Inspired by the national You are Leaven Conference, held in April 2024, participants from Ottawa and Montreal are excited to offer this one day mini-conference here at home!
Spiritual formation is the lifelong process of growing in faith, understanding, and attentiveness to God. As the Church, we are called to partner with the Holy Spirit in this work, fermenting cultures of spiritual formation in our parishes and our people.
Come discover new practices and new ways of seeing old practices. Invite the Spirit to work in you and see what bubbles up.
You are strongly encouraged to attend You are Leaven with a group of 2-4 people from your parish so that you can bring what you learn home.
Thanks to our sponsors, is free for members of the Dioceses of Montreal and Ottawa. Space is limited – register early! Participants will choose one workshop from each of three categories (details below).
Everyday Spirituality
Pretzels with Aunt Pattie
The traditional pretzel shape represents two arms crossed in prayer. As far back as 610 AD, they were given to children as a reward for learning their prayers. They are made from simple ingredients such as flour, water and salt, they are easy to make and very filling, and they taste delicious! All of this makes pretzel making an ideal Lenten activity with a large group of children at a church event or with your own family. In our time together, as we make pretzels together, I will talk about my experiences making pretzels at Waupoos Family Farm on Good Friday for many years and how I have continued that tradition with my own family and neighbours.
Led by Patti Robillard
10,000 Steps for Jesus
walking as a spiritual practice – details to come
Spiritual Formation Through Role Playing Games
Step into a world of adventure and discovery in this unique one-hour seminar, where the Rev. Geoff Chapman guides participants through a session of Dungeons & Dragons. Together, we’ll explore themes of identity, morality, and the ways in which our choices shape the stories we live, all while embracing the joy of imaginative play. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or new to the game, this session invites you to rediscover the wonder of creativity and connection in a playful, reflective space.
Doodling
Led by Fresia Saborio and Neil Mancour of the Diocese of Montreal.
There are many different ways, we can express our spiritual selves. One way is through art, drawing, doodling, and crafting. Using media like this, prayer can be a way to express our deepest thoughts and desires in concrete ways. This can be an exercise of expression, whether using words, colours, or symbols
In this workshop we will use paint, crayons and collage, doodling and drawing to facilitate the expression of our souls in profound and surprising ways. We hope to provide a framework in which we can experience the presence of God in our lives, and for our participants to carry these practises home. No art experience is required and materials will be provided.
The Creative Connection: Art and Spirituality
Led by Karen Daley
Creativity and spirituality can go hand in hand. Join us for this workshop where we explore different ways to engage our creative sides through arts and crafts as an expression of prayer, study of scripture, and focused thought. I’ll share my experiences in some ways I’ve used different art and craft practices to enrich my faith journey, then we’ll spend some time in hands-on creativity and finish up by reflecting on what we’ve learned.
Practices of Prayer
Introduction to Contemplative Prayer Practices
Led by Kevin Flynn
Western Christianity, long characterized by a heavily didactic and propositional character, has been experiencing a renewal of contemplative practices over the last few decades. Both within churches and outside them, Christians have been taking part in various forms of meditation, yoga, tai chi, labyrinth walks, journaling, chant, and other practices. All offer a more direct, intuitive, experiential encounter with the divine. This workshop will give a brief overview of the variety of contemplative practices, but will focus in particular on how yoga, with its attention on movement and breath, and meditation — prayer using a single repeated word or phrase — can be life-giving for Christians.
Walking the Labyrinth
Details to come.
Spiritual Autobiography
Led by Mark Lewis and Pat Martin
As we live into our relationship with God, it’s good to be aware of who we are and mindful of how we got to where we are on our faith journey.
In this session, you will be given a tool to help consider the critical moments in your life that impacted your faith journey to this point.
Gospel-Based Discipleship
Led by Ben Stuchbery of the Diocese of Montreal.
This workshop will equip participants to lead Gospel-Based Discipleship in their parishes by having them facilitate the practice themselves.
Gospel-Based Discipleship comes to us from the Indigenous church. It is a highly adaptable prayer practice which anchors our common life in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus through a shared engagement with a passage from the gospels.
This practice is a gentle way of bringing the day-to-day affairs of parish life into conversation with the Gospel. Participants also learn about the faith of their neighbours as each respond in turn to what they hear Jesus saying to them in Scripture.
Praying with Music
Led by Joshua Zentner-Barrett.
Christian worship is full of music—it’s not just hymns! Though hymns form an important part of our worship, music shows up in many different places in our worship and invites us into new spiritual experiences. This workshop will explore the spirituality of music in worship beyond the hymn, engaging with psalms, short songs, instruments, and more.
Spirituality of Church Operations
Shaped by the Altar Guild
Led by Meghan Kitt
The act of undertaking small, methodical tasks is a centuries-old form of meditation: the work of the altar guild is shaped around the liturgy and the church space, and so shapes our own thoughts toward the beautiful expression of God in this time and place.
The collaborative work of the guild enables those at all stages in their own spiritual journeys to deepen their Christian education and faith by caring for one another and working and exploring together. In both discussion and practice, we will explore expressions of beauty, hospitality, inclusion, and devotion in the altar guild and its work.
Sacred Hospitality: A Transforming Practice
Led by Jon Martin
The practice of sacred hospitality challenges us to be open to the transformation that comes from genuine engagement and connection with the world around us. Whether you’re concerned about polarization between people, wondering how to address decline within your parish or community, or are struggling with a community that seems resistant to change, sacred hospitality has something to offer. This workshop introduces the founding principles of sacred hospitality, as well as a leadership tool that can serve as a framework for your parish or faith community.
Change as Spiritual Formation
Led by Rhonda Waters
We all know that change is inevitable. In this workshop, we will explore ways to respond to change in spiritually life-giving ways for ourselves and for our parishes. Learn organization development tools, Biblical images, and prayer practices to support you during times of transition.
Pastoral Care
Led by Hilary Murray
Details to come.
Parish Administration
Led by Joel Amis of the Diocese of Montreal
Details to come.
You are Leaven Ottawa is sponsored by the Anglican Studies Program at St. Paul’s University, the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa’s Learning Commons, and the Anglican Diocese of Montreal.