My name is Cynthia and I am an ordained United Methodist pastor. Transforming Community came at the right time for me. I was looking for a spiritual director when I came across the Transforming Center website. At the time, I was trying to regain my spiritual focus as I felt I had lost my direction spiritually from investing too much spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically in church ministry. The church I was serving was growing leaps and bounds. Things were moving in the right direction, but I was not. I felt I was drifting further away to the point of being disconnected from God. I had to hit the pause button in my life to attend to my soul and spirit. I wanted to be a guest for one Transforming Community retreat, but the one I wanted to attend was full. I decided, why not just be a part of a two-year Transforming Community. This was the best decision and investment that I made.

My next two years, while in Transforming Community, were filled with many changes. The retreat provided me with space, community, and material that helped me navigate the changes. One month prior to the initial retreat, I underwent open-heart surgery to replace a congenital heart valve defect. A year later, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. Although I missed two in person retreats, I received the materials and recordings to do the retreats myself. Through the different topics for retreat, I worked through my spiritual desert experience. I arrived at the second retreat feeling dangerously tired. I had nothing left to give; I took time during retreat and throughout the quarter to connect with God and to once again be in tune with the Spirit in me. I took time in prayer, spending quiet time with God through centering prayer, and reading scripture and other spiritual writings to strengthen my soul for leadership.

After a year and a half into Transforming Community, I decided that I can take time off from church ministry to continue to learn more about myself and what exactly is God calling me to going forward. With prayers, joint discernment, support of leaders and small group members, I took a leap of faith. I rotated out of church ministry to do a year-long Chaplaincy Residency. I am a third into the year and I am experiencing God’s intimate presence with me on my journey. I still do not know what I will be doing starting fall 2026, but I am transforming and enjoying this journey. Transforming Community has and continues to provide me with the space, rhythms, structure, tools, and support to continue to examine my inner self and strengthen my connection with God so I can be God’s presence for others.