CENTER FOR FORMATION
Discovering that which is deepest within you.
Rooted in the Christian tradition, the Center for Formation focuses on tapping into that which is deepest within us, that which has been implanted from the beginning. It is the very image of God, the divine spark, the light of God, which is always calling us back home to our true self which is made for relationships with God, others, self and the earth.
Discovering that which is deepest within you.
Do you long to experience all of life as spiritual? Are you desiring a deeply integrated life where you see the Divine in the daily? Join teacher, pastor and spiritual guide, Matt Krick for a one year experience to enter more deeply into the journey of transformation. This experience will include a small cohort of people who will meet as a group via Zoom every other month and Matt will meet one on one with each participant monthly for a spiritual direction session. We will read a couple of books together to help shape a spiritual practice based experience for the year. The Heart and Soul of Transformation will be a deeply formative opportunity for the spiritual development of each participant as we look to be formed more and more in the way of Jesus. This will be an experience where God’s Spirit will bring about greater transformation in our lives for the good of the world. Contact Matt for information on upcoming cohorts.
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
Our director, Matt Krick, offers spiritual direction to those who seek it. Spiritual direction exists to assist in one’s relationship with God.
For information about spiritual direction with Matt, you can contact him directly here.
Spiritual direction focuses on one’s relationships with God, others, self and the earth. God is the ultimate director, the role of the human director is largely to listen to the direction of the Spirit while listening to the directee and offering thoughts, encouragement and reflection.
Spiritual direction is the art of listening to the soul journey of another, of coming alongside someone in their movement toward God and companioning them on that path. It is a place where you can be with someone experienced in reflecting and discerning what the Spirit is up to in you. The spiritual director simply creates space to be present, joining you in seeing the movement of God in your life.
Explore some practices here and examine your interior world. Every day is, indeed, a journey, and the journey itself is home.
RETREATS
Sacred Stillness - January 18 - event complete
Sacred Stories - February 22 - event complete
Sacred Senses - TBD
Sacred Sabbath - TBD
See more info on retreats here
PASTOR AT LARGE
Matt is available to teach at churches or other organizations, perform weddings and funerals and lead retreats. To schedule Matt to speak at your faith community gathering please contact him at matthew.r.krick@gmail.com
PASTOR TO THOSE WHO HAVE NO PASTOR
If Jesus were here today, where would he hang out? It seems one of the places Jesus would go is where local people congregate to have a drink and share life together.
The stats show that in the counties I serve in (Marin, Sonoma and Lake Counties), less than 5% of the population go to church. It is very much a post-Christian culture. In many cases, it is even a pre-Christian culture. Many people I meet here have only been in a church building for a wedding or a funeral. I believe we live in a time where we should not expect non-Christians to come to us, we are called to go to them.
I regularly meet with a group of atheists, agnostics and those say they are spiritual but not Christian at a local tap room or in a back yard. I have had the opportunity to develop deep and lasting relationships with these folks. They look forward to hanging out with me and I look forward to hanging out with them. I have become a pub pastor. Those who may never step foot in a church building are engaging in spiritual conversations. When I hear the perspective of God they have heard about or that they think of, I often find myself saying, “I don’t believe in that god either.” It is my deep prayer that they see a different kind of Jesus in me than the ideas that have been formed in their minds.
One of my atheist friends refers to me as Prophet Matt. Another atheist refers to me as his favorite Christian and his favorite pastor. It is an honor to have the opportunity to be a pastor to those outside the church.
PORCH PASTOR
The number of millennials who are leaving the church is astonishing. Most have grown disenfranchised with the church. The reasons are all over the map from being hurt by the church to no longer being able to hold to the same kind of belief structure they were raised with to not being fed in a way that truly nourishes their spiritual development. God has given me the opportunity to regularly meet with a group of young people where we talk about God, their hurts and heartache, faith, hope and love. God has given me a voice in their lives, a voice that speaks of a new way forward in their faith journey, one that invites them more deeply into the expansive love of God. I’m grateful.
DONATE TO CENTER FOR FORMATION
Your financial gift is essential to the work of Center for Formation. Thank you for your generosity!
There are two ways to donate to Center for Formation. If you are not in need of a tax receipt you can give here.
Alternatively, you can give a tax deductible donation to Center for Formation through our partner nonprofit organization Creative Interfaces. Creative Interfaces is a 501c3 nonprofit and functions as a sponsor to Center for Formation enabling your donation to be tax deductible. On their donate page there is a dropdown menu where you can choose to donate to Center for Formation. Here is their donation page: https://creativeinterfaces.org/general-donations
For checks - You can write the check to Creative Interfaces and put "Center for Formation" in the memo line and mail to:
Center for Formation
PO Box 4204
San Rafael, CA 94913