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Licentiate Course Outline:
2016-2017
Spiritual Formation Retreat
Location:Disciple Conference Grounds, 1899 Lakeshore Rd, Haldimand, Ontario, N0A 1P0
Day(s):July 2 – 5, 2017
Time:See below
Instructor: The Rev’d Jamie Howison
Contact info: 204.781.8450 /
Requirements for this Course:
Course Syllabus:
The primary objective of the course is to invite participants into an exploration of the shape and nature of the vocation of ministry in the current church context. Drawing on Robert Webber’s concept of the “church’s ancient-future,” participants will be challenged to explore insights from the church’s long and deep tradition as resources for ministry in a changing world.
There will be an emphasis on practice, such students will be offered opportunities not only to talk about prayer, the engagement with Scripture, and liturgical worship, but to actually engage said practices.
By the end of the retreat, participants will have been challenged to consider the place of both balance and discipline in the pastoral life, and will have drafted a working personal “rule of life”.
Course Materials:
Required Reading:
Christopher A. Beeley, Leading God’s People: wisdom from the early Church for today. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2012.
Rosalind Brown and Christopher Cocksworth, Being a Priest Today, 2nd Edition. Canterbury Press, 2006.
Graham Greene, The Power and the Glory. Originally published in 1940, available in multiple editions.
*Note that both Leading God’s People and Being a Priest Today are easily available in affordable print editions as well as in Kindle format. The Power and the Gloryis available in multiple editions, any of which is acceptable.
Assignments & Method of Evaluation of Assignments:
Participation in group sessions – 20%
Participation in daily morning and evening prayer – 10%
Reading summaries of advance reading – 20%
Brief reflection papers of 500 words on the daily assigned readings – 20%
Final take-home essay/exam– 30%
Proposed schedule for group sessions:
Session 1 – July 2 – 4:30 – 5:30pm
Session 1 - July 2 – 7:00 - 8:30pm
Session 2 – July 3 – 9:00 - 11:30am
Session 3 – July 3 – 3:00 – 5:00pm
Session 4 – July 4 – 9:00 - 11:30am
Session 5 – July 4 – 3:00 – 5:00pm
Session 6 – July 5 - 9:00 - 11:30am
Session 7 – July 5 – 1:00 – 2:30pm
The instructor will be available to students daily for personal tutorial and/or direction.
Participation in group sessions - 20%
Students are expected to attend all group sessions over the course of the retreat, and to be prepared to participate in discussion. Discussion topics will include reflections on both the advance reading and the daily assignments, as well othermaterial raised in class.
Participation in daily morning and evening prayer – 10%
Students are expected to participate in the leadership of daily morning and evening prayer, as officiants, readers, and intercessors.
Reading summaries of advance reading – 20%
Students are required to read the three assigned texts in preparation for the retreat, and to complete brief readings summaries of no more than 250 words for each book. These summaries are to be submitted to the instructor on the first day of the retreat. They may also be submitted electronically prior to the beginning of the retreat.
Brief reflection papers of 400-500 words on the daily assigned readings – 20%
Three brief articles will be assigned over the course of the retreat, and distributed electronically. Students will be required to write brief reflection papers of 400-500 words, and submit all three by the end of the retreat. We will set aside class time to further reflect on our reading as a group, as well as to discuss the reading’s relevance to the general themes of the course.
Final take-home essay/exam – 30%
A final take-home essay/exam of 2000-2500 words will be assigned, and must be submitted to the instructor no later than August 21, 2017.
Additional Statements:
- Support Services:
- Huron’s Faculty of Theology, Office of the Dean:
- Continuing Education and Non-Degree Program Co-ordinator, Faculty of Theology:
- Faculty of Theology office: , 519-438-7224, ext. 289
- Huron’s Writing Skills Centre:
- Accommodation for absences:
If documentation is required for either medical or non-medical academic accommodation, then such documentation must be submitted by the student directly to the Dean of Theology’s office (Room A227) and not to the instructor. It will be the Dean`s office that will determine if accommodation is warranted.
a)Non-medical absences:
Due dates indicate the latest time an assignment may be submitted before incurring academic penalty. Assignments may be handed before their due date when this has been previously arranged with the instructor. Late submissions will receive a deduction of a percentage of the grade each late day. The penalty for late assignments will be 10% a day, including Saturday and Sundays. Late penalties will not be waived unless your Faculty or Program Office advises the instructor that it has received appropriate documentation supporting your reasons for being unable to submit work.
b)Medical absences: See also the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness
—Undergraduate Students, at
For work representing 10% or more of the overall grade for the course, a student must present documentation indicating that the student was seriously affected by illness and could not reasonably be expected to meet his/her academic responsibilities. Documentation must be submitted as soon as possible to the Dean of Theology’s office, together with a Request for Relief specifying the nature of the accommodation requested. The request and documentation will be assessed and appropriate accommodation will be determined by the Dean’s office in consultation with the instructor(s.) Academic accommodation will be granted ONLY where the documentation indicates that the onset, duration and severity of the illness are such that the student could not reasonably be expected to complete his/her academic responsibilities.
The UWO Student Medical Certificate (SMC) and Request for Relief are available at the Student Centre website ( Huron University College Academic Counselling website ( or from the Dean’s Office or Academic Services Centre at Huron.