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NewsAugust 18, 2010
Dear friends of the School for Contemplative Living,
Please find attached the flyer about our next large group gathering:
Calling All Contemplatives - Sunday, August 29, 3 p.m. at Parker United Methodist Church (1130 Nashville Ave.)
Come for centering, sharing our journey since Katrina, and Universal Dances for Peace led by Amina.
New Class: Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton
Wednesdays, 6 p.m. at Rayne United Methodist Church (3900 St. Charles Ave.) beginning 8-25-10. Call to reserve your book.
New Class: A New Spiritual Home: Progressive Christianity at the Grass Roots by Hal Taussig
Sundays, 10 a.m. at Parker UMC beginning 8-22-10. Order your own book and we will have handouts.
New Centering Prayer Group: Wednesdays, 7:15 a.m. at St. Mark's United Methodist Church at 1130 North Rampart.
Contact Rev. Anita Dinwiddie there for details.
Plan now to attend our Regional Gathering April 6, 2011 with Father Richard Rohr presenting:
"Practicing the Presence of God in the Real World."
Keep "walking in wonder," this is our path,
William Thiele
May 10, 2010
Dear friends of the SCL community, WARNING: The enclosed letter will take more than 7 seconds to read. I want you to know an example of how our common seeking to be contemplative community, to answer the radical call to contemplative living, and to support each other in this life can impact one "insignificant" life of a homeless street kid in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is self-named Itachi Grayskull. (I know because it is written on his tennis shoes). I just met him at Luke's House last week during our homeless ministry held at Mt. Zion UMC. More in a moment. For centuries contemplatives have been seen exclusively as monks and nuns who are "cloistered" away from society. They were the people who prayed all day long in monasteries, seemingly disconnected from the real world. They had "withdrawn" from the world into a life alone with God. Or at least so we thought (not that it was ever really the case). But there is a "new monasticism" afoot in the world which is taking many forms in many places around this globe. One form is our form as participants in the Lord's School for Contemplative Living. Our new form of monasticism involves living a life of daily prayer as we walk and serve in the wild world around us. After a group of us gathered to set up the free medical clinic, prepare the meal, vouchers, tolietries, clothing, and the SCL street library we walked out front to take hands and pray as one horde of humanity in common need of the Divine Presence. But then I felt led (like we often feel on this path) to take a stroll around to the back of the building. There sat a 15-16 year-old African-American street kid who was staying away from the crowd of adults. He wore his purple sun glasses, short dreds, cut-off black warm-up pants, black muscle t-shirt, and those Keds tennis shoes with his name clearly printed across the front. I sware a few years ago I would've kept on walking for fear he had a gun and was planning on robbing someone. But new monks have to keep following the inner leadings as we practice the Presence. Someone inside nudges us, "Come here after Me" and we must follow. This is the Way of the Christ we love and serve: a little leading here, a tiny nudge there, and rarely a very clear sense that almost seems like a Speaking Voice. This time it sort of said, "Sit down and get to know this kid." Once he saw I was just there to offer an ear he spoke freely. Itachi expounded on how "People think they own this world but this is God's world." He went on to explain how he lives with the mosquitoes and roaches and hopes something heavier won't crawl across him at night, (I'm guessing we're talking about rats here). He said, "God is like a friend to me. I talk and he listens. And one time I think I saw him in the clouds. He is there all the time, everywhere I go seeing everything I do. So I don't live in time, I live in forever." Now the rational mind might say, "He's just a kid, what does he know." But I swear I believe him. Everything he said so far seemed like capital "T" Truth to me. I just mostly agreed and asked simple questions so he would continue. I was in awe of the sacredness of the moment sitting out back in the hot sun with a street kid opening his life to me. Amazement was near. On the contemplative path we are missionaries of a certain way of life that is not about telling others what they "should" believe. We seek in these moments to be in a state of prayer that is simple oneness with the One, opening the heart to the Heart of God as best we can, and imperfectly seeking to "Let Love Lead" us as we connect, listen, speak, serve. This is our "heartfulness," an expression and outflow of the moments when we sit in stillness by ourselves or in our groups. So in our kind of new monasticism there is a specific order to things: first comes the contemplation, (the time spent apart from the fray of frantic American culture,) just opening to the Presence, and then comes the action, the bringing the Presence with us as we serve in joy. We can't live in disconnection any longer. We can't just pray for a minute and then jump into business as usual in our own strength and rational ideas out in the world. We just want to stay near the Presence all the time, I mean as best we can in between times of forgetting. And who knows, maybe when Love leads us to sit out back with a street kid a moment of dignity and grace will emerge. Maybe a sense of the worth of his life will grow. Maybe he will come back for another taste of simple unconditional acceptance and won't have to end up on the list of murdered people on the wild streets of New Orleans this week. Maybe as our SCL community brings Presence into direct contact with our homeless friends lives will be transformed: theirs and ours. That seems to be the way it works as the kingdom of God is manifested right before our eyes. So lift each other in prayerful support of this calling into contemplative living, know that you are not alone as you hear this call, and consider coming to gather with us to share this life. (See details below).
SCL Community Brunch Saturday, June 12 10 a.m.-12 noon Parker United MethodistChurch 1130 Nashville Ave.
Whether you practice Christian meditation or centering prayer, sacred yoga or tai chi, labyrinth walking or Taize' singing, or a million other contemplative practices, we want you to come join with us for a gathering of contemplatives as we connect, eat, practice, and share our experiences. The contemplative path can be lonely. So we really need community. Even if you wanted to just come be quiet with us and not say a word, look around a room and just be glad you are not alone, you are welcome here! This is a "come one, come all" invitation. If you have questions you can call William Thiele at 504-899-3431 or check details on the website at www.thescl.net. Bring an interested friend from any background and see if we can offer a sense of belonging as together we seek to walk the contemplative path.
And finally, it is not too late to register for two opportunities for extended contemplation this summer. Contemplative Outreach is offering a retreat at Rosaryville, LA beginning June 23, (details coming shortly), and the Academy for Spiritual Leadership is offering a contemplative retreat at St. Joseph Abbey in Covington, LA, July 12-15, cost is $225 and registrations are made at lindagregg@la-umc.org. Here are two opportunities to deepen your practice of the Presence of God through inner stillness in community. Come walk the walk with us. Pray for the Itachis out there and for those of us who seek to find Presence with them, 1) Thursday, March 18, 5 p.m. at Chapel of the Holy Spirit on Broadway in uptown New Orleans across from The Boot of the Tulane campus we will launch a new centering prayer group open to all. We are especially targeting people from Tulane/Loyola and that area. Rev. Giulianna Gray is the Episcopal campus minister there and rector of the church. Come help us birth this group to deepen our contemplative practice and expand our community. 2) "Monday night 9 of us gathered at 6:30 p.m. at Grace Disciples of Christ Church in Covington to be still and to recognize God in our lives. It was a quiet time of sharing with our souls and a lively time of sharing our lives during sacred conversation.It was so nice to catch-up with with each other, share our joys, and struggles, and mostly just to be with one another. Hope whoever is moved to join us next week will find their way, does not matter if you have never joined us before. enjoy the spring weather," Dolly Smith
Art as Prayer workshop on "Praying with Icons"
Thirteen of us gathered last Saturday for this inspiring presentation and experiential learning of another contemplative practice. Raymond Calvert did a great job and spent hours creating a beautiful powerpoint, as well as sharing 12 of his own icon paintings. What monthly retreat subject will be next?
Audubon Park Labyrinth Walk
Good Friday from 3-5 p.m. Lisa Norris will facilitate an annual walk out in the beautiful nature of the park. (If weather changes the plan it will be held in Rayne United Methodist Church, 3900 St. Charles Ave. by entering the backside of the building on Pitt St. and walking to the fellowship hall). What after that?
Nature Mysticism in May. Location: out in nature of course. What is that? The practice of sensing the Presence of God in the natural world. Is this some kind of New Age event? Ask the psalmist from over 2000 years ago how "New" or unbiblical this is!
Keep your eyes and ears and hearts open as we share more in days ahead about how the contemplative communities are participating in our own form of Urban Monasticism in New Orleans. What in the world is that? We are seeking to bring the contemplative presence we experience in our private and group practices into our service in the urban setting where we live. In this way we are like monks bringing our prayer life outside the walls of our inner sanctuary and into the wild urban world around us. This is a world in which seven males were murdered last week, four of them ages 15-19, and some of the very people we serve could easily be in that number if we do not come into their lives seeking and sharing the hope we find in the very Presence of God with them. I will share more at the Christian Formation Conference: "Weaving Spiritual Practices" April 15-17 at Centenary College in Shreveport. Rev. Jerry Haas, spiritual director for The Upper Room's Center for Spiritual Formation, will be the keynote speaker and many presenters will offer workshops on various spiritual practices. Register by April 1 at www.centenary.edu/clc/formation.
One other coming opportunity: The United Methodist Men will have a conference-wide retreat at the Wesley Center in Woodworth, LA and I will share on a theme of "Practicing the Presence of God" while the United Methodist Bishop serves as spiritual director. For more information email me back.
And last, enter a short season of prayerful discernment with us as to how to respond to the desire of some of us to express our covenant to live a contemplative life in community. Many people come to events or are beginning to try a contemplative practice. They are all part of the School for Contemplative Living. Others are taking next steps. Should we acknowledge publicly to each other the personal commitment to God to make this our lifestyle and verbalize our need for each other as we live out this contemplative call? Is it too exclusive to even name our contemplative community? Pray with us as we discern our ongoing formation. And send any leadings you have. We need you all. Simply seeking to walk the walk with you,
William
March 8, 1020
Dear SCL friends,
So much to share, so little space:
Naming: Each time the possibility of naming and creating a Rule in our contemplative communities has arisen we have usually resisted. Not that we are mainly baby boomers who have come to resist all forms of organizing/group loyalty or any signs of exclusion. We just like to keep it simple so far.
Covenanting: On the other hand there has been a broad interest shown by many and spoken by a few in expressing a covenant to each other to simply live a contemplative life as best we can. This is like one step beyond attending an occasional contemplative gathering. Some are coming to say, "This is how I want to live my life." Perhaps some of us will find a simple way to verbalize this covenant to a larger group in the days ahead. Dr. Gerald May of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation used to say our presence and covenant to this life with each other helps to "consecrate our intention." For me personally this means your presence gives me a way to experience the sacredness of my own private vow with God.
The Know-Nothing Society: After the Slidell centering group discussed such things we landed in a wonderful discovery that we are content with knowing less and less in this spiritual path and are uncomfortable when we or others imply we/they have it all figured out. We have come to like the Way of Unknowing, (what earlier mystics have called the Via Negativa), and so the group immediately latched onto Dolly Smith's new term for us: the know-nothing society. Does this fit your journey too?
Being friends: Last week some of our SCL people joined again in the homeless ministry at Luke's House in New Orleans. We shared a prayer with all the volunteers and homeless friends holding hands in a large circle. We just asked that we could experience Presence among us and be friends. Later Shannon and Emile expressed how much that reality means to them that we all treat people as friends. Shannon mentioned that he had been depressed and filled with low self-esteem over losing his job as a truck driver and hadn't been able to save up enough to start over. He said the time with us all together was filling him with the hope to carry on. Seems like how Presence works to me. Wanna come be our friend at Luke's House? We still gather 3:30-5 p.m. at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church for the homeless ministry, including registering the early medical patients who are seen 6-8 p.m.
Serving in joy: From the beginning some of us in the SCL community have been experimenting with what it means to balance a wide variety of ways of "listening in stillness" (contemplative ways of practicing the presence of God) with living out this life in how we treat others in the wild world - "serving in joy." For us it is like getting the cart before the horse. We believe it is because we are practicing this inner life of seeking Presence that we can in fact serve with joy, (not out of duty or guilt or pressure to be good). A lady just told me that she was taught that "retreating from life" is for lazy people, so she can't see the value in anything but active service. Our way is obviously not "retreating from life" but retreating from constant activity/productivity so we can be present to the Presence. This seems to be how the gift of joy comes bubbling up from the inner being as we keep moving back into service.
So next we learn Contemplation with Icons: Raymond Calvert, an icon artist and teacher in New Orleans, has prepared a wonderful morning of learning "the art of gazing" as we come together for a "journey with icons" this Saturday, March 13, 9 a.m.-12 at Parker United Methodist Church (1130 Nashville Ave.). We suggest a donation of $25 for his honorarium from those who are not already supporting the SCL ministry and are able. Please RSVP at 504-899-3431 so we can plan refreshments. We would love to have you with us as we practice "looking in stillness" and learning "art as prayer."
Finally, those pesky centering prayer groups keep expanding: Perhaps we need an exterminator - they keep popping up everywhere. The latest group will be birthed at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, the Episcopal campus ministry served by Rev. Giulianna Gray, on Thursday afternoons at 4 p.m. This new group will be open to all as always but is especially an outreach to Tulane/Loyola faculty and learners. Want to come help us establish this gathering? Come on.
If you want to discuss any of the above feel free to call me or email. This is my mission.
William Thiele, spiritual director
The School for Contemplative Living
504-899-3431
February 15, 2010
Dear friends of the School for Contemplative Living,
As we expand to include notices of others' events which could offer you a chance to "be still and know..." as well as gatherings we have created ourselves, please know that each thing we offer or advertise is in the name of our primary calling to be forming contemplative community wherever we can by "listening in stillness, serving in joy".
Be remembering our Slidell centering prayer group in our monthly gathering tonight as we consider the possibility of forming an Order of Contemplative Missionaries (a lay ecumenical order open to all interested in a commitment to "practice the Presence of God in our living, serving, and sharing.")
Contemplative Gatherings During Lent
Sundays, 3 p.m. at Parker UMC - "Heartfulness: A DVD series with Fr. Thomas Keating" followed by centering and discussion.
Wednesdays, 12-1 p.m. at St. Mark's UMC on North Rampart - "Prayer and Reflection" led by Rev. Anita Dinwiddie.
Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 12, or 12:30-4 p.m. "Lenten Quiet Moments" at Contemplatives in Action, Parker UMC, or Trinity Episcopal
and led by Jocelyn Sideco, Rev. William Thiele, or Rev. Phoebe Roaf. Light lunch included.
Saturday, March 13, 9 a.m.-12 noon - "Icons and Contemplation: Art as Prayer" at Parker UMC led by Raymond Calvert,
iconographer. Donation of $25 to SCL suggested to assist with his honorarium.
Friday, April 2, 3-5 p.m. "Labyrinth Walk" at the Audubon Park Labyrinth led by Ms. Lisa Norris.
Regional Gatherings for Spiritual Formation
April 15-17 - "Weaving Spiritual Practices" at the annual Christian Formation Conference in the Christian Leadership Center of Centenary College in Shreveport. Rev. Jerry Haas from the Academy for Spiritual Formation at The Upper Room will bring keynote messages. Many breakout sessions will be offered including an SCL presentation on "Urban Monasticism." For info go to centenary.edu/clc/formation or call
July 12-15 - 2010
"Contemplative Retreat" the annual silent gathering at St. Joseph Abbey in Covington sponsored by the Academy for Spiritual Leadership. For info or to register: lindagregg@la-umc.org.
Finally, remember that of the many "rules" we seek to live by at various times in the spiritual journey - our SCL community strives to live one Rule: "Let Love Lead." Can we do this? Not really! At least not without the empowering help of depending on each other and the One "in whom we live and move and have our being."
Join us in being imperfect and as you can - let love lead,
William Thiele, spiritual director
Dear friends of the School for Contemplative Living,
Rumi wrote a contemplative challenge to us hundreds of years ago:
"Work in the invisible world
at least as hard
as you do in the visible."
(Translated by Coleman Barks, p. 23, The Illustrated Rumi)
Mary Oliver wrote a contemplative challenge more recently:
"So tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Just around your corner are some new opportunities to strengthen or deepen your contemplative soul in community, to "work in the invisible world" on your "one wild and precious life".
Are you on the Northshore?
There will be a centering prayer group at the home of Jane and Bubba Knight in Slidell on Thursday, 2-18-10 at 7 p.m.
A new centering prayer group is beginning for Lent at Grace Disciples of Christ Church in Covington on Monday, 2-22-10, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Are you on the Southshore?
There will be a new Lenten series at Parker United Methodist Church (1130 Nashville Ave.) on centering prayer and the contemplative lifestyle called "Heartfulness" with a dvd of Fr. Thomas Keating for about 20 minutes each week, then 20 minutes of centering together, then discussion. This begins Sunday, 2-21-10 at 3 p.m.
There will be a Quiet Day also at Parker UMC on Saturday, 2-27-10, 1-4 p.m. with a light lunch preceeding. Come join new friends from Contemplatives in Action, a local young adult group which includes an intentional Christian community. Will you volunteer to bring a food item? This gathering will be one location for their weekly quiet days at various locations. For more info contact their director Jocelyn Sideco at 891-8483.
Are you near New Orleans?
A growing number of the SCL community members come to Luke's House for a weekly homeless ministry. Here we seek to practice our mission by bringing the Presence we find while "listening in stillness" with us as we "serve in joy." Recently, Beth Morgan gave us an example of uniting one's spiritual gifts and personal skills/interests by creating the SCL Street library there. This involves sharing books and conversation with homeless friends who approach her saying things like, "Do you have a book for a man with a broken soul?" Perhaps you are the next contemplative missionary who feels led to expand the ministries at Luke's House. Currently we offer Salvation Army vouchers, clothing, toiletries, snacks, donated books, occasional meals, and hugs and hospitality. And all that comes before the free medical clinic even opens!
Dolly Smith and Elaine Clements led a retreat for 12 people last weekend concerning "Sacred Conversations." We plan to offer this again for anyone in the New Orleans region. This will be held at Advent House retreat center behind Christ Church Cathedral. We'll let you know when dates are set.
Dolly has also created a wonderful day retreat on "Solitude, Community, and Ministry." I hope we can come together to explore these themes in days ahead.
Raymond Calvert, iconographer, will lead us in a day retreat on "Icons and Contemplation: Art as Prayer" on Saturday, March 13, 9 a.m.-12 at Parker UMC. We suggest a donation of $20 for costs of this morning.
Are you near Shreveport, LA or willing to drive?
The Second Annual Christian Formation Conference will offer speakers addressing the theme of "Weaving Spiritual Practices" from Thursday evening, April 15 through Saturday, April 17 at 1 p.m. We will meet at Centenary College and the total cost of the program is $125. (There will even be a session on "Monastic Community.") For details or to register go to www.centenary.edu/clc/formation or call the Christian Leadership Center at 318-869-5156.
Finally, keep us in prayer as we seek to expand our centering prayer groups to include a gathering of college students, faculty, and others at the Episcopal Campus ministry on a weekday afternoon in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on Broadway Ave. beside the Tulane University campus. And pray for discernment as we plan for the hosting of Fr. Richard Rohr in New Orleans April 4-7, 2011. Can we not all use the guidance of Spirit as we seek to find Presence of God within and in the wild world around us?
Working together in the inner and outer worlds,
William Thiele, spiritual director
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