Contemplative Outreach - Fort Worth Chapter
http://www.cpfortworth.org/

Other News

The Centering Prayer introductory workshop at St. Andrew's, on Saturday, January 31, 2009, has been postponed.

Please keep Fr. Robert Wilson, who was largely responsible for bringing Centering Prayer to Fort Worth and furthering its practice, in your prayer.

http://www.star-telegram.com/obituaries/story/1113214.html

Holiday Cancellations

All-

In observance of Christmas and New Year's the St. John's Centering Prayer group will NOT meet on Saturday, Dec. 27, nor on Saturday, Jan. 3. The group will meet next on Saturday, Jan. 10. Please make note of Fr. Wilson's introductory workshop at St. Andrew's in Fort Worth on Saturday, Jan. 31.

A blessed and joyful Christmas to you all.

Wishing you peace,

Tom

Visioning Day Vision

The Fort Worth chapter of Contemplative Outreach had a Visioning Day Saturday, Aug. 25, facilitated by Susan Komis of Contemplative Outreach Ltd.

The purpose of the day was to gain a vision for what we should be doing here in Fort Worth to further the aim of Contemplative Outreach, which in a nutshell is to emphasize the contemplative dimension of the Gospel and to bring it into daily life.

The Visioning Day went something like this:

We looked at the strengths of our group here in Fort Worth and determined that they were these:
-- The introductory workshops
-- The annual retreat
-- Days of Prayer, quarterly events
-- Leadership team (the board)
-- Email announcement list and Web site
-- Network w/Dallas; joint programs
-- The Spiritual Journey tapes and video library (Catholic Center)

Then we looked at our challenges, and these, in no particular order, surfaced:
-- We need a better structure -- a new organization that will allow us to spread the work out and involve more people.
-- We need a regular schedule of workshops and presentations that people can rely on (Lenten Day of Prayer, Advent Day of Prayer, United in Prayer Day, meeting sites for teleconferences, intro workshop every spring and fall, etc.).
-- We need guidance and support for prayer groups.
-- More presenters for workshops (Will laity be accepted as presenters?)
-- More Roman Catholic clergy support
-- Communication with other denominations; a more ecumenical approach
-- Support (from the larger group) when a new Centering Prayer group is begun in a smaller town or outer area
-- Introductory CP workshops for youths, prisoners, those in hospice care, those in 12-step programs
-- Names for the leadership team
-- Communication beyond Web site, email announcement list, diocesan newspaper, RC church bulletins
-- Access to more Contemplative Outreach materials
-- Strong, focused facilitation (start/end on time, stay on task, redirect the discussion when necessary)
-- Group commitment; commitment to Contemplative Outreach vision
-- Keeping Centering Prayer groups alive and thriving
-- Do we retain 501(c)(3) status, if that is indeed what we have?

Then we each voted on which ones we thought we needed to do first. These emerged:
-- Reorganize the structure/organization of the leadership (most votes)
-- Support prayer groups once they're formed and do a better job of keeping them going; support facilitators and facilitator formation/skills development (networking with Dallas when we can) (next most votes)
-- Support ecumenical diversity, outreach to other (non-RC) denominations, actively support such outreach
-- Support formation of new presenters for Centering Prayer intro workshops, Lectio Divina (networking with Dallas when we can)

We decided to try and work on these basic areas for the next year or two and then re-evaluate where we are and what we need to do next, perhaps have a mini-Visioning Day to refocus our vision. The leadership team will be meeting soon to plot the next steps. The date and time of the meeting will be posted to the email announcement list and on this Web site.

We'd be happy to hear from any of you who have something to add to the discussion and to the endeavor.

May the grace, peace and love of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

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