The APR’s recent Diocesan Spiritual Wellbeing Conference at Launde Abbey was a huge success. Forty delegates attended, representing 26 different dioceses and a wide range of diocesan roles – not just spirituality advisers, but also coordinators of spiritual direction networks and/or training courses, wellbeing officers, archdeacons and directors of ministry and/or pastoral care.
The atmosphere throughout the event was one of shared optimism and joy, as delegates from across the spectrum of diocesan roles shared their experiences and working practises; many discovered connections and overlaps in their work of which they were previously unaware. New collaborations were made, and several small groups of people from neighbouring dioceses made firm commitments to meet and work together in future.
Our keynote speakers, Professor Chris Cook (from the University of Durham) and Revd Ben Cahill-Nicholls (Director of the Clergy Support Trust) spoke enthusiastically about the interplay of spirituality and wellbeing, respectively from biopsychosocial and more practical perspectives, and outgoing APR President, Rt Revd John Stroyan spoke powerfully about how spiritual wellbeing is not contingent on positive external circumstances, but is offered as a gift from God. There were a variety of other workshops on offer during the event, from resourcing diocesan spiritual direction networks, to finding inner stillness with the Desert Mothers and Fathers. The whole event was held in a framework of prayer and worship, and the staff at Launde Abbey made everyone feel very welcome.
