Featured in the Newsletter
- News from Contemplative Outreach Willamette Valley
- Speaker Meeting Wednesday, June 3, 2026, 5 pm
- Summer Spiritual Reading: Brother Lawrence and Practice of the Presence
- Contemplative Chanting 2nd & 4th Tuesday
- The Franciscan Spiritual Center
- The Divine Exchange: Living in Sacred Rhythm with Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault
- Lectio Divina, third Wednesday of the month
- New! Contemplative Pauses
- New! Monday Evening Centering Prayer
- No Frills Second Sits – Zoom
- Forever Zoom morning sit, Mon-Fri, 7-7:30 am, online
- Sunday Soup and Contemplation In-Person Every Sunday
- Meditation Chapel
- Retreats 2026 and beyond
Contemplative Outreach of Willamette Valley [COWV]
Norman founded COWV in 2006, along with Kathy Seubert, to serve centering prayer groups in the Salem-Corvallis area. They provided facilitator training, introductory workshops, and days of prayer.
Also in 2006, Patricia Lacy joined Norman, pictured above, in organizing centering prayer retreats at the Trappist Abbey. In 2011, they began to mentor Doug and Benneth. Patricia and Norman continued to serve retreats until 2024.
COWV has now officially merged into COOP, which is supporting new leadership emerging in Eugene, Albany, Eastern and Southern Oregon.
Patricia and Norman continue the practice of silence and solitude in the yurts at Cape Lookout.
Speaker Meeting Wednesday, June 3, 2026 5 pm Pacific Time Online
Brother Lawrence & Practice of the Presence with Carmen Acevedo Butcher Online
Saturday, June 6, 2026
9:00 am – 11:00 am Pacific Time
Tuition: $35
Scholarships available
Contemplative Chanting
2nd & 4th Tuesday
10 – 11:15 am
June 9 & 23
July 14 & 28, etc
This growing group is devoted to sacred chant from many traditions, including Gregorian, Taize, and Rumi. No prior experience needed.
The class is free, but one-time registration is requested.
Trinity Episcopal
147 NW 19th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
in the Children’s Chapel
Image: Pat Zimmer leading a chant at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
The Franciscan Spiritual Center
The Franciscan Spiritual Center at Marylhurst sponsors a variety of contemplative programs
including an in-person Centering Prayer group on the 2nd and
4th Wednesdays at 9:30 am
June 9 & 23, July 8 & 22, August 12 & 26
Franciscan Spiritual Center
3159 Furman Drive
Marylhurst, OR
The Divine Exchange: Living in Sacred Rhythm with Rev. Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault
Wednesday, June 10
12 – 1 pm Pacific Time
First of 15 online sessions
This self-paced, online course offers an accessible, metaphysical framework for engaging in transformational work.
Sponsored by CAC.
Cost: $497, $374, $249
Financial aid available
Photo by Shivam Mistry on Unsplash
Lectio Divina: A Time for Sacred Reading & Prayer
10 – 11:30 am
June 17, July 15, August 19
Franciscan Spiritual Center
3159 Furman Drive
Marylhurst, OR
The event is free, but please RSVP through the title link.
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash
New! Contemplative Pauses
8:00 – 8:30 am Pacific Time
every day
online
Grounding & chanting followed by 20 minutes of silence
Photo by Hans Vivek on Unsplash
Monday Evening Centering Prayer
6:30 – 7:00 pm Pacific Time
every week
online
A contemplative reading followed by 20 minutes of silence.
photo by Benneth
No Frills Second Sits
Mondays through Fridays
(sometimes we need help with that second sit)
Mondays through Fridays
4:30-5:00 pm (Pacific)
No chit-chat, no extras.
All are welcome.
Drop in any time.
Contact us for the Zoom link.
Photo by photo: Chewy on Unsplash
Forever Zoom
Need a little support for your morning sit?
Forever Zoom is a no-frills online group
No chit-chat, no extras. All are welcome. Drop in any time.
Mondays through Fridays
7:00 – 7:30 am
Photo by Hana Oliver on Unsplash
Meditation Chapel
Visit the Meditation Chapel website for lots of information in their current newsletter.
To the Contemplative Outreach Community
Thank you!
We are grateful for your continuing financial gifts!
- Your support helps us meet our basic monthly operating expenses
- We strive to keep our costs low, retreats and other events affordable, and scholarships available
- Our staff is 100% volunteer
One small community of people devoted to Centering Prayer can fill the air with higher purpose!
Photo by Neil Thomas on Unsplash
“In contemplative practice, as we pray together, identifying ourselves with the Pascal Mystery, we believe that Christ is in the center of the circle imparting to each the special graces each one needs. The participants are pooling their silence, so to speak, so that everyone gathered there can drink from this marvelous well of living water that rises up from the center of the circle.”
– The Better Part, Fr. Thomas Keating
Photo by Andrew Small on Unsplash
Contemplative Outreach of Portland Newsletter
Contemplative Outreach National Newsletter