Spiritual Direction is:
“An ancient ministry of the church, it is a relationship in which one person assists another, or others, in attending to God’s presence and call. Spiritual direction has been, and remains, particularly strong within Roman Catholic and Orthodox religious orders, and over the past twenty years Anglican and Protestant traditions have begun to recover it more fully. There is also growing interest in spiritual direction among other faith traditions, such as Judaism and Buddhism.
Throughout Christian history, spiritual direction has traditionally been practiced by ordained clergy alone. In recent years, however, this practice has widened to embrace the spiritual gifts of non-ordained persons as well. Today, spiritual direction is regarded as a ministry open to all, not an order or office reserved for the few.” – Presbyterian Church, USA
“Can mean different things to different people. Some people understand it to be the art of listening carried out in the context of a trusting relationship. It is when one person is trained to be a competent guide who then “companions” another person, listening to that person’s life story with an ear for the movement of the Holy, of the Divine.” – Rev. Jeffrey Gaines
If you are interested in spiritual direction and would like to set an appointment with one of our spiritual directors, please contact one of them below.
Spiritual Directors at Seventh Avenue Church (click to send email):
The Rev. Jeffrey Gaines, Pastor
The Rev. Ellen Rankin, Parish Associate
Melvin Fujikawa, Former Interim Lead Pastor, Christian Layman Church in Oakland
The Rev. Scott Quinn, Executive Director, Marin Interfaith Council
You can learn more about spiritual direction here.
