Growth in Faith
Spiritual Friends/Spiritual Direction

The Spiritual Friends program provides all LSTC students with the opportunity for ongoing spiritual direction, typically provided by an off-campus pastor or lay spiritual director. There is no cost to the student.

Spiritual direction or spiritual companionship focuses on helping a person with her or his relationship with God. The needs and desires of the person seeking direction/compan-ionship shape the conversation. Conversations typically move in directions such as developing one’s prayer life, paying attention to God’s presence and leading, or discerning God’s call in matters of vocation or another decision. The spiritual director/friend helps the person pay closer attention to God’s communication, seeking to nurture intimacy with God’s love, helping the student notice and respond to invitations to growth in faith, hope and love. What is shared in spiritual direction remains confidential.

Students make arrangements for entering into a spiritual spiritual direction relationship by filling out a Spiritual Friends Match-up form available by e-mailing the the Director for Spiritual Formation (dmiller@lstc.edu) or by picking up the form from the table outside the director’s office in Augustana Chapel or at the Community Life Office on the third floor. LSTC’s spiritual formation director makes referrals to spiritual directors based upon the information and desires students express on the match-up form.

LSTC will pay for spiritual direction throughout a student’s seminary program, but growth in faith credit is granted only for one year. For Growth in Faith credit to be granted, your spiritual director must contact the Director for Spiritual Formation indicating your involvement in spiritual direction through the year (8 sessions).

Group Spiritual Direction—Those seeking a small group experience of spiritual direction should inform the Director of Spiritual Formation of their interest. Group spiritual direction will be offered on or near campus, if there is sufficient interest. Five students are needed to begin. Direction will be provided by an off-campus director.

Group direction is a good option for those who prefer to listen to the Spirit and explore their relationship with God in a group setting where members can benefit from listening to the way of the Spirit in others’ lives. Such group experience builds accountability, allows us to journey together, helps us become better listeners to self and others, and relieves the anxiety some feel about individual direction.

The group will meet once or twice a month on a schedule established by the group in consultation with its spiritual director. Like individual direction, group direction is offered at no cost to the student and grants one GIF credit.

Registration

Register for Growth in Faith events by e-mailing the Director of Spiritual Formation (dmiller@lstc.edu), or on the sign-up sheets by the Community Life office.