Deeper Journey
Deeper Journey is a two-year, eight-retreat experience held at Sandy Cove Christian Conference & Retreat Center located on the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay in North East, Maryland. It provides a comprehensive spiritual formation experience in light of the unique challenges of life and ministry in the 21st century. The quarterly retreats offer an integrated approach of biblical theology and Christian psychology within a worshiping community. The experience includes worship, teaching, small groups, and personal time. Each retreat highlights at least one spiritual discipline and provides space for the engagement of the discipline.
Deeper Journey is designed for those who are serious about nurturing and protecting their souls. If this is what you desire and can give a day and a half every three months, we invite you to let us know of your interest in the next Deeper Journey community!
Registration is now officially closed because we have limited space. Please contact Susan to express your interest so we can let you know if a spot becomes available or to put you on a waiting list and keep you in the loop when we launch the next series. Email her at susanlynnpayne@gmail.com
Dates: TBD
Arrival starts at 2pm on Sunday, with the first session beginning promptly at 3pm. Last session ends at 5:30pm on Monday.
Tuition: TBD - will depend on new contract with retreat center.
Retreat #1 – Essential Dimensions of the Soul in Spiritual Formation – Explores foundational dimensions of the soul’s formation in Christ.
Spiritual Disciplines: Silence & Solitude
Retreat #2 – The Voice of God in Spiritual Formation – Examines the role of Scripture in formation and the challenge of truly listening to the voice of God.
Spiritual Discipline: Contemplative Reading of Scripture
Retreat #3 – Communion with God in Spiritual Formation – Attends to the gift of communion with God with an emphasis on the role of prayer in formation.
Spiritual Discipline: Meditative & Contemplative Prayer
Retreat #4 – The Necessity of Self-Clarity in Spiritual Formation – Explores the invitation for a deeper self-understanding in Christ through the use of the Enneagram. Attention is given to the dynamics of personality in formation.
Spiritual Discipline: Examen
Retreat #5 – Stages of Life and Faith in Spiritual Formation – Explores Christian maturity through the lens of human and spiritual development.
Spiritual Discipline: Awareness
Retreat #6 – The Role of Desire in Spiritual Formation – Explores the importance and necessity of desire in the journey of transformation.
Spiritual Discipline: Discernment
Retreat #7 – Rhythms of Life in Spiritual Formation – Attends to the need of formulating a rhythm of spiritual practices that honors God, nourishes the soul and blesses others.
Spiritual Disciplines: Simplicity & Sabbath
Retreat #8 – Sustaining the Journey of Spiritual Formation – Provides a summary overview of the previous seven retreats with an emphasis on elements needed to sustain a personal journey of Spiritual formation.
Spiritual Disciplines: Gratitude & Rule of Life
“When I realized my home life was as busy as my work life, it was so hard to find a way to peel off and commune with God for any length of time. “Deeper Journey” gave me a consistent check point for my own sanity and for the “soul check” I needed. At the end of the first retreat I was shocked by the deep rest that I had experienced in an overnight retreat. The pace and atmosphere that the Paynes set was a huge part of allowing me to disconnect and truly retreat. The teaching was thought provoking and the discourse excellent in evaluating my posture before God. The space for communion with my God brought about an openness to be used even more fully for His purposes which would have likely been missed had I not been a part of “Deeper Journey”. Thank you for sharing your gifts and passions. I have been blessed.”
