photograph by Julie Elliot
Autumn 2026 Silent Retreat
October 20-28, 2026
with Murray Groom and Nan Goodship
— joined by Carolyn Doonan, Jodi Krahn, and Philip Newman
Naramata Centre, Naramata, BC
“Be still and know that I am God” – Psalm 46:10
This is a time to rest, discern, pray, prepare; an opportunity to be alone in community, to be in nature and to deepen your spiritual journey – all in an atmosphere of prayer-filled silence. This is an intentional silence that helps us encounter that still, quiet, healing place within, where there can be openness to the movement of Spirit.
Most days begin with an (optional) hour of spiritual practice time. Each day, retreatants meet one-on-one with their spiritual director. Each evening concludes with vespers – a contemplative practice to deepen the spiritual life.
Between scheduled sessions, each retreatant practices deep discernment about how their day will be spent. We practice a sabbath time of stepping away from our usual busyness, compulsivity, and productivity in order to see clearly, hear deeply, and reconnect with the true self, the Holy, and nature. We seek a different pace.
Registration includes private accommodation in Orchard Courts, lunches and dinner meals, individual daily spiritual direction, site use, all community gatherings, and program fees. Participants are asked to bring their own breakfast foods.
If you would like to inquire about a bursary, please email programadmpjp@gmail.com with the subject line Autumn 2026 Silent Retreat Bursary.
This event is offered through the partnership of
Pacific Jubilee and Naramata Centre
The Reverend Doctor Murray Groom
is an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada. Retired from parish ministry, he now exercises his vocation as a spiritual director/soul guide. He regularly conducts extended retreats into Silence at Bethlehem Centre in Nanaimo and at Naramata Centre in the Okanagan Valley. His prevailing interests include the role of the guide on pilgrimage, the interface of the wild with the tame, the wisdom of global mythologies and the well-being of his family. When not travelling with his wife Susan, he lives in the South Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
Learn about Murray’s spiritual direction practice here.
Nan Goodship
is an artist, retreat leader and spiritual director who trained in the Pacific Jubilee Program in 2006. She has an abiding love for contemplative, spiritual, and artistic practices that nurture the creative, growing edge in each of us.
Carolyn Doonan
is a spiritual director, SoulCollage® facilitator, and Intuitive Eating counsellor who supports individuals navigating disordered eating. She is in leadership training with Sage-ing International, focusing on the pathway of conscious aging. Her practice is grounded in 35 years of experience as a congregational pastor and social services executive director, alongside her 2016–2020 training as a spiritual director and mentor with the Pacific Jubilee Program. A keen traveler and nature lover, Carolyn finds joy in hiking, art, home life, her large family, and her dog, Raven.
Learn about Carolyn’s spiritual accompaniment practice here.
Jodi Krahn
lives and plays in the North Okanagan. She is a mother, grandmother, and life partner and continues to marvel at all the shadows and treasures these roles can evoke. Jodi works as a depth psychotherapist and soul companion (trained through Pacific Jubilee SoulGuiding). She accompanies others on the journey of inner knowing using deep listening and inquiry, dream work, expressive art, conscious movement, meditation, and nature-based contemplation. Jodi has devoted herself to bringing as much of her unconscious material into consciousness, as possible in this lifetime.
She has found her time with silence immeasurable and profoundly important for her own spiritual path and she is delighted to accompany others in this realm.
The Reverend Philip Newman
is a Kamloops-based spiritual director and ordained minister in The United Church of Canada, trained through the Pacific Jubilee SoulGuiding Program (2020–2022). He offers spiritual companionship rooted in contemplative practices, with a deep appreciation for silence and the natural world. An avid camper and kayaker, Philip finds renewal outdoors and often weaves nature into his approach. With his wife, Kim, he leads groups of people on tours exploring world destinations. He is also an enthusiastic grandfather, bringing warmth, presence, and attentive listening to those he accompanies on their spiritual journey.
Learn about Philip’s spiritual accompaniment practice here.