January 2025

Contemplative Connection

Last week many of our churches reflected on Jesus’ baptism, which is generally celebrated on the first Sunday after Epiphany. Every time I hear the story of Jesus’ baptism I can’t help but be drawn to Richard Rohr’s sermon on the subject. Here is a sample,

After fourteen years as a chaplain in the Albuquerque jails, I am convinced that the reason people make great mistakes is because they have never heard what Jesus heard on the day of his baptism. They never heard another human voice, much less a voice from heaven, say to them, “You are a beloved son. You are a beloved daughter and in you I am well pleased.”

We often reflect upon what the declaration from God means for Jesus, but what does it mean for us? Do we hear God calling us beloved or do we project that elsewhere or reserve it only for Jesus? Rohr rightly points us to hear this declaration for ourselves “We are beloved and in us God is well pleased”. We don’t get that much in our time and culture, which often focuses more on critique and perfection. Many of us, if we were lucky, heard it from our parents, grandparents, or a mentor but as Rohr remarks too many people never hear it spoken to them.

May we all hear God speaking belovedness to us. We can make so many things matter in life: how we perform, how we look, how much we make, what we accumulate, and the list goes on and on. But very few things actually matter, says mystic Etty Hillesum. She says, “The few great things that matter in life can be said in a few words”.

Here are a few words that matter: God is Love, God is Near, and You/We/Us are Beloved and Known by God.

Quick Notes

Next Contemplative Conversation Circles: Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Mystic by Cynthia Bourgeault. Learn More and Register Below

Prairie Church: February 8th at 10:00am

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Next Contemplative Conversation Circles: Small Groups Journeying, Learning, and Practicing Together via Zoom.

Reading Thomas Keating, The Making of a Modern Mystic

By Cynthia Bourgeault

A 10-week Study: Beginning the week of January 20th.

“Thomas Keating was one of the contemplative giants of our time, and Cynthia Bourgeault is surely his most brilliant and insightful interpreter.”

—Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward and The Universal Christ

About Contemplative Conversation Circles

In our groups, we create a safe sacred container for conversation and practice as we journey together through books on contemplation, Christianity, and spiritual growth. Through a set of shared ground rules and curiosity, we learn from each other, ourselves, and the text. Many participants stick with their groups for future studies and become ongoing groups.

Groups (Central Time):

Wednesdays 1:30PM

Thursdays 11:00AM

Saturdays 9:00AM

What Happens Next

All groups are hosted on The Contemplative Cathedral, an online platform that allows for sharing, discussion, access to Zoom links, and multi-model learning and engagement. You will receive an invitation to join the group in The Cathedral at least a week before we begin.

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About the Book:

The first portrait of spiritual luminary Thomas Keating’s remarkable evolution, in the last decades of his life, into a fully realized modern-day Christian mystic.

In the first four decades of his life as a Trappist monk, Thomas Keating created a comprehensive, unified psychospiritual pathway leading from healing to holiness and from contemporary psychological wellness to classic mystical sanctity and beatitude. As one of the key innovators of the meditative practice of Centering Prayer, he fashioned a powerful on-ramp to the Christian contemplative tradition. Yet, as beloved author and Keating disciple Cynthia Bourgeault shows, that was not the end of Keating’s story—his evolution as a spiritual thinker and mystic continued in ways few have explored in depth. In this unique blend of biography, personal experience, and close reading of his late works, Bourgeault illuminates Keating’s remarkable spiritual development from the late 1980s until his death in 2018. She explores:

Keating’s increasing engagement with nondual spiritual practice
His contributions to inter-spiritual dialogue
His final “dark night of the spirit” and passage through death

These profound final stages of Keating’s spiritual journey demonstrate how readers might find their own way as modern mystics, fundamentally at home and at peace in the universe.

Purchase The Book:

Amazon Link

About the Author: CYNTHIA BOURGEAULT is a modern-day mystic, Episcopal priest, and theologian. She divides her time between solitude at her seaside hermitage in Maine and traveling globally to promote the rediscovery of the Christian contemplative path. She is a core faculty emerita at the Center for Action and Contemplation and founding director of the international network of Wisdom Schools. Cynthia’s articles and essays have appeared in many journals and publications, and she is the author of numerous books, including Eye of the Heart, The Wisdom Jesus, The Meaning of Mary Magdalene, The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three, and The Heart of Centering Prayer.

My Friends Keith and Colleen are hosting the Centering Prayer Summit again this year. If you register through the link below, the Summit will donate to Contemplate Lincoln and The Contemplative Cathedral.

This year's keynote speaker is Cynthia Bourgeault, who will discuss her new book Thomas Keating: Making of a Modern Mystics, which we will be reading in our Contemplative Conversation Circles next year.

Another cool event is coming next year. This event is put on by my good friend Tia Norman. My Friends Julian and Colleen are also presenting and I can vouch that they have a lot to offer.

Join us for our monthly celebration on the prairie with drumming, short reading reflections, meditation, and a mindfulness walk through the majestic trails of Pioneers Park. Those who don’t wish to walk may sit on the Nature Center deck that faces a beautiful prairie and buffalo. We often close with a drumming circle (no experience required).

We will gather for about 30 minutes for reflections, drumming, and meditation before walking trails and regathering for a brief time of sharing.

We will meet inside the auditorium at the Nature Center. During colder months, we will meet for one hour and have a shorter walking time. In the warmer months, we will meet for 75 minutes and often meet on the back deck, weather permitting.

Bring a chair, a water bottle, and a drum. Some drums will be provided.

Nature Center and Deck are wheelchair accessible.

Location:

3201 S. Coddington Ave

South Coddington- Lincoln, NE 68522

10:00AM – Every 2nd Saturday of Each Month

Saturday, January 11 at 10:00 AM CST

Prairie Church

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On The Cathedral

RSVP on The Contemplative Cathedral to receive links, reminders, and updates. The Contemplative Cathedral also connects you to the larger community and ongoing conversation.

Monday, January 13 at 9:15 AM CST

Lectio Divina

Join us as Pastor John Duling leads us in Lectio Divina often referred to as praying the scriptures. We read a small scripture several times with brief periods of silent reflection closing with a time of sharing.

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Monday, January 20 at 1:00 PM CST

The Serviceberry Discussion Group

This group meets bi-weekly on Mondays at 1:00PM (Central Time). This is an informal group where you are welcome to come when you can and jump back in after an absence. During our time, we will talk about the book and life, enjoy our favorite treats, and practice. If you are interested in exploring the intersection of spirituality and ecology jo...

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Monday, January 13 at 6:30 AM CST

Monday's Contemplative Prayer Sit: A Space to Practice

Join us in community for a 20-minute contemplative prayer sit. You are welcome to use whatever your silent prayer or meditation practice may be (centering prayer, Jesus prayer, etc.). Instructions for Centering Prayer will be provided. We often begin with community time which includes a short poem or other invitation into conversation followed...

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Friday, January 10 at 4:30 PM CST

Contemplative Movement

Contemplative Movement engages our physical selves in spiritual practice to promote wholeness, balancing activity with stillness. The practice is accessible by all body types and experience levels. Chairs, mats, cushions, straps, blocks, eye and bolster pillows may be used. Each practice may contain elements of body awareness, dance, yoga, praye...

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Sunday, January 12 at 11:00 AM CST

Sunday Gathering

Gathering to Grow: A Contemplative Sunday Gathering Simple-Contemplative-Communal Join us online for our Sunday Gathering where we practice, worship, process, and close with Communion. We meet for an hour to 75 minutes via Zoom.

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Sunday, January 12 at 2:30 PM CST

Contemplative Conversations: Films, Videos, and Presentations

Join us for a time of contemplation and conversation centered around videos with insights from some of today's most influential theologians and spiritual teachers. Videos from The Work of the People and other sources include Richard Rohr, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Walter Brueggemann, Brene Brown, Barbara Brown Taylor, Barbara Holmes, Ilia Delio, and man...

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Contemplate Lincoln & The Contemplative Cathedral

Help us tell the story of our community by sharing your experience. We know one of the best ways to invite others into our community is through the stories of those who have benefited from Contemplate Lincoln and The Contemplative Cathedral.

Excerpts from your gifts of sharing will be used in social media posts and newsletters. If you have benefited from our contemplative community consider adding your story through the link below.

Many Thanks,

Adam

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The Contemplative Cathedral
A Space to Deepen Your Spiritual Life

Join us online for contemplation and community. So many of us on the contemplative path eventually get to the point where we can go no further alone. The Contemplative Cathedral is a response to the inner yearning of many contemplatives for community. It looks a little like other social media platforms, but it is so much more. It's a space to conspire, connect, and contemplate, and our online home for all of our event info (both online & in-person), links, and groups. It also serves as a way to stay connected in between events.

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