Spiritual Direction
Listening Together
What is Spiritual Direction?
A Bible verse I have long cherished as a pastor and spiritual companion is Galatians 4:19
My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you...
Do you hear what the apostle Paul is saying? He’s calling himself a midwife—attending at the birth of Christ in his friends!
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That’s what spiritual direction is. One person helping another to pay attention to God, God’s presence, voice, and work in another’s life. Giving one’s attention to God rather than to a particular problem that needs to be fixed. Listening together to the Holy Spirit’s presence. Inviting curiosity through evocative questions, restful silence, and contemplative companionship. Helping a friend trust God more. Attending at the birth of rekindled faith in Jesus.
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- Rev. Art Going
Meet our Spiritual Directors
Rev. Chris Bannon
I am a lifelong New Englander, longtime New Hampshirite, father of four (Shiloh, Madeline, Abel, and Esther), and husband of one (Rebecca). Our family lives in Rochester, NH, where I serve as Lead Pastor to The Commons ECC, a church community that we were called to help establish in 2014. Prior to this call I served with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship - first as campus staff at the University of Rhode Island, then as Area Director for the state of NH - as well as several years on the pastoral staff of Dover Baptist Church in Dover, NH.
Beyond the calling of my own formation in Christ, my family and fatherhood - my greatest honor and joy is to walk alongside people in increasing knowledge of and intimacy with God. In conjunction with my ongoing pastoral work, I am currently enrolled in the Selah spiritual direction certificate program through Leadership Transformations, Inc. and I am so very blessed to have the opportunity to serve as a Spiritual Director in partnership with Shoreline Counseling Group.
Judy Kuzman
I am a Spiritual Director living and working on the seacoast of southern Maine. I've been married for 36+ years, with four adult children and two grandchildren on the horizon.
My first love is my family; a close second is caramel iced coffee from Dunks.
I crave change, love adventure (but not risk), and am most at home on the rocky coast.
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I am trained and certified as a Spiritual Director by Fall Creek Abbey’s School of Spiritual Direction (fallcreekabbey.org). I bring 35 years of experience working with people in various ministry settings as well as a life deeply (and personally) informed by grief, suffering, hope and restoration to my work. I am no stranger to sitting with people in pain. I count it a privilege to offer generous space and compassionate listening to others as together we notice and reflect on the felt movement (or sensed absence) of God in our everyday lives.
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My current role within my vocational ministry context includes walking alongside hurting parents whose children are on difficult journeys.
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(I am currently enrolled in the Certificate in Spiritual Formation program through the PAX Center for Spiritual Formation).