Community of Practice 2026

Application for the 2026 Community

This application for new members asks for significant reflection on your own life experience and how it shapes your desire to apply for membership in the Community of Practice. Our questions reflect the range of names members of this inter-spiritual community use to express their connection to Holy Mystery/God/Spirit/ the Divine. Please use the name which fits for you.

If you're a previous member seeking to return after a year or more away, please fill in questions below with the word "returning”.

“Community” as experienced at Bread of Life emerges from attitudes formed by experiences of “Depth Formation.” By this we mean intentional engagement of practices encouraging growth and freedom in relating to God/Spirit in the following areas:

a) Ability to reflect on the human/spiritual experience in oneself and others, allowing time and space to witness and respond out of deep listening and compassion to what is arising.

b) Willingness to engage with internal and inter-personal resistance, anxiety, fear, and uncertainty as they arise, as well as joy.

c) Trust that in the Holy/Divine we are never finished and don’t need to be. This trust allows examination of embedded beliefs that ultimately might hinder personal growth and connection with others, and includes surrendering tendencies to judge, smooth over, fix, advise, to be “finished” or the need to have “right” answers.

d) Willingness to discern next steps with a listening spirit and capacity to choose freely out of self-knowledge and input from trusted communi

Name

First Name

Last Name

Address

Address 1

Address 2

City

State/Province

Zip/Postal Code

Country

Phone

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How did you hear about this Community of Practice?

Your Story and Practices

Describe your experience of community and what you would hope for or expect from a “depth spiritual community.” How would you recognize an experience of community compatible with your values and desires? (required)

How does your interest in this community connect to what has shaped or formed your human spiritual journey over the years? Please write 2 paragraphs: One describing key influences in your spiritual journey (faith tradition, family, etc.) and one describing tensions or challenges with which you have struggled.

How has your journey influenced the way you engage the world? Give examples of how you serve or offer your gifts.

Please describe a time when you felt close to God/Divine Reality. Then describe a time when you felt abandoned or distant from God/Divine Reality. What kept you in the relationship?

Give examples of how you serve or offer your gifts.

Your Practices

Briefly describe the spiritual practices which are meaningful for you now and how they inform and support your relationship with the Holy Mystery/ Spirit and with others?

The Community

For All Applicants: I have read through the descriptions of the community and the quarterly meeting dates and confirm I have the time and space in my life to be a committed participant.

Which aspects of the Community particularly resonate? Which do you resist?

What leads you to seek out this particular community at this time? Is there anything else important for the community to know about you?

“Depth Formation” at Bread of Life includes (but is not limited to) intentional experience and practices that encourage growth and freedom in the following areas. Please read through and share your response to the description by reflecting on any part of it: a) Ability to self-reflect on the human/spiritual experience, allowing time and space to witness and respond out of deep listening and compassion to what is arising in oneself and others. b) Willingness to engage with internal and inter-personal resistance, anxiety, fear, and uncertainty as they arise, as well as joy. c) Ability to examine embedded beliefs that ultimately hinder personal growth and connection with others, surrendering tendencies to judge, smooth over, fix, advise, to be “finished” or have “right” answers. d) Willingness to discern next steps with a listening spirit and permission to choose freely out of self-knowledge and input from trusted community.

What has been your experience, if any, of “depth” formation?

Thank you for your time in completing this application which now initiates a process of mutual discernment of fit. The next step will be a contact from a member of the community for mutual conversation. What are the best times to reach you?