Then I had an opportunity to be a student in the UNY Conference’s Tending the Soul spiritual retreat program, and my relationship with God brought me to remarkable, unexpected opportunities! The first change I noticed in myself is that I approach …more

Meet the Spiritual Directors: Rev. Tim Phelps

October 24, 2019 / By Rev. Tim Phelps

Hi; this is Tim Phelps and I offer this brief introduction as a Spiritual Director in the UNY Conference. My wife Liz and I celebrated our 31st wedding anniversary this past summer. We have two young adult children. Liz and I live in Falconer, New York in the Cornerstone District Across the years, I have been aware of the presence of the Living Christ in my life. Attending Tending the …more

Meet the Spiritual Directors: Bonnie Kreutter

October 10, 2019 / By Bonnie Kreutter, Geneseo UMC / 1 Comment

Tending the Soul (TTS) is s a program designed to train individuals in Spiritual Direction and Congregational Formation. When I took the TTS training , I was focused on spiritual direction and thought “I’m not really interested in congregational formation.” At that point, I can now picture the Lord chuckling to Himself! Since completing the program, my work has been congregational formation pretty much, although I do …more

Spiritual directors—a support team for everyone in the UNY Conference

September 30, 2019 / By Rev. Nancy Dibelius, Associate Director of Vital Congregations for Spiritual Life in the UNY Conference / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) / 1 Comment

The Upper New York Conference has a team of spiritual directors. Spiritual directors are trained to be the non-anxious presence that can hold a safe, sacred space for others.  We believed that these were gifts and skills that could support, nurture, guide the unfolding of God’s deep desire for us as a people and as a Conference. Individuals trained in spiritual direction bring gifts and skills in …more