Blessings of this
Advent season!
If you have experienced one or more of our offerings here at The Sophia Center for Spirituality, perhaps you have witnessed a deepening in your spiritual life. As we near the end of our major funding, we hope that the value you have received from our programs will urge you to donate now in support of our future.
Throughout our four-year existence, we have observed shifts in our culture and attempted to be responsive to needs. Our desire to reach an ever broader, diverse audience has caused us to move toward issues of inclusion and justice, contemplative listening and dialogue, and mindfulness as it is practiced in a number of religious and spiritual traditions. These events have proven very meaningful and have brought new attendees to our center in greater numbers each year. We have seen our participation increase from 140 individuals in 2014 to 1,021 during 2017. We continue what we consider our core offerings: centering prayer, Sunday evening Taizé prayer services, quiet Saturday mornings and 24-hour retreats, Lunch with the Psalms and a blog post very nearly every day that we hope sustains continual connection with our substantial and ever-increasing readership. (To date: 641 followers with visitors from 128 countries).
We have always seen the Sophia Center programs as a “threshold to wisdom schools” in addition to the value of each of our offerings for their own sake. This past year we have begun to see participation of local wisdom seekers in these retreats led by my colleagues Bill Redfield, Deborah Welsh and myself. This, in addition to the positive feedback from participants in all our endeavors, is a special sign to me that we are moving forward.
Since its inception, The Sophia Center for Spirituality has been almost totally funded by the Narthex Trust, from the estate of Helen Daly. (See “Messages from the Program Director” on our website for more information.) It was Helen’s wish that the funds from her estate be totally distributed within five years. We will reach that endpoint next year, having received word that we will be funded through 2018. Our gratitude for Helen’s generosity is beyond measure but now more than ever, as wise stewards, we must prepare for the future. Thus we ask for your donation to assure the continuance of our programming. Please keep us in your prayers that the Spirit will continue to inspire us all to deeper love.
May you be greatly blessed during this holiday season and throughout the coming year!
Sister Lois A. Barton, CSJ Mrs. Barbara E. Kane
Program Director Executive Director
To donate, send a check made out to The Sophia Center for Spirituality to us at 30 Main Street, Binghamton, NY 13905. You may also donate online with your credit card through our PayPal account here:
Staff
Lois Barton, CSJ, program director, is a Sister of St. Joseph. She has extensive experience in religious education and spiritual formation and is currently working full time in spiritual direction and retreat ministry. She lives with three other Sisters of St. Joseph at the Spiritual Center in Windsor, a small, ecumenical retreat place. She holds a Master’s Certificate in Pastoral Ministry from Loyola University in New Orleans and a certificate in spiritual direction from the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse.
Barbara Kane, executive director, has ministered in faith formation and parish ministry for almost 30 years including experience facilitating days of reflection and retreat. Her educational background includes an MA in Theological Studies from Marywood University and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse.
Mary Pat Hyland, webmaster and administrative assistant.
that all may be one
ADVENT 2017
The Sophia Center for Spirituality