Dear Fr. Thomas and Contemplative Outreach associates,
I’m grateful to God for Fr. Thomas’ inspired vision in founding Contemplative Outreach 30 years ago, and for the many following years of his careful, wise oversight, and the offerings of his wisdom through his many writings and workshops. I’m also grateful for all the volunteers who have been moved to become leaders of Contemplative Outreach’s groups and coordination, without whom so much less could have been accomplished.
The world, especially the Christian world, has been immensely benefitted by all that Contemplative Outreach has done to bring contemplative grounding and practice to many thousands of people. It has been a significant vessel of the Spirit that has been of tremendous assistance in the desperate need of the church and the world to find a deeper and more inclusive way of seeing and living that serves our broken world’s peace and wellbeing. It has been an integral part of the modern broad-scale movement to bring contemplative awareness and practice from the margins of the church back to its center.
The very existence of Contemplative Outreach and the response to it also has had a symbolic power. It’s very existence and the response to it has directly or indirectly strengthened the contemplative hopes of many other contemplative centers, including the Shalem Institute. Together we share a vital mission of contemplative vision and practice. May Contemplative Outreach continue to be such a beacon of hope for many decades to come.
With joy in your being,
Tilden Edwards
Founder and Senior Fellow, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
