Looking Within Center:   Art and Spirituality Session: “HeARTful Meditations”

Date:  Tuesday, June 18

Location:  Looking Within Center and Garden Lounge at Gloria Dei

Time:  6:30 - 8:30pm

Registration deadline:  Friday, June 14

Facilitator: artist Lavonne Lovstad

Welcome to our first session of HeARTful Meditations!  This is a unique and enjoyable opportunity to combine Art and Spirituality as a means to deepen one's awareness with the inner, connected self and as a form of meditation if one chooses. Have no fear, no art experience necessary!! Led by our facilitator Lavonne Lovstad, join others in a safe place of guided "silent viewing", music, brief written and shared reflections, creative expression and inner spiritual discovery. You just might be back for more at a future art and spirituality event! 

Lavonne Lovstad’s professional background includes Art Education, Art Therapy, Spiritual Direction and Energy Healing. Her passion is the exploration of Sacred Mystery in all of life.

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Dates: Wednesdays, May 1, 8, 15, 22

Location: Looking Within Center at Gloria Dei

Time: 6:30 - 7:30pm

Registration deadline: Friday, April 26

Presenter: Winston Janusz, licensed mental health counselor

Are you curious about mindfulness and meditation? In our fast paced, constantly distracted world, mindfulness is gaining a lot of attention as a way to bring more peace and well-being into our lives. Mindfulness meditation can become a part of your spiritual practice, but has also been shown to promote mental health though countless scientific studies. In this course, participants will learn about the basics and foundations of mindfulness meditation practice, common misconceptions about meditation, how to work with difficult thoughts and emotions, how to improve focus, start a meditation practice of your own, and apply mindfulness skills in your own life and bring them to the world.

This 4 week course is taught by Winston Janusz who is a licensed mental health counselor, an ordained pastor, and is currently in training to become a certified mindfulness meditation teacher.

There is no cost for this event.

Registration Link:

Date: Saturday, April 13

Location: Looking Within Center

Registration deadline: Wednesday, April 10

Time: Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning:

Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am (Fireside Room)

Alone and small group time provides a wonderful start to the morning guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer.

Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am (Garden Lounge)

Community time while enjoying a light breakfast.

Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am (Looking Within Center)

Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

Exploration Presenter: Melissa Schultz

This month’s theme: “Dreams As Spiritual Encounters: Navigating Divine Presence”

In this Reset Exploration, we will delve into the mysterious realm of dreams. Discover how dreams can be a powerful medium for God to communicate with us, reveal God’s presence, and impart wisdom for your life journey. Learn the language of symbolic imagery to interpret your dreams' messages and deepen your relationship with the Divine. Participants may bring a dream to share and practice discernment.

Melissa Schultz, acupuncturist, herbalist and spiritual director, enjoys exploring the intersection of Christian mysticism and integrative medicine. With a heart devoted to Christ and a mind open to diverse wisdom traditions, Melissa draws on God’s promise of restoration and insights from the Asian healing arts to offer guidance for those seeking spiritual growth, mental clarity, and a healthier body. The Christ principles of transformation and healing, and joy and abundance, underscore her belief in the boundless possibilities that arise when faith, mindfulness, and well-being converge. (Melissa will be joining us via Zoom from Spain, where she is currently laying the foundations for establishing a holistic Christian contemplative retreat house along the Camino de Santiago.)

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Have you ever had the chance to read a book and experience its insights and practices through in person contact with the author?  Now is your chance to do just that!  (And if you were part of this experience last fall, this is one more opportunity to enjoy the journey with Charles and his book.)

During our 40 day journey with the daily readings in Charles’ book, we’ll have the chance to meet in person for four Wednesday evenings, providing the chance to visit with Charles and fellow book study members as we apply his insights and practices to our own spiritual journey.

From the book jacket:  “Our inner life of thoughts and feelings can make life so sweet, or so challenging . . . we can be overwhelmed with feelings of anger, anxiety, or fear that just won’t go away. In this book, Charles Ortloff offers us a path through these challenging times with our inner life. He uses simple language, compelling stories, and easy to follow practices to guide us into making friends with our inner life. We all can find that soft landing after a bumpy ride.”

Dates of Book Reading (on your own):  April 1 through May 10

Book Study In-Person Gatherings: Wednesdays – April 3, 10, 17, 24 

Time: Choose either 9-10am – OR – 6-7pm

Location:  Looking Within Center

Leader: Author Charles Ortloff Host: Looking Within Center Director Julie Stevens

Registration Deadline:  Sunday, March 31

There is no cost for this experience. If you have not yet purchased the book, you can find it at your favorite bookseller for $16.99.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)  

Looking Within Center: “I Am Anxious, Now What?”: Finding Calm in Chaotic Times

Date: Thursday, March 21

Location: Looking Within Center at Gloria Dei

Time: 6:30-8:00pm

Presenter: Karen Ortloff, retired licensed psychologist

Anxiety disorders are among the most pervasive in our culture today. The reasons are multifaceted, and the solutions equally complicated. Crisis, speed of change, and impending doom reported daily can have an overwhelming impact on our mental and physical health. This presentation will look at the sources of our anxiety, ways to work through our worries, and also how to manage the many conflicts/polarities that affect our daily lives.

Retired licensed psychologist Karen Ortloff will lead us in a discussion of how we might respond to the epidemic of anxiety and restore some calm in these chaotic times.

Registration deadline: Monday, March 18

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Date: Saturday, April 13

Location: Looking Within Center

Registration deadline: Wednesday, April 10

Time: Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning:

Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am (Fireside Room)

Alone and small group time provides a wonderful start to the morning guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer.

Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am (Garden Lounge)

Community time while enjoying a light breakfast.

Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am (Looking Within Center)

Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

Exploration Presenter: Melissa Schultz

This month’s theme: “Dreams As Spiritual Encounters: Navigating Divine Presence”

In this Reset Exploration, we will delve into the mysterious realm of dreams. Discover how dreams can be a powerful medium for God to communicate with us, reveal God’s presence, and impart wisdom for your life journey. Learn the language of symbolic imagery to interpret your dreams' messages and deepen your relationship with the Divine. Participants may bring a dream to share and practice discernment.

Melissa Schultz, acupuncturist, herbalist and spiritual director, enjoys exploring the intersection of Christian mysticism and integrative medicine. With a heart devoted to Christ and a mind open to diverse wisdom traditions, Melissa draws on God’s promise of restoration and insights from the Asian healing arts to offer guidance for those seeking spiritual growth, mental clarity, and a healthier body. The Christ principles of transformation and healing, and joy and abundance, underscore her belief in the boundless possibilities that arise when faith, mindfulness, and well-being converge. (Melissa will be joining us via Zoom from Spain, where she is currently laying the foundations for establishing a holistic Christian contemplative retreat house along the Camino de Santiago.)

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

A monthly mini-retreat with topics and insights that provide a transformative lens to see the Divine in all things and all people. “Reset” your journey as you grow closer to God, others, and yourself.

Date:  Saturday, March 9
Location: Looking Within Center
Registration deadline:  Wednesday, March 6
Time:  Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning:

Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am in the Fireside Room
Guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer, this quieter time provides alone and small group time for remembering and reconnecting with the Divine Light and Love that we hold within ourselves.

Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am in the Looking Within Center
Community time while enjoying a light breakfast.

Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am in the Looking Within Center
Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

Exploration Presenter:    Dr. Dawn Jacobson, M.D.

This month’s theme: “Contemplative Self-Care”

Our bodies, minds, and souls experience an abundance of information daily. We hear stories and interact with others in ways that are of personal, community, global, and cosmic significance. Have you made time for yourself, your true Self, in this ocean of activity?

Contemplative self-care offers a body-mind-spirit approach for health and well-being. This interactive workshop provides an overview of daily self-care practices and how contemplative self-care expands these practices to include care of your spirit/soul. Through self-care practices, we can optimize physical energy, mental clarity, emotional balance, intuitive decision making, and spiritual awakenings. (Note: Please bring a journal as there are several times during the day when you are invited to reflect and write down your experiences.)

About the Presenter: Dr. Dawn Jacobson is a board-certified physician and innovative leader in Integrative, Lifestyle, and Functional Medicine. Her medical practice is located at Rochester Clinic where she offers in-person consultations and online telemedicine visits. She offers a series of Abundant Living SM programs that provide transformative experiences to support self-reflection and spiritual growth. (Dawn is also a singer/songwriter who believes music is a powerful healing force, and shares her original music through local performances and online streaming platforms.)

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Mark your calendar and watch for sign-up information for the final Reset of the season on Saturday, April 13.

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at:  gloria-dei.com/looking-within 

Looking Within Center’s Forty Days of Seeking “A Soft Landing after a Bumpy Ride”

Dates:  February 14 (Ash Wednesday) through March 24

Format: 40 daily emails containing a short audio recording

Guided by: Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director and Charles Ortloff, Spiritual Director and retired pastor

Registration deadline:  Monday, February 12

The season of Lent, the 40 days before Easter, is a special time to walk more closely with Christ. How might you plan to do just that this Lent? What are some of the practices you might try? Consider joining Julie Stevens and Charles Ortloff during the 40 days of Lent as they walk with us through the practices of Charles’ book, “A Soft Landing after a Bumpy Ride.”

Each time we walk through this book, we experience that soft landing in new ways because our lives have moved on from the last time we entered into the book’s practices. We invite you to go back, again and again, and find all that is there for you in these practices. 

There is no cost for this experience.

Note:  If you have not yet purchased the book, please order it online from your favorite bookseller in time so that you will be able to follow along in the book with our conversations.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)  

Looking Within Center Reset:  February 10, 2024

A monthly mini-retreat with topics and insights that provide a transformative lens to see the Divine in all things and all people. “Reset” your journey as you grow closer to God, others, and yourself.

Date:  Saturday, February 10
Location: Looking Within Center
Registration deadline:  Wednesday, February 7
Time:  Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning:

Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am in the Fireside Room
Guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer, this quieter time provides alone and small group time for remembering and reconnecting with the Divine Light and Love that we hold within ourselves.

Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am in the Looking Within Center
Enjoy a continental breakfast and community time.

Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am in the Looking Within Center
Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

Exploration Presenter:   Pastor Marla Rotman

This month’s theme: “Getting Mad At God: The Role of Lament”

Is it okay to be honest with God when we are sad, angry, or disappointed? Is it okay to be mad or disappointed with God? If these are questions you’ve asked, you are not alone. The Psalms of Lament have provided us with a blueprint for when we are sad, angry, or disappointed with life or even with God. Join us as Gloria Dei’s Pastor Marla Rotman helps us explore why it's okay to feel this way and what we can do about it.

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets, all on Saturdays with separate sign ups:

• March 9

• April 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at:  gloria-dei.com/looking-within 

Date:  Thursday, January 25
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Place: The Looking Within Center

Registration deadline: Friday, January 19

A Mason jar is not just for canning! A jar can provide a perfect container for a meaningful and thoughtful gift for someone you love, or someone you want to support and encourage. 

In anticipation of Valentine's Day, join Jennifer Schnaedter and Julie Stevens to make a "Jar of Love" for a family member or friend. We will decorate the jars and then fill them with messages on attractive strips of paper for the recipient to read, one each day. Examples of things that can be shared include advice, compliments, Bible verses, or words of encouragement or inspiration. We will guide you through the process, and all supplies will be provided.

There is no required cost for this event.
An optional $5.00 donation for supplies is welcome.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)5

Looking Within Center Reset:  January 20, 2024

A monthly mini-retreat with topics and insights that provide a transformative lens to see the Divine in all things and all people. “Reset” your journey as you grow closer to God, others, and yourself.

Date:  Saturday, January 20
Location: Looking Within Center
Registration deadline:  Wednesday, January 17
Time:  Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning:

Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am in the Fireside Room
Guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer, this quieter time provides alone and small group time for remembering and reconnecting with the Divine Light and Love that we hold within ourselves.

Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am in the Looking Within Center
Enjoy a delicious breakfast and community time.

Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am in the Looking Within Center
Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

Exploration Presenter:  Pastor Hayden Kvamme

This month’s theme: “Rhythms of Prayer”

Interested in shaking up your own daily rhythms of prayer? Curious to explore how others have prayed through the centuries? Join Gloria Dei’s Pastor Hayden Kvamme as we consider a few of the different patterns Christians of various eras have used to pray, and how their rhythms might offer some shape to our own practices of prayer. Our time together will include presentation, group conversation, personal reflection, and prayerful experiment.

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets, all on Saturdays with separate sign ups:

• February 10

• March 9

• April 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at:  gloria-dei.com/looking-within 

A monthly mini-retreat with topics and insights that provide a transformative lens to see the Divine in all things and all people. “Reset” your journey as you grow closer to God, others, and yourself.

• Date: Saturday, November 11

• Location: Looking Within Center

• Time: New this year! Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning

• Registration deadline: Wednesday, November 8

Time:

• Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am in the Fireside Room

  Guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer, this quieter time provides alone and small group time for remembering and reconnecting with the Divine Light and Love that we hold within ourselves.

• Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am in the Looking Within Center

  Enjoy a delicious continental breakfast and community time.

• Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am in the Looking Within Center

  Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

• Exploration Presenter: Cheryl Dirksmeyer

  This month’s theme: “Living in Light--Pathway to Joy”

  “Living in Light--Pathway to Joy” is an interactive experience that reminds us of the Divine Light that each of us holds within our soul center. This place holds all we need: unconditional self-love, love for others, as well as the truth of the higher version of ourselves--our authentic self. Our presenter will offer practical techniques of Reiki and Healing Touch for physical, emotional, and spiritual self-healing. (Healing touch is an energy therapy that uses light touch or close-to-the-body touch to support and facilitate physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.)

  Cheryl Dirksmeyer holds a bachelor's degree in music from Texas Lutheran University, and served as a music teacher in both public and parochial schools. She has been providing piano and voice instruction in her home studio for the past 12 years. Cheryl also holds a master's degree in Biblical Studies from Wartburg Theological Seminary, and is a Reiki Master as well as having completed 4 levels of Healing Touch. Cheryl has been actively practicing energy healing for the past five years.

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Coming up next!

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets, all on Saturdays with separate sign ups:

October 14

November 11

January 20

February 10

March 9

April 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

A monthly mini-retreat with topics and insights that provide a transformative lens to see the Divine in all things and all people. “Reset” your journey as you grow closer to God, others, and yourself.

• Date: Saturday, October 14

• Location: Looking Within Center

Time:

New this year! Design a Reset that best fits your needs! Register below for one, two, or all three parts of the morning:

• Reset-Quiet: 8:15-9am in the Fireside Room

  Guided by Cheri Dirksmeyer, this quieter time provides alone and small group time for remembering and reconnecting with the Divine Light and Love that we hold within ourselves.

• Reset-Breakfast: 9:00-9:30am in the Looking Within Center

  Enjoy a delicious continental breakfast and community time.

• Reset-Exploration: 9:30-11:00am in the Looking Within Center

  Explore a topic to help you on your spiritual journey.

• Registration deadline: Wednesday, October 11

• Exploration Presenter: Lavonne Lovstad

  This month’s theme: “Mandalas for Mindful Meditation”

  In the past few years, mandalas have captured the interests of all ages in coloring books and elsewhere. However, for centuries the mandala, often called “the sacred circle”, has been recognized for its deep spiritual meaning, representation of wholeness, and its beauty by many cultures. The “circle with the center” pattern is the basic structure of creation and once one is aware of this form will begin to see it in many walks of life. Today the mandala becomes a valuable tool in creating balance of the mind, body and spirit, bringing one into wholeness as the circle suggests. It becomes a beautiful reflection of the inner soul and voice of its creator.

Besides learning about mandalas, each participant will be given a preformed mandala of their choice to color during our time together, accompanied by a guided four part inner and outer process which can also be used in any visual art process as well as a foundation for daily living. Additionally, through a display of original mandalas, our presenter will share aspects of her inner spiritual journey and approaches in using mandalas.

Lavonne Lovstad has enjoyed a fulfilling career in the arts and spirituality for over 50 years. Based on her educational degrees in Art Education, Art Therapy, Spiritual Direction and Energy Healing, she has served in numerous professional positions as a teacher, workshop leader, musician, and free lance artist and reiki practitioner. Lavonne prayerfully and intentionally brings her knowledge, intuitive wisdom and compassion to encourage a spiritual and creative awakening within others.

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Coming up next!

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets, all on Saturdays with separate sign ups:

October 14

November 11

January 20

February 10

March 9

April 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

• Dates: Tuesdays -- September 26, October 3, 10, 17, 24, November 7 (no meeting on October 31)

• Time: 6:00-7:00 pm

• Location: Looking Within Center

• Book Study Group registration deadline: Sunday, September 24

• Group Leaders: author Charles Ortloff and Looking Within Center Director Julie Stevens

Have you ever had the chance to read a book and experience its insights and practices with the author in your presence? Now’s your chance to do just that through a six week book study group led by the author himself!

From the book jacket: “Our inner life of thoughts and feelings can make life so sweet, or so challenging. When we consider past successes or future plans for a good life, or when we experience feelings of deep love and great joy, life is very good. But in times of crisis, our inner life can turn on us. We can beat up on ourselves about the past or worry ourselves sick about the future. We can be overwhelmed with feelings of anger, anxiety, or fear that just won’t go away. In this book, Charles Ortloff offers us a path through these challenging times with our inner life. He uses simple language, compelling stories, and easy to follow practices to guide us into making friends with our inner life. We all can find that soft landing after a bumpy ride.”

On September 24, we’ll have the chance to launch Charles Ortloff’s book “A Soft Landing After a Bumpy Ride: Rediscovering Your Inner Life.” (This event has a separate signup on the Looking Within Center webpage.)

Following the book launch, this book study group will meet in person with Charles for six Tuesday evenings, providing the chance to visit with him and fellow book study members as we apply his insights and practices to our own spiritual journey. Additionally, brief daily emails will arrive in your inbox to keep you on track during the 40 day journey. The final evening together will include a light supper to celebrate our journey together.

There is no cost for this group. If you wish to purchase Charles’ book, you may do so at the September 24 Book Launch or after that date from Julie Stevens at church for $16.99 (cash or check made out to Gloria Dei).

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

• Date: Sunday, September 24

• Location: Looking Within Center

• Time: 6:00-7:30pm

• Book Launch registration deadline: Wednesday, September 20

• Special Guest: author Charles Ortloff

• Host: Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director

From the book jacket: “Our inner life of thoughts and feelings can make life so sweet, or so challenging. When we consider past successes or future plans for a good life, or when we experience feelings of deep love and great joy, life is very good. But in times of crisis, our inner life can turn on us. We can beat up on ourselves about the past or worry ourselves sick about the future. We can be overwhelmed with feelings of anger, anxiety, or fear that just won’t go away. In this book, Charles Ortloff offers us a path through these challenging times with our inner life. He uses simple language, compelling stories, and easy to follow practices to guide us into making friends with our inner life. We all can find that soft landing after a bumpy ride.”

Join us in the Looking Within Center for this very special celebration of Charles Ortloff’s newly published book! You’ll have a chance to purchase a book, have the author sign your book, hear Charles share thoughts and stories and answer any questions about the book, and hear some hints from him on using the book. Our evening will be made even more special with hors devours prepared by Gloria Dei member Randy Jones.

There is no cost for this event. If you wish to purchase a softcover book ($16.99), bring cash or a check made out to Gloria Dei to the event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

Bonus opportunity: Bonus opportunity: Sign up to read and work through the 40 days of “A Soft Landing After a Bumpy Ride: Rediscovering Your Inner Life” with author Charles Ortloff himself! This group will meet in person with Charles and Julie Stevens on six Tuesday evenings from 6-7pm in the Looking Within Center. Look for the link for this book study on the Looking Within webpage.

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

A monthly mini-retreat with topics and insights that provide a transformative lens to see the Divine in all things and all people. “Reset” your journey as you grow closer to God, others, and yourself.

• Date: Saturday, September 16

• Location: Looking Within Center

• Time: 9:00–11:00am

Don’t eat a big breakfast at home before you come! Our theme for the day will be accompanied by bite-sized food items prepared by Gloria Dei members Randy Jones and Robyn Ohashi Berg.

• Registration deadline: Wednesday, September 13

• Presenter: Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director

• This month’s theme: “Your Map Is Coming . . . to a New Adventure”

Imagine taking a trip to Disney World for the first time. Get out the map. Look at all the possibilities: fun food options, parades, rides, new worlds to step into, amazing storybook characters and real people to meet . . . there is so much to see and do!

As we kick off another year in the Looking Within Center (LWC), we’ll hold on to the Disney World metaphor. In many ways, moving closer to God is also a wonder- and surprise-filled adventure. There are always new things to discover about our inner life and our spiritual journey, and at this first Reset of the season, we’ll begin to do just that!

Led by Looking Within Center Director Julie Stevens, this Reset will be a special morning to take a look at your current inner life and spiritual journey, and then – to see the map of the LWC world and how the events, sessions, Peer Led Support groups, a book launch with a study group option, T'ai Chi Chih classes, and so much more can help you on your journey. As a trip to Disney World transports us into a different and memorable world, the LWC can be a community of fellow travelers on the spiritual journey who increasingly see and experience the Divine in every part of life.

There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)

To kick off the new season:

In addition to the chance to enjoy special food items, registrations will be open for the other fall events. The Spirit is moving in the LWC! Come and be a part of developing your inner self and journey in community with others. This could be your year to experience significant inner transformation.

Coming up next!

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets, all on Saturdays with separate sign ups:

October 14

November 11

January 20

February 10

March 9

April 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Retirement is a life change that is not merely a one time life event, but a process of moving into a new life stage. Life is no longer organized with a work schedule or career goals. There may be a new sense of freedom and new opportunities that have only been a dream in the past–and there may also be a sense of loss. As with all the other milestones in life, your vantage point will likely shift or move even as you are still moving through it.

If you are recently retired, soon-to-be retired or enjoying a long retirement, we invite you to join us for our Retirement Milestone on April 19 from 6-8 pm in the Looking Within Center and Garden Lounge. Charles Ortloff and Julie Stevens will be your guides along the way, presenting you with questions to ponder and new insights to navigating this milestone with joy and intention. 

About Adult Milestones at Gloria Dei:

Imagine you are on a hike, making your way up the side of a hill.

You are enjoying the view of a mountain in the distance as it is hit by the early morning sun.

But with every switchback the clouds change, the vantage point shifts, the sun moves, and the mountain somehow looks different. The mountain hasn’t changed or moved, but you have. At Gloria Dei we recognize these moments as milestones and our Adult Milestones are the kind of events you can keep coming back to over time. As you navigate a new season in life, you will have much to share with others, and some things to learn too. Together with a group of people you can navigate the switchbacks, grow on the journey, and appreciate some new views and insights. We hope you will join us on one of our milestone journeys! 

The chakra system is an ancient Indian philosophical understanding of the energetic interaction of the spirit-mind-body complex. How can we draw upon the chakra system to go inward and grow in awareness of the subtle and spiritual working of our being? How can we listen to the cues of our physical bodies as insights for growing in our relationship with Christ? In this Reset, we will learn about the classical approach to the chakras and their expanded modern interpretation with their relationships to physical and psychological aspects of our being. There will be time for contemplative practices such as personal reflection, journaling and prayer. Melissa Schultz has a life-long interest in global healing systems that incorporate the whole person: body, mind and spirit. She holds a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine and is a licensed acupuncturist and a nationally board-certified herbalist. She is also a Certified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant, Certified 900-hr Yoga Teacher and Spiritual Director. She uses the insights of modern and traditional medicine, perennial wisdom, and the Christian contemplative tradition to help people live healthier and fuller lives.

Registration Deadline: April 12

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Join singer, songwriter and spiritual director, Angel, on a sacred musical journey sure to inspire your soul. Let your body, mind and spirit be refreshed through Angel’s musical meditation in addition to sound healing experiences and uplifting group chants and songs.

Registration Deadline: March 22

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets! All Resets will be from 9-11am on Saturdays, and will have a separate sign up.

• March 25 *note date change *

• April 15

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Whether this is your second time through the 40 days, or your first taste of this journey that 102 people have been enjoying since late January,  this "second run" of the 40 day journey of emailed recordings and accompanying CliffsNotes can be a wonderful Lenten practice. Using inner life conversation starters from the writings of Spiritual Director and retired pastor Charles Ortloff, this collection of 40 short, daily readings from a yet unpublished book Charles is writing offers a variety of insights and practices that are helpful in entering more deeply into your inner life -- insights and practices that can also help you find soft landings after the bumpy rides of daily life.

For those who have been on this journey since January, this "second run" of the 40 days provides an opportunity to gain additional insights into the inner journey, and a chance to invite a friend or family member to join you on the journey this second time around.

For those on this journey for the first time, you'll find the daily emailed recordings (average length of 4-7 minutes) full of help for better understanding your inner life.

And for both groups, the 40 days of Lent will provide a meaningful backdrop for your own personal journey and inner life growth. You’ll receive a daily email with CliffsNotes and an audio recording created by Charles Ortloff and Julie Stevens, LWC Director (and professionally recorded and edited by Randy Stuhldreher).

Dates:  March 5 through April 13
Registration deadline:  Friday, March 3

There is no cost for this experience.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within Center webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Quadratos: The Four-Gospel Journey — Change • Suffering • Joy • Service

IN PERSON OR ONLINE VIA ZOOM

Dates: Wednesdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Time: 7:15-8:15pm
Location:  Participant’s Choice – In-person at Gloria Dei in the LWC – OR – Live via Zoom
Presenter:  Pastor Dave Berg
Host:  Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director 
Registration deadline:  Monday, February 27

From world religions to psychology, from the epic myths of ancient literature to classical Western spirituality, the number “4” just keeps showing up. This is also true in the bible as we encounter the four gospels.

Join us for a unique, unorthodox look at scripture, one that is rooted in tradition yet opens these ancient texts to fresh insights and new understandings. This Lenten season in the Looking Within Center we will explore the ancient wisdom of the four gospels as a way of making sense of our life’s journey. Pastor Dave will use the work of anthropologist, psychologist, and theologian Alexander John Shaia as a guide, as we will consider the central question of each gospel account:

Matthew: How do we face change?
Mark: How do we move through suffering?
John: How do we receive joy?
Luke: How do we mature in service?

In addition to discovering new tools for how to interact with and read the gospels, we will be open to ways that our own stories follow the ancient fourfold pattern of Change-Suffering-Joy-Service. Join us for conversation, exploration, dialogue, and discovery.

The guiding book for the study is Heart and Mind: The Four-Gospel Journey for Radical Transformation by Alexander John Shaia. There is no need to buy the book for this study, but if you would like to dive deeper, you can purchase it from your favorite bookseller.

There is no cost for this experience.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within Center webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

A monthly mini-retreat that provides a perfect chance to spend time with yourself and with God. Set aside your busy life and busy mind for this chance to “reset.”

Date: Saturday, February 18, 2023 Time: 9 - 11am Location: Looking Within Center at Gloria Dei

Presenter: Pastor Marla Rotman

Host:  Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director

This month’s theme: “The Enneagram Journey”

God put a lot of care and creativity into forming your personality, and you are one of a kind.  However, discovering your Enneagram personality type can help you learn how to bring positive change into your life through a deeper understanding of the way you see yourself and other people.  The Enneagram is an ancient tool for discovering the way your personality is uniquely ‘you’ through various patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.  These patterns determine what you pay attention to, what you care most about, and how your behavior and energy play out in the world.  

Gloria Dei’s Pastor Marla Rotman will guide us as we learn about our distinct personalities, develop spiritual practices to help us grow, and learn about the way others tick.

COMPLETELY OPTIONAL (but helpful): If you’d like to take an Enneagram test to discover your Enneagram number before we meet, Pastor Marla recommends taking the WEPSS assessment: https://www.wepss.com/buy.asp. (This test has a fee, and you would receive your results after taking the test.) There are also free Enneagram assessments you can find online which you can take as well.

Registration deadline: Wednesday, February 15 There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets! All Resets will be from 9-11am on Saturdays, and will have a separate sign up.

• March 25 *note date change *

• April 15

• May 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Date: Saturday, January 21, 2023
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Location: Looking Within Center at Gloria Dei
Presenter: Charles Ortloff, Spiritual Director and retired pastor
Host:  Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director

The metaphor of a plane landing after a bumpy ride may aptly describe where we are today. As a group, we continue to experience a bumpy ride: COVID, economic uncertainties, tensions in our cities and politics, and war in the Ukraine. As individuals, we experience loss, illness, struggles in relationships, tensions at work or school. We all look for a soft landing. The key for us is our inner life, that place where we process our outer life. It is a place of emotions and thoughts, hopes and dreams. It is a place of connection to ourselves, others, our world, and especially to God.

Charles Ortloff will be our speaker and guide for the day as he shares insights and practices from a yet unpublished book he's writing. Join us as we consider ways to do the inner work that makes for a soft landing. 

Registration deadline:   Sunday, January 15

Retreat Fee:   $10.00 includes lunch -- Pay online at https://www.gloria-dei.com/giving .  Click on "Make a donation or pay for a class/activity" and find the Looking Within Center Retreat - Jan 21 payment tile.

Questions?  Julie Stevens (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets! All Resets will be from 9-11am on Saturdays, and will have a separate sign up.

• February 18

• March 18

• April 15

• May 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

Date: Saturday, October 15

Time: 8:15 - 9am – Doors open early for breakfast with egg bake and yogurt bar

9 - 11am – Reset mini-retreat Location: Participant’s Choice – Live in-person in the Gloria Dei Garden Lounge (breakfast) and Looking Within Center (program) OR Live via Zoom beginning at 9am

Presenter and Guide: Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director

This month’s theme: “Change Companionship Compassion”

Do you sense a desire for some changes in your inner or outer self? Do you wish you felt closer to God? Do you feel invited into greater compassion for the world around you? In September we focused on the process of Sit Rest Love. We practiced and observed how our bodies and minds felt as we quieted down, and we experienced God’s loving presence for us within those moments of deeper rest. This is what the Looking Within Center is all about – a process of practices and ways of living your life that leads to outcomes that are life-changing! 

Now it’s time to explore these outcomes. When you sit, rest, and experience love, three important outcomes become apparent in your life: Change (personal change in both inner and outer ways), Companionship (with God especially, but with yourself and others too), and Compassion (for others and the world). Together in the refurbished LWC, let’s dig deeper into these 3 C’s that are the outcomes of our connection with God and God’s love.

Registration deadline: Wednesday, October 11 There is no cost for this event.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com) 

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Resets! All Resets will be from 9-11am on Saturdays, and will have a separate sign up.

• November 12

• [January 22 -- special 9am - 3pm retreat at Gloria Dei]

• February 18

• March 18

• April 15

• May 13

Check out our other offerings on the Looking Within webpage at: gloria-dei.com/looking-within

T’AI CHI CHIH IS BACK AT GLORIA DEI!

Are you looking for more calm in your daily routine? Consider circulating and balancing your inner energy or “chi” by learning and practicing T'ai Chi Chih at Gloria Dei. The form is composed of nineteen easy, slow moving, meditative movements and one pose. It is not an exercise program, a martial art, or a religion, but rather a form of mindfulness moving meditation with benefits for body, mind, and spirit.

T’ai Chi Chih is very adaptable, and does not require a particular level of physical fitness or coordination. Men, women, old, young, and everyone in between can find benefits from it. No special clothing or equipment is required and, if needed or desired, the movements may even be done seated. You may find yourself enjoying greater flexibility and balance, better general health, more serenity, an improved immune system, and increased joy through these gentle movements.

Thursdays, in-person at Gloria Dei

• October 13, 20, 27

• November 3, 10, 17

• December 1, 8

Instructor Judy Trousdell, an accredited T’ai Chi Chih instructor who has been practicing and teaching the form for many years, is back with us and offering several class options:

BEGINNER’S CLASS: 4:30-6:00PM

An eight-session series, not a drop-in class. This beginners class will teach you all nineteen movements and one pose. Each week you will review, learn new movements, and finish with a practice of the movements learned so far. (Missing a class or two is not a problem. Judy would meet with you before the next class to catch you up.)

CONTINUING CLASS (WITH TWO TIME OPTIONS):

3:00-4:00PM OR 6:30-7:30PM

This is an eight-session series for those who have already learned T’ai Chi Chih. This class offers a chance to refine your movements as well as practice in a group. Each week we will work on a few movements in more detail and then end with a full practice together. Since each session stands on its own, it is no problem if you cannot attend every session.

In our active culture that seems to only measure productivity and accomplishments, we may just need permission to sit and rest a while . . . to catch a deep breath . . . to let God break into our minds and hearts . . .

Take a 40 day journey with Julie to continue (or begin) practicing the process of Sit Rest Love. Using music, poems and quotes, and observations about the natural world, we’ll explore distractions and helps to find this rest and sense of being held by God’s love, as well as the outcomes of the Sit Rest Love process found in change, companionship, and compassion (the topics of the October 15 “Reset.”) 

This journey includes daily emails from Julie with a brief thought and practice to guide your journey and three one hour Tuesday evening online Zoom gatherings led by Julie where we’ll share insights and discoveries with our 40 day journey companions. 

Dates: September 20 through October 29

Online Zoom gatherings: 3 Tuesdays – Sept. 20, Oct. 4, Oct. 25 from 6:30-7:30pm

Guided by: Julie Stevens, Looking Within Center Director

Registration deadline: Sunday, Sept. 18

There is no cost for this experience.

Contact Julie Stevens with questions (julies@gloria-dei.com)