Centering Prayer News

Heart of Texas Contemplative Outreach (HoTCO) is the local chapter of Contemplative Outreach, a spiritual network of individuals and small faith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel, primarily expressed through a commitment to a daily Centering Prayer practice.

Taize Service at University United Methodist Church

HoTCO Library Give-Away
We are in the process of weeding out our chapter’s library and we have the following items available free for the asking:

VHS Tapes

Contemplative Outreach: Reaching Out to the World (9 min.)
Keating "The Psychological Experience of Centering Prayer" (Spiritual Journey Series)
Keating Prologue: "The Method of Centering Prayer" (Spiritual Journey Series)
Keating Prologue: "The Psychology of Center ing Prayer" (Spiritual Journey Series)
Keating "Living Ordinary Life with Extraordinary Love" (46 min); Fitzpatrick-Hopler "Celebrating a Year of Practice" (19 min)
Fitzpatrick-Hopler "The Divine Therapy"
Keating "Living the Contemplative Life" (47 min); Fitzpatrick-Hopler: Homily / Sermon (21 min)
Sister Bernadette Teasdale & Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler: "The Practices That Bring the Fruits of Centering Prayer into Daily Life"

Cassette Audio Tapes

Father Thomas on Forgiveness (Church of Conscious Harmony) Sun 6/27/04 (2 copies)

If you would like any of these items, please contact Pam Rossman. The HoTCO library also contains many DVDs available on loan to Centering Prayer leaders to use with their Centering Prayer groups. Please contact Pam if you would also like to check out an item for your group.

Centering Prayer as A Way of Life
Online course with Pamela Begeman, Mary Anne Best and Julie Saad
In this, the third offering of this year’s trilogy on Centering Prayer, we will explore how the practice of Centering Prayer evolves into a surrendered life of inner peace and equanimity despite the busy and often tumultuous circumstances of daily life in the 21^st century. This e-course begins Sept 2 and ends Oct 10. For more information and to register, please visit this link.

Hill Country Centering Prayer Community Group in Dripping Springs will reconvene after a summer break on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7pm, starting September 16^th. The location is 301 Grand Prairie Circle. For more information, please contact Sharon Clark-Eastman.

Centering Prayer group in Boerne, TX

The Centering Prayer Group in Boerne, TX meets at First United Methodist Church in Jones Chapel every Wednesday evening, 5:30-6:30pm (Fall-Winter) and 6-7pm (Spring-Summer). After Daylight Savings Time ends on Nov 13, they will switch to 5:30pm. Please contact Chaplain Jenny Russell for more information.

12-Step Outreach is led by Emily Haeussler and presenters are being trained. If you are interested, please contact Emily at Emily@CenteredEating.com.

Welcoming Prayer workshops are now available to the HoTCO community. If you are interested in a one-day workshop or a series of evening workshops, please contact Pamela Begeman for more information.

Facilitator Mary Gifford at the Introductory Centering Prayer Workshop on July 20

Upcoming Centering Prayer Activities

Centering Prayer 6-Day Retreat - Sept 13 – 18
Centering Prayer 1-Day Retreat – Sept 21
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop – Oct 12
1-Day Contemplative Workshop with Jim Reale – Oct 19

1. Centering Prayer 6-Day Retreat – Sept 13 - 18
Cedarbrake Renewal Center, Belton, TX
This retreat will include daily periods of Centering Prayer, liturgy and Eucharist, and time for silence and solitude. Enrichment videos will be from “The Essence of Christian Mysticism” by Bernadette Roberts. Attendees arrive between 4-6pm on Friday and leave by 11am on Wednesday. The cost is $595/single room. Please register by calling The Church of Conscious Harmony office at 512-347-9673.

2. Centering Prayer 1-Day Retreat – Sept 21
The Church of Conscious Harmony
Saturday, Sept 21, 8:30am – 4pm. The day includes a light breakfast and fellowship during registration, and the program begins at 9am with a morning prayer session of 2 thirty-minute prayer periods, Lectio Divina, the option of either an afternoon prayer session of 2 thirty-minute prayer periods or a Fr. Keating lecture video, several periods of silence and solitude and lunch in silence on the beautiful church grounds. Please bring your lunch with a suggested love offering of $20. Please pre-register before Sept 20 by calling 512-347-9673.

3. Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop – Oct 12
The Church of Conscious Harmony
Saturday, Oct 12, 9am – Noon. Doors open at 8:30am. This is a 7-week course in forming a daily Centering Prayer practice. The cost is $35. The class will meet on Saturday and then for 6 consecutive Monday evenings from 7:30-9pm. Please register with the church office or call 512-347-9673.

4. 1-Day Contemplative Workshop with Jim Reale – Oct 19
The Church of Conscious Harmony
Saturday, Oct 19, 9am – 4pm. This unique one-day workshop with Jim Reale will introduce vestibules as preparation to Centering Prayer. Simple body movement, carefully guided, creates a feeling of comfort and openness in the body. Sacred chant, combined with reverential gesture, instills a devotional quality that moves our intention toward the heart. The introduction of conscious breathing exercises has the effect of quieting the mind’s chatter. This workshop will lead us from vestibule to Centering Prayer. It allows one to wade deeper into contemplative waters where God’s presence and action reside. Participants will be given handouts enabling them to continue with the vestibules at home.

Jim has been teaching contemplative practice for 20 years. He created The Five Dimensional Approach to prayer incorporating movement, breath, and chant. He has taught with Fr. Thomas Keating and Fr. Richard Rohr. Please bring your own lunch. The cost is $50 and enrollment is limited to 26 due to space considerations. For more information and to register, please call The Church of Conscious Harmony office at 512-347-9673.

Other Upcoming Contemplative Activities
The following events are not focused on Centering Prayer specifically but share the theme of contemplative spirituality and might serve to enrich the spiritual life of Centering Prayer practitioners.

Healing the Blind Spot of Leadership Through Contemplative Practice – Wednesdays
Seton Cove, Austin, TX
Wisdom teachers and thought leaders such as Otto Scharmer, Cynthia Bourgeault, Parker Palmer, Marc Lesser and Richard Rohr all say that some amount of time spent in silence each day is absolutely necessary if we are to work and lead from our Source or True Self. Join us on Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30pm in this weekly meditation group as we support each other in holding the space for discussion of transformative leadership practices and 30 minutes of silent meditation. (Group will not meet July 3.) This event is free and no registration required. For more information, please visit this link.

Heroic Presence: The New Hero’s Journey and the Enneagram – Sept 19
Seton Cove, Austin, TX
Thursday, Sept 19, Noon – 1:30pm. This program will introduce a new metaphorical framework for life called Heroic Presence. We will also show how this radical 3 step process ties directly into our personality construct or Enneagram type. For more information and to register, please visit this link.

HoTCO’s Mission is to support individuals and groups in our area who want to deepen their relationship with God through the practice of Centering Prayer. This Newsletter encourages the spirit of a larger contemplative community by communicating and promoting activities that serve this mission. Visit the HoTCO website for information on contemplative services, prayer groups, introductory workshops, retreats, and events. Connect with the HoTCO Facebook page or the HoTCO MeetUp page.

Centering Prayer Resources: HoTCO has resources for prayer groups, such as the 28 DVD set of The Spiritual Journey with Fr. Thomas Keating, a collection of appropriate books to sell at workshops and retreats, and trained presenters willing to conduct a seven-week course on The Introduction to Centering Prayer. For more information, please contact Chapter Coordinator Linda Whiteside.

If your church or organization has information on contemplative activities that are appropriate for the newsletter, please submit information to jjllreed@sbcglobal.net. If you would like to be more involved with HoTCO, please consider attending a quarterly membership meeting.


	September 2019
Heart of Texas Contemplative Outreach (HoTCO) is the local chapter of Contemplative Outreach, a spiritual network of individuals and small faith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel, primarily expressed through a commitment to a daily Centering Prayer practice. Taize Service at University United Methodist Church HoTCO Library Give-Away We are in the process of weeding out our chapter’s library and we have the following items available free for the asking: VHS Tapes Contemplative Outreach: Reaching Out to the World (9 min.) Keating "The Psychological Experience of Centering Prayer" (Spiritual Journey Series) Keating Prologue: "The Method of Centering Prayer" (Spiritual Journey Series) Keating Prologue: "The Psychology of Center ing Prayer" (Spiritual Journey Series) Keating "Living Ordinary Life with Extraordinary Love" (46 min); Fitzpatrick-Hopler "Celebrating a Year of Practice" (19 min) Fitzpatrick-Hopler "The Divine Therapy" Keating "Living the Contemplative Life" (47 min); Fitzpatrick-Hopler: Homily / Sermon (21 min) Sister Bernadette Teasdale & Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler: "The Practices That Bring the Fruits of Centering Prayer into Daily Life" Cassette Audio Tapes Father Thomas on Forgiveness (Church of Conscious Harmony) Sun 6/27/04 (2 copies) If you would like any of these items, please contact Pam Rossman. The HoTCO library also contains many DVDs available on loan to Centering Prayer leaders to use with their Centering Prayer groups. Please contact Pam if you would also like to check out an item for your group. Centering Prayer as A Way of Life Online course with Pamela Begeman, Mary Anne Best and Julie Saad In this, the third offering of this year’s trilogy on Centering Prayer, we will explore how the practice of Centering Prayer evolves into a surrendered life of inner peace and equanimity despite the busy and often tumultuous circumstances of daily life in the 21^st century. This e-course begins Sept 2 and ends Oct 10. For more information and to register, please visit this link. Hill Country Centering Prayer Community Group in Dripping Springs will reconvene after a summer break on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7pm, starting September 16^th. The location is 301 Grand Prairie Circle. For more information, please contact Sharon Clark-Eastman. Centering Prayer group in Boerne, TX The Centering Prayer Group in Boerne, TX meets at First United Methodist Church in Jones Chapel every Wednesday evening, 5:30-6:30pm (Fall-Winter) and 6-7pm (Spring-Summer). After Daylight Savings Time ends on Nov 13, they will switch to 5:30pm. Please contact Chaplain Jenny Russell for more information. 12-Step Outreach is led by Emily Haeussler and presenters are being trained. If you are interested, please contact Emily at Emily@CenteredEating.com. Welcoming Prayer workshops are now available to the HoTCO community. If you are interested in a one-day workshop or a series of evening workshops, please contact Pamela Begeman for more information. Facilitator Mary Gifford at the Introductory Centering Prayer Workshop on July 20 Upcoming Centering Prayer Activities Centering Prayer 6-Day Retreat - Sept 13 – 18 Centering Prayer 1-Day Retreat – Sept 21 Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop – Oct 12 1-Day Contemplative Workshop with Jim Reale – Oct 19 1. Centering Prayer 6-Day Retreat – Sept 13 - 18 Cedarbrake Renewal Center, Belton, TX This retreat will include daily periods of Centering Prayer, liturgy and Eucharist, and time for silence and solitude. Enrichment videos will be from “The Essence of Christian Mysticism” by Bernadette Roberts. Attendees arrive between 4-6pm on Friday and leave by 11am on Wednesday. The cost is $595/single room. Please register by calling The Church of Conscious Harmony office at 512-347-9673. 2. Centering Prayer 1-Day Retreat – Sept 21 The Church of Conscious Harmony Saturday, Sept 21, 8:30am – 4pm. The day includes a light breakfast and fellowship during registration, and the program begins at 9am with a morning prayer session of 2 thirty-minute prayer periods, Lectio Divina, the option of either an afternoon prayer session of 2 thirty-minute prayer periods or a Fr. Keating lecture video, several periods of silence and solitude and lunch in silence on the beautiful church grounds. Please bring your lunch with a suggested love offering of $20. Please pre-register before Sept 20 by calling 512-347-9673. 3. Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop – Oct 12 The Church of Conscious Harmony Saturday, Oct 12, 9am – Noon. Doors open at 8:30am. This is a 7-week course in forming a daily Centering Prayer practice. The cost is $35. The class will meet on Saturday and then for 6 consecutive Monday evenings from 7:30-9pm. Please register with the church office or call 512-347-9673. 4. 1-Day Contemplative Workshop with Jim Reale – Oct 19 The Church of Conscious Harmony Saturday, Oct 19, 9am – 4pm. This unique one-day workshop with Jim Reale will introduce vestibules as preparation to Centering Prayer. Simple body movement, carefully guided, creates a feeling of comfort and openness in the body. Sacred chant, combined with reverential gesture, instills a devotional quality that moves our intention toward the heart. The introduction of conscious breathing exercises has the effect of quieting the mind’s chatter. This workshop will lead us from vestibule to Centering Prayer. It allows one to wade deeper into contemplative waters where God’s presence and action reside. Participants will be given handouts enabling them to continue with the vestibules at home. Jim has been teaching contemplative practice for 20 years. He created The Five Dimensional Approach to prayer incorporating movement, breath, and chant. He has taught with Fr. Thomas Keating and Fr. Richard Rohr. Please bring your own lunch. The cost is $50 and enrollment is limited to 26 due to space considerations. For more information and to register, please call The Church of Conscious Harmony office at 512-347-9673. Other Upcoming Contemplative Activities The following events are not focused on Centering Prayer specifically but share the theme of contemplative spirituality and might serve to enrich the spiritual life of Centering Prayer practitioners. Healing the Blind Spot of Leadership Through Contemplative Practice – Wednesdays Seton Cove, Austin, TX Wisdom teachers and thought leaders such as Otto Scharmer, Cynthia Bourgeault, Parker Palmer, Marc Lesser and Richard Rohr all say that some amount of time spent in silence each day is absolutely necessary if we are to work and lead from our Source or True Self. Join us on Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30pm in this weekly meditation group as we support each other in holding the space for discussion of transformative leadership practices and 30 minutes of silent meditation. (Group will not meet July 3.) This event is free and no registration required. For more information, please visit this link. Heroic Presence: The New Hero’s Journey and the Enneagram – Sept 19 Seton Cove, Austin, TX Thursday, Sept 19, Noon – 1:30pm. This program will introduce a new metaphorical framework for life called Heroic Presence. We will also show how this radical 3 step process ties directly into our personality construct or Enneagram type. For more information and to register, please visit this link. HoTCO’s Mission is to support individuals and groups in our area who want to deepen their relationship with God through the practice of Centering Prayer. This Newsletter encourages the spirit of a larger contemplative community by communicating and promoting activities that serve this mission. Visit the HoTCO website for information on contemplative services, prayer groups, introductory workshops, retreats, and events. Connect with the HoTCO Facebook page or the HoTCO MeetUp page. Centering Prayer Resources: HoTCO has resources for prayer groups, such as the 28 DVD set of The Spiritual Journey with Fr. Thomas Keating, a collection of appropriate books to sell at workshops and retreats, and trained presenters willing to conduct a seven-week course on The Introduction to Centering Prayer. For more information, please contact Chapter Coordinator Linda Whiteside. If your church or organization has information on contemplative activities that are appropriate for the newsletter, please submit information to jjllreed@sbcglobal.net. If you would like to be more involved with HoTCO, please consider attending a quarterly membership meeting.