The Southern Tier, New York Chapter of Contemplative Outreach offers many opportunities to deepen one’s relationship with God and support the process of one’s transformation in Christ. Attending a retreat, workshop, enrichment program, or participating in a prayer group can all help establish a new practice and deepen an established practice of various Christian spiritual disciplines, like prayer, Scripture mediation, silence and solitude, spiritual reading of Scripture, journaling, and Bible Study.

**What's Happening?**

What is Contemplative Outreach?

Contemplative Outreach is a spiritual network of individuals and small faith communities committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel. The common desire for spiritual transformation, primarily expressed through a commitment to a daily Centering Prayer practice, unites our international, interdenominational community.

Today, Contemplative Outreach annually serves over 40,000 people; supports over 120 active contemplative chapters in 39 countries; supports over 800 prayer groups; teaches over 15,000 people the practice of Centering Prayer and other contemplative practices through locally-hosted workshops; and provides training and resources to local chapters and volunteers.

Weekly, our Southern Tier Chapter of Contemplative Outreach offers a variety of opportunities to join with others in Centering Prayer Groups. A typical weekly meeting consists of a shared centering prayer experience, education and sharing. For example, a group meeting might begin with a 20-minute period of Centering Prayer followed by a time for educational enrichment on the conceptual background to Centering Prayer and the Christian contemplative heritage, and ending with experience-based sharing on the prayer and its effects in their daily life.3

Other groups will spend the second half of the hour practicing a form of Lectio Divina also referred to as "spiritual reading of Scripture" that inspires a deepening awareness of God’s presence and action in one's daily life. And, some groups may decide to read and discuss a book or view a DVD presentation and discuss its content together.

Centering Prayer groups generally remain open to new members, as participants often bring interested friends. If the group has a trained facilitator, the newcomers can be taught the method of Centering Prayer outside of the group meeting, or newcomers can attend the Introduction to Centering Prayer Workshop, which is regularly offered at churches throughout the Southern Tier of New York and Northern Pennsylvania.

Presently we have Centering Prayer Groups meeting weekly in Elmira, Corning, Watkins Glen, Ithaca and Vestal.

The Southern Tier Chapter of Contemplative Outreach offers day and weekend workshops, instruction and continuing support for the contemplative practices of Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, and the Welcoming Prayer, also referred to as the Prayer of Surrender. Workshops are facilitated by trained presenters and are open to anyone.

Our chapter also regularly organizes events that focus on Christian spiritual formation, highlighting contemplative practices and spiritual disciplines. We have hosted both nationally and internationally recognized authors and speakers, presenting on a wide range of topics that encourage, enlighten and deepen our walk with God.

Contemplative Outreach has chapters throughout the United States, Canada and foreign countries. Workshop and retreat opportunities abound! A schedule of these events can be found on their website, www.contemplativeoutreach.org.

Retreats are an easy way to take one's relationship with God and one's spiritual practice deeper. They offer time and space away from the busyness and demands of daily life, and allow the mind, body, and spirit to surrender to God's presence and action within. Retreats are a common practice in many spiritual traditions and are a valuable tool to aid one's interior transformation into Christ likeness.

Our local chapter organizes one day, weekend, week long and month long guided retreats led by trained Retreat Leaders who facilitate an opportunity for attendees to be refreshed and deepened in their walk with God.

If you would like more information or would like to subscribe to our E-Newsletters and updates that will keep you Informed about the many opportunities that the Southern Tier Chapter is offering, please contact Deacon George Welch, Chaplain, at St. Joseph’s Hospital 607.733-6541 ext. 425 or by email, gwelch@tqcp.com.

The events of the Southern Tier Chapter of Contemplative Outreach are organized by volunteers who have been blessed by practicing the contemplative practices and spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith. If you would like to volunteer to help, please call or email and we will let you know when our next scheduled planning meeting is taking place. The community of Believers who have been attending our events continues to grow and we can use your help in organizing these meaningful retreats, workshops, prayer groups, programs and training events for our community.

One of the aims of the Southern Tier Chapter of Contemplative Outreach is to consistently offer programs designed to take your current spiritual practices deeper, both in your relationship with God and then into the activities and relationships of ordinary life. Both in-person and in-home programs are available, offering varying degrees of instruction, guided practice, study and community support.

One way to help support Contemplative Outreach’s vision “...to foster the process of transformation in Christ in one another...”4 is to become trained to facilitate workshops and prayer groups. As a facilitator, you will be assisting others in learning the prayer methods of the Christian contemplative tradition and facilitating groups to support a life of practice and community. Contemplative Outreach hosts regularly scheduled training workshops. Dates can be found on their website, www.contemplativeoutreach.org.

St. Joseph's Hospital
Wednesdays at 6:00 pm
Contact: Deacon George Welch
Email: gwelch@tqcp.com

Grace Church, Church Street.
Tuesday’s at 5:00 pm
Contact: Eli Haber
Email: ehaber@stny.rr.com

Building a Better Community at a Large Prayer Group
Contact: Penny Forbes
Email: pilgrim_on_the_way@yahoo.com

All Saints Parish at Immaculate Heart Church
Painted Post, NY
Monday’s 5:30 pm
Contact: Barbara Price and Dottie Sempolinski

Email: desempolinski@verizon.net

St. Catherine of Siena
Meeting held Third Thursday of the month.
Contact: Joan Ludewig

Email: wojt@yahoo.com

Our Lady of Victory, Church
Meet: Saturday Morning’s at 7:30 am
Contact: Sue Foley

Email: suefoley@stny.rr.com

St. Mary of the Lake
Tuesday’s 7:00 pm
Contact: Saras Conley
Email: simgrants007@yahoo.com