Rooted and Growing in Faith:

A Spiritual Formation Cohort

May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love…

---adapted from Ephesians 3:17

The Damascus Project invites lay learners in the Wisconsin Conference UCC to a Rooted and Growing in Faith Spiritual Formation Cohort that will launch in August. 

This cohort of lay learners is for those who desire to deepen their faith, expand their Biblical and theological knowledge, and gain practical skills and tools for lay ministry in a spiritual community of like-minded people from the Conference.

The cohort will combine retreat-based spiritual formation, online learning, and monthly group spiritual direction over an 18-month period. 

We will begin with an Opening Retreat to be held from the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 28, through Saturday afternoon, Aug. 29, 2026, at Daycholah Center on Green Lake.

We continue in a monthly online cohort in August, September, October, and November 2026, and in February, March, and May through September 2027.

During this time learners are invited to take up to six Damascus Project Courses over fall 2026, winter/spring 2027, and fall 2027 with discounted cohort-based course pricing underwritten by a Lilly Endowment Thriving Congregations Grant. 

We gather for retreat again in January 2027, for an in-person gathering at the 2027 Wisconsin Annual Meeting (April 2027) and for a closing retreat in late summer/ fall 2027. The retreats and monthly online sessions are free of charge. The maximum cost to participate in the cohort will not exceed $600 per person for up to six Damascus Project courses, at $100 per course.

We are writing to you as a lay person in the Wisconsin Conference UCC who may be interested in this spiritual formation cohort. 

If you are interested in learning more you are welcome to contact me or submit a brief Letter of Interest articulating why you feel called to this model of learning and what you hope to gain from the experience, including how the cohort fits into you spiritual journey and how you will make time for this commitment.

We also request a letter of support from your pastor that can be submitted directly to me.

All materials, including names of prospective participants, Letters of Interest, or Pastoral Letters of Support may be emailed to stephanie.perdew@wcucc.org.

Cohort leaders will be the Rev. Stephanie Perdew, Ph.D., director of the Damascus Project, and the Rev. Rachel Bauman, associate conference minister serving southern Wisconsin..

Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions as we launch Rooted and Growing in Faith!

In faith,

The Rev. Stephanie Perdew, Ph.D.

Damascus Project Director

Stephanie.perdew@wcucc.org

920-990-2294