Formed by Prayer, Sent in Love: NSML to Debut New Course for Fall 2026 Term

The Niagara School for Missional Leadership (NSML) will launch a new course this fall to help students cultivate a deeper, more sustainable life of prayer. Resting in God, Moving in Love: Developing a Deeper & Missional Prayer Life invites participants to explore practices rooted in Anglican spirituality that nurture both personal discipleship and participation in God’s mission.

The course will be taught by two experienced teacher-practitioners: Ian Mobsby and Monica Romig Green. Together, they bring a wealth of experience in spiritual formation, contemplative practice, and missional leadership. Ian is well known to the NSML community, having previously taught courses on contemplative spirituality and meaningful engagement with our neighbours. His ministry combines theological depth with practical wisdom, helping Christians discover how prayer can shape a faithful and missional way of life. Joining NSML as an instructor for the first time, Monica is a spiritual director, teacher, and retreat leader whose ministry is marked by creativity, attentiveness, and a deep commitment to helping people encounter Christ in everyday life.

To help prospective students learn more about the course, both instructors recently sat down with NSML coordinator Hannah Keller to discuss the vision behind the course and what students can expect from the experience.

Hannah Keller: Ian, could you share a bit about what inspired this new course?

Ian Mobsby: This course builds on a course that Canon Christyn Perkons had previously developed and taught. This new course has a renewed focus on helping people develop a healthy and spiritually enriching rhythm of prayer.

HK: Monica, this course invites beginners into a deeper prayer life. How would you encourage someone who feels unsure or intimidated by prayer?

Monica Romig Green: I would say to them that our prayer life begins with God, not ourselves, so if you are drawn to this course but feel unsure or intimidated, I’d encourage them to trust that God is the one leading them to explore this deeper life of prayer. I would also say that no matter how long people have been praying, in many ways, we are all beginners at prayer! There are always ways to pray that will be new to us, and exploring and trying things out is the best way to discover the best kinds and rhythm of prayer for who you are.

HK:  How does an active, renewed prayer life connect to wider participation in God’s mission?

IM: Prayer is the DNA of the spiritual traditions of the Anglican Church. We remember that our Book of Common Prayer grew out of the monastic prayer and worship traditions of monks, nuns, and friars. These were taken by the reformers as a basis to develop a prayer life for the average person in the context of a parish church.

Prayer has always been understood as encountering God, which is a form of relationship where we learn to receive the love of God, which then motivates us to be part of God’s loving action in the world. Sometimes this is called prayerful action or contemplative action. So having a deep prayer life helps develop an active and deep relationship with God, which then helps us to join in God’s vision of restoration for our world and our churches.

HK:  So, what can students expect in a typical class? How do you create a space that feels both safe and engaging?

MRG: A typical class will include some teaching to get everyone on the same page, a guided prayer practice for everyone to try together, and then space to talk about their experiences in small groups with others. There is also “homework,” which is prayer practices to try out in your day-to-day life and a journal to record how these practices are affecting your relationship with God, yourself, others and creation. Our hope is that by making this class a place for everyone to try out new things together and allowing space for honest feedback, everyone will feel welcomed, safe, and engaged.

HK:  You say that the course will include practices like reflective journaling and praying the Daily Office. Why do you think these are so powerful for everyday spiritual growth?

MRG: The spiritual practices that we will offer, which include reflective journaling and praying the Daily Office along with others, are powerful for everyday spiritual growth because they are tools to help us engage regularly, honestly, and deeply in our relationship with God and others. They are containers that help direct our attention back to the one who is love and who loves us beyond what we can think or imagine. It is not the practices that change us; it is God who changes and grows us within the context of our relationship. Anything that connects us relationally with God and others will powerfully affect our spiritual growth.

HK:  Why do you think a course like this is important in our current world?

IM: It’s not easy to be a Christian participating in God’s loving mission in such a complex world, and I don’t think it’s possible to be a Christian long-term without an active and deep prayer and spiritual life. It’s essential for our wellbeing and resilience; otherwise, our hearts and minds are dominated by anxiety rather than the love of God.

HK:  What is one thing you hope that students will take away from this course?

IM: I hope that students will be excited and energized about their prayer & spiritual lives and possibly learn some new resources that create a deep sense of being loved by God, rather than feeling fatigued or worn out by an impoverished sense of a prayer life.

MRG: That an appreciation for how prayer – particularly within the context of the Anglican church – is an accessible daily gift to help reconnect us to God in Christ, to help us constantly abide in God’s love, which allows that love to flow into and through us, animating all we do in our lives and in the world. It is both a solid bedrock and a lively spring of living water, and I hope our students experience this and begin to establish a rhythm of it for their lives.

Resting in God, Moving in Love will run online from October 19-December 7, 2026, on Monday evenings from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm EST. To register for courses, visit www.nsml.ca. For questions about NSML, course offerings, syllabi, or registration support, please contact Hannah Keller by emailing [email protected].