Midweek meditation from Pastor Dave August 21, 2024

I am excited that we will be hosting a spiritual growth opportunity here at Signal Crest next month. Jim and Kathy Reiter are spiritual directors from Texas, and they will be leading a seminar on Saturday, September 15, from 9 am to 3 pm entitled “Introducing the Enneagram as a tool for Spiritual Formation.”

What is the Enneagram, you may be asking, and what does it have to do with Christian discipleship? The word comes from the Greek words for nine (ennea) and drawing or figure (gram), and it refers to nine different ways in which we understand and relate to ourselves and others in the world.

Here’s how Jim and Kathy describe the Enneagram:

In a world full of personality assessments, the Enneagram stands apart for the ways that it not only describes our behavior (and the basis of that behavior) but for the ways it offers practices which can help us live more resourcefully. (It) is a personality tool that allows us to see our giftedness as well as our limitations. It helps us see how we default to ruts in our relationships, including our relationship with God. The Enneagram opens us to self-awareness and opens our options for how to be in situations. It creates in us compassion for those who are experiencing and responding to life differently than we do and are.

For example, I am an Enneagram 9, which is called “The Peacemaker.” 9s just want everyone to get along! Some of the positives of being a 9 is that we can be a calm, empathetic presence and can appreciate different perspectives and see different sides to the story. Some of the drawbacks to being a 9, however, is that we often avoid conflict like the plague, and we can procrastinate. Yep, I’m a classic 9!

Do you wonder what Enneagram number you are? Maybe you are a 2, which is “The Helper.” I have found that churches often have a lot of 2s in the pews. Or maybe you’re a 5, “The Investigator.” 5s love to research and learn everything they can about something. Or maybe you’re a 7, which is “The Enthusiast.” 7s are the life of the party.

If you’d like to learn more about what your Enneagram number is and what that can mean for how you relate to God, to others, and to yourself, I hope you will plan to attend the retreat on Saturday the 14^th. The cost is only $25, which covers materials and lunch. Childcare will be provided. You can register online though our website at https://www.signalcrestumc.org/enneagram-workshop. Jim and Kathy will also be with us at dinner on Wednesday night, September 11, to share with us a preview of the retreat and a little bit about their ministry of spiritual direction.

Jesus said that the greatest of all the commandments is that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves (Matt 22:37-39, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28). The Enneagram has helped me—and I believe it can help you—better understand the self with which we are to love God and one another.