"Awakening to the Contemplative Dimension of Life"

2010 Annual Conference of Contemplative Outreach, Sheraton Gateway Airport Hotel. Atlanta GA USA, 23-26 September 2010

Letting Go

let it go - the
smashed word broken 
open vow or
the oath cracked length
wise - let it go it
was sworn to
go

let them go - the
truthful liars and
the false fair friends
and the boths and
neithers - you must let them go they
were born
to go

let all go - the
big small middling
tall bigger really
the biggest and all
things - let all go
dear

so comes love

~ e. e. cummings ~

(Complete Poems 1904-1962) 

 

Many warm thanks to the conference bloggers

Once again, for the third year, we had  a great group of bloggers for the conference in Maria, Maru, Mike, Isabel (transmitting from Miami - we missed you Isabel), and Guy. Thanks to all for all they did in Atlanta with their superior bi-focal vision - one eye on the proceedings and one eye on bringing you the latest of what was happening at the conference.

Also, a special thanks goes to Judi Gaitens, a Chapter Coordinator from North Carolina, for her willingness to undergo (?) my video interviews and thereby contribute to the blog - you're a natural Judi-thanks.

The blog will continue to be available to all and additional postings are forthcoming. If you wish to be notified of postings there is RSS and Twitter @centeringprayer.

Hope to see you in San Francisco at the conference next year!

Peace and blessings -

Contemplative "governance" for community enrichment

The Circle of Service is Contemplative Outreach's new approach of "contemplative governance" that was piloted during 2008-2010. At the conference on Sunday morning Ron Barnett presented on behalf of the Circle of Service a description of this approach in contrast to a "corporate" approach, its historical development and the results of the voting members recent adoption of it. Here are the visuals that were used in the presentation. (Tip: to enlarge text use + spyglass in right margin.)

CoS Prez - C.O. 2010 Atlanta Conference on Prezi

Signing to archive Fr. Thomas' intellectual work at Emory University (more pics)

These pics were taken by Contemplative Outreach Circle of Service member David Muyskens. L-R Mark Nowak and Robert Presutti, Archivist who will care for Fr. Thomas's works (in middle); Dean Jan Love, Candler School of Theology; Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler, Contemplative Outreach; Philip Thompson, Executive Director, Acquinas Center; Patrick Graham, Director of Pitts Library, Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler and Robert Presutti signing agreement.

(download)