Spirituality advisers meet for first time in 10 years

A national gathering of Church of England spirituality advisers met at Launde Abbey, Leicestershire, last week to explore spirituality as mission.

Organised by the Association for Promoting Retreats, the first meeting of its kind for 10 years saw representation from the majority of Anglican dioceses and received the endorsement of both the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu.

The consultation programme was the culmination of a year's careful planning and included speakers the Rev Steve Hollinghurst and the Rev Simon Small, as well as opportunities for conversations about spiritual direction, regional gatherings, prayer, worship and meditation.

It followed a series of regional meetings in the spring, in which spirituality advisers nominated by their diocesan bishops were invited to give their input into the programme.

Chair of APR and Warden of Launde Abbey, the Rev Tim Blewett, commented: "We are delighted to have provided a forum for engaging in spirituality for which there is such a growing need in our churches and communities.

"The consultation has been a place of open sharing, dialogue and listening, to which the response of spirituality advisers had been overwhelmingly positive and from which we have already made plans to set up regular gatherings of this kind both nationally and regionally."

The Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Woolwich and President of APR, took an active and leading role in the event and commented that there had been a "generosity of spirit and a genuine openness with which people engaged with the consultation and explored the meaning of spirituality in Church and society today."

He also spoke of "sowing the seeds that will bring new life" to the significant and growing ministry of Christian spirituality.