Coordinator of Volunteers: In August 2016, Marie Howard was invited by the Governing Board of CO to serve on the staff for CO to empower and support the volunteer leaders throughout the CO community. This position was created to be of service to the CO Service Teams (formerly known as the CPS), to current coordinators, to encourage the formation of new chapters, and to respond to a wide variety of inquiries from individuals seeking formation and/or information for Centering Prayer. This position is also responsible for updating and posting the information that was formerly found in the Resource Handbook (RHB). This material is now open to anyone on the CO website under Leadership Resources, and may be obtained without logging in. For more information, contact Marie Howard at 973.846.6915 or MRHfamlife@aol.com.
Service Teams:
12-Step Outreach can assist with starting a 12-step Centering Prayer group in your area or connect you to existing meetings or groups; assist with starting an 11th-step meditation meeting; and assist with organizing 11th-step Centering Prayer workshops or weekend retreats. There is also formation training for those who wish to be presenters of programs offered through Contemplative Outreach. See www.cp12stepoutreach.org. Or contact Joelle M., mitchelljoelle1@gmail.com.
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Lectio Divina Service Team: In his teaching on Lectio Divina, Fr. Thomas Keating stresses contemplation, the fourth moment in the praying of Holy Scripture, which is key to the way Contemplative Outreach teaches this practice. The Lectio Divina Service Team supports the community by offering formation training to commissioned Centering Prayer presenters to present the Lectio Divina Workshop. They are also available to offer Introductory Lectio Divina workshops and Lectio Divina retreats in a variety of formats including The Four Senses of Scripture Immersion Retreat. Please contact Leslee Terpay at co-leslee@comcast.net for more information to offer Lectio Divina in your area.
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Welcoming Prayer Service Team: The Welcoming Prayer is a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life. The Welcoming Prayer Service team serves people who want to learn or deepen their experience of the Welcoming Prayer through one day workshops, weekend retreats and five-day immersion retreats. An online course is also available for learning or deepening the Welcoming Prayer, which you can find here. For information about the Welcoming Prayer, contact Therese Saulnier at lectio844@hotmail.com.
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The Centering Prayer Introductory Program Service Team provides a brochure – The Centering Prayer Introductory Program to highlight the Introductory Workshop and options for the continuing sessions, which support participants in establishing a daily prayer practice. Also available are Guidelines for Hosting a Centering Prayer Introductory Program for organizations planning an Introductory Program; slide and flip-charts for Introductory Workshop presenters; and A Resource Guide: Options for the Continuing Sessions of the Centering Prayer Introductory Program with flexible and adaptive resource and format ideas for facilitators conducting continuing sessions. Thank you for your part in introducing Centering Prayer to those seeking Christ’s indwelling Spirit. See the Leadership Resources page or contact Carol Alevizos for more information at carol.alevizos@gmail.com or 808.739.5288.
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Retreat Service Team: Retreats are a common practice in many spiritual traditions and a valuable tool to aid one's interior transformation. Centering Prayer intensive retreats provide practitioners with the opportunity to deepen their practice and relationship with God by joining with others in community apart from ordinary life. Intensive retreats offer several periods of Centering Prayer daily, balanced with silence and solitude, and include video presentations from Fr. Thomas Keating. Post-intensive retreats offer more silence. The retreat service team is available to assist with organizing and staffing local retreats. Please contact Susan Rush, Susrush17@gmail.com, 505.930.1777.
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The Centering Prayer Group Facilitator Support Service Team provides formation resources for your Centering Prayer group facilitators. A Level 1 Formation is now available through an online workshop in the store. We also offer facilitator formation workshops on site. We are prepared to work closely with you to meet your facilitators’ additional needs; for example, setting up a resource library. Please contact Jim Bailey at baileywick@gmail.com.
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The Presenter Formation Service Team supports and assists local chapters and persons in organizing and conducting training for new Centering Prayer presenters; providing presenters with resource materials to enhance their teaching skills, the depth of their practice and their confidence and satisfaction as presenters and mentors. The team also provides guidance to those interested in becoming presenters, including assistance in locating formation opportunities. For more information, contact Jeff Renner, jeffrenner3@comcast.net.
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The CO Chapter Support Service Team is available to mentor coordinators, contact persons and Centering Prayer practitioners interested in the growth and development of chapters. A team member or an experienced coordinator is available to assist new chapters and support existing chapter leadership by providing ongoing communication, resources, and enrichment opportunities. Please contact Ruth Hofmann for further assistance at rchofmann47@msn.com.
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The Living Flame is a program designed to deepen and enrich one's practice of Centering Prayer, and teach the vital conceptual background needed to support this practice. The program can help participants heighten their awareness and understanding of the purification process as well as provide a setting to give and receive spiritual companionship. Past participants report that the program deepens one's commitment to Centering Prayer as well as building strong relationships between the participants, so that the grace of the Centering Prayer practice can flow throughout the community. For further information about the Living Flame program, check the CO website at Programs>Living Flame or contact Marilyn Webb, marilynfwebb@sbcglobal.net.
