A 5-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation | April 2026 | Northeastern Jurisdiction

In April 2026, a dream seven years in the making will come to life.

A five-day Academy for Spiritual Formation, titled “Living a Contemplative Life in a World That Isn’t,” will be held in the Northeastern Jurisdiction. This experience is designed to help participants deepen their faith and become rooted and grounded in the love of God—a love that never lets them go.

The dream for this event began with a mystical experience Rev. Peter Jamieson had during his own two-year Academy for Spiritual Formation. That gathering took place at a Catholic retreat center in Malvern, where silence and daily walks tracing the Stations of the Cross were part of the daily rhythm.

One spring day, as Peter walked along the still snow-covered ground, he approached one of the benches at a station when he suddenly heard a voice say, “Sit down.”

“What?!?” he responded, perplexed.

The voice repeated, “Sit down.”

So, Peter sat. And as he did, he saw something.

“I saw a blue circle with a hole in the middle, and a red something inside that blue circle. And then I understood—the blue was God, and the red was me. I was almost like spooning with God.”

In that moment, Rev. Jamieson understood the meaning behind the vision.

God was saying, “I’ve got you. I have you. You don’t have to worry about it.”

Silence creates the space for transformation.

Rev. Jamieson believes these intentional times with God can transform lives and deepen how we experience our relationship with the Divine. And he’s not the only one. Rev. Deb De Vos and Rev. Jenny Smith Walz have joined forces with Peter to bring this retreat to life and share its transformational power.

“I’m a different person. I’m a different pastor. I have a different well I can draw from—one that gives me wisdom, gives me resilience… When I go about my day-to-day life, I draw on my Academy experience as much as my seminary experience. It’s that important to me.”
— Rev. Jenny Smith Walz

The five days are structured around a modified monastic rhythm that includes periods of learning and periods of silence—two hours of silence each day. These elements create space for participants to experience the Holy Spirit. There is structure, but it’s the Spirit that makes the time transformational.

Everyone’s experience is unique, and it often includes both transformation and discomfort.

“This is a place of a lot of comfort—we have a healing service, beautiful worship—but it’s also a place where you might be stretched and challenged,” explains Rev. De Vos. “It’s not continuing ed, where you walk away with five ideas to implement. It’s a space for transformation.”

Whether you’re a pastor, spiritual leader, or a seeker longing for deeper connection, this Academy offers sacred space to pause, listen, and be transformed.

Come as you are. Let go of expectations. Encounter the Divine in ways that surprise, stretch, and sustain you.

We believe this time apart could be exactly what your soul has been waiting for.

The academy will run from April 26-May 1, 2026. Learn more here.
Don’t miss out on early registration pricing. Register by October 15!