The South Saskatchewan River flows through the heart of Saskatoon, SK. Photo: Sarah Donnelly
Welcome to Spirit River Community - A Retreat Centre Without Walls
Our Mission Statement: Creating sacred spaces for thoughtful conversation, building warm connections, and welcoming transformational learning.
Many rivers flow through the Canadian prairies, bringing life and beauty. In a similar way, the Spirit flows through our lives, bringing curiosity, hope, comfort, and creativity.
Welcome to the SRC website. Thank you for your interest as a 'retreat centre without walls' continues to take shape. To learn more about the initial concept for this retreat centre, please click on the 'About SRC' page above. I'm convinced that with the guidance of thoughtful and prayerful facilitators, meaningful connections can be formed and nurtured online. I invite you to subscribe to the Spirit River Community e-newsletter to be informed about our upcoming presenters – please see the bottom of this webpage to subscribe.
With the exception of a gathering being offered in Manitou Beach, SK Canada in June, all presentations are being offered on Zoom. A Zoom link will be emailed to you following your registration for a program. If the presentation is recorded, a copy of this recording will be sent to you to watch/review following the event.
Almost all of our past workshops have been recorded, and access to these presentations can be purchased by visiting the 'Shop' page on this website. Many have been discounted - enjoy!
Finally, Brian Pearson was kind enough to invite me to share some of my spiritual journey on his podcast, Mystic Cave. His thoughtful questions drew out stories and memories which I am pleased to share with you here. Below is a link to his blog, and after reading this you will see the link to the podcast:
https://www.brianepearson.ca/post/purgation-to-illumination
See you soon - peace to you,
Sarah Donnelly, M.Div.
Upcoming Events
Creation and Creativity:
A Day Out at Watrous-Manitou, SK
Shelly Manley-Tannis and Shawn Sanford Beck
Tuesday, June 9
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Registration is limited to 10 participants - this is an in-person gathering
REGISTRATION NOW FULL!
Join Rev. Shelly and Chaplain Shawn for a day of natural beauty, eco-spiritual exploration, and generative creativity. We’ll be delving into the mysteries of Christian Animism and Kything (in both theory and practice) as well as engaging our inherent gifts of creativity and artistic expression in relationship with God’s beloved world. You can look forward to some gentle walking, enjoyment of the charming Wellington Park, and exploration of the Labyrinth, as well as the hospitality of the North Green - Rev. Shelly’s retreat space... (learn more)
Growing in Wisdom:
Seeking Deeper Generativity
Registration is now open for this exciting two-year program - offered on Zoom - during which participants explore the Spirituality of Aging in community.
Learn more by visiting the website, and watching two informational videos.
This program beings in September 2026. We invite all interested participants to apply for the program prior to June 1, if possible
Growing in Wisdom: Seeking Deeper Generativity is an ecumenical program, grounded in the mystical Christian Tradition, open to learning from other interfaith and spiritual traditions, and designed for those seeking to engage in their maturing years with wisdom and grace. It is a program that welcomes participants who have the time, interest and energy to engage in a dynamic two-year adventure of learning and exploration. This is a time in which we can begin to look back on the life we have lived and find openness to new or previously undeveloped inner vistas. In this program we explore what is most fruitful and life-giving for us, especially as we age, and what a maturing relationship with God (by whatever name you use) could look like. Growing in Wisdom: Seeking Deeper Generativity invites you to explore how you might commit yourself to giving both your life and your death to the world, in a way that both are the ultimate gift and blessing you give to others.
Down the River...
Additional workshops and retreats being offered in the fall and winter months will be posted in the coming weeks. Stay tuned - and thanks for subscribing to the SRC newsletter!
September 15 - Crafting Micro-Ceremonies, with Shawn Sanford Beck
October 8, 15 & 22 - From Three Lines to Fourteen: Poetry Workshops on Writing Haikus and Sonnets, with Sally Ito
October 6 - Three Seeds of Ecological Spirituality, with Shawn Sanford Beck
October 14 - Befriending Shame: How to be Present to the Feeling We Most Want to Avoid, with Janelle Schneider
November 3 - Kything: Communion with the More-Than-Human World, with Shawn Sanford Beck
November 5, 12, 19 & 26 - The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Sermon on the Mount, with Don Schweitzer and Mitchell Anderson
November 18 - Tending Fear: The Guardian of the Unknown, with Janelle Schneider
November 25 - Faith at the Edges: The Mysterious Ways of Soul, with Brian Pearson
December 1 - Crafting Micro-Ceremonies, with Shawn Sandford Beck
January 20 - Honouring Anger: The Protector of Our Essence, with Janelle Schneider
January 27 - Follow Your WYRD: Stories of Our Uniqueness (because we are not SUPPOSED to be like everyone else), with Brian Pearson