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Minister of Spiritual Formation and Art

As a spiritual director, Sharon is committed to honoring each person through attentive listening. She enjoys encouraging prayerful expression through the arts while supporting each person in deepening their relationship with God through:

• meaningful spiritual practices.
• involvement in a faith community.
• maintaining a vital connection with the natural world

Ministry Training and Experience

Sharon earned a master’s degree in counseling, was ordained in the American Baptist denomination and completed the Advanced Program in Spiritual Direction at St. Francis Retreat Center. She served as a co-associate pastor for ten years, spiritual care coordinator with Genesys Hospice for three years, campus minister for American Baptists at Michigan State University for six years, and grief counselor at Ele’s Place for twelve years. Sharon has offered spiritual guidance for twenty years. Riverain Song Studio is the mid-Michigan art/spirit ministry of spiritual formation she established to facilitate group and individual growth.

Involvement in the Arts

Sharon is an artist who enjoys watercolor, pencil and pen sketching, oil painting, and mixed media. Music has been an important part of her life since she was a child. Encouraging others to discover and exercise their own artistic gifts is given a high priority in Sharon’s ministries.

Home and Family

Cherishing her family roots in Benzie County, Michigan, Sharon considers the Lake Michigan shoreline her place of homecoming and sacred renewal. Her life has always revolved around being part of a family—biological family, spiritual family, earth family, universe family—relationships that are life-giving and life-sustaining. She believes that belonging and solitude—time with others and time alone—kept in balance nourish the whole person.

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