Expansion of the Centre

It was a joy and an honor to share the good news of the Centre for Spiritual Renewal over the past 7 years at the 2025 Synod for the Diocese of New Westminster. After 21 seasons of programing, 14 other churches are interested in exploring having a Centre in their parish to join the 5 Centres! Here is the message shared by the Inter-parish Director, the Reverend Lorie Martin, and founding Director, the Reverend David Taylor:

The Centre for Spiritual Renewal - Synod Presentation – May 2025

Good Morning! I am Lorie Martin, the Vicar at the Parish of St. Thomas in Chilliwack. I have been invited to share about the ministry of the Centre for Spiritual Renewal. I invite us to begin with a quiet moment to take a breath, open our minds and hearts to not only talk about spiritual renewal, but to experience a little bit of it in even these brief moments.

Please follow along as we pray this embodied prayer:

Here I am, as I am                    (W)Holy, Human    

In this world, as it is                 Sacred, Profane

Ever connected                          In this wondrous luminous web 

Ever abiding                                 In the Heart of God

In this abiding and listening place, I wonder what Spirit may whisper to you. What might your heart need to hear today? May you be blessed. Amen.

The Centre is a network of parishes in DONW that provides a wide variety of spiritual support, gatherings, and faith practices for everyone on their Christian journey. The Centre engages the riches of Anglican and other spiritual traditions to encounter the love, wisdom, and healing of God that form and nurture us to be a sacred presence in this ever-changing and challenging world and to be a place of radical hospitality.

Dreams come true! Spiritual Renewal Happens!

The Centre began 7 years ago at the parish of St. Dunstan’s in Aldergrove as a dream and a longing to have a place and gatherings for spiritual renewal. Through seasonal programs and the flowing of the Holy Spirit – the dream came true! Parishioners deepen in their experience of God and enter into the liturgy and sacraments of the church with fresh meaning. The Centre has offered 21 seasonal programs and has reached hundreds of people over the 7 years. Rev. David Taylor, Founding Director, shares what he has noticed about the Centre.

The Centre – An Outreach: ‘Spiritual Hanger’ – David Taylor

"When God made us, God put inside each of us a hunger. A hunger to connect with God. A hunger for love, for peace, for joy and for justice.

We, however, are not always quick to eat the food God has provided for us. Far too often our spiritual hunger turns into a spiritual hanger. We become so spiritually hangry that we do what we ought not to do and do not do what we ought to do. And there is no health in us.

Spiritual hanger is marked by growing despair, hopelessness, rage, violence and apathy. We see it all over the world. We see it in our neighbourhoods and in the church. There are people all around us who are spiritually hangry.

The Centre for Spiritual Renewal is our way of ensuring God’s children have access to good spiritual food. Through spiritual practices, prayer, retreats and community, the Centre is an outreach program for those inside and outside the church to help satisfy the hunger God has placed in our hearts."

Dreams come true! Spiritual Renewal Happens!

 And then there was another dream – the dream to share the ministry of the Centre in more locations – and that dream came true! The Centre collaboration is now growing in 5 parishes with a few more planning to open in the coming months. Stay tuned.

The Centre’s development was assisted by the Diocesan Parish Development School and Parish Development grants for which all are so very thankful.

To offer insight, experience, and encouragement, an Advisory Team was formed 3 years ago. We are so grateful for Archbishop John, the Reverends Tellison Glover, Jessica Schaap, David Taylor, Dixie Black, Anne Crosthwait and the priests of each parish involved.

The Diocese has further encouraged the Centre ministry this year by supporting an Inter-parish Director/Co-ordinator (that’s me – Lorie) and a Communications facilitator (James), to assist parishes that want to establish a Centre ministry in their parish. This initiative is to offer clergy and congregations resources and support without it being a burden.

The Program is designed to reflect each parish’s unique community and their values and attract new people to God. The Centre program in each parish is simply a container to hold existing spiritual formation gatherings PLUS any additional offerings through the parish, the community, or the Inter-parish programs. In this way we share resources and the parish priest and leadership don’t have to ‘do it all’. There is a Centre website, and we have an Information Booklet for those interested in the possibility of connecting or growing a Centre.

I’d like to share a response from a person who recently attended a Centre event: “The Centre gathering offered a rich, sensitive and beautiful atmosphere for Spiritual growth!” “This was undoubtedly a transformational experience for me.” “My energy is refreshed, my spirit is strengthened, and my prayer-life has deepened.”

Dreams come true! Spiritual Renewal Happens!

I wonder what you dream of for collective spirituality and spiritual renewal for yourself and for your parish. I’d love to hear – Let’s chat! Thank you.