Spiritual Direction Training Program

Online Spiritual Direction Training Program

Every person carries a deep need to be heard and to share their story, because our stories matter. We believe that truly listening to another is a sacred act. That’s why we practice radical hospitality: offering our full presence, listening with intention, and honoring the person before us.

For those seeking to grow in their awareness of God’s presence and movement in their lives, spiritual direction offers a space of deep, hospitable listening. Meeting with a spiritual director provides the opportunity to be gently and attentively accompanied on the journey of faith.

If you feel called to listen in this sacred way and walk alongside others, we invite you to consider applying to our spiritual direction training program to become a certified spiritual director.

Inquire about the spiritual direction training program at eva@journeycentergreatlakes.org

Our Online Spiritual Direction Training Program is currently ON HOLD. We will update you as to when we will start our next cohort.

Overview
Application
References
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Teaching Team

The teaching team incorporates a few key experienced teachers and rotates others in and out. All who teach with us are trained and gifted spiritual directors  and/or teachers who offer their experience and expertise in different areas.

Rev. Eva Sullivan-Knoff
Coordinator and Teacher

Rev. Eva Sullivan-Knoff is the Creator and Coordinator of Journey Center Great Lakes’ Spiritual Direction Training Program. She has been adjunct faculty at the C. John Weborg Center for Spiritual Direction since 2011 and was on staff at the Transformational Listening Center (TLC) from its inception in 2011 – 2015 where she helped to create a spiritual direction training program. She was adjunct faculty there until 2021.

Eva has been in ministry for 35+ years as pastor, chaplain, spiritual director, supervisor, teacher, and retreat leader. She is a wife and mom and loves and enjoys her family and friends immensely. She also enjoys walking, spending time outside, and traveling. God has been her lifelong companion. Her greatest desire is to help people deepen their awareness of and intimacy with God, find healing and meaning in their lives, and live their lives in transformed ways.

Rev. Juliet Liu Waite

Rev. Juliet Liu Waite has served as a pastor at Life on the Vine since 2014. She is a 2nd generation Vietnamese Chinese American, and married to Sheldon; they have two sons who now exceed Juliet in height.  Juliet is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.Div, 2005) and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (B.A., 2001).  Prior to coming to Life on the Vine in 2010, she ministered as a college campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, the Director of Worship at Northshore Chinese Christian Church (2005-2007), and Director of Chapel at Trinity International University (2007-2009). She also taught periodically at Trinity International University as an adjunct faculty member of the Christian Ministries Department. Juliet currently serves as Chair of the Board for Missio Alliance.

Jennifer Andersson

Jennifer Andersson, LMSW, CSD, BVL Pastor, has been walking with people on their personal journeys for over 30 years. She began her vocational life in 1990, trained as a music teacher. As she was increasingly drawn to further address the personal and social needs of her students, their families, and communities, she received her Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work in 1994. Her focus on the whole person (mind, body, AND spirit) then naturally drew Jennifer to becoming a certified Spiritual Director (2009) as well as a licensed Bi-vocational pastor (2006). It is through these avenues that Jennifer has worked with individuals of all ages, as well as couples and families at all stages of life, from birth to end of life. Whether as a spiritual director, clinical social worker, teacher, or in vocational ministry, Jennifer is dedicated to creating space for the care and support of others, and joining them in that personal quest.

Matt Nightingale
Matt Nightingale is a pastor, musician, speaker, writer, and spiritual director living and working in San Francisco’s North Bay Area. He is founder and executive director of Common Sanctuary, and co-pastor of The Quest. Matt is also a spiritual director and support group facilitator with The Christian Closet, which offers web-based counseling, coaching, and spiritual direction for LGBTQ Christians.
As a gay Christian, Matt is passionate about the intersection of sexuality and spirituality, and he works to create safe, sacred spaces for people exploring these identities. His TEDx talk, “Choosing Gratitude and Hope,” with his former wife, Luanne Nightingale, tells their story of a mixed-orientation marriage, an evolving understanding of faith and sexuality, and the choice to divorce with gratitude and hope.
Jean Kim-Snyder

Jean Kim-Snyder has been a practicing mental health professional for over 25 years and is a graduate of the University of Illinois and UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work. Jean has been in private practice since 2017.  Prior to that, Jean has been a part of a group trauma therapy practice for 10 years, as well as a school social worker for 12 years. Jean specializes in working with Asian Americans in the areas of racial, intergenerational and religious trauma with both individuals and couples.  Jean utilizes an experiential, attachment focused approach to working with clients. Jean has been married for 25 years and has two young adult children. Jean has been a part of Live on the Vine Church for over 15 years and considers herself a progressive Christian and an LGBTQ ally.

Ken Lund

Ken Lund is a spiritual director, direction supervisor and teacher who feels fortunate to have had the assistance of spiritual directors throughout most of his adult life. After 30+ years as a lawyer—mostly doing criminal defense work for the Wisconsin State Public Defender—he is privileged to listen to other people’s stories and help them to see the movement of God in their lives. A spouse, two daughters who live nearby with their partners, two growing grandchildren, and active involvement in 12-step recovery provide richness and meaning to Ken’s life.

Ken received a certificate in spiritual direction in 2009 from the C. John Weborg Center for Spiritual Direction at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, where he now teaches in an adjunct role. He completed supervision training from Lucy Abbott Tucker in 2012. He has been trained and commissioned by Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., to lead centering prayer workshops for both 12-step and general groups. He regularly plans and leads retreats of various sorts and has an active direction and supervision practice in Madison, WI; Chicago; and over the internet.

Rev. Jolene Bergstrom Carlson

My life’s passion has been and continues to be a desire to experience and live out Micah 6:8: “This is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” 

I began my professional journey teaching communication and theater in community colleges. While raising three children, I became a parent educator and trained parent leaders to facilitate support groups in churches, schools and community organizations.  Midlife, it became apparent that, as a former pastor said to me, “You are a pastor and won’t be at peace until you go to seminary.”  So I went. I served a small church as pastor in an immigrant community where honesty reigned, and I was challenged to grow in ways of justice and love beyond myself.  I also served a large church as an associate pastor/family pastor where resources flowed freely. I served in middle judicatory leadership as an Associate Superintendent and facilitated new church development. 

I was trained as a Spiritual Director during my judicatory leadership and also served as a director during that time.   I served as the Executive Director of Ministry Mentors, a national not-for-profit organization that facilitated and trained pastors in peer mentoring and connected mentors with seminary students. I have walked alongside many pastors and their families in my pastoral and leadership roles.  I currently serve as a Spiritual Director.   

Participating in the mission of the Journey Center of Chicago is my commitment to continue living a life of compassion, contemplation, love and justice. 

What People are Saying...

“Studying spiritual direction through the Journey Center of Chicago [now Journey Center Great Lakes] came at just the right time for me… Through the class time, readings, papers and time with my fellow students, I felt heard and was able to listen better to the Holy Spirit in my own life.”

“Studying spiritual direction through the Journey Center of Chicago [now Journey Center Great Lakes] came at just the right time for me. In a time of transition and growth and in the middle of a pandemic, I worried that the coursework might be too much and might cause me too much stress. My classes in spiritual direction with the Journey center did just the opposite. They taught me to listen to my own heart. Through the class time, readings, papers and time with my fellow students, I felt heard and was able to listen better to the Holy Spirit in my own life. I look forward to continuing to grow as a spiritual director as I listen to the Spirit through the guidance of the Journey Center of Chicago.”

“The JCOC [now JCGL] spiritual direction training program has been an affirming, faith-filled space where I have found a kinship with other spiritual directors in training and fruitful lectures. I found new ways of walking alongside others and new ground for my own faith to flourish.”

“Thank you, Eva, for offering me a gentle and grace-filled space to reconnect with God, my faith, and myself. Jennifer, thank you for listening, encouraging, and thoughtfully answering my questions. Thanks to each lecturer who generously shared their expertise. Thanks to the women in my cohort who solidified my learnings and brought the content to life as we practiced together. And thank you to the Journey Center board for supporting this important work.”

“The readings, the teaching sessions, the reflection papers & the journaling exercises are all taking me deeper in my walk with Christ. Helping to ground me when there is so much uncertainty all around in our world that would seek to overwhelm. “

“As a class or cohort, we’ve moved from strangers just a few months ago to, building stronger & stronger relationships with one another as we share insights together & spend time together.  I & we are learning to hone our listening skills, to one another & to God.  It is refreshing & at times challenging, as I listen & explore where God is leading & learn anew to slow down & be present w/ God.  Learning to be Open & prepare to receive God’s abundant love & grace.”

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