Soul Matters : A Spiritual Companions Journey Group

February - May

Please see description for specific dates and facilitators.

At the Spiritual Life Center, we’re always searching for

opportunities to help Spiritual Companions nourish and enrich their spiritual lives. When our Executive Leader recently participated in an innovative program at her own church, she immediately realized its potential for our own community. Rev Scott Tayler, creator of the program, led SLC participants in a program pilot: Nancy Janiszewski; Marilyn Sponzo, Jane Virgilio, Mark Cerrato, and Nanc Benben. They were unanimous in their enthusiasm for this program – and so we are pleased to invite you to participate in the inaugural offering of Soul Matters.


Soul Matters is a monthly-meeting, 4-month program for SLC Spiritual Companions that offers the opportunity to explore, deepen and nurture our spirituality in community with other Companions."Each month, participants will explore a different aspect of the


spiritual life, such as: “Presence,” “Story,” “Trust,” etc." Using resources provided by the SLC and Soul Matters, we will independently engage in spiritual exercises and reflect on evocative questions, and then come together for a monthly session to share our experience, insights, and questions. Unlike Spiritual Companioning groups, there is no assigned presenter each month; we all share our experiences so that we can learn from each other and grow together. The practices of deep listening and spiritual discernment will be central to the monthly gatherings.


Each Soul Matters group will include 6 participants and a trained facilitator. Meetings will be held monthly, from late January through May, for 2 hours. There will be an in-person option, as well as Zoom.


If you’d like to learn more, reach out to any of the participants in the pilot.   Click here to see a sample packet.


Sign-up deadline is Jan. 21, 2025. We are offering 3 options: (Choose one:) [There is a separate registration link for each one]


Group 1 In Person (Marilyn Sponzo Facilitator) last Wednesay of each month, starting February 26, 10:00am-12:00pm, (except for

Start-up meeting);

● Start-up meeting (Feb 12, 2025 DIFFERENT DAY)

● First “packet” meeting: Feb 26, 2025

● Then monthly through May, 2025


Group 2 On Zoom (Scott Tayler, Facilitator); last Wednesday of

each month, starting Jan 29; 6:30-8:30

● Start-up meeting Jan 29, 2025

● First “packet” meeting: Feb 26, 2025

● Then monthly through May, 2025


Group 3 On Zoom (Nancy Benben, Facilitator) last Tuesday of

each month, 6:30-8:30; starting Jan 28; 6:30-8:30

● Start-up meeting: Jan 28, 2025

● First “packet” meeting: Feb 25, 2025

● Then monthly through May, 2025

Group 1 with Marilyn Sponzo

Nancy Benben  has been a Seeker her entire life, exploring many spiritual paths along the way. She believes that the desire to be in relationship with the Divine is the essence of spirituality and that when we follow that desire, we are led to

encounter the multifaceted heart of the Holy. Nancy has been a Spiritual Companion and teacher for many years. She has training using the Enneagram and Bio-Spiritual Focusing and as tools for spiritual direction and personal growth. Nancy is a graduate of Northwestern University and Hartford Seminary's Women's Leadership Institute. Nancy and her husband David live in Eastham, MA.


Marilyn Sponzo is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and a spiritual companion with the Spiritual Life Center. After a 25-year career as a corporate lawyer, Marilyn retired, entered Hartford Seminary, and subsequently

earned a master of divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary. Her work as a hospice chaplain, as well as her service to persons with dementia and their families, has led her to focus on embodied spirituality and building relationships with the Divine, both individually and in community.


Rev. Scott Tayler has served Unitarian Universalist congregations for 26 years as a minister. Prior to that, he grew up in the Mennonite tradition and was a practicing Quaker. His background in spiritual direction and family & marital therapy deeply shapes his current work as a spiritual coach and church consultant. He is also the creator of the Soul Matters group spiritual discernment model we will be using for this five month program.


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