Centering Prayer Intro Workshop
Centering Prayer Intro Workshop
Gathering starts on Saturday at 8:30am
October 25 at 8:45 AM to 2:00 PM
Are you looking for a way to explore or deepen your relationship with God?
Centering Prayer opens one to God’s infinite love and power to heal wounds of a lifetime. While opening the door to other related prayer practices around forgiveness and dealing with painful situations and emotions. This workshop is a sampling of the practice and its benefits. Please join us as a beginner or if you would like a refresher. It is a personal prayer and is often practiced in groups. Enjoy the prayer support of others in community.
What Is Centering Prayer?
Centering Prayer is based on a Christian contemplative practice first described in The Cloud of Unknowing, written in the latter half of the 14th century.
“Centering Prayer is not so much an exercise of attention as intention. It may take a while to grasp this distinction. You do not attend to any particular thought or content. Rather, you intend to go to your inmost being, where you believe God dwells. You are opening to Him by pure faith, not by means of concepts or feelings.”
— Thomas Keating, Open Mind Open Heart, p. 39
This prayer does not replace your other prayer practices. You will be given encouragement to learn how to become more comfortable with building a deeper relationship with the God of your understanding in the stillness of your “inner room.”
“If you want to pray, enter your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“
—Matthew 6:6
What is the inner room? This “inner room” is not a physical place. It is an interior place in our hearts, the deepest part of who we are. It is a place of quiet, where we can meet our Lord personally.
Introduction to Centering Prayer is a sampling of the practice and its benefits. The workshop is a prerequisite to the Follow Up Course, Basic Centering Prayer, that delves more into the practice and effects of Centering Prayer. Basic Centering Prayer is the next step to a committed practice with community support and trained Presenters and Facilitators.
In our introductory workshop to Centering Prayer, you will discover a centuries-old prayer method. Centering Prayer consists of simply sitting in silence with God – beyond thoughts, words, and emotions – and opening our mind, heart and whole being to the Ultimate Mystery. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of Centering Prayer, experience it in a guided setting, and be able to ask questions and share experiences with the presenters and your fellow participants. Please join us!
Kathy Dunn and Mary Laffey Adams will be serving as our COL Commissioned Co Presenters of this Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop. Both have been practicing centering prayer for many years. Charlie Lawrence, Commissioned Presenter and Team leader will be supporting the Team.
Please bring a lunch. If you would like to share a dish, that would be most welcome. We will provide coffee, tea, and water, and you are also encouraged to bring a beverage of your choice (with a lid).
For more information contact:
Charlie Lawrence
charlesn.lawrence2@gmail.com
(618) 781 4538
October 25 at 8:45 AM to 2:00 PM
Gather at 8:45 am, Intro Workshop – 9:00 am to 2:00pm
Introductory workshops are held throughout the year at a variety of sites. The presenters are specially trained and commissioned in teaching this short course which covers the essentials of the method and conceptual background of Centering Prayer. The first introductory workshop is generally four to six-hours and is typically held on a Saturday. The program may continue with “follow-up” sessions held on one full-day or for four to six weekly 90-minute gatherings to pray, view and discuss a video presentation and to support an emerging daily practice of Centering Prayer. To schedule an introductory workshop for your group, church or organization, please contact us via email.
This event is free, but there is a suggested donation of $25.00. If you wish, please support us with a donation of your choice, which helps cover our rent, website maintenance, scholarship fund and other expenses. This is purely a suggestion and not meant to be a barrier to attendance. All are welcome.
Registration
Having trouble registering or did not receive a confirmation email? Reach out to susiebrentcostl@gmail.com.