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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.
 
 
Garden at Cedarbrake Retreat Center
 
 

The Meditation Chapel now offers Fr. Vincent Pizzuto facilitating a Saturday morning prayer group in which following the silent prayer time, he reviews and teaches from his book, Contemplative Christ.  You may sign up to participate in this prayer group or view his discussions at this link.  A new recording of Fr. Vincent is added each week.  Check out this wonderful offering!
 
The Centering Prayer Group at First United Church in Boerne, TX will be offering
Contemplative Eucharists for Advent weeks before Christmas in Jones Chapel, 5:30-6:30 pm.  Please contact Chaplain Jenny Russell for more information.
 
An Introduction to Centering Prayer as an 11th Step Practice will be led by Steve Hamman at Cedar Park First United Methodist Church, November 2, 8:00am - 12:30pm. Please contact Steve at 512-970-7789 to RSVP.  This workshop is free to those interested.
 
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.
 
King’s Chapel, King’s College, Cambridge, England
 
  


Upcoming Centering Prayer Activities
  1. Centering Prayer 1-Day Retreat – Nov 16
  2. 3-Day Contemplative Advent Retreat – Dec 6-8
  3. 7-Day Centering Prayer Advent Retreat – Dec 6-12
  4. Centering Prayer Half-Day Retreat – Dec 14
 
1.  Centering Prayer 1-Day Retreat – Nov 16
The Church of Conscious Harmony
Saturday, Nov 16, 9am – 4pm, check-in begins at 8:30am. The day begins 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 Nov 15 by calling 512-347-9673.
 
2.  3-Day Contemplative Advent Retreat – Dec 6-8
Oblate Renewal Center, San Antonio, TX
During this weekend retreat led by Pamela Begeman, attendees will practice Incarnation through intentional silence, solitude, listening and community reflection.  The retreat will include periods of Centering Prayer, music, Lectio Divina in community, silence, free time, and optional soul friending.
Please pre-register by Dec 2.  A $25 discount is available for early registration by Nov. 18.  Single room is $325; double room is $250 per person.  For more information and to register, please visit this link.
 
3.  7-Day Centering Prayer Advent Retreat – Dec 6-12
Cedarbrake Renewal Center, Belton, TX
This advanced Advent retreat led by Mary Anne Best begins on Friday, Dec 6 (check-in between 4-5pm) and ends Thursday, Dec 12 by noon.  The retreat will include three hours of Centering Prayer daily, selected segments from videos by Thomas Keating, celebration of the Eucharist, Lectio Divina, silence and solitude and optional spiritual companioning. Please register in the office at The Church of Conscious Harmony or call 512-347-9673.  Please visit the HoTCO website for more information.
 
4.  Centering Prayer Half-Day Retreat – Dec 14
Church of Conscious Harmony
Saturday, Dec 14, 12:30 – 5pm.  Registration begins at 12:30pm and the program begins at 1pm. The afternoon includes 2 periods of Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, a Thomas Keating DVD, and faith sharing.  A $10 love offering is suggested.  For more information and to pre-register, please contact the church 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.
 
Stress-Reduction Meditation Workshop for Healthcare Providers – Nov 9
Seton Cove
Saturday, Nov 9, 9am – 3pm, Dr. Anna Vu Wallace will lead this workshop where attendees will learn and practice a simple mindfulness, evidenced based method to reduce stress based. For more information and to register, visit this link.
 
“An Invitation to Know Your Creative Force:” A Quiet Day in the Texas Hill Country – Nov 22
Seton Cove
Friday, Nov 22, 9am – 4pm.  The day will include time for meditation, walking in nature, writing as a spiritual practice and an exploration of what it means to see, all within the container of silence. Patricia Speier will facilitate this day, dedicated to giving time, space and practice to the creative force restive within you.   For more information and to register, please visit this link.
 
Seton Cove’s Annual Contemplative Retreat – Dec 10-14
Tucson, AZ
Join Patty Speier, Executive Director of Seton Cove and Senior Director of Formation for Ascension Health, at the stunningly beautiful Redemptorist Renewal Center in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona as she leads us through an exploration of the work of two classic contemporary spiritual teachers, the Christian Benedictine nun, Joan Chittister and Zen priest and poet, Norman Fischer. In their latest books Chittister and Fischer describe how contemplative practice helps us respond from a generous and spacious place to the chaotic disruptions of the current political landscape. We will practice silence, meditation, and reflective discussion in this five day contemplative retreat. 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.
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Heart of Texas Chapter - Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.
7406 Newhall Lane
Austin, Texas 78746

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