Christian Formation & Direction Ministries, NorthWest
OUR PURPOSE is captured in the words of Jesus who invites us to come take a rest: “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Matt 11:28-29 - The Message. In and through CFDM, we hope people are finding these “unforced rhythms of grace.”
WHAT WE DO: Christian Formation & Direction Ministries Northwest (CFDM NW) is a Christian ministry offering intentional learning communities in which to explore the soul-shaping experience of God in all of life.
To learn what CFDM is offering for training, workshops and contemplative retreats, please read below and continue to visit our home page for updates. You can also check our Facebook page, and/or sign up to receive our newsletter. To support CFDM, please visit our Giving page.
spiritual direction training
CFDM-NW trains spiritual directors in the Pacific Northwest, to companion others on their journey with God. Our Spiritual Direction Training program is an alternative to seminary for mature Christians who want training in offering spiritual direction and the contemplative life. It offers practical hands-on training, including courses in spiritual theology, spiritual traditions, spiritual formation, along with practicum, case studies, and supervision in giving and receiving spiritual direction. This is a two-year certificate program with small learning cohorts, training people to companion others as they walk the story of their life with God. Learn more...
The Spiritual Direction Training Program starts with a “Season of Discernment”
going deeper in relationship with god
CFDM-NW offers opportunities for individuals to learn and practice contemplative prayer in community. All are welcome at these retreats and workshops. Participants learn and experience contemplative prayer practices which enrich and deepen their relationship with the Triune God. A transformed life is a gift received, not a goal achieved. It happens when we create space for noticing what God is already doing in our life. Through spending time with, reflecting on, and resting in God, we come to know personally, and more fully, God’s immense love for us. We are God’s Beloved!
Online Mini Retreats:
ONCE A MONTH Sept 2026
- May 2027
Saturdays 10am-12N PT
All Mini Retreats are recorded and shared with registered participants who aren’t able to attend live.
Stay tuned for the full 2026-2027 season. Information on the first three retreats is below!
SEPTEMBER 26, 2026:
Understanding the Voice of God and How it Works in Our Lives
In this mini retreat we will seek a deeper understanding of the voice of God and how he works generally in all believers and specifically in each one of us. As we focus on hearing God, I’ll share some helpful tools/disciplines to assist you as you seek to listen to His voice knowing that confidence, trust and focus on God are the keys that unlock the doors to clarity and peace.
Presenter: Paula Mitchell
OCTOBER 17, 2026: Centering Prayer: Consenting to God’s Presence and Action Within Us
In centering prayer, we sit in God's loving presence with no agenda, no requests. It's a prayer of open surrender to God's presence and action within us. In this retreat, you'll learn guidelines that help you to be still in God's presence, and we'll have the opportunity to practice this prayer together.
Centering Prayer is beautifully described by Thomas Keating as “…the opening of mind and heart - our whole being - to God beyond thoughts, words, and emotions. Moved by God’s sustaining grace, we open our awareness to God, who we know by faith is within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than choosing - closer than consciousness itself.”
Presenter: Chris Murphy
NOVEMBER 14, 2026:
Seeking Jesus with our Imagination - Imaginative Prayer
How many times have you wondered what it would have been like to walk the roads of Galilee with Jesus, listening to him teach, watching him heal, and spending time with him as a friend? Our imagination is a beautiful gift, created by God, to help us encounter Jesus in the stories of the Gospels, offering our attention and our hearts as we watch him, listen to him, and follow him. This imaginative prayer workshop offers an invitation to “seek his face” in prayer and encounter Jesus in fresh ways.
Presenter: Dan Heavenor
Listening Groups
Listen and respond to the Divine invitation in ordinary life in the company of a supportive small group.
Groups will meet once a week on a Tuesday or Wednesday in the months of September 2026, November 2026, January 2027, and March 2027
Listening Groups facilitator, Marsha Crockett, is a certified Spiritual Director from CFDM -AZ, and an award-winning author of seven books focused on prayer, spiritual formation, and God-given identity. She resides in Port Orchard, Washington, and is actively involved in her local faith community. You can learn more about her work at http://www.marshacrockett.org
September 2026 - Practicing the Presence of God (Meditations from Brother Lawrence)
Tuesdays 09/08, 15, 22, 29 (1:00 - 3:00 PM, PT)
Wednesdays 09/09, 16, 23, 30 (9:00 - 11:00 AM, PT)
Recognizing being Loved First
The Reality of Unceasing Prayer
Holy Indifference to What is
Living an Integrated Life
Conversation & Connection: a gathering for spiritual directors
This online gathering is for spiritual directors—a space for conversation, connection, and mutual encouragement.
Third Thursdays each month from 3:00-4:00pm Pacific Time. To be added to the registration just email CFDMnorthwest@gmail.com
April 23rd (note this is a 4th Thursday),
May 21, June 18, July 16, Aug 20th,
September 10th (note 2nd Thursday),
Oct 15, Nov 19th, Dec 17th
Group Spiritual Direction - Listening to God through scripture
Listening To God Through Scripture is a process in which people come together on a monthly basis to do some “deep listening” of a passage from scripture.
These meetings are currently virtual, and there is no fee to participate. New group members are added to groups after attending a drop-in session, or a one-on-one session with a director to walk you through the process.
Many years ago now, a wise old priest invited me to come speak at his church in Alabama. “What do you want me to talk about?” I asked him.
“Come tell us what is saving your life now,” he answered.
These lines come from Barbara Brown Taylor’s introduction to her book An Altar in the World. She says that each chapter in the book is a tentative answer to this question. She sets the stage a bit: “My life depends on engaging the most ordinary physical activities with the most exquisite attention I can give them.”