St Johns Bridge in Portland

Featured in the Newsletter

retreat lodge with empty chairs by a window with a peaceful view

Report from COOP Fall Retreat

At the end of October, 16 people gathered at Twin Rocks Friends Camp in Rockaway Beach for 7 days of silence and centering prayer. In addition, 3 more joined in a parallel retreat at “Gini’s Annex”.

Anonymous comment:
Outstanding! The deep silence in the circle; the gorgeous setting outside and facilities inside; the fresh, plentiful, healthy food, pleasant staff! Challenge? Enjoying the rain.

View 2025 Retreats

photo by Brian Curry

Rocks stacked by a river

Sunday Soup and Contemplation New!

In-Person
Every Sunday
4:30 pm – Contemplative Practice & Sharing
5:30 pm – Soup & Community

At Dandelion House in Milwaukie
A Catholic Worker Community

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

fransiscan Hermitage trees in a forest

Sit + Reflect Virtual Centering Prayer Group

Second Mondays beginning in January
6:00-7:15 PM

Cultivate silence and reflection in community:
20 minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Keating video and discussion.

To express your interest and offer suggestions, email mjmpearl@aol.com

A view through a window of a service

Labyrinth, Simple Supper, Taize (In-Person)

First Fridays of the Month.

Join others on the first Friday of the month for all or part of an evening of contemplative prayer and fellowship.
Franciscan Spiritual Center
3159 Furman Drive, Marylhurst, OR 97036

5 pm labyrinth
6 pm supper
7 pm Taize

This is a free event, but please RSVP so we may prepare space.

Cynthia Bourgeault and David Frenette

Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Mystic A Dialogue with Cynthia Bourgeault and David Frenette

Tuesday, December 10 on Zoom
10 am – 11 am Pacific Time

Event is free
$25 suggested donation
This event will be recorded

Balanced Rock at Lees Ferry

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

Facilitators are on vacation the week of Sept 30 – Oct 4, but a Zoom link will be available.

Contact councilcoordinating@gmail.com for login information.

Photo by photo: Anita Mayes

12 Step Outreach Centering Prayer

Centering Prayer 12-Step Outreach

Welcoming Prayer Practice Videos

The Welcoming Prayer practice can be a support to many of our 12 steps, especially Steps 6 and 7. When we have emotional reactions to people, events, and situations in daily life, this practice allows us to get out of the dialogue in our head, feel what is taking place in our body, and let go.

Blue manadala

Meditation Chapel

An Online Interspiritual Meditation Community

Looking for a different time for an on-line sit?
The Meditation Chapel is a multi-faith community of contemplatives that sponsors many groups at many times.

Check it out!

Crop black man showing pray gesture

Black Contemplative Prayer Virtual Summit

February 22-23, 2025

Join us for a transformative experience at the First Black Contemplative Prayer Virtual Summit, where we bring together Black spiritual teachers and thought leaders to lead a powerful and enriching dialogue on prayer and practice. This summit is designed for everyone, led by Black voices, and aimed at diversifying the contemplative space.

Register before October 15 for BOGO

image Pexels

Collage of a heart with a flower growing from the center

To the Contemplative Outreach Community

Your generosity helps us pay our overhead for Zoom licenses, COOP website maintenance and monthly newsletter

The donate button below will take you to our PayPal donation page.
Small amounts are most welcome.

COOP is a volunteer association without 501c3 non-profit status. Donations are not tax-deductible.

Portland Japanese Garden Gate

Word of the Week

“Epiphany is the Christian celebration of what our brothers and sisters in other religions call enlightenment.

Enlightenment is the inward realization and consciousness of being identified with who we really are. We are not our false selves or egos. Kiss them goodbye. They have no future. We have to have an ego in some degree to function in this life, but the most important aspect of our life is the epiphany or revelation of God that is going on all the time in the details of life.”

– Thomas Keating,

image: WikiMedia

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