Belong to a community of people dedicated to sanity and prayer.
Cloud-Bearing Mountain Christian Retreat and Training Center is rooted in the paradigms and assumptions of the early church. Among these assumptions is that of discipleship through face-to-face, incarnate, mutually committed, reciprocal relationships, such as that between a bishop and his clergy, a priest and his people, or an elder / spiritual director and his or her disciples. These relationships are the normative locus of authentic Christian formation. There is no Christianity without them.
When a person enters into formal training as a member of the Christian Society of the Cloud, a person enters such a network of relationships. It is not an exclusive commitment. Participation in other networks is encouraged, especially when they are within the Orthodox Church. Members of the Society of the Cloud are expected to be active in their spiritual practice through regular involvement in their local parish, a daily commitment to silent prayer at home, and participation in training activities at Cloud-Bearing Mountain. The latter is to include attending residential retreats at least two times annually, one being a silent retreat preferably of three-days duration or longer. An aspirant who has entered into formal training in the Society and has become a Professed member is expected to manifest the fruits of repentance and Christian virtue toward illumination and union with God. She or he will be in regular contact with the priest and with fellow members of the Society, will study the texts from time to time assigned to him or her, and will consider the Society when planning annual tithes. Professed Members will follow through on pledges and other commitments warranted by their status.
Candidates must have completed a 3 Month Training or equivalent, making application thereafter to the director stating his or her intent to become a fully professed member of the Society. Upon acceptance, the candidate will be asked to complete another silent retreat, whereupon she or he will be formally received into the community at the closing liturgy.