Renewing rhythms

Renewing rhythms

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCCR, Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR), Pastors' Stories, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery Christy Suffecool was one of the first pastors to come for a Deep Breath retreat when the ministry began in the fall of 2023. Her first Deep Breath retreat in November 2023, led to another in November 2024, and another in November 2025. Thinking back to when she heard about the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery in 2023, Christy remembers, “… I was fried. I did what I thought was self-care, but it really wasn’t taking …

Awareness

Awareness

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCCR, Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR), Pastors' Stories, Uncategorized 1 Comment

Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery James Salimes was struggling with disillusionment when he heard about the Contemplative Renewal Immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery. As part of his disillusionment, he left ministry as a non-denominational pastor and started serving as a chaplain. James entered the immersions hopeful the experience would help him “work through my disillusion, but with an open mind to see where it would lead me.” As a part of the fourth cohort of Contemplative Renewal Immersions, he found a community of pastors …

Stef Coleman - Grounded

Grounded

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCCR, Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR), Pastors' Stories, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery Stef Coleman was six months into a new call in the city of Chicago when a colleague who had come to Holy Wisdom Monastery for a Deep Breath, suggested checking out what is available through the Center for Clergy Renewal. Stef remembers feeling like “I was always being poured out” when she found Contemplative Renewal Immersions on the website. The idea of being part of a cohort of pastors in similar life positions or ministry contexts was appealing. “I …

Unguarded

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCCR, Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR), Pastors' Stories, Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery Michael Anderson stumbled across the Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR) while on a personal retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery. His interest in CCR led to joining the fourth cohort of Contemplative Renewal Immersions. In the Immersion he found “people who were speaking the same language.” Reflecting on his first immersion in the summer of 2023, Michael says, “What I experienced was no less than the presence of the risen Christ standing among us, breathing peace. It couldn’t be anything …

Introducing the new CCR director

Holy Wisdom MonasteryCenter for Clergy Renewal (CCR), Community of Communities 4 Comments

Dear Community of Communities, It is with deep gratitude and reverence for the members of the search committee, the Sisters, the Board of Directors and the gentle, but persistent pull of the Spirit, that I have accepted the position to be the new Director of the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery.  I will begin on January 6, 2025. I am a resident of Milwaukee, where I have served two congregations and, for the past 14 years, have been the Lutheran campus pastor at UW-Milwaukee. My husband, Kurt, is an architect working in campus planning at Marquette University. My …