Supporting individuals and groups for vibrant living focused on the well-being of all.
About
Partners in Pilgrimage is the partnership between Anne Blackwood and Charlene Epp. Together, they accompany individuals and groups in spiritual companionship (or spiritual direction), conflict resolution, vision finding, formal teaching, retreat leading, and more.
My work in spiritual direction seeks to accompany others, especially those called to the work of compassion, peace and justice, in exploring their deepest beliefs and experiences, as balm for difficult times and as a window into the paths to which they feel called, and the steps they can take on their journey toward spiritual freedom, authenticity, and connection. - Anne Blackwood
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Their separate practices are established and have been functioning for 39 years combined. Partners in Pilgrimage expands their reach in supporting the health of individuals and groups.
To see the breadth of services offered, please visit the About page.
Who We Work With
Individuals
Persons interested in exploring their connection to the Transcendent
Non-profit workers
Environmental justice advocates
Educators
Activists
Healthcare and mental health professionals
Pastors, faith-based leaders, spiritual directors, and other church workers
Groups
Mission-driven organizations
Social change organizations
Congregations and communities
Who We Are
Anne Blackwood and Charlene Epp have over 60 years (combined) in vocational calls to serve people and creation. Their contexts for living their call have included family, spiritual community, neighborhoods, employment in healthcare settings, teaching, group facilitation, and organizational consulting.
Their experiences have located them on the East and West coasts, in the Midwest, in urban and rural, underserved and affluent settings. Their differences in cultural and racial backgrounds serve as a storehouse of resources to share, grounded in an ever-deepening 30+ year friendship.
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Anne is a physician, trained as a medical oncologist, who has worked in academic medicine, patient care, and cancer drug development for 30 years. Beginning in 2015, Anne pursued discernment at Mercy Center (Burlingame, CA), and then received training in the art of spiritual direction at San Francisco Theological Seminary (San Anselmo, CA). She received supervision training through Spiritual Directors International, and Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, VA). Anne has also served on the Steering committee of Christian Peacemaker Teams and of Health in Harmony, a trailblazing Planetary Health organization. Through her spiritual direction and supervision practices, the teaching of spiritual direction (at both of her seminaries), and her work with peacemaking and creation care organizations, Anne accompanies others in exploring their deepest beliefs and experiences, as balm for difficult times and as a window into the directions into which they feel invited, and the steps they can take on their journey toward spiritual freedom, authenticity, connection, and change-making.
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Charlene Epp is a Holistic Spiritual Practitioner, drawing from years of experience as a Spiritual Director, Interim Pastor, bedside chaplain, staff caregiver, Conference Minister, District Pastor, and teacher. Charlene served on a Conference Minister Team of three supporting 17 congregations representing urban and rural settings across Colorado and New Mexico. Charlene’s primary ministry has been as a chaplain in acute care, Level 1 trauma centers, and hospice settings for twenty-three years. Along with entire hospital coverage, she has served on a Palliative Care team and provided specialized care in the Behavioral Health Unit, Breast Cancer Center, Emergency Department, Labor & Delivery, Mother/Baby, NICU, Pediatrics, and PICU. Her work included staff support based on trauma-informed models such as RISE (Resilience in Stressful Events, a Caring for the Caregiver program developed at John Hopkins Hospital). Charlene received her MDiv degree from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary and is ordained in Mennonite Church USA. Before these roles, she taught elementary and preschool children from large urban to small rural migrant communities. Charlene is a Spiritual Director, co-facilitating groups and accompanying individuals in their spiritual walk. Charlene has the joy of having called many places “home”, currently living in Anacortes WA. Among the many delights of living, Charlene enjoys gardening, hiking, hosting guests, quilting, reading, and writing.