Fall 2025
Dear Friend,
What a year this has been. It is hard to believe that I have only been serving as your Executive Director since February. In these nine months, I have been deeply moved by the conversations I’ve shared with so many of you. You shared what first brought you to the Spiritual Life Center, what you have found here, and what you hope for its future. I have been humbled and inspired by the courage, honesty, and vulnerability in your stories, and I carry them with me in every decision I make as your Executive Director.
Again and again, I have heard a few common threads. Many of you spoke about coming to the Center during seasons of uncertainty, loss, or transition. You described the longing for a space where you could finally rest, where questions were welcome, and where your whole self could simply breathe before God. You told me that even small moments, a quiet conversation, a shared silence, or a gentle word offered relief and comfort that lingered in your hearts long after the graced encounter was concluded.
Others shared how spiritual direction helped them find grounding and hope, a way to hear the quiet movement of the Spirit in their own lives. Some said this was the first place they had been truly listened to, without judgment. Others said it was here that they began to heal, to rediscover joy, and to trust again that the Divine had never left them.
These reflections remind me that what we do here is about cultivating a way of being, one grounded in compassion, deep listening, and reverence for the sacred mystery that lives in each of us. As a community, we carry this work together. Every hand extended in service, every patient listening ear, every moment of presence, strengthens this sacred place. We are spiritual directors who companion others on their journeys with presence and care. We are all directees and seekers who come here longing for healing and spiritual renewal. We are
teachers, trainers, and supervisors guiding new generations of spiritual companions who will carry this work forward into the world. We are students and supervisees, striving to learn how to offer the gift of presence that has been offered to us.
That is why I believe that financial support for the Spiritual Life Center is not about sustaining an organization or its leadership. It is about caring for the people who come here—those who arrive weary, searching, or unsure, and who discover in this place the quiet gift of being met with love. Every gift of financial support, no matter its size, becomes part of this living story, a story of transformation, of presence, of trust in the slow work of spirit, and a story that, in one form or another, we all participate in. Your generosity ensures that this sacred space remains a refuge, a place of listening, healing, and renewal for all who seek it.
As we prepare to say goodbye to 2025 and welcome 2026, I invite you to join us once again in this sacred work. Your financial support allows the Center to continue offering that same gift of presence, guidance, and hope to all who enter its doors, ensuring that anyone who comes seeking stillness, clarity, or comfort can find it, now and in the years to come.
With gratitude,
Courtney Canfijn
Executive Director
Spiritual Life Center
P.S., Thank you for helping others find the same healing and presence you’ve experienced at SLC.
We are grateful for your financial support.
Please make Checks payable to: The Spiritual Life Center
Mailing Address: 77 Sherman St
Hartford CT, 06105
Or visit the donation page on our website
If you wish to support our Spiritual Direction Training Scholarship fund, which serves to ensure
that we can offer Spiritual Direction Training to individuals regardless of financial status, please
make note of that in the memo line of your check or in the note section of the online payment
option.