Spiritual Partnering is a wholistic, peer-based program of spiritual direction, insight, commitment, devotion and renewal. It has been described as a “partnership between equals for the purpose of spiritual growth.” It is distinct from spiritual direction in that it assumes a mutual capacity for spiritual insight, healing and discernment, whereas the spiritual direction model requires a “director” or teacher with greater insight and training and a student with presumably lesser abilities who is looking for “direction.” Spiritual Partnering has always seemed to me to be a model much more in synch with our Unitarian Universalist beliefs, philosophy and practice of “the priesthood of all believers” and the basis of our Protestant faith – the idea that the ability to connect to the divine is within each of us equally, therefore we do not need to go through a superior intercessor - than is the traditional Spiritual Direction model (born out of the Roman Catholic faith) where there is an expert with skills who does not engage in a mutual process but tries to facilitate the learning of the student. Throughout my sabbatical, I revived and reconnected a long time relationship of Spiritual Partnering with my former Spiritual Partner and colleague, The Reverend Lutia Lausane, who is an ordained United Church Minister, and also a musician, storyteller and producer and writer/performer for 18 years of the children’s television program Blue Rainbow! She is also on the Board of the Ontario Society of Psychotherapists and trained in Jungian analysis – quite a diverse and eclectic skill set to bring to our long time connection. Checking in with each other more than 10 years after our relationship of Spiritual Partnering came to a close when I moved to Hamilton has been an amazingly grounding experience. Lutia’s insights into Parish Ministry, the life of the spirit, the role of music in ministry, her interpersonal skills and family systems knowledge (along with her friendship) have been an invaluable asset in reflecting on the changes, challenges and insights that arose during sabbatical. I have decided as well to form a slightly larger partnership I am calling a “Clearness Committee” after the Quaker term that includes two other colleagues to walk each other through the spiritual and theological reflection that is so essential to the life ministerial. I feel well-supported and companioned in my ministry – more so than in a long while. UU Values Our third Principle is almost the embodiment of the purpose of Spiritual Partnering: • Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations (but also in ourselves!) Next Page