Deep Listening in the Neighborhood: Across the Great Age Divide

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

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The trend is clear.  Younger generations have been leaving organized religion for years.  Individual reasons may vary but the general trend leans towards a dissatisfaction and hypocrisy within institutional religion, especially around issues related to sexuality and inclusion.  Older progressives may say things are different in their congregation, but younger generations are often not having it.  Within the United Methodist church especially, the current rhetoric of disaffiliation and division creates barriers that young people often do not want to deal with.  They are done.  As congregations deal with fewer and fewer people coming through their doors, even while rainbow flags fly, the "spiritual but not religious" proclivity along with other generational stretches continues impacting our neighborhoods.

How do we listen across the great age divide confronting us today?

We invite spiritual directors, companions, and deep listeners to join us for our first Deep Listening in the Neighborhood cohort training series.  This new ADVANCED learning cohort will enrich and expand your vocation as a spiritual companion and deep listener by deepening your skills and widening your perspectives on particular relationships (aka "neighborhoods"). Each year we will invite you to focus on particular relationships in your neighborhood, recognizing that there will be great variety in the spaces within which we live and listen.  Our inaugural series (October 2023-May 2024) looks at the "Great Age Divide" within institutional religion around issues related to sex, gender, and issues facing our LGBTQ neighbors.

Rooted in the Christian contemplative tradition, Deep Listening in the Neighborhood combines narrative-based conversations, stretching spiritual practices, reflective engagement, and focused listening skills in efforts to be God’s loving, listening presence in our neighborhoods.  Five online sessions spread across eight months will focus on a particular relevant theme and build upon foundational principles and experiences of spiritual direction/deep listening. Participants must have prior training and practice of spiritual direction/deep listening.  Sessions meet via Zoom from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (eastern) on selected Tuesdays, with optional cohort small groups meeting between sessions.

2023-24 Cohort Focus: Listening Across the Great Age Divide

  • October 24, 2023 = Deep Listening with Neighborhood Focus, Understanding Contexts, Understanding Roles, Discerning a Neighborhood Listening Experience
  • December 5, 2023 = Deep Listening with LGBTQ+ Neighbors (guest presenter)
  • February 20, 2024 = Deep Listening into Wholeness, Eco-centric Listening, Generational Attachments
  • April 9, 2024 = Deep Listening with Millennial Neighbors (guest panel)
  • May 24, 2024 = Trauma-informed Listening, Neighboring Next Steps

Costs for the 5 ONLINE sessions with cohort optional gatherings in between: $375
(Listening Collective Member price: $300**)

** To join the Listening Collective and receive support for your vocation of listening, including discounts for this series and other training events, click here for more information.

In preparation for "Deep Listening in the Neighborhood: Across the Great Age Divide," we encourage you to join us for our one-day "Listening Together," spiritual director enrichment training on Thursday, September 28 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. as we look at "Listening Through the Millennial Divide".  Click here to register.

Email us if you have any questions.

About the leader(s)

John Kiemele

Facilitator: John Kiemele, PhD, is a wellbeing educator and spiritual director who companions individuals, teaches various seminars and lifestyle classes, leads contemplative retreats, and also serves as Program Director at Rolling Ridge. With a focus on contemplative soul care, John walks alongside individuals and groups assisting them with life-giving connections and wellbeing practices. Recognizing how intentional pausing and deep listening unlocks life, John strives to engage the whole person – body, mind, soul – in the lifelong process of living well. He is Director Emeritus of a dispersed community of contemplative companions in the greater Seattle area called Selah Center, former Executive Director of SoulStream Initiatives in western Canada, and is an ordained clergy having served congregations across the US and Canada. John received his PhD in education/spirituality with post-doctoral emphases in Spiritual Direction, Mindful Self-Compassion, the Enneagram Spectrum, and Wellness Coaching.

Jacquelyn Trotter Dove

Rev. Jackie Trotter Dove, DMin, is a retired United Methodist clergy and founder of Paraclete Place, a nonprofit that provides spiritual companionship, short-term residency, and medical advocacy to cancer survivors and their families. Jackie currently resides on beautiful Lake Gaston in North Carolina and is director of the Rolling Ridge advanced spiritual direction training, “Deep Listening in the Neighborhood”.  She is also a member of the Rolling Ridge Board of Directors.

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