STORY OF COMPANIONS

The original twenty-eight week Companions in Christ foundational resource grew from a vision long-held by Stephen D. Bryant, editor and publisher of Upper Room Ministries. Stephen’s vision was to see our churches led differently—out of a spiritual formation paradigm. The hope was that as the church was led formationally, we would become the transformed community, the presence of Christ in the world. Being led formationally included spending time together in community, practicing daily habits of personal listening to God, and creating space to listen to God together that would move us to action.

Marjorie J. Thompson, Director of Pathways in Congregational Spirituality with Upper Room Ministries and spiritual director to Companions in Christ ®, took Stephen’s vision and gave it shape. A rhythm of reading a weekly article, engaging in daily reflective exercises, and a weekly group meeting became the pattern of the Companions experience. Many people participated in the creation of this foundational resource—advisors, consultants, an ecumenical group of authors, editors, and test churches. We owe an immense debt of gratitude to each person and congregation who participated in the creation of this resource.

The vision for Companions grew beyond our expectations. Groups who experienced the foundational resource asked for more. The Companions advisory group listened, and “The Way of …” series came into being. The Companions adult series now includes The Way of Grace, The Way of Blessedness, The Way of Forgiveness, The Way of Transforming Discipleship, The Way of Prayer, and The Way of Discernment. In addition, an introduction to basic spiritual practices was developed, titled Exploring the Way, with a shorter meeting time and a format bridging small group and traditional class. It is intended to precede other Companion resources. Compañerismo en Cristo offers the foundational 28 week experience for Spanish speakers.

Today, the Companions “family” includes resources for adults, children (The Way of the Child) and youth (The Way of Pilgrimage).

The Way of the Child came to life when a Companions small group member, Wynn McGregor, had a vision to engage children in spiritual practice. Wynn was part of a Companions group, and the spiritual practices and community life she experienced there fostered in her a desire to offer a formational experience for children. The Way of the Child, designed for ages 6-11, calls children to recognize their own relationship with God and to create quiet space in which to listen. With 39 modules that can be used as a whole or in sections, The Way of the Child guides all sizes of churches in helping children create habits of spiritual practice.

The Way of Pilgrimage, created by an ecumenical group of young writers, invites youth in high school and college freshmen to daily spiritual practice. Sally Chambers, Kara Lassen Oliver, Jonathan Norman, Gavin Richardson, Jenny Youngman, Ciona Rouse, Kyle Dugan, and Craig Mitchell, all authors with a passion for youth and pilgrimage, met, and worked together and to write The Way of Pilgrimage.

The hope of the Companions team is that we as Christ-followers would learn to listen deeply to God together. Our prayer is that as small groups of children, youth, and adults meet to engage in spiritual practice, we would become the presence of Christ in the world. As we meet together, listen for God, and respond to what we hear, we expect to be transformed!

OUR AUTHORS - Companions Adult Resource Authors

Stephen D. Bryant is editor and publisher of Upper Room Ministries. His vision of small groups as important settings for spiritual formation and his experience in contemplative life as well as in local churches provided the inspiration for the Companions in Christ® family of resources. Before his election as editor and publisher, Stephen served as the Director of Spiritual Formation for The Upper Room and as the International Director of The Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis movements. He is an ordained minister and former pastor in The United Methodist Church.

Stephen V. Doughty served for over two decades in parish ministry and for ten years as the executive presbyter for the seventy-one congregations of Lake Michigan Presbytery. A regular contributor to Weavings, he is currently engaged in a full-time ministry of retreat leadership and writing. (The Way of Discernment)

Janice T. Grana served as World Editor and Publisher of Upper Room Ministries and as Executive Director of Upper Room Books. She exercised a steady editorial hand in the 28-Week foundational resource and has promoted Companions in Western North Carolina where she lives in retirement. (See the 28-Week foundational resource)

Trevor Hudson has been in the Methodist ministry in South Africa for over thirty years, spending most of this time in and around Johannesburg. Presently, he is part of the pastoral team at Northfield Methodist Church in Benoni, where he preaches and teaches. Trevor travels internationally and leads conferences, retreats, and workshops in diverse settings. He has written a number of Upper Room books, including A Mile in My Shoes: Cultivating Compassion, One Day at a Time: Discovering the Freedom of 12 Step Spirituality, and Listening to the Groans: A Spirituality of Ministry and Mission. (The Way of Transforming Discipleship)

Rueben P. Job is a retired United Methodist bishop, former editor/publisher of The Upper Room®, and the founding director of the Pathways Center for Christian Spirituality in Nashville, Tennessee. His titles for Upper Room Books include A Guide to Prayer for Ministers and Other Servants, A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People, A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God, A Guide to Spiritual Discernment, and Spiritual Life in the Congregation. (See the 28-Week foundational resource)

Melissa Tidwell has served as the Editor of Alive Now® and as the Director of Integrated Marketing for the GBOD (General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church). Melissa serves as an elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). (The Way of Grace)

Jane E. Vennard, a spiritual director, lecturer, retreat and workshop leader, is ordained in the United Church of Christ. She has served for many years as senior adjunct faculty at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, teaching courses in prayer and spirituality. (The Way of Prayer)

Gerrit Scott Dawson is the senior minister of First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and author of three books published by The Upper Room®: Heartfelt, Writing on the Heart, and Called by a New Name. His other writings include the books Love Bade Me Welcome and I Am with You Always, as well as articles for Weavings® and Devo’Zine®. (See the 28-Week foundational resource)

Adele J. Gonzalez is Assistant Director of the Office of Lay Ministry in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, Florida. She is a member of the Weavings Advisory Board, a lay associate of the Sisters of St. Francis, and has served as a migrant worker advocate, hospital chaplain, spiritual director, retreat director, and formation director. Her writings include journal articles and chapters dealing with ministry to Hispanics in two different books. (See the 28-Week foundational resource)

E. Glenn Hinson retired as professor of spirituality and the John Loftis Professor of Church History at Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, having taught previously at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A prolific author and frequent lecturer, Hinson is a member of the Weavings Advisory Board, teaches in the Academy for Spiritual Formation®, and has written two Upper Room books: Love at the Heart of Things and Spiritual Preparation for Christian Leadership. (See the 28-Week foundational resource)

John Indermark is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and has served UCC, Presbyterian, and United Methodist congregations over the course of more than twenty years. John is the author of several popular Upper Room books: Genesis of Grace: A Lenten Book of Days, Neglected Voices: Biblical Spirituality in the Margins, Setting the Christmas Stage: Readings for the Advent Season, Traveling the Payer Paths of Jesus, and Hope: Our Longing for Home. (The Way of Grace)

Marjorie J. Thompson is an ordained Presbyterian minister, spiritual director, retreat leader, and director of the Pathways in Congregational Spirituality with the Upper Room. She is the architect of the 28-Week foundational resource, author of The Way of Blessedness, The Way of Forgiveness and Exploring the Way, Participant Books, and editorial director of most resources in the Companion family. Her other books are Family The Forming Center (Upper Room Books) and Soul Feast, along with articles for Weavings and other journals.

Wendy M. Wright, professor of theology at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, is a noted writer in the field of contemporary spirituality. Her articles can be found in Weavings and other leading journals of the spiritual life. She has published several books, including a trilogy on the seasons of the Christian year for Upper Room Books: The Rising, The Vigil, and The Time Between. (See the 28-Week foundational resource)

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