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Soul Care Day Series

September 24, 2026 // 9a-3p  Soul-Care Day: Distraction & Resistance – The Fire That Refines

After awareness and response, we encounter forces that pull us away—distractions of comfort, ambition, and fear—and inner resistance to surrender. This day examines how these challenges are not signs of failure but invitations to deeper transformation. Like gold tested by fire, resistance refines us, burning away what is unholy and awakening virtues like love, wisdom, and joy. Through scripture, silence, and honest dialogue, we learn to hold our questions in faith, trusting the Spirit’s work even in trial. Distraction and resistance remind us that becoming “all flame” is a journey—one that passes through struggle into greater freedom and intimacy with God.

Location: Franciscan Renewal Center – 5802 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253

Cost:

Regular Registration – $55 per soul care day

General Member Registration – $50 per soul care day

Full & Professional Member Registration – $48 per soul care day

Practicing Silence & Solitude

October 23-25, 2026 // 1pm begin and 1pm end

48 hours of silence and prayer with God.

We will begin and end in a shared space together.

Rooms and single occupancy with bedsheets and linens provided. Meals and all materials needed are provided.

Led by SFSAZ Team

Location: Franciscan Renewal Center – Scottsdale, AZ

Cost:

Regular (Non-Member) Registration – $428

General Member Registration – $385

Full & Professional Member Registration: $364

Your Biggest Blind Spots: How spiritual bypassing keeps you trapped in your triggers

October 27, 2026 // 12pm-1:30 AZ (1:00-2:30p CT)

Almost all of us hit an invisible ceiling in our personal growth journey. It keeps us from realizing our personal and professional potential, and we waste vast resources on gurus who are stuck at the same spot but pretending otherwise.

The ceiling is called spiritual bypassing.

It’s the inner “work” that stands in for the real inner journey. It’s expanded awareness that simply increases your capacity to stay in the same patterns. It’s focusing on what you change rather than how you change. It’s becoming “better” instead of becoming free.

Join the Spiritual Formation Society and Dr. Kelly at this online event as he helps us see our blind spots as spiritual bypasses and begin the inner journey to more freedom.

Location: Online

Cost: $25

Dr. Kelly Flanagan is a licensed clinical psychologist, international speaker and USA Today bestselling author with more than two decades of experience helping individuals and organizations navigate the impact of unresolved past wounds.

Through his books, events and trainings Dr. Flanagan equips people to experience lasting freedom, deeper relationships and a more abundant life.

Practicing the Presence of God – Soul Care Day

November 4, 2026 // 9a – 3p

God’s presence is always with us. He is humbly present in all things and yet we often miss Him. How do we walk through life attune to His presence in deepening ways? What helps? What gets in the way? The day will include group time, individual time to process and pray, and space to share and listen.

Led by Ted Wueste and SFSAZ team

Location: Redemptorist Renewal Center // 7101 W Picture Rocks Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743

Cost:

Regular (Non-Member) Registration – $62

General Member Registration – $55

Full & Professional Member Registration: $53

Contemplative Hike

Monthly at 8am – December thru April

Location: Dreamy Draw Recreational Park, 2421 E Northern Ave, Phoenix

Step away from the noise and come join us for a Contemplative Hike, a guided time of stillness, prayer and connection with God in creation. Each month we will examine a different contemplative practice: Silence, Centering Prayer, Breath Prayer and Lectio Divina.

Each hike will be approximately 3-4 miles.

What to Bring: Comfortable shoes and plenty of water!

Led by: the SFSAZ Team

No cost.

creative pause. soul care for your creative self

Feeling stuck? Dry? Just need a little break in your day?
Take an hour to step away and join your creative spirit with other creative spirits as you lean into your union with God, the Creator Spirit. A creative pause is a  sacred online space for the creative in you to connect with others as you nurture a contemplative life and experience life-giving contemplative practices together. No experience is necessary – just bring yourself and an open heart and mind to be with God as you’re led through a short meditation, a time to respond individually and space to share your reflection with the group if you desire.
First Wednesday of each month at 9 am AZ time
(EST – 12pm September & October / 11am November thru March 2027 / 12pm April & May)
Location: ONLINE – zoom
Cost: No cost
Led by Sheli Sloterbeek
2026
September 2
October 7
November 4
December 2
2027
Jan 6
Feb 3
March 3
April 7
May 5

Refund Policy

In-person events: 30 days or more prior to event: 100%, 14-29 days before event: 90%, 7-13 days before event: 60%, 1-6 days before event: 30%

No refunds available after an event.

Ongoing Contemplative Prayer Offerings

Be/Still

Be/Still is our monthly contemplative prayer gathering.
Our goal is for it to be a shared time in quiet and listening. As you enter the time with others, you will be invited to quiet your heart and be present to God’s presence with you. We will have a short reading/quiet meditation on Scripture followed by a 20 minute time of Centering Prayer. At the end, we will leave the space quietly and bless one another as we go. The time of our gathering will be approximately 45 minutes.
Cost: No cost

CENTRAL PHOENIX

Location: Canaan in the Desert – 9849 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ 85028

Meet in the chapel.

6:30pm

2026 -2027 Dates:

8/25/26

9/22/26

10/27/26

11/24/26

1/26/27

2/23/27

3/23/27

4/27/27

5/25/27

6/22/27

East Valley – Phoenix

Location: Signal Butte & Ray Road – Register for address

6:00 PM

Dates:

2026:

9/2/2026

10/7/2026

11/4/2026

1/6/2027

2/3/2027

3/3/2027

4/7/2027

TUCSON, AZ

Location: The Vineyard Christian Community – 625 N 2nd Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705

7:00 PM

Dates:

9/30/2026

10/28/2026

11/18/2026

1/27/2027

2/24/2027

3/31/2027

4/28/2027

Camino de Phoenix Walk

Available anytime

Location: Walk begins at Cross Roads United Methodist Church (7901 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85020) and ends at Canaan in the Desert (9849 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ 85028).

“Pilgrimages are not about one place being more holy than another, for God is everywhere. Making pilgrimages involves a response to something inside us that longs to move toward, that seeks the holy beyond.” – Father Murray Bobo

The walk is approximately 9 miles.

Visit the Camino de Phoenix website for more information and a map of the walk. 

Created by: the SFSAZ Team

Contemplative Prayer Group

Location: Alhambra Beloved Community: 1830 W. Glenrosa Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85015
Day & Time: Thursdays @7:00am
We open with a short verbal prayer, sit for twenty minutes in focused silence, transition to a few minutes of passive contemplation, share (if we feel invited), and sometimes close with the laying on of hands and petitionary prayer.
Contact: Dr. John DelHousaye – jdelhousaye@sfsaz.org

Other Offerings

Renew

Renew: individual private retreats designed by our SFSAZ team to fit who you are and where you are in your life with God. Retreats include accommodations and meals at a retreat center, a silent retreat guide, and time with a Spiritual Director and/or Pastoral Counselor to help process all that you are experiencing as you spend time with God. Retreats can be anywhere from 2-5 days. Let us know and we can consult with you in designing a retreat. Great for times of discernment, transition, and/or simply needing the space to reflect and be renewed in your life with God and the ministry to which He has called you.

Please fill out this form to initiate the process.

FORMATIO: the art of caring for souls

A two-year cohort journey in learning the art of soul care. Based around six retreats, participants will learn to more fully care for their own soul as well as coaching others in the ways and rhythms of Jesus. The art of caring for souls is companioning someone in their journey of experiencing God in awakening to the love of God, growing awareness of self and God, increasing attentiveness to His presence and voice, and abiding in/with God. This invites a lifestyle of intentional practices and rhythms that form us in the image of Christ. Some of those practices include: silence and solitude, prayer and listening, and discernment and detachment in the context of Scripture and community.   Click here for more program information. 

Spiritual Formation Discovery

Hosted by Imago Christi

Thursday, November 12 – 14, 2026

  • Thursday, November 12 @ 9:00am – 4:30pm Pacific
  • Friday, November 13 @ 9:00am – 4:30pm Pacific
  • Saturday, November 14 @ 9:00am – 3.00pm Pacific

Location: Palm West Community Church
13845 West Stardust Boulevard, Sun City West, AZ, 85375

Cost: $95 (This covers Discovery materials and expenses. Lunches and snacks will be provided by Palm West church)

Spiritual Formation Discovery is an interactive group process of assessing where you are in your spiritual journey by bringing clarity to your past spiritual experience, in light of a paradigm for spiritual growth, and the shape of your personal longing for God. Once you discover the context of your spiritual growth, you can cooperate with God more intentionally in your ongoing Spiritual Formation. Our hope is to give you a glimpse of God’s heart for you and your future. The three-day Discovery event is a series of modules comprised of our stories, instruction and a spiritual exercise that help you discover the keys to your spiritual growth:

Your Spiritual Timeline

Your Longing for God

Your Place in the Journey

Hindrances to Longing

The Journey of Abiding Prayer

Spiritually Forming Community

Your Spiritual Formation Plan

Click here for information and registration.

Taizé Prayer

You are invited to a service of listening prayer patterned after the prayer and worship times of the community of Taizé in France.
Location: Wonderful Mercy Church: 1351 E. Guadalupe Rd., Gilbert, AZ 85234 – in the main sanctuary
Day & Time: Third Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm
No Cost

Centering Prayer Group @ Copper Hills Church

Day/Time: Last Monday of the month at 6:30pm

Location: Copper Hills Church – 27035 Black Rock Boulevard, Peoria, AZ, 85383

Step into a shared quiet space set apart to rest in God’s presence. Presence invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and listen to Emmanuel, who is always with you.

Our time together will include guided stillness, Scripture reflection, and 20 minutes of silent prayer, with the full experience lasting approximately 45 minutes. PRESENCE takes place at 6:30pm on the last Monday of each month in the CH Prayer Room.

Click here for information and registration.