Be together. Form together.
Do you have a deep desire to experience God in a small community of peers while pursuing your theological studies?
Are you curious about how intentional living and participating in a small community focused on developing your spirituality can transform you?
If so, participating in a Candler formation community could be the path for you.
Focused on intentional living and spiritual formation, formation communities provide Candler students with a unique opportunity to live and grow in faith alongside their peers. Each formation community creates a distinct set of intentional community commitments and discerns a shared focus they want to live into throughout one full academic year.
There are three types of formation community experiences: residential, neighboring, and virtual.
All formation communities are student-led and shaped by their participants. Each community designs the type of communal and spiritual formation experience they want to have for the year. Formation communities are paired with both a chaplain and a spiritual director to help support the community holistically through worship, spiritual companionship and counsel.
Interested in joining a formation community for the 2026-27 academic year?
Curriculum
Candler’s program in formation communities has three primary aims:
- to provide a platform for vocational discernment and spiritual growth
- to form student capacities for community building and spiritual practice
- to cultivate communities of belonging that allow members to integrate their theological studies, vocational aspirations, spiritual practices, and diverse identities.
Program participants graduate from Candler with greater clarity about their respective vocations, spiritual practices that can sustain those vocations for the long haul, and tools for building communities of belonging in and through difference.
Activities
Throughout the year, formation community members participate in spiritual retreats, group spiritual direction, weekly community gatherings, and a celebration at the end of the year.
Shared Community Commitments
Each formation community discerns its thematic focus and community commitments at the start of the academic year. Community commitments are contextually suited to those in the community and are centered around the type of communal and spiritual formation experience they choose to have throughout the year. Each community’s shared commitments are a living document and are affirmed (or changed) mid-year.
Formation Community Options
Members in residential communities live intentionally together in shared housing. Candler helps to match students with a student cohort, and match that student cohort with a property owner, property manager, or landlord. Residential communities meet in-person once a week for fellowship focused on community building and spiritual formation. All members of residential communities sign a lease that begins on August 1, 2026.
Interested students may apply to be a part of a Candler formation community (and may apply for more than one). Applicants are selected based on meeting the criteria for the program, their stated desires and the community’s focus. All students are welcome in every formation community regardless of race, gender, nationality, class, faith, sexual orientation and ability.
Candler’s formation communities program also supports neighboring communities that do not live together but form around a set of community commitments and a shared focus. These communities meet once a week for fellowship focused on community building and spiritual formation. Applicants are selected based on meeting the criteria for the program, their stated desires and the community’s focus. All students are welcome in every formation community regardless of race, gender, nationality, class, faith, sexual orientation and ability.
Candler’s formation communities program also supports virtual intentional communities that form around a set of community agreements and a shared focus. These communities meet exclusively online once a week via video conference for fellowship focused on community building and spiritual formation. Applicants are selected based on meeting the criteria for the program, their stated desires and the community’s focus. All students are welcome in every formation community regardless of race, gender, nationality, class, faith, sexual orientation and ability.
Meet the Team
Khalia Williams
Associate Dean of Worship and Spiritual Formation for the Office of Worship and Spiritual Formation
Khalia provides leadership, administrative oversight and visioning for the Formation Communities program. Prior to joining the faculty at Candler, she earned her MA in Theological Studies from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, and her PhD in Liturgical Studies with a focus on theology and worship from Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. She is ordained and serves as an associate minister at Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, as well as with the general ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Contact Khalia at khalia.j.williams@emory.edu.
Natasha Burrowes
Assistant Director of Formation Communities
Natasha brings a wealth of experience and passion to formation communities, with over 20 years of experience combined in student development and spiritual formation programming. She earned her MA in Transforming Spirituality from Seattle University School for Theology and Ministry. She is a skilled spiritual director and retreat facilitator, committed to supporting the holistic development of students as they explore their faith and callings. Natasha is instrumental in fostering and nurturing formation communities, guiding students as they deepen their spiritual lives and cultivating a sense of community here at Candler.
If you have any questions about our Formation Communities, please contact Natasha at natasha.burrowes@emory.edu or (404) 727-0813.
Cam Carlington
Program Support
Cam is a current Master of Theological Studies student at Candler. Cam provides program support for the formation communities and is a member of the St. Clare Formation Community. Cam’s research interests fluctuate between blues and capitalism, queer theology, black liberation theology, sound studies and black cultural productions. Cam is also a multidisciplinary musician.