Calendar of Events

Our Offerings and Events at CSF

Our Calendar of Events

CSF creates spaces for Community. Take a look at our calendar of upcoming events, courses and retreats.

Spiritual Formation Courses

As a resource and learning community, CSF offers series of spiritual formation programmes of increasing depth and duration. These courses aim to provide the foundation and framework for spiritual formation both to deepen the Christian’s communion with God, and to encourage the Christian to live out this deeper life in his or her church community.

Spiritual Accompaniment

Spiritual accompaniment sessions are for you to talk about your walk with God at this present time, or any matter related to your spiritual life. The spiritual companion will listen with you, and together seek to co-discern God’s presence and work in your life.

Retreats

Our retreats are organised according to the Christian Year. Only Day Retreats are held at onsite at CSF. Residential Retreats are held at other Retreat Centres. Do contact us if you would like to organise a group day retreat apart from the ones scheduled.

BE Space

If you would like to come for a time of quiet with the Lord, register with us in the BE Spaces section below. Please do not come without informing us, as we are limiting the number of persons at CSF each day and want to request ahead for details of those who use the space.

CSF spiritual formation courses and retreats are designed to provide Christians with a good experiential understanding of Spiritual Formation. It is planned as a 2 years series, combining courses and retreats and personal spiritual accompaniment. Presently we have eight 100 level courses, one at 200 level. Retreats range from one day to four days. You can search for the upcoming courses or view the list of events below.

 

A Note about Sponsorship: We have set aside funds for anyone who wants to attend our Courses & Retreats but are unable to afford the fees. Write to [email protected] or drop us a message for a sponsorship request form.

 

Events Calendar

Use the search form below to filter the events by category and months.

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Events

BE Space

Select the days below to register for BE Space. If you would like the space for the whole day, please book twice – one for the morning session and one for the afternoon session.

2024 November

“Spiritual formation is the process whereby the Holy Spirit transforms us into Christlike-ness to the glory of our Father.”
 

Robert Solomon,
“Growing the Soul in Postmodern Soil Spiritual Formation in the Twenty-first Century” in The Church in the 21st Century Singapore (Ed. Isaac Lim, National Council of Churches, 2000)

No upcoming courses at present

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Past Courses

SF101: Living the Christian Year

An introduction to the Christian Year, which is based on the life of Christ We will seek to understand the significance of each remembrance: Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Christ’s Death & Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and the Ordinary Times.

The Christian Year is a wonderful rhythm of grace that helps us to walk afresh with Jesus each year, following in His footsteps in order to counteract the deadening effect of busyness and hurry.

SF102: Introduction to Spiritual Formation

This second course in the series of CSF’s Spiritual Formation courses will provide a first broad introduction to spiritual formation. Subsequent courses will layer on the learning, with a closer look at the various aspects of spiritual formation.

The focus is not only to learn & understand, but also to experience the process of spiritual formation, in community. We draw from the rich Christian spiritual traditions down the centuries to inform and challenge us. The group conversations and practice activities both within and outside of class times are as important as the teaching segments.

 

SF103: Spiritual Discipline ~ Praying the Word (Lectio Divina)

Lectio Divina evolved over time as a particular spiritual discipline of reading Scriptures. Psalms 1 & 119 exalt the meditation of God’s Word. Jesus used scriptures (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3) to assert that the right Christian posture is to live by every word that comes from God.

The essence of Lectio Divina (as passed to us through monastic spirituality) is communion with God through the Word. It is anchored upon a deep reverence for God’s Word and a posture of deep humility. Both reverence and humility are starting points as well as desired outcomes of spiritual formation. The mature reader as well as the new believer can practice Lectio Divina. For the discipline is also anchored in faith that the Spirit of God draws near to the humble soul who seeks Him.

Today, Lectio Divina is accepted, adapted and practised in many ways. CSF has anchored our Noon Day Prayer (started in 2016) on this ancient practice. This introductory first course will provide the historical background, the what, why and how of Lectio Divina. We will also share how we practice this discipline in our Noon Day Prayer.

 

 

SF105: Seven Biblical Relationships with God ~ Pointers to Deeper Walk with God

The Bible reveals a God who is relational. He has revealed Himself as the Father, Son and Spirit, three persons yet one God. He, the relational God, created us also as relational beings (“It is not good for man to be alone.”). We can trace through the Bible records different types of relationships between God and humankind. During the course, we will look into 7 key sets of relationships. These relationships can serve as pointers to understand the differing degrees of intimacy with God. We will examine our own relationship with God, where we are currently, and where we desire to be.

SF106: Spiritual Disciplines (II) ~ Silence & Solitude

To practice silence is to become more attentive, sensitive to self, others and God. It is to be silent and quietened so as to listen to our own voice, recognize what voices are not ours, and above all to hear God.

In keeping times of solitude, removed from people and work, we learn to know our self, grow our own voice and recognize what or who have influenced us for better or for worse.

This dynamic and working of silence and solitude will be explained, with exercises for participants to experience these disciplines for themselves. We will suggest practices to cultivate this twin spiritual discipline. We will also present a brief overview of the history of silence and solitude as practiced during the biblical times to the present.

 

SF107: Spiritual Disciplines (III) – Different Forms & Traditions of Prayer

This course will  examine the different forms of prayer that are related to spiritual formation: lectio divina (Monastic),  the Jesus Prayer (Orthodox), the Examen (Ignatian), and Contemplation. How do these prayer forms serve as spiritual disciplines for our interior life?

An early Christian wrote that “prayer is keeping company with God” (Clement of Alexandra). In CSF, we agree. Prayer is a natural, unconscious, unceasing conversation with God. Prayer happens because the triune God has invited us to participate in His eternal communion. In Him, we move and have our being (Acts 17:28). It is because He adopted us, and we now have a relationship with God that we pray, converse with, listen to and keep company with God our Father.

 

SF108: Introduction to Spiritual Accompaniment

The CSF tagline is “Coming Alongside Becoming Christlike.” As Spiritual Formation is a process of transformation to be more like Christ, Spiritual Accompaniment is the posture of coming alongside fellow Christians to listen & co-discern God’s presence & work in our lives.

This introductory course will cover a brief survey of the history of Spiritual Direction, some important heart postures e.g. to be a listening presence, a safe holding space, and a co-discerner with the storyteller. The wider context of engaging in sincere, genuine spiritual conversations and cultivating spiritual friendship will also be introduced.

SF201: Spiritual Disciplines ~ Means of Grace Towards Christlikeness

(Prerequisite to join SF201: Completion of SF101, 102, 103 and 105)

How does a Christian continue to grow deeper in Christ after the initial thrill of experiencing God’s love and saving grace? Even as we commit ourselves to serve Him, how do we renew ourselves after the demands and drain of ministry? We know about the core spiritual disciplines of keeping our quiet time, prayer and reading the Bible. Spiritual disciplines however, are not just to nourish our spiritual life, and also to cultivate a spiritual attentiveness to God.

This Spiritual Formation course aims to introduce a group of spiritual disciplines to help us “to practice the presence of God.” A framework linking these disciplines and the process involved will be explained.

The course is designed to be practical. Beside the teaching segment, we will practice the disciplines e.g. the writing journal reflections, and meeting up with spiritual directors to discern God’s leading in your life. These disciplines will help us to grow deeper in Christ and provide renewal after the drain of ministry.

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Past Retreats

Advent Day Retreat: You Shall Name Him Jesus (Luke 1:26-45)

Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year; the coming of Christ. The angel announced His birth to Mary, “You shall name Him Jesus.” Later, in a separate announcement to Joseph, the angel added that “he will save his people from their sins” (Luke 1:31; Matthew 1:21).

Step closer into the story of Jesus’ birth, focusing on the angel’s announcement to Mary and Joseph. Jesus is the true light that has come into the world (John 1:9). Let us ponder, be refreshed and renewed by the hope, peace, joy and love Jesus brings.

 

Advent Residential Retreat:  No Longer Longing: “O Come Emmanuel, O Come Lord Jesus”

“Soon it will be Christmas Day,” so goes one popular Christmas song. For Christians, a richer term to express the birth of Christ is “Advent.” It simply means “coming,” the coming of God into our world. With the Advent, we are no longer longing like Simeon who waited his whole life for the “consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25).

Advent does not just commemorate the birth of Christ, His first coming. It also anticipates the second Advent, His second coming. And we are reminded indeed to be like Simeon, and also the martyred believers who (in John’s vision of the future), “cried out in a loud voice “How long, Sovereign Lord … until you judge…?” (Revelation 6:10)

Advent begins the Christian Year, which is based on the life of Christ. Every new year, we start afresh to remember Christ’s birth and “follow” Him from cradle to cross, from the grave to the sky.

 

Epiphany Day Retreat: The Revelation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God

The season of Epiphany follows after Advent. Epiphany is about the manifestation of Jesus – the revelation that He is the Son of God.

Epiphany is a season to be awe-filled afresh. This is what we seek in this retreat – for a fresh manifestation, an epiphany: that fresh revelation, unveiling, insight, new discovery, rediscovery that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

 

Lent Day Retreat: Who Do You Say that I Am? (Mark 8:29)

Lent is a 40-day season of the Christian Year. The focus is on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

If the true measure of a person is revealed in adversity, how is the true measure of God revealed?

This one-day retreat begins the Lenten meditation with Jesus’ own question: “But who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8: 29a)

Who is Jesus to you? Don’t repeat after Peter (Mark 8:29b) even though that is a standard answer.

Face Jesus, converse with Him intimately and answer Him honestly.

 

Lent Day Retreat: What Do You Want Me to Do for You? (Mark 10:32-45) 

As we approach the Holy Week, meditate to remember again why Jesus died on the cross, and what He went through.

Mark 10:32-45 records a conversation between Jesus and His disciples. The journey to Jerusalem revealed what drives Jesus towards the cross. It also revealed the disciples’ self-referencing desires.

It is this contrast that shows us “the wonders of His glorious love, and our own worthlessness.”
(~ Hymn: Beneath the Cross of Jesus, Elizabeth Cecilia Clephane.)

Let the words of the disciples help you examine your own motivation as a disciple of Jesus.

Face Jesus, converse with Him intimately and answer Him honestly.

 

Easter Day Retreat: I have seen the Lord! (John 20:1-18)

Lent is a season of “bright sadness” which leads to Easter!

On the first Easter morning, a revived and elated Mary Magdalene burst in on the disciples and exclaimed, “I have seen the Lord!”

Through John 20:1-18, let us come nearer to Mary’s sorrowful weeping and seeking which transformed into great joy of beholding the risen Lord! May her real encounter and lived experience draw our yearnings for Jesus.

 

Easter Day Retreat: Come and have Breakfast with Me (John 21:12)

After Jesus’ resurrection, the gospels record various appearances that Jesus makes: to Mary, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and groups of disciples.

In John 21:1-14, Jesus appears to seven disciples who were out fishing. He shows them a miracle – a catch of 153 fish after a whole night of catching nothing. Then He invites them to have breakfast on the shore – fish laid out over charcoal fire, and some bread.

“Imagine the camaraderie around the charcoal fire:
the hungry men, the welcome food, the questions
asked, the stories recalled, the shared laughter and
later the exchange that restores Peter. This is our
risen Lord, wholly other yet still human, mysterious
yet down-to-earth, forever one of us even as he is
forever over us.” ~ Bobby Gross, Living the Christian Year
(IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 209.

Hear Jesus’ invitation to his disciples to come ashore and eat with him, rest from their night of labour.

Respond to Jesus’ invitation to you to come away from your busy day, week, and year. Come, and spend a day of quiet with Him.

 

Easter Day Retreat – Jesus was Lifted Up (Acts 1:1-11)

Ascension day.

The day Jesus ascended to heaven.

“No one has ascended into heaven except He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” (John 3:13) It falls on the fortieth day of Easter, always the Thursday of the sixth week.

Ascension day celebrates Christ’s exaltation. While on earth, He was a servant. Now in heaven, He is the Ruler and Lord of all. By entering heaven as the representative of mankind, He completed the work of our salvation and guaranteed the eventual glorification of all who love Him. Just as Jesus went up in the clouds, He will return the same way.

Come to immerse in God’s word and look with the disciples at the Son of Man; “He was lifted up and a cloud took Him out of sight.” (Acts 1:9)

 

Women’s Day Retreat: Jesus sees you. “And He looked around to see…” (Mark 5:32)

This retreat is for women. You are invited to join Jesus on His journey through Galilee and witness divine encounters between two women and himself. Jesus saw and restored the women.

We will meditate on John 4:7-26 and Mark 5:24-34 and be guided by the Holy Spirit to encounter Jesus. Come away, just as you are, to a sacred space for rest, reflection and renewal.

“It is in silence that we habitually release our own agendas and our need to control and become more willing and able to give ourselves to God’s loving initiative. Silence deepens the experience of solitude.” ~ Ruth Haley Barton, Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence (Ill.: Intervarsity Press, 2010), 35.

 

 

Ordinary Time Day Retreat – Come Away, Rest for a While (Mark 6:30-46)

And Jesus said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. (Mark 6:31)

Tensions. In-betweens. Work and rest.

“… our spiritual hearts have cycles of engagement and withdrawal, giving and receiving, working and resting.” ~ Bobby Gross, Living the Christian Year (IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 227.

Be rested through Jesus, listening attentively and honestly to tensions within us, more so, observe the Lord journey through the in-betweens, holding and gifting work and rest.

Come away, be rested in Him, for a while.

 

 
Ordinary Time Day Retreat – Come with Me, Get Some Rest (Mark 6:31-46)

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)

Jesus invites you to withdraw from your busyness. Take this day to pause, to reflect on where you are, and what God is doing in your life. Step into Jesus’ story: come and see the way He lives, the way He loves.

 

 

Ordinary Time Day Retreat – Jesus sees in His compassion (Mark 5:24-34; Luke 13:10-13)

We immerse in Luke 13:10-13 and Mark 5:24-34, journeying with Jesus who, in His compassion, sees. He does not overlook person(s). His seeing makes two women in the two stories visible.

Jesus saw, with compassion, the two women who suffered years of oppression and brokenness. Wherever you find yourself today, in a season of great joy and peace or significant pain and loss, the Lord Jesus sees and loves you.

Come away, just as you are in this season of Ordinary Time, to a quiet space for rest, reflection and renewal. Allow God to see you, and for Him to let you see Him.

 

 

Ordinary Time Day Retreat – Do You Want to Be Healed (John 5:1-17)

Bobby Gross wrote: at the heart of Ordinary Time, “we celebrated the incarnation: (God with us); we contemplated salvation: (God for us); now in Ordinary time we concentrate on the outworking of that redemption: (God through us).”

“Over the months of ordinary time we can enter into additional rhythms of healthy discipleship: gathering for worship and dispersing for witness, tending to ourselves and caring for others, enjoying our rest and fulfilling our duties.” ~ Bobby Gross, Living the Christian Year (IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 226-227.

Come join us in this ordinary time retreat and be connected to Jesus as we look into Scripture recalling Jesus asking one man who was invalid for thirty-eight years, “do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6). Many of us are like this invalid, we want to but…

In this ordinary time, let the redemptive work of Jesus through the filling of His Holy Spirit in us empower us. Just as Jesus asked the invalid man, “do you want to be healed? “ Jesus is asking you the same question today. How might you respond to Him?

 

 

 

Ordinary Time Residential Retreat – God in the Ordinary: Attentiveness to God in the Busyness of Living

Ordinary time.

It sounds rather boring and dreary. But the Church named it well. This is the time to walk the talk about the resurrected life in the ordinary thoroughfare of living as witnesses for Him in the world.

Is God in the ordinary? CSF retreats are designed to provide time and space for spiritual rest and reflection. We will explore what it means to walk and live out our faith in our daily routines. Different characters from different walks of life in the Acts of the Apostles will help us in our meditation.

It is easy to lose our attentiveness to God in the busyness of living. So, this retreat is a time to allow God to draw near, and for Him to draw us near to Him. God is present all the time everywhere. How do we develop the habits and disciplines to be attentive to His Presence? Take some time out and join us to find out.

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