All events are in Phoenix, Arizona timezone.
Arizona does not participate in Daylight Saving Time, if you live outside AZ, please google or use the link below to find the time zone conversion for your location.
EMAIL LIST SIGN-UP
Sign up for the Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona’s Email List to receive news and updates on upcoming retreats, classes, and conferences!
Contemplative Hike
Monthly at 8am – November thru April
November 7, 2026
December 5, 2026
January 2, 2027 – Camino*
February 6, 2027
March 6, 2027
April 3, 2027
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
*this will be a different hike with a different starting location
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 – 12.00pm 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
The Gift of Gratitude: an advent soul care practice
December 5, 2026 // 8:30am az time (10:30a ET / 9:30a CT / 7:30a PT)
Location: Online
Advent invites us to become people of gratitude—not because everything in our lives is easy, but because we learn to recognize God’s presence, trust God’s promises, and receive the gift of Christ with open hearts. It is a gift we both receive and give. Come pause and discover how gratitude deepens our experience of hope, peace, joy, and love during Advent.
“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” – Cicero
We will take a short look at how the practice of gratitude can change our hearts, minds and bodies and reflect on how it can help cultivate hope, peace, joy and love during the advent season.
Time for spiritual practices, a short reflection and questions to ponder.
Led by: Sheli Sloterbeek
Cost: No cost – It is our gift to you!
creative pause. soul care for your creative self
Trauma in the Church: Navigating the Wounds of Clergy and Congregation
January 30, 2027 // 8:30a-4:00p
We acknowledge hurts and wounds in the church are real, and often overlooked or dismissed. In this gathering, we will address wounds and trauma for both congregants as well as clergy. Topics like:
Betrayal of trust — Harm through abuse, hypocrisy, manipulation, or moral failure by leaders or the community.
Rejection of belonging — Exclusion, shame, or conditional acceptance that wounds a person’s sense of being loved and accepted.
Distortion of God — Experiences that make God seem controlling, punitive, absent, or unsafe because of how God’s name or authority was used.
And, how do we process and heal?
Led by Adrienne Gibson and SFSAZ
Cost:
Regular Registration* October 11 – December 25, 2026 – $89 non-member / $80 General Member / $75 Full & Professional Member
Late Registration* after December 25, 2026 – $99 non-member / $90 General Member / $85 Full & Professional Member
*Member Discounts Applicable
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
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
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.
Taizé Prayer
Centering Prayer Group @ Copper Hills Church
Day/Time: Last Monday of the month at 6:30pm (Will not meet in November or December but will be back January 25, 2027)
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.