Spiritual Formation

​In spiritual formation we are on a pilgrimage rather than a journey guided by spiritual practices/disciplines that aid in formation. We lean into less is more and work toward surrendering our agenda and ego in an attempt to deepen our relationship with God, self, and others. A few of these “soul tending” practices are silence, solitude, Lectio Divina (sacred reading), prayer, contemplation, and meditation.
"Though we may not think alike, can we not love alike."

- John Wesley

  • Sunday Morning Worship Prayer
    Sundays during the 8:20, 9:30 and 11 a.m. services
    The Worship Prayer Team is comprised of individuals who commit to pray during one of the Sanctuary worship services. The team is made up of men and women of all walks of life who are willing to share one hour on Sunday morning to pray for the ministries that take place on the WC Campus. There is a room on the second floor of the Sanctuary on the south end that is dedicated for the purpose of worship prayer and provides a quiet setting and instructions to guide the participant in their time of prayer. John McKellar and Todd Renner, our Co-Pastors, stress the importance of this opportunity to be a church of prayer so we might “see revival and new life spring forth” throughout all areas of ministry here at WC. Please contact Dianne Will at 817-481-4147 to schedule your time of prayer.
    Contemplative Discussion Around Films/Series/Documentaries
    Begins Monday, Sept. 13 | 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    ​Join Rev. Victor Resendiz for an insightful and contemplative discussion about films that consist of impacting themes like spirituality, inner healing, social justice, and resiliency. The idea is to reflect in a contemplative scope and look for God’s presence in the stories and characters of the following movies/documentaries. This class will meet Sept. 13 – 27.  Contact Rev. Victor Resendiz for more information.
    God’s Presence: Spiritual Formation Practices 
    Begins Monday, Oct. 18 | 5 to 6:30 p.m. |     Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    What is Spiritual Formation? Join Rev. Victor Resendiz for this introductory study series on spiritual formation practices: Christian meditation/center prayer, Lectio Divina, journaling, and the labyrinth. The class/discussion will be led in an interactive manner, with visual resources and activities that will help provide a better understanding of what it means to practice the Presence of God. This class will meet Oct. 18–Nov. 8. All are welcome.
    Simple Presence 
    Once a Month | 1:30 p.m. |     Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    Please join Rev. Betsy Godbold for a time of Simple Presence. We seek an open, receptive, lovingly attentive presence of God using a contemplative form of prayer. This leads into a time of silence and to soak in God's abundant love. Joan Chittister shares this beautiful insight of simple truth: "We never 'get' God, but we always 'have' God. We never 'find' God but we forever dwell in God. So, if I'm seeking God, I have already come to God." Registration is not required, all are welcome.

    Schedule:
    Second Thursdays (July 8 and Aug. 12)
    First Thursdays (Sept. 2 – May 5, 2022)
    Spiritual Direction
    By Appointment
    The goal in Spiritual Direction is to increase your awareness of God’s presence in your life through a monthly, one-hour conversation with a trained Spiritual Director. Do you wish to hold yourself accountable to regular spiritual practices or wish to learn new prayer practices? Do you desire to love God more dearly, see God more clearly, follow God more nearly? White’s Chapel has several Spiritual Directors ready to join you on your journey. For more information, contact Rev. Betsy Godbold at 817-481-4147.
    Wesley Prayer Walks
    First Wednesday of the Month (September – December) | 9 a.m. | Spell Chapel
    Join us as we take an outdoor walk through campus. We will delight in God’s creation and seek God's guidance, mercy, and transforming power for the church, the community, the world, and for ourselves. We will pray at sacred spaces such as Spell Chapel, the Stations of the Light, the Labyrinth, the Amphitheater/Rider Pond, the Ponder Prayer Chapel, and the Jesus Fountain. Beginning in September, we will meet at Spell Chapel on the first Wednesday of the month at 9 a.m. The Wesley Prayer Walk will last for approximately 30 min. Just bring a water bottle and wear comfortable shoes. All are welcome and registration is required on the church website.
  • The goal of the SPELL Symposium is to establish a foundation that will support an on-going tradition of inviting teachers to Whites Chapel United Methodist Church, who are grounded in the Christian tradition that teaches the importance of spiritual practices and contemplative prayer as the foundation for experiencing the Love of God.

    Belief statement: When we are centered internally by engaging in spiritual practices and contemplative prayer, our outer actions demonstrate and bear witness to this Love.

    The objective of the SPELL Symposium is to develop and implement a multi-year program of speakers for the benefit of our church and community. These events will be coupled with events/activities that precede the speaking engagement as well as follow-up activities/events. SPELL seeks to gain not just knowledge through these events, but heart-felt ‘knowing’.

    Outcomes:
    SPELL hopes to grow a community that:
    • seeks not just knowledge, but heart-felt ‘knowing’
    • is grounded in spiritual practices and contemplative prayer.
    • speaks to the chaotic and divisive world
    • broadens the base of who we are in Christ
    • believes in and expresses an inclusive message
    Phileena Heuertz presents “Mindful Silence”
    Saturday, October 23, 2021 | 10-11 a.m. | Via Zoom
    After careful consideration and discernment, both Phileena and the SPELL committee have decided to reschedule the “Mindful Silence” event to Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022. You will receive a full refund from WCUMC.

    We are pleased to tell you that Phileena will join us for a one-hour contemplative event on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 at 10 a.m. CST, via Zoom. This event is free and all are welcome (the Zoom link will provided by Oct. 20). You can expect to experience the following:

    • Phileena will speak to the challenges we’re still facing with the pandemic and guide us into a contemplative stance to hold everything in love and open to the Holy Spirit’s invitation to each of us during these difficult times.
    • You will get a taste of the deeper formative contemplative experience Phileena will offer us at the SPELL event early next year.
    • You will receive suggestions for resources that will support you in your current challenges and prepare you for the SPELL event.
    To learn more about Heuertz, visit Phileena.com.
  • Love: A Guide for Prayer
    Love: A Guide for Prayer (Take and Receive Series) by authors Jacqueline Syrup Bergan and Maria Schwan, CSJ, will be the primary focus of our spiritual formation study for the fall. We live in a world of outward focus and enticements that draws us away from inner peace lived fully in and with God. Christian spiritual formation opens us to an awareness that all begins with God, depends on God, and ends in God. Flowing through this awareness is an invitation to enter a daily rhythm that draws us closer to God, to ourselves and others. This study is a wonderful opportunity to become grounded in the spiritual practices which bring us into an ever-growing awareness of God’s intimate presence which comes through Jesus, the Christ. Bergan and Schwan invite us to become contemplatives feasting “on a rich nourishing five course dinner based on contemplation to attain God’s love with the crowning moment centered in and on The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.” The seven-week class will be offered at three different times and is limited to 12 participants in each class. Registration is required on the WC website and the book will be available for purchase at the first class.

    Begins Sept. 13: Mondays, 1:30 - 3 p.m.,     Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    Begins Sept. 14: Tuesdays, 1:30 - 3 p.m., Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    Begins Sept. 15: Wednesdays, 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    Companions in Christ
    ​Beginning Thur., Sept. 16, 2021 from 10 – 11:30 a.m.
    Zoom through September - TBD later dates
    A new “Companions in Christ” class by Upper Room will begin on Thursday, September 16, 2021 from 10 - 11:30 a.m. in the Center for Spiritual Care. This spiritual formation experience unfolds over several months helping participants develop a daily rhythm of prayer, individual reading, reflection, and journaling. The class allows for a deeper exploration of your weekly experience as participants share thoughts, as they are comfortable, and reflect together on their ever-enriching spiritual journey. These unique times of sharing provide a safe sacred space to “explore your listening, your spiritual practices, and how you are attempting to put those practices into daily life.”
    ​
    The group, facilitated by Robin Cassell, is limited to 12 participants and both men and women are welcome. You may choose to participate in one or all the sessions, each ranging from six to eight weeks in length; the 28-week class ends April 28, 2022. The book available for purchase at the WC Bookstore.
    Zoom Into Spiritual Awakenings Roundtable
    Sundays from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
    The Spiritual Awakenings Roundtable challenges members to see themselves and their faith through fresh lenses. Come join us in lively explorations that include insights from Scripture, tradition, historical texts, contemporary writers, and renowned guest speakers. Our interactive discussions incorporate perspectives from a wide variety of Christian legacies and real-world experiences. Inspired by the authors who fuel our facilitated exchange, we enjoy a circle of genuine trust, empathy, and interest in the spiritual evolution to which Christ calls us.

    Roundtable discussions for Fall, 2020 will focus on Thomas Merton’s Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, a compilation of essays taken from the famous monk’s private journals during an historic American “awakening” much like our own today. The author’s spiritual perspectives accompany the reader along new paths of inquiry across the most bedeviling of societal dilemmas. Readings are freestanding and participants can join the conversation at any time. Whether you’re 20 or 90, you can count on the Roundtable’s inquiries to expand the mind and energize the spirit with timely reflections. Registration is not required, and all are welcome.

    Contact Ann Davis for Zoom access info. 
    ​817-251-1249​
Meet the Director
Rev. Betsy Goldbold
Pastor for Spiritual Formation

Reverend Betsy Godbold received a Master of Divinity from Brite Divinity School, with a concentration in Pastoral Theology and Counseling. She has extensive training in the area of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction.