Each semester, Northeastern Seminary students, alumni, faculty, and staff are encouraged to gather and connect with God and each other. This semester we invite you to join in our virtual Spiritual Formation Retreat on February 22nd titled, "The Gifts of Winter" facilitated by Debora Smith, Joycelyn Lewis, and D. Irene Key. 

Debora Smith

Debora is a spiritual director trained through CenterQuest, an ecumenical organization focused on spiritual formation and direction. Her training is in the evocative, contemplative stream, heavily influenced by Henri Nouwen. She is a member of Spiritual Directors International and adheres to their ethical standards. She is interested in companioning anyone who is seeking a deeper spiritual life, anyone longing to be who they really are in the interior of their being, and anyone longing for a growing awareness of relationship with the Holy Mystery. She endeavors to offer a hospitable space of love for all people, without judgment, a space where the discovery of the Divine and of the True Self can occur.

Debora holds a master’s degree in multicultural education and spent several years teaching in public high schools and adult education programs. She enjoys nature, Celtic spirituality, and the company of animals.

Joycelyn Lewis

I am passionate about spiritual formation, leadership development, and church growth. I am grateful to be an ordained Minister through Christian Global Outreach Ministries. I am a Spiritual Director, Executive Coach, Personal Life & Leadership Coach, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Creator and Facilitator. When I am not blogging or podcasting you can find me reading a book, playing with my grandchildren, trying out a new recipe, spending time with my hubby, taking a nap, and chatting with my close friends.  

D. Irene Key

D. Irene Key is an ordained minister, poet, and playwright who serves as the Executive Director and Servant Leader of Healing Word Artists, a 501(c)(3) that uses creative arts to offer hope to the hopeless. She has over 20 years of accounting and finance experience in corporate America. She is the MPBC Divisional Vice President of Christian Social Concerns and a member of the Faiths United Michigan Core Team, the Council of Baptist Pastors of Detroit and Vicinity, and other groups in American and Progressive Baptist organizations. Also, she is a DMIN candidate at Northeastern Seminary with a Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership from Cornerstone University (Grand Rapids Theological Seminary) and a Master of Science in Finance from Walsh College (Troy, Michigan).