Meditation Opportunities

Thursday evenings at First Presbyterian  

We will meet for meditation on all Thursdays in February and March from 7:00 – 9:00 pm in the fellowship hall. Our format for the first hour is two 20-minute periods of sitting in silence with a 10 minute walking meditation in between.  For the second hour, we are doing a contemplative listening book reading.  The book was recommended to us by Ruben Habito and is titled Selfless Love:  Beyond the Boundaries of Self and Others  by Ellen Birx.   Ellen shows how meditation can help us realize that we don’t love — we are love.  She draws from the Zen tradition, her experience as a mental health therapist, and the Gospels.  We will read a short portion of the book together out loud, sit with it in silence, and then share with each other.  You do not need to read the book ahead of time or even buy the book if you don’t want to.  You can just listen.

Tuesday evenings at Hei’s house

Hei has opened his house to those who would like to join him for meditation from 6:00pm – 6:30pm on Tuesdays.  It is one half hour of sitting meditation.    Please call him at 899-4845 for directions and to let him know that you are coming so he can prepare a place for you.                                                              

February Retreat Day 

Saturday, February 28, 2015

9:00 am -3:00 pm

In the Fellowship Hall

Silent Retreat

Joseph and Hei will lead our retreat day with a focus on Zen meditation.  We will have an hour and a half meditation in the morning, a reading from Jack Kornfield, time for lunch in silence, Tai Chi, and conclude with another hour and a half time of meditation.  Come join us as we learn from Zen practice how to deepen our silence and bring more love and peace into the world.  Please bring a sack lunch.  Coffee, tea and refreshments will be provided.  A freewill offering will be available. 

Upcoming Events

Ongoing                                Hei’s Tai Chi class at Oldemeyer

Center (Tu/Thur at 10:30 am)

March 28                             MMG Retreat Day/ Sacred Poetry

9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Summary of January’s Retreat Day

January’s retreat day featured the fourth book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Susan Raab shared with us her passion for the Christian symbolism embedded in the literary text. She also treated us to Butter Beer and chocolate frogs. What a day! What fun!

We shared lively discussion around the theme of the book, “Am I worthy of destiny?” or “Do I believe in myself?”. We followed Harry’s trials and tribulations in the book and watched him transform from a spectator to a participant of life. We saw opportunities and forks in the road appear which caused Harry to “Choose wisely” and see the consequences of his actions. These literary “trials by fire” helped us look at our own times of difficulty and reflect on ways that these hard times helped us to grow and transform. We watched Harry in his struggle to believe in himself and could relate. We were reminded, “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called”.

In closing,

Words from a young Christian women who was called to do

volunteer work in Syria — was kidnapped — and

killed by terrorists:

“I find God in the suffering eyes reflected in mine.

If this is how You are revealed to me, this is how

             I will forever seek You”

Kayla Mueller, 2011