Spiritual Directors

Lily-Linda Slobod, a Diaconal Minister, has been certified and commisioned as a Spiritual Director in the Alberta Synod. She has an ecumenical background with a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies, a Master's degree in Theology and Spirituality and a two-year Certificate in Spritual Direction. Lily has been working in this area of Christian ministry since 1988.

She is a qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a trained director of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, a Pastoral counselor, a director of private retreats, and a teacher of prayer in both the Kataphatic and Apophatic traditions. She also has expericence with the Enneagram and in Focusing.

What is spiritual direction?

The ministry of spiritual direction, sometimes referred to as spiritual guidance or spiritual companionship, has ancient roots in the Christian Church. It is primarily a one-on-one ministry (hence is adaptable to the need of the individual) which takes place in a caring atmosphere of acceptance, confidentiality and trust.

The Shalem Institute, the foremost ecumenical centre for training spiritual directors describes the ministry as follows:

"It is an ongoing relationship in which one person (the directee) is desirous of being attentive to his or her spiritual life, meets another person (the director) on a regular basis, especially for the purpose of becoming more sensitized to the presence of God's Spirit in order to respond more fully to that Presence in all of life."

Who is it for?

Spiritual direction is for anyone who wants assistance in developing personal prayer, growth in discernment and intimacy with God so that His love might pervade their perceptions and choices more completely throughout their journey.

During the sessions the directee's prayer and relationship with God is the main focus. However, one's spirituality is not separate from, but is interconnected with the whole person and all aspects of life. Therefore one's broader activities, concerns and relationships may need attention as well.

Sometimes a person may see a director for a short period only; for instance when desiring help in discerning between God's will and their own desires regarding a particular decision.

Who does it?

Faith Nostbakken has a two-year Certificate in Spiritual Direction and is a rostered spiritual director at the Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton. She has a Master of Theological Studies degree (MTS) and a PhD in English Literature, having taught at a university and authored several books.

With a passion for stories, she sees her role as spiritual director to help people discover their own sacred stories by listening with compassion and respect to what needs to be told so that it may be more fully and freely lived. Because she affirms God's desire to meet us in every chapter that shapes our lives, she invites people considering spiritual direction to "come as you are," broken or whole, empty or fulfilled, facing probing questions or pending decisions, and be open to the mystery of God's transforming love.

Lily-Linda Slobod, a Diaconal Minister, has been certified and commissioned as a Spiritual Director in the Alberta Synod. She has an ecumenical background with a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies, a Master's degree in Theology and Spirituality and a two-year Certificate in Spiritual Direction. Lily has been working in this area of Christian ministry since 1988.

She is a qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a trained director of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, a Pastoral counselor, a director of private retreats, and a teacher of prayer in both the Kataphatic and Apophatic traditions. She also has experience with the Enneagram and in Focusing.

Fee:

The fee is based upon a sliding scale. Each session lasts about 1 1/4 hours. The fee and frequency of meetings is discussed and agreed upon on the first session.

For information:

Faith Nostbakken or Lily-Linda Slobod can be contacted through the Alberta Synod office (780) 439-2636

The Lamp is the oldest symbol for spiritual direction. This ministry is rooted in Scripture, fired by the Spirit and centered in the Cross.

What others have said about spiritual direction:

"We can never know God until we first know our own soul."
--Julian of Norwich

"Spiritual direction is, in reality, nothing more than a way of leading us to see and obey the real Director - the Holy spirit hidden in the depths of our soul."
--Thomas Merton

"Give me faith, Lord, and let me help others find it."
--Leo Tolstoy