2022 SFSAZ Conference – February 4 & 5
The Contemplative Way. Our conference this year will lead us into reflection on what it means to live a contemplative life. What is the contemplative way of Jesus? What does that look like lived out every day? We will explore the invitation and elements of living contemplatively, as well as looking at how the contemplative way is lived out in various roles, situations and everyday life. Plenary sessions with Dennae Pierre, Doug Kelley, David Wu and Ted Wueste and workshops to spend time exploring a little more. This conference is designed with time with personal reflection a pace intended to engage the heart as well as the mind.
Plenary Speakers
Dennae Pierre
Dennae Pierre is one of the co-Directors for the Crete Collective and leads the Surge Network in Arizona. She also serves as one of the Co-Directors for City to City North America. She has her MA from Covenant Theological Seminary and DMin from Western Theological Seminary (Holland, Michigan) and is the author of Healing Prayers to Resist a Violent World. Dennae is married to Vermon, the lead pastor at Roosevelt Community Church, a multi-ethnic church in downtown Phoenix and they have four very fun children.
Doug Kelley
Dr. Doug Kelley is Professor of Communication Studies at Arizona State University. He has authored five books on interpersonal relationships focusing on intimacy, forgiveness, social justice, and morality. Doug has been involved in the Christian community in Phoenix for over twenty years. He has conducted marriage retreats and workshops for local churches, including a long-standing commitment with Scottsdale Bible Church’s marriage enrichment program. Professor Kelley has taught for Seattle Pacific University, Fuller Seminary, Arizona Christian University, and spoken at and consulted with Grand Canyon University. He has also played an instrumental role in Young Life College in the state of Arizona. In addition, Doug has taught about forgiveness in settings as diverse as Neighborhood Ministries, the Pinal County Jail, Penn State University, Amman Arab University, and the West Bank. Understanding living out the life and teachings of Jesus is a core element of Doug’s life. He has informally been spiritual directing for years and is currently receiving training through the Selah program. Doug has a special penchant for walking along side those who are lost, doubting, questioning, rejecting, transitioning, confused, or even bored. Check out his website at www.GroundedinSanity.com.
David Wu
David Wu is the Executive Director of the Mosaic Center for Spiritual Formation, a Christian ministry committed to serving the Lord’s servants, particularly those who serve under-served communities, and to promoting spiritual theology and practice informed by how diverse peoples of the world are being formed in Christ’s image. He is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div) and a senior faculty member of the Selah Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction. Prior to founding Mosaic, David was involved with overseas missions in East Asia, church planting, and pastoral ministry in the local church. David is passionate about creating prayerful and hospitable space for others to listen to God, serving the under-served, and biblical reconciliation. For fun, David enjoys long hikes, playing the guitar, gluten-free cooking, and pulling weeds. David and his wife and three kids make their home in Houston, Texas.
Ted Wueste
Ted serves as the Director of the Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona. After having served as a Senior Pastor and in other Pastoral staff roles for 22 years, Ted now devotes his time to the formation and soul care of leaders. He practices spiritual direction and has written several formation resources: a Study Guide for Mansions of the Heart, a Study Guide for Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God, Welcome Everything, and an advent daily devotional. He lives in the Phoenix area with his wife, Jenifer, and they have two children, a son and a daughter in both in college.
D.Min. in Leadership, Phoenix Seminary, AZ
Master of Sacred Theology, Dallas Seminary, TX
Master of Divinity, Western Seminary, OR
Certificate in Spiritual Direction: Selah, Leadership Transformations, MA
Certificate in Spiritual Direction, New Way Ministries, CO
Covid Precautions
We know covid is still a concern and we are taking precautions.
At Valley View Bible Church there will be plenty of space for social distancing in plenary sessions.
We will have a sectioned off space for those who would prefer even more space and next to other masked individuals.
We encourage mask-wearing.
All of our meals (box lunches) will take place outside (weather-permitting).
Each workshop will take place twice so we’re able to keep the size of the group small.
Lots of hand sanitizer is available all over the campus.
Workshops
FRIDAY workshops
True-Self/False-Self – David Wu
The Freedom of Indifference – Ted Wueste
Contemplative Leadership – Matt Fogle
The Welcome Prayer – Maureen Alianza
SATURDAY workshops
Leading a Contemplative Community – Joel Bidderman
Contemplative Bible Study – John DelHousaye
Inner Healing – Danny Mullins
Cultivating a Listening Life – Sheli Sloterbeek
Schedule
Friday, February 4, 2022
8:00 – Registration
9:00 – Worship and Prayer
9:30 – Plenary Session 1
10:45 – Reflection
11:00 – Break
11:15 – Workshop
12:15 – Lunch
1:15 – Plenary Session 2
2:15 – Reflection
2:30 – Break
2:45 – Workshop
4:00 – Day Ends
Saturday, February 5, 2022
9:00 – Worship and Prayer
9:30 – Plenary Session 3
10:30 – Reflection
11:00 – Break
11:15 – Workshop
12:15 – Lunch
1:15 – Workshop
2:45 – Plenary Session 4
4:00 – Closing
