God created us so that He could generously care for us!
Every one of us has a tenacious desire for satisfaction, whether we know He’s the real treasure or not.
God’s answer is the gift of His Son. Jesus is the Bread of Life, the end of all our hunger. By His cross He saves us from the hopeless struggle to survive on our own and brings us home to our Father where we can grow secure in His love.
In the beginning, God spoke beauty, order, and life out of nothing. He continues to speak the healing word today, enabling us to:
• Receive the Bread of Life rather than sweating for unsatisfying food.
• Know His goodness in areas where we’ve been deprived.
• Embrace our creative desires and leave despair behind.
All seekers of the kingdom of God! Those who struggle with roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. This retreat will equip pastors and Christian workers to help others cross the threshold to self-acceptance.
Location
The retreat will be held at Living Waters Church in Medford, OR.
The church is very close to Rogue Valley International Medford Airport.
Schedule
Thursday night, February 18 to Saturday evening, Feb 20.
Fee
$325/person
The retreat fee includes sessions, materials, and meals — lunch and dinner on Friday, lunch on Saturday.
I cannot explain my identity, nor can I somehow prove myself. Rather I must accept myself.
Romano Guardini, The Acceptance of Yourself
Hate burns like wildfire in our world today, and no heart is immune. Even our sincere efforts to improve ourselves and build a better world are too easily infected with hostility.
Jesus came to rescue us from this vicious cycle. He restores us and our world with LOVE. We can only truly follow Him when we accept ourselves as He has accepted us. Join us to grow in the life-changing Christian virtue of self-acceptance!
Through worship, teaching, and prayer, this retreat will impart real self-acceptance so that we:
• Become as lovingly patient with ourselves and one another as God is with us;
• Experience our Father’s loving gaze and find freedom from painful self-consciousness;
• Follow Jesus with the courage that is the birthright of every child of God!
Who is invited
All seekers of the kingdom of God! Those who struggle with roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. This retreat will equip pastors and Christian workers to help others cross the threshold to self-acceptance.
Location
The retreat will be held at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien, Illinois, known for their nurturing, gracious atmosphere. Our schedule will include time to enjoy the paths and meditation garden on the 40-acre campus.
The retreat center is 20 miles south of Chicago, 40-55 minutes (driving time depending on traffic) from Chicago’s airports.
Schedule
Thursday evening, April 29 – Saturday afternoon, May 1
Fee
$225/person, double occupancy $295/person, single occupancy
The retreat fee includes sessions, materials, and meals from Thursday dinner through Saturday lunch.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Ephesians 3:14-17a
As this prayer is answered, we find the true center of our being – a safe inner space of peace and strength. Although we know Christ and strive to live with Him, inside we may carry broken fragments from the wounding experiences of life, which prevent us from living fully with God.
The Spirit wants to show us the way so that we no longer live from the centers of our woundedness, but from our true center in Christ.
Come, receive through these recordings of our retreat in Mirenski Grad, Slovenia, February, 2026. Let us learn together to find this inner space where the Lord wants to meet us, speak to us, and grant us forgiveness, renewal, healing, and confirmation.
The Good Shepherd (John 10)
To know God at all is to know Him as the Good Shepherd. This opening welcome prepares our hearts to be met by Him in this retreat.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Living Our Baptism
For all who receive Him, Christ becomes the true center of our lives and beings – Another lives in me! Because of this incarnational reality, we can truly put off the old life and put on Christ, experiencing the fullness of baptismal life.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
The Virtue of Self-Acceptance
Following Jesus into maturity means accepting ourselves as God accepts us, leaving self-hatred behind, and trusting in Christ’s righteousness as our own. Knowing God as Father and receiving His personal affirmation enables us to develop this essential Christian virtue.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Receiving Forgiveness
God gives forgiveness freely, but our hearts can be blocked from receiving His gift. This session addresses the common blocks to living as forgiven people so we can walk in the Spirit.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Prayer for Father Wounds
Healing of memories is the heart’s experience of forgiveness of sin at the precise sore spot where it is needed. In this prayer we open our hearts to any wound the Lord desires to heal in relation to our fathers.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Forgiving Others
Forgiving those who’ve sinned against us is essential to living in union with Christ. In this session we look at how forgiveness fits in the process of reconciliation, and work through some of the most challenging types of unforgiveness that can burden our hearts and relationships.
Presenter: András Lovas
Receiving and Responding as Sons and Daughters
It is our privilege to listen to God’s voice. Although we are prone to tune in to other voices, He is merciful and ready to revive the damaged will and restore us to an upright posture of responsive dependence on Him.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
The Disease of Introspection
Compulsively turning attention inward on the self misuses our rational abilities and makes the heart sick. This session facilitates repentance from diseased self-analysis and engages with Love to restore the capacity to be.
Presenter: Uwe Buß
Receiving the Gift of Life: Being and Well-being
By taking Jesus as our model of what we are meant to be, we see that we are made to be accepted and sustained in God’s love from the womb to eternity. This session considers developmental threats to being and well-being and how personal wholeness is restored through Christ, and concludes with prayer ministry.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Prayer for healing of fears
We need to know that God is absolutely good, and that His love is really able to reach us, save us, and make us whole. In this life, fears can take root in our heart and interfere with our trust in God. In this session we open our hearts to Jesus for His healing ministry.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Hope for becoming our true selves
As we find our true center in Christ, we leave our diseased attitudinal patterns behind. Hope protects against despair and energizes us as pilgrims-on-the-way to fulfillment in God’s heavenly presence.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
Prayer for Hope
This time of corporate prayer ministry facilitates repentance from despair and fresh receptivity to receiving the divine gift of hope and courage to be our true selves.
God created us so that He could generously care for us! Every one of us has a tenacious desire for satisfaction, whether we know He’s the real treasure or not. Our desires can get us into trouble but shutting them down doesn’t free us either.
God’s answer is the gift of His Son. Jesus is the Bread of Life, the end of all our hunger. By His cross He saves us from the hopeless struggle to survive on our own and brings us home to our Father where we can grow secure in His love.
In the beginning, God spoke beauty, order, and life out of nothing. He continues to speak the healing word today, enabling us to:
• Receive the Bread of Life rather than sweating for unsatisfying food.
• Know His goodness in areas where we’ve been deprived.
• Embrace our creative desires and leave despair behind.
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who have hit roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in caregiving roles will be equipped to help others live in the fullness of God’s life.
We need help from Christ’s Body to come into the overflowing well-being He means to give. Through worship, teaching, and prayer this retreat will offer that help, and equip us to help others find fullness of life in Him.
Retreat Location
Faith Bible College 749 Welcome Bay Road, Tauranga, BOP, NZ
Accommodations
Faith Bible offers simple, clean accommodations, including rooms with ensuite bathrooms and others set up as two-bedroom apartments with shared living spaces and bathrooms. Linens and towels are provided. A limited number of rooms are available for the retreat, and lodging includes two nights, linens, and breakfast. The cost is $106 USD per person. You may register for accommodations when you complete your event registration, as long as space remains.
If you prefer to stay in a local hotel, we have reserved a block of rooms at The Tauranga on the Waterfront. To secure a room, please call +64 7 578 7079 and request the “Ministries of Pastoral Care” rate: Queen Bed, $220.00 per night. Please note that reservations must be made by August 15 to receive this special rate.
Registration Schedule
Thursday, October 29: 7pm Worship
Friday – Saturday, October 30-31: 9am – 6pm (both days include lunch)
Registration Fee
$132 (USD) – The retreat fee covers all sessions, materials, and three meals. Need-based scholarships can be requested at registration.
$106 (USD) – Lodging at the retreat center, optional ($238 USD total for retreat fees and lodging)
Registration will be received through October 22, 2026
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
God created us so that He could generously care for us! Every one of us has a tenacious desire for satisfaction, whether we know He’s the real treasure or not. Our desires can get us into trouble but shutting them down doesn’t free us either.
God’s answer is the gift of His Son. Jesus is the Bread of Life, the end of all our hunger. By His cross He saves us from the hopeless struggle to survive on our own and brings us home to our Father where we can grow secure in His love.
In the beginning, God spoke beauty, order, and life out of nothing. He continues to speak the healing word today, enabling us to:
• Receive the Bread of Life rather than sweating for unsatisfying food.
• Know His goodness in areas where we’ve been deprived.
• Embrace our creative desires and leave despair behind.
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who have hit roadblocks in following Jesus will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in caregiving roles will be equipped to help others live in the fullness of God’s life.
We need help from Christ’s Body to come into the overflowing well-being He means to give. Through worship, teaching, and prayer this retreat will offer that help, and equip us to help others find fullness of life in Him.
Retreat Location
Paradise Point Uniting Church 126 Paradise Parade, Paradise Point Gold Coast, Queensland
Retreat Schedule
October 23-24, 2026
Friday & Saturday: 9am – 6pm (both days include lunch)
Registration Fee
$132 (USD) – The retreat fee covers all sessions, materials, and three meals.
Registration will be received through October 16, 2026
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Thank you for your interest in attending an MPC Retreat or School. We are grateful for your desire to grow in ministry and to connect with what God is doing through MPC gatherings around the world.
If you are an international ministry leader who needs a Letter of Invitation to attend, please review the information below carefully. Following these steps will help ensure there is enough time for your application to be processed and for us to prepare the necessary documentation.
How to Request a Letter of Invitation
Complete the online Letter of Invitation Request Form. All Letter of Invitation requests must be submitted at least 6 months before the event date. This timeframe allows you to complete your embassy or consulate application and gives MPC sufficient time to verify your information and prepare your invitation documents.
We look forward to welcoming you to an MPC Retreat or School.
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Encounter the living Christ, be filled with His wholeness, and sent in His love.
Five life-transforming days with God and His people
Anointed and relatable teaching that exudes the love of Jesus. Ministry team available to connect one-on-one with compassion and truth. Powerful corporate worship led by a skilled music team. Breathing room for personal reflection, debriefing, resting and enjoying creation. Genuine fellowship around family-style meals, hiking trails, the evening fire pit, even a just-for-fun square dance.
What’s the location like?
Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center is in a beautiful, natural setting in the Cascade foothills. The lodges are set within eight acres of gardens, ponds, and hiking trails. For a video tour of the retreat center, click here. The retreat center is located 110 miles north of Seattle.
Cedar Springs accommodations offer comfortable beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, and free Wi-Fi. Linens and towels are provided. Each room has a view of the beautiful gardens and forested hillsides nearby and easy access to the dining room where delicious family style-meals are served.
What is the teaching like?
A sample of the teaching at Cedar Springs, from Sarah Colyn — “My God, in His steadfast love, will meet me.”
Who should participate?
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend.
Those who are struggling with the wounds and compulsions that are common in our world today will find real help.
Pastors and lay leaders from all Christian traditions, and those in caregiving roles such as counseling, medicine, and prayer ministry will be refreshed and equipped to help others.
The school is designed for ages 18 and up, and young adults are especially encouraged to take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.
If it isn’t just for pastors, why is it called pastoral care?
Jesus is the buon pastore, the Good Shepherd, and pastoral care is His work. He announced what He came to accomplish in us when He read from the scroll of Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19a
Come and let Jesus do this work in your life, and you’ll end up growing in your capacity to share His wholeness with others. In these five life-transforming days, we’ll deal with common barriers to knowing that God’s is with you and within you, and you’ll be equipped to more fully collaborate with Him in every part of life.
Schedule
Our opening session begins at 4:00 PM, Sunday, July 19, and the final session concludes Thursday evening, July 23.
Meals begin with dinner Sunday evening and conclude with breakfast Friday morning Lodging is included Sunday through Thursday nights.
The daily schedule includes space for rest, reflection, and enjoyment of the gardens, boating on the ponds, and forested hiking trails.
Music
Musical worship opens our hearts and moves us into our most authentic, wholesome posture as human beings.
Our music team members serve with deep reverence, humbly offering their professional musicianship to lead us into adoration and awe of our holy God.
Enjoy this playlist Emily has created if you’d like to get familiar with some of the songs we’ll sing together or revisit the music once you’re back home.
Travel
Plan to arrive at Cedar Springs between 12:00–3:30 PM on Sunday, July 19 for check-in.
Air Travel: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the nearest major airport, a 3-hour drive from Cedar Springs.
A round-trip private bus is available from SEA airport for $125. If you need transportation to and from the retreat center, please register by Friday, July 3 to secure a space on the shuttle.
The shuttle departs at 9:00 AM on Sunday, July 19, and returns by 12:00 PM on Friday, July 24.
We strongly recommend arriving in Seattle on Saturday, July 18, and booking return flights after 2:00 PM on July 24.
Registration
The registration fee covers full participation in the school, materials, meals, and accommodations.
$1125 per person, double occupancy $1525 per person, single occupancy plusstate and local tax
Registration closes July 10, 2026.
What’s the best way to prepare?
We encourage all attendees to read The Healing Presence and Restoring the Christian Soul by Leanne Payne as preparation for the school. The books are published by Baker Book House and are available from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and BakerPublishingGroup.com and the audio books are available from audible.com and audiobooks.com.
What topics are addressed?
We bring the Good News to bear on the challenges that believers face today. Key issues we address include:
• Practicing God’s presence and listening prayer in Christian maturity
• Removing barriers to wholeness in Christ: the need to forgive, receive forgiveness, and accept ourselves in Him
• Healing attachment wounds, finding personhood and wellbeing in Christ
• Affirming wholesome sexuality, gender identity, and relationships
• Enriching Christian symbol, liturgy, and the language of the heart
• Renouncing common manifestations of idolatry and becoming truer worshippers of God
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Scholarships are funded by donor gifts. Partner with us in opening the way for those who want to build up Christ’s church!
“Once Christ abides within, one with our spirits, then His life can radiate throughout our souls. As His light encounters dark places of unforgiveness and woundedness within us, healing can take place.“
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Queensland, Australia, February 2025. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Tauranga, New Zealand, February 2025. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from our Retreat in Virginia Beach, Virginia, November 2024. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today.
The Holy One at the Center
Receiving the Gift of Life: Dynamic Cycle of Being
Practicing God’s Presence
Responding as Sons and Daughters: The Vertical Position
Pastoral care is the proclaiming, healing, and freeing work of the Spirit of God. Jesus announced His ministry by reading from the scroll of Isaiah, and He sends His Spirit into the Church today:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” —Luke 4:18-19a
You are invited to come and receive from the Lord, and in doing so you’ll grow in your capacity to offer this care to others. This school will address barriers to knowing God’s presence with us, equipping you to more fully collaborate with Him in every part of life.
Who should attend?
All seekers of the kingdom of God are encouraged to attend. Those who are struggling with the wounds and compulsions that are common in our world today will find real help. Ministers and lay leaders from all denominations, and those in lay and professional caregiving roles such as counseling, medicine, and prayer ministry will be refreshed and equipped to help others. The school is designed for ages 18 and up, and young adults are especially encouraged to take advantage of this life-changing opportunity.
What topics are covered?
We desire to see the full healing power of the gospel active in the Church, and so we bring the Good News to bear on the challenges that believers face today. Key issues we address include:
Practicing God’s presence and listening prayer in Christian obedience
Removing barriers to wholeness in Christ: the need to forgive, receive forgiveness, and accept ourselves in Him
Healing attachment wounds, finding personhood and wellbeing in Christ
Affirming wholesome sexuality, gender identity, and relationships
Enriching Christian symbol, liturgy, and the language of the heart
Renouncing common manifestations of idolatry and becoming truer worshippers of God
What’s the best way to prepare for the school?
We encourage all attendees to read The Healing Presence and Restoring the Christian Soul by Leanne Payne as preparation for the school. The Broken Image and Crisis in Masculinity by Leanne Payne are also recommended. The books are published by Baker Book House and are available from Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and BakerPublishingGroup.com and the audio books are available from audible.com and audiobooks.com.
Where is the school being held?
Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center in Sumas, Washington, USA. Cedar Springs is in a beautiful, natural setting in the Cascade foothills within eight acres of gardens, ponds, and hiking trails. For a video tour of the retreat center, clickhere. Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center is located 110 miles north of Seattle, WA in Sumas, WA.
Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center
Cedar Springs accommodations offer comfortable beds, ensuite bathrooms with showers, and free Wi-Fi. Linens and towels are provided. Each room has a view of the beautiful gardens and forested hillsides nearby and easy access to the dining hall. A full meal service is provided for those attending the school.
Travel
Please check in at Cedar Springs between 12:00–3:30 PM on Sunday, July 20. The opening session begins at 4:00 PM. Meals start with Sunday dinner and end with Friday breakfast. The final session concludes at 8:30 PM on Thursday, July 24. Lodging is included Thursday night for those departing Friday morning.
Air Travel: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is the nearest major airport, about 3 hours from Cedar Springs. A round-trip private bus is available from SEA for $125. It departs at 9:00 AM on Sunday, July 20, and returns by 12:00 PM on Friday, July 25. We strongly recommend arriving in Seattle on Saturday, July 19, and booking return flights after 2:00 PM on July 25. Detailed meeting instructions will be sent in early July. Reserve your seat by July 10, registration link is in your welcome email.
Registration Fee
The registration fee covers full participation in the school, including meals and accommodations. $1125 per person, double occupancy $1525 per person, double occupancy
Registration is now closed. Ministries of Pastoral Care reserves the right to decline any registration. Cancellations prior to May 16 will receive a full refund. If you must cancel after May 16, we’re not able to provide a refund due to our own non-refundable costs.
Scholarships
If the registration fee is a barrier to your participation, please request a scholarship. We will review your request, and if we have sufficient funds, will provide you with a scholarship code to use when registering.
Scholarships are funded by donor gifts. Partner with us in opening the way for those who want to build up Christ’s church! Donate on our site or contact the registrar.
“Once Christ abides within, one with our spirits, then His life can radiate throughout our souls. As His light encounters dark places of unforgiveness and woundedness within us, healing can take place.“
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Thursday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: Receiving the Gift of Life: Being & Well-being
By taking Jesus as our model of what we are meant to be, we see that we are made to be accepted and sustained in God’s love from the womb to eternity. This session looks at developmental threats to being and well-being and how personal wholeness is restored through Christ’s death-defeating, life-giving cross.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: Healing of Memories: Forgiving the Unforgivable
Anjonette shares about the profound healing she experienced in relation to her early relationship with her father. “Sometimes the memories that need healing go far back in time, back before conscious memory. But the heart knows; it does not forget.” (Payne, Restoring the Christian Soul)
Presenter: Anjonette Baum
#3: The Virtue of Hope
This supernatural virtue is a God-given grace that must be pursued and cultivated. Hope protects against despair and energizes us as pilgrims-on-the-way to fulfillment in God’s heavenly presence. This recording includes the “treasure chest” prayer to illuminate the desires of the heart.
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Wednesday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: God Within Us: Becoming the True Self
Every person who has accepted Christ has a home within, a place of quiet rest and strength. This is the true self, and as we grow into the truth of who we are in Christ, we simultaneously die to the illusions that the old man embraced.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, but thankfully much of the message remains understandable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: The Disease of Introspection vs. Listening to God
Compulsively turning attention inward on the self misuses our rational abilities and makes the heart sick. This session facilitates repentance from diseased self-analysis and engages with Love to restore the capacity to be.
Presenter: Uwe Buß
#3: Forgiving Others
Forgiving those who’ve sinned against us is essential to living in union with Christ. In this session we look at how forgiveness fits in the process of reconciliation, and work through some of the most challenging types of unforgiveness that can burden our hearts and relationships.
Presenter: Cody Crichton
#4: Freedom in Christ: Renouncing Sexual Idolatry
A right understanding of the sexual union of husband and wife shows the nature of God’s love and His plan to make us one with Him. This session calls all of us – married, single, or celibate – out of idolatrous and enslaving distortions of sex and into the dignity of personal integration.
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Tuesday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: Knowing God Rightly
God has provided good and true symbols in scripture and creation so we can know Him as He really is. In this session we invite Him to correct distortions and heal fears in our picture of what He is like, and consider how His image is reflected in a profoundly special way in the marriage of man and woman. This recording includes the “garden of the heart” prayer for healing of fears.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: The Journey of Self-Acceptance in Christ
Following Jesus into maturity means accepting ourselves as God accepts us, leaving self-hatred behind, and trusting in Christ’s righteousness as our own. Tommy Briggs shares his personal journey of coming to know God as Father and growing in this essential Christian virtue.
Presenter: Tommy Briggs
#3: The Image and Healing of Man
Whole men are creation’s best symbol of the masculine virtues. In this session we consider how men develop as unique saints, those who have the potential to be natural and spiritual fathers, and address the hatred of men and masculinity that can injure their becoming.
Presenter: Tom Wright
#4: The Image and Healing of Woman
Whole women image the true feminine while also participating in and completing the masculine. This session honors God’s image in woman and ministers to the hatred of the feminine that is part of the spiritual attack against God’s kingdom.
We are pleased to share these live audio recordings from Monday at the 2023 Cedar Springs school. They are offered for your edification and healing, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will anoint them afresh for you today. The recordings include musical worship at the beginning of each session.
#1: The Holy One is With Us
To know God at all is to know Him as holy, and He imparts this knowledge through His incarnational presence with and within us. This session lays the foundation for the rest of the school and begins exploring our call to abide in Christ.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, but thankfully much of the message remains understandable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#2: Sacramental Participation, Eucharistic Living
Our lives and all creation are God’s gift, given so that we might participate in His life. We find ourselves in finding Him, and can offer every moment and situation back to Him with gratitude.
Due to technical difficulties, the audio recording of this session has some sound distortion, but thankfully much of the message remains understandable. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Colyn
#3: Receiving God’s Forgiveness
God gives forgiveness freely, but our hearts can be blocked from receiving His gift. This session addresses the common blocks to living as forgiven people so we can walk in the Spirit.
Presenters: Nicole Adams and Anjonette Baum
#4: Obedience and the Vertical Position
It is our privilege to listen to God’s voice. Although we are prone to tune in to other voices, He is merciful and ready to revive the damaged will and restore us to an upright posture of responsive dependence on Him.
We are pleased to share the live audio recordings from the 2023 Cedar Springs school. These plenary sessions can be listened to sequentially or individually. The audio can be found by selecting the day of the week below.
As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood,
to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. — I Peter 2:4-5 (ESV)
To foster the spiritual and psychological maturity of pastoral caregivers through union with Christ.
June 30, 2023, 9:00-10:30 am PDT
Topic: On leisure, the basis of pastoral care
This webinar will continue asking what it takes for pastoral caregivers to be true “talking beasts” – those who hear the call to awake, love, think, and speak! As the northern hemisphere heads into vacation season, we’ll look at the essential role that leisure plays in a vibrant, in-Christ life. Pastors and counselors are often urged to practice good self-care in order to prevent burnout, but true leisure has an even higher purpose and value. We’ll apply Josef Pieper’s profound insights from On Leisure, the Basis of Culture to our lives. Paraphrasing Pieper, “The point and the justification of leisure are not that the pastoral caregiver should serve faultlessly and without a breakdown, but that the pastoral caregiver should continue to be a human being.” The serenity and celebration of real leisure flow from our participation in God’s own rest and joy. Let’s consider what we can do to cultivate the wonderfully creative state of true leisure.
Workshop fee $25 (scholarships available) PURCHASE VIDEO
Workshop Format Teaching with prayer and group discussion via live videoconference. The workshop will be recorded in its entirety for those who are not able to attend live.
Who Should Attend? For those who provide pastoral care in any setting – pastors and spiritual directors, professional psychotherapists, lay counselors, and healthcare providers.
Presenter Dr. Sarah Colyn is a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of WA with a PhD in Clinical Psychology and an MA in Christian Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. With over 25 years experience practicing psychotherapy and pastoral care, Sarah has taught and trained pastors, professional counselors and lay caregivers in academic, clinical, and church settings. She is ever-intrigued by the pastoral application of true Christian theological anthropology.
Learning Objectives
To recognize the essential role of leisure in the life of pastoral caregivers.
To distinguish true leisure from amusement, vacation, or self-care.
To identify attitudes and practices that increase our capacity for leisure.
If God’s will is to be done on earth as it is in heaven, prayer begins with adoration. ~P. T. Forsyth
We pray you’ll be blessed by this playlist of ancient hymns and modern choruses — songs of praise that lift our eyes to our beautiful God and stir our hearts to adore Him!
We are mythic beings: we live by and in our symbols. Reality is simply far too great to be contained in propositions. That is why man needs gestures, pictures, images, rhythms, metaphor, symbol and myth. ~Leanne Payne, Healing Presence, 119 and 125
By Uwe Buß
In June, we had a MPC-school in Hungary. Actually, it was the first conference we carried out in Eastern Europe. For almost every participant it was the first time they got in touch with Leanne Payne’s teaching, especially as Leanne’s books are not translated into Hungarian yet.
Most Protestant Christians in Hungary belong to the reformed Church. Many symbols, that are common in other denominations, are unfamiliar and unusual here. So I wondered how we could do the procession of the cross, what vestments I should wear und how we could introduce the Holy Water. Of course, we didn’t want to disturb the attendees right at the beginning of the conference. However, all my fears were unnecessary. The Holy Spirit has already made the way and gave an enormous openness. The meaning of these healing symbols have descended deeply into the hearts. I will never forget, when the Cross and the open Bible were carried into the conference hall. I sensed so much reverence. You could almost touch God’s presence. After the procession, Sarah’s first lecture was about “Holiness”. This deepened what we just had experienced and prepared the way for more.
The Lord led us, in these days, in an impressive way. Many people opened their hearts in short counselling conversations or in ministry times. There was a growing sense, a deep longing for the healing presence of our Lord. Therefore, we have many reasons to praise and give thanks.
For myself it has been moving that my testimony is so encouraging for so many people. I have been involved with the PCM/MPC-ministry for about 30 years now, and have belonged to the team since last year, with the privilege of ministering at MPC schools internationally. I say thank you to Jesus, who brings people like me from the depths, gives healing and uses them as ambassadors of his salvation.
Please, pray for all the attendees of the Hungarian conference. The sown seed shall come up and bear fruit. Therefore, even more people shall get in touch with the Healing Presence of our God.
Wir sind mythische Wesen: Wir leben durch unsere Symbole und in ihnen. Die Wirklichkeit ist viel zu komplex, als dass sie vollständig in Lehrsätze gefasst werden könnte. Deshalb braucht der Mensch Gesten, Bilder, Rhythmen, Metaphern, Symbole und Mythen. ~Leanne Payne, Heilende Gegenwart, 126 and 133
Von Uwe Buß
Im Juni hatten wir eine MPC-school in Ungarn. Das war unsere erste Konferenz, die wir in Osteuropa durchgeführt haben. Für nahezu alle Teilnehmer war es die erste Begegnung mit den Lehren von Leanne Payne, zumal ihre Bücher noch nicht auf Ungarisch erhältlich sind. Die meisten protestantischen Christen in Ungarn gehören der reformierten Kirche an. Viele Symbole, die anderen Kirchen ganz vertraut sind, sind hier eher fremd und ungewohnt. Ich habe vorher überlegt, wie die Prozession des Kreuzes, liturgische Kleidung oder der Gebrauch von Weihwasser aussehen könnte um die Teilnehmer nicht gleich zu Beginn der Konferenz zu verschrecken. Aber alle Befürchtungen waren unnötig. Der Heilige Geist hatte schon längst den Weg bereitet und eine enorme Offenheit geschenkt. Die Bedeutung dieser heilsamen Symbole ist tief in die Herzen gefallen. Niemals werde ich vergessen, wie das Kreuz und die aufgeschlagene Bibel in den Konferenzraum getragen wurden. Da war so viel Ehrfurcht zu spüren, und die Gegenwart Gottes war geradezu greifbar. Der darauf folgende Vortrag von Sarah über „Heiligkeit“ vertiefte das Erlebte und bereitete den Weg für mehr.
Der Herr hat uns in diesen Tagen einen beeindruckenden Weg geführt. Viele Menschen öffneten ihre Herzen in kurzen seelsorgerlichen Gesprächen oder in den Gebetszeiten. Es wuchs ein Gespür für, ja eine Sehnsucht nach der heilenden Gegenwart unseres Herrn. Es gibt also viel Grund zum Loben und Danken.
Für mich persönlich ist es bewegend, dass mein eigenes Zeugnis so viele Menschen ermutigt. Ich bin mit PCM/MPC nun seit dreißig Jahren verbunden, und seit einem Jahr gehöre ich zum Team und durfte auf verschiedenen Konferenzen mitarbeiten. Ich danke Jesus dafür, dass er Menschen wie mich wirklich aus der Tiefe holt, ihnen Heilung schenkt und sie gebraucht um Botschafter seines Heils zu sein.
Betet für die Menschen, die an der Konferenz in Ungarn teilgenommen haben. Der ausgesäte Samen soll aufgehen und Frucht bringen, damit noch viel mehr Menschen mit der heilenden Gegenwart Gottes in Berührung kommen.
my fears were unnecessary. The Holy Spirit has already made the way and gave an enormous openness. The meaning of these healing symbols have descended deeply into the hearts. I will never forget, when the Cross and the open Bible were carried into the conference hall. I sensed so much reverence. You could almost touch God’s presence.