Christians are facing greater challenges to our faith and many experience instability in their relationship with God. According to a Barna Report (3/23) Pastors’ vocational satisfaction has dropped from 72% to 52% and only 38% feel very satisfied with their ministry. With similar discouragement, many lay Christians feel unusual pressures to their faith from everyday challenges. Few have the resources to take a formal sabbatical or retreat at a distant retreat center. Many of us simply need regular access to a safe, hospitable, Spiritual Sanctuary to spend time with God without seriously disrupting our regular responsibilities. 

In the greater Grand Rapids area there were over 800 churches and Christian nonprofits busy serving the community. The Sanctuary at Grand Rapids provides safe, quiet, contemplative space for any Christian to refocus & deepen their walk with God during the busy week. 

In a park-like setting, The Sanctuary at Grand Rapids offers:

• Self-guided or guided, biblically themed prayer walks.
• Spaces for reflection and meditation in a park-like setting.
• Rooms for journaling, scripture reading, artistic expression and other prayerful disciplines.
• Conversations with a Spiritual Director for discernment / debriefing one’s experiences with God.
• Workshops that explore contemporary and contemplative Spiritual Formation topics.
• Provide a hub for Spiritual Directors and a network of other support services.

Here are examples of people who would find The Sanctuary helpful:

A middle-aged church leader struggling with her vocational direction meets briefly with a Sanctuary Spiritual Director to reflect on her journey with God. She then goes out into a prayer-walk that physically demonstrates the ebb and flow of life’s decisions. Returning to the Director, the two prayerfully discern God’s presence in this ‘in-between’ time creating a sense of His peace in spite of the unknown. The Director may recommend a Sanctuary partner organization for specific vocational coaching.

A small group of people wanting to ‘see Jesus anew’ will take a 30 minute “silent walk” along a path that draws attention to the life of Jesus where guideposts and visuals inspire reflections on the Five Discourses of John’s Gospel. They will gather for debrief and prayer in the nearest building space (an outdoor gazebo or room in the house).

A young man struggling in his first encounter with deep grief as a Christian, comes to The Sanctuary and walks a trail dedicated to processing grief and loss; a path where guideposts on the Psalms help him process God’s presence in this season. At the end of the walk, he joins a Spiritual Director where they continue to process his grief into a Psalm-like prayer. He averts the lonely despair of trying to love God in the face of grief.

A pastor, exhausted from the work, comes to the same Sanctuary prayer space every Monday to meet with God. In this space, he uses contemplative practices (learned at a Sanctuary workshop) to release the pressures of ministry. Each Monday afternoon, this pastor now has greater strength for the week ahead.

The Christian office worker frustrated with her spiritual complacency comes to The Sanctuary; and, through a guided gardening experience, reflects on God’s nurturing presence in her daily life. She leaves with physical satisfaction and metaphors of wisdom for her walk with God. She comes back to that garden space week after week acknowledging God’s hand (and hers) in her incremental spiritual growth.

A local church’s women’s group seeks something more in their discipleship. Curious about Contemplative Spirituality they decide to attend a Sanctuary workshop on prayer practices. In time, having benefited from these practices, some of the women using The Sanctuary ask a leader to prepare a day-long retreat using another practice on the theme of thankfulness.