This page is intended to be a place where you can connect with UCC faith leaders for leadership and guidance in contemplative practices and in integrating contemplation and action. Each person listed here, inspired from the General Synod “Becoming a Church of Contemplatives in Action” Resolution, has generously offered their leadership in contemplative practices to the wider church, and has signed off on an “Anti-Racism Policy” developed by the UCC Contemplatives in Action Working Group. Please contact each guide individually about fees for their services.
Please note, these guides are trained in a variety of modalities. They are not intended to replace professional services. Please be aware that while these guides are attentive to good ministry practices, they generally do not offer therapy. Seek professional assistance as needed, and please find the modality for you, knowing that different modalities and practitioners are helpful depending on the desired goal.
Ordained clergy in the UCC; spiritual director for 16 years, trained at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation; former co-leader of Soul of Leadership program through Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation; leadership team and program leader for Kairos Spiritual Life Center; completed 3-year cycle of School of Celtic Consciousness (now School of Earth and Soul) with John Philip Newell
Contemplative focus areas
Lectio divina, chant, celtic prayer and theology, clearness committee, spiritual direction, Ignatian prayer
My experience is in discerning together which practices bring a focus that allows for the self-awareness, self-regulation, self-inquiry that opens us to God’s presence and connects us to the greater web of life.
Contemplative focus areas
Abiding in the presence of the Spirit in the midst of ordinary life and creating rituals around individual or community meaning
An ordained pastor since 2005, Bryan Berghoef has experience in nurturing contemplative practice in congregational, retreat and pilgrimage settings. The founding pastor of Holland UCC, Bryan is a graduate of Shalem Institute’s Clergy Spiritual Life and Leadership Program. He has led pilgrimages with Shalem to Iona, Scotland, as well as to Avila and Toledo, Spain, with a focus on Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. He has led contemplative retreats, listening circles, meditation groups, and incorporates a centering and breath practice into weekly worship.
Contemplative focus areas
Silence, meditation, singing bowl use, listening circles, contemplative prayer, leading contemplative retreats and silent days.
M.Div., McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago
Certificate in Advanced Studies in Spirituality and Spiritual Direction, Institute for Spiritual Leadership, Chicago
Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coaching Federation
Personal practice in meditation
Spiritual retreat leader, coach, and spiritual director
Contemplative focus areas
Centering Prayer, Breath meditation, Guided Meditation, Lectio Divina, Coaching spiritual practice
As an ordained UCC pastor since 2010, Matt Carriker is the founding Pastor at Agape Spiritual Community, a new UCC church in Waltham, MA. Matt finds joy in leading contemplative practices opportunities and youth and adult retreats in the church at large. Matt is a trained Meditation Teacher through the Ananda Church of Self-Realization and was trained in the “Mindful Schools” curriculum for sharing mindfulness practices with kids and youth of all ages. The title of his newly released book is “Giving Christianity back to Agape Love.”
Contemplative focus areas
Lessons in Meditation, Meditation Teacher Training, “Engaging Christian Contemplative Practices” course (based on the “Tree of Contemplative Practices,” Discernment Retreats, spiritual coaching
I am an ordained clergy and a spiritual director. I’ve had a practice of centering prayer for many years and I have had a spiritual director for a good many years as well as offering spiritual direction. I have led contemplative practices in congregations I’ve served and also on retreats I’ve led. I think I would say I’m grounded in the contemplative world and always interested in learning more. I am excited to be a resource to churches that want to learn more.
Contemplative focus areas
Spiritual direction, Centering prayer/meditation, Lectio divina, Visio Divina, retreat leadership
Masters MA from Boston College in Pastoral Ministry, M.Div.from Andover Newton Theological School, Ordained UCC Pastor, Annual 8 day Silent Retreats. Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation graduate of “Soul of Leadership.” Jungian training, Retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, Matthew Fox. On going Spiritual Direction and Supervision.
Contemplative focus areas
Spiritual Director, Group Retreat Leader, Centering Prayer, Meditation, “Peace is Every Step” Retreat, Mindfulness
I have been involved in Centering Prayer and lectio divina, among others. For many years I have followed the works of Thomas Keating (Contemplative Outreach ) and Richard Rohr (Center for Action and Contemplation) as well as Henri Nouwen and Parker Palmer.
Contemplative focus areas
Centering Prayer, lectio divina
Along with my M.Div., I have studied at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation (Washington, D.C.). I am a graduate of two of their long-term programs: Clergy Life and Contemplative Leadership: Going Deeper, and their Spiritual Guidance Program. I was also the Spiritual Faculty member assigned to our UCC CREDO program.
Contemplative focus areas
Spiritual Direction, Centering Prayer, Body Movement, Lectio, Various meditation practices
Editor, The Ancient Hours of Prayer: An Inclusive Breviary for the Ecumenical Church (publication in 2025). As executive director of the Open and Affirming Coalition, I developed daily services of Taizé Morning Prayer to sustain clergy and lay leaders through the pandemic. These services continue at 9 am Eastern and 8 pm Pacific on Facebook and Zoom. Please contact Andy for the URL.
Contemplative focus areas
Liturgy of the Hours, Daily Office, Planning Taizé Services, Jesus Prayer, Lectio Divina, Eucharist-centered Sunday Liturgies, Early New England Spiritual Practices
Mark considers himself a lifelong student of the contemplative life. He juggles family and work through what he describes as a path of “ordinary mysticism.” He is a member of a new monastic community (Community of the Incarnation), and is the Managing Editor of the Daily Meditations for the Center for Action and Contemplation. He served UCC churches for ten years, and worked as a faith-based social justice activist for ten more. He offers wide-ranging, lectio divina style biblical reflections at his Substack newsletter marklonghurst.substack.com
Contemplative focus areas
Select teaching on contemplative renewal or guest preaching (note: Mark has limited availability)
Certificate in Individual Spiritual Guidance from Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation; Benedictine Oblate (Holy Wisdom Monastery, WI); have led retreats, workshops on a variety of topics for nearly 40 years; was a ‘founding’ leader of the ad hoc UCC Spiritual Development Network in the 1980s; ordained UCC minister since 1974.
Contemplative focus areas
Lectio Divina/Spiritual reading, Silence, Prayer with icons/art, spiritual practices for local church leadership; establishing a daily practice of prayer and devotion; praying the Psalms
I collaborate with seekers to create meaningful interpretations of their lived stories. Ordained clergy in the United Church of Christ (UCC); Spiritual Director for over a decade; Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC); Registered Expressive Arts Therapist (REAT); Engages in individual and group work.
Contemplative focus areas
Creative process (variety of mediums) as metaphor for unfolding journey; Cultivating holy curiosity; Lectio Divina (holy listening: praying with words) and Visio Divina (holy seeing: praying with images); Meaning making and the power of ritual; Meditation, mindfulness and embodied prayer practices; Narrative art and storying; Spiritual direction.
Member of Spiritual Directors International and Graduate of the Still Point Program- The Art of Spiritual Direction. Masters in Divinity graduate from Brite Divinity School with certification in Borderland studies. I’m a trained artist in visual and fine arts which complements my spiritual practices. As a spiritual director and artist I blend contemplative practices and art practices.
Contemplative focus areas
Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize (Bilingual). I’m an artist who uses visual and contemplative arts to focus deep listening to the sacredness around us and the divine.
I am a trained spiritual director, having completed the PrairieFire program through the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center and third year practicum through Mt. St. Scholastica’s Sophia Center in Atchison, KS. I have a certification in Spiritual Formation through Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary and have led contemplative practices in the churches I have served over the past 7 years. I currently lead a contemplative prayer group via Zoom for the Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota Conferences. I also offer group spiritual direction to our MIDs.
Contemplative focus areas
Centering prayer, lectio, welcoming prayer, lovingkindness (meta) meditation, Taize, mandala coloring , labyrinth, group spiritual direction.
Rev. Sara Ofner-Seals has been ordained in the United Church of Christ since 2012. She is a recent alumnae of the Center for Action and Contemplation’s Living School program. Her passion is the intersection of contemplative spirituality and social justice.
Contemplative focus areas
Centering Prayer, Welcoming Prayer, Sacred Activism
Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction from San Francisco Theological Seminary (Redlands); Shalem Society member with focus on contemplative practices and retreats; board member and retreat planner for Pacific Center for Spiritual Formation.
Contemplative focus areas
Spiritual direction/companionship; contemplative practices and retreats from both the Christian and Buddhist traditions
I’m a trauma-informed spiritual director to individuals and groups/congregations. I’ve been in private practice for over 15 years. I integrate the Wisdom Traditions, especially yoga, with modern neuroscience, attachment theory, and internal family systems.
Contemplative focus areas
—
Rev Nancy is a semi retired UCC ordained clergy after serving churches in CT and MT for the last 20 years. She continues to offer Spiritual Direction, something that she has done for 30 years. She has an M.Div from Andover Newton Theological School. She completed both her Spiritual Direction program and Clergy Contemplative Leadership program at Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. She recently completed a year long program at St Raphaela Spiritual Life Center in Haverford, PA and received a certificate of completion of the 19th Annotation Retreat Practicum of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius.
Contemplative focus areas
She offers spiritual direction in person in Falmouth MA or on zoom.
She also is offering the opportunity to do the 19th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius in daily life, either in person or on zoom.
She encourages centering prayer and praying with imagination as one enters scripture, as well as lectio divina.
D.Min. in Christian Spirituality, my background in contemplative spirituality stems from study and practice which began in seminary over 30 years ago. I am particularly interested in the benefits of developing a rule of life for both personal and congregational settings that includes prayer, discernment, and action. I enjoy the Jesus Prayer (from Eastern Christianity) and Centering Prayer (from Western Christianity), as well as exploring the rich Christian tradition of the contemplative and mystical life.
Contemplative focus areas
Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Taize, Group Centering Prayer, Group Spiritual Direction