Passing the Peace
A Blog By PAX Center for Spiritual Formation
Who Are We?
PAX is a Christian spiritual formation center & non-profit that began in a small town by the marsh in Massachusetts. Now, we train people from all over the country in the art of contemplative listening.
Our vision is to equip you to integrate spiritual formation into your life & the life of your worshipping communities. We believe in moving from a head to a heart knowledge of the voice & love of God. Through our cohort programs, spiritual direction, & retreats, we seek to create room & equip people to hold spaces where we can hear & recognize the voice of God & know that we are beloved.
This blog is an extension of our ministry & a place to get to know each other as well as provide a space to share things we learn along the way. Below, you will find posts written by our PAX staff team as well as wonderful guest writers. We are looking forward to listening together.
A Few Places to Start
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On Becoming a Spiritual Director
FROM THE DESK OF, ANDREA MARSHALL
Do you remember as a kid being asked the question “What would you like to do when you grow up?” I dreaded that question as I never knew what I wanted to…
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How We Named Our Blog
FROM THE DESK OF, IElA GALIANO-WILLIAMS
I grew up in a church where every week we would pause at one point in the service to “pass the peace.” Snuck in between the children’s moment & the…
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A House in Progress
FROM ARTIST, DOROTHY HARTLEY
For as long as I can remember, I have daydreamed about a house. The house would be small, but adaptable - with old furniture and a bright kitchen, the whole thing…
Most Recent Blog Posts
Below you will find the rest of our blogs beginning with the most recently posted. We hope these provide a small slice of nourishment & a space to pause & listen in the midst of your day. If you have any questions please feel free to email us at contactpaxcenter@gmail.com & we will get back to you as soon as we can!
Stories from Spiritual Direction
Over my forty-five years of being a follower of Christ I have experienced a lot of spiritual practices, many before I ever learned the term “spiritual practice.” I have learned which ones bring me life, which ones feel dry, and which ones…
Invitations for Holding
An invitation was extended to me by a good friend to attend PAX’s Day Apart Retreat in Essex, MA. This was the first time since pre-pandemic that I’ve spent time in a church building. This was also my very first experience participating in a PAX…
“Three-Mile-An-Hour God”
A few years ago in a seminary class, I read something that referred to Jesus as the “three-mile-an-hour God.” Jesus could have…
A Story of Silence
The details of that traumatic morning are mostly hazy. I probably woke up to the sound of my mom’s voice as she gently nursed me out of my dream world. “婷婷, 該起床了.” …
Choosing A Listening Space
I know I want to talk to someone, but who do I talk to? How do I choose between seeing a therapist, a life coach or a spiritual director?…
Walking…A Day At A Time
Something I do almost every day no matter the weather is go for a walk. Walking, for me, is not only a form of exercise, but a way to…
A House in Progress
For as long as I can remember, I have daydreamed about a house. The house would be small, but adaptable - with…
On Becoming A Spiritual Director
Do you remember as a kid being asked the question “What would you like to do when you grow up?” I dreaded that question as I never knew…
Living Lent
Well, that was different! - I don’t know about you, but as a kid, I grew up with a deep desire to understand & feel my faith….
Does God Really Laugh At Our Plans?
What parts of your life do you share with God? Are there some things that come up easily in prayer & other things that feel…
Advent Week 4: Love
Only a week to go until we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Each year we are swamped with siren calls to spend, lovely images that lure us to expectations of…
Advent Week 3: Joy
What Christmas music do you find yourself returning to each year? Like many years before, I’m still listening to Nat King Cole’s album, “The Christmas Song”…
Advent Week 2: Peace
When I was first asked to reflect on the theme of peace, linked with this text from Luke, I wasn’t too sure of the connection! Nowhere in the text can the word “peace” be found…
Advent Week 1: Hope
Advent means “coming” & this definition almost inadvertently accompanies a sense of waiting, whether that is joyful waiting, a difficult waiting, or perhaps it is a waiting with some combination…
Beauty for Ashes: Photography as a Spiritual Practice
Art had always been my favorite subject in school, & when I ran out of art classes to take in high school, I signed up for photography. With a heavy manual film camera in my hand, I ventured into…
Finding Recovery
In early 2022 I found myself sitting in a job interview for a pastoral role for an inner-city church campus. The team asked me, “What experience do you have working with…
From An Enneagram 8
A mentor once told me, “Others may argue with your theology, but they can’t argue with your experience.” This powerful statement often…
Daydreaming With God
I’ve always been kind-of a daydreamer. As a preteen, I would often disappear & wander, sometimes for hours, in the woods & fields near our New Jersey home with only a…
What Does Passing the Peace Mean to Me in Light of Who I Am?
When I was a child, one of my parents adoringly referred to me as the peacekeeper. That title became a much more rigorous position to uphold as factions within…