Featured in the Newsletter
- Creating Self-Compassion through Centering Prayer, Mondays 10/12-11/16/2026 (online)
- Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop in Canbry 11/7 (in-person)
- Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop in Lincoln City 11/14 (in-person).
- Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop in Beaverton 11/18 (in-person)
- Christmas Party at Gini’s 12/13 (in-person)
- Opening to the God of Unity: a retreat with David Frenette and Mary Dwyer, May 2027 (in-person)
- The Franciscan Spiritual Center
- Sunday Soup and Contemplation In-Person Every Sunday
- Forever Zoom morning sit, Mon-Fri, 7-7:30 am, online
- Daily Contemplative Pauses
- New Presenters in Training
- The Voice Newsletter
- Monday Evening Centering Prayer
- Meditation Chapel
- Lectio Divina, third Wednesday of the month
- Contemplative Chanting 2nd & 4th Tuesday
- 11th Step Meditation Meetings and 12th Step Centering Prayer Groups
- Fourth Saturday Mediation at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Portland)
- Find a Centering Prayer Group
- Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop at Spirit of Grace
- Retreats 2026 and beyond
Creating Self-Compassion through Centering Prayer
October 12 – November 16, 2026
Monday evenings, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Pacific Time
online via Zoom
This 6-week course affirms our basic core of goodness, one of Thomas Keating’s foundational teachings.
Register for Creating Self-Compassion
Image from Contemplative Outreach of Colorado
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Saturday, Nov 7, 2026
9:00 am – 12:00 pm PST
in-person
Canby Community Center
1200 NE Territorial Road
Canby 97013
Register for Centering Prayer Workshop
Photo by Climate Reality Project on UnSplash
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Saturday, Nov 14, 2026
9:30 am – 12:00 pm PST
in-person
St. James Santiago
2490 NE Hwy 101
Lincoln City, Ore. 97367
Register for Centering Prayer Workshop
Photo by Curated Lifestyle on UnSplash
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
1:00 – 3:30 pm
in-person
Spirit of Grace
7400 SW Scholls Ferry Road
Beaverton 97008
Pre-registration requested, but not required
Free will offering accepted at the door.
Christmas Party at Gini's
Save the Date
Christmas Party at Gini’s
December 13, 2026
4:00 – 7:00 PM
Please join us at Gini Graham and Don Manghelli’s annual
Christmas party with jazz pianist Jonathan. Bring a healthy
appetizer or drink to share. All are welcome.
1435 NW 177th Place
Beaverton, Ore. 97006
Email Gini with questions about the Party
Photo by Mourad Saadi on Unsplash
The Franciscan Spiritual Center
Franciscan Spiritual Center
gathering includes the Welcoming Prayer practice, a brief roundtable
on participants’ spiritual journey, two Centering Prayer sits
and a short Thomas Keating video.
2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 9:30 am
November 11 & 25th
Franciscan Spiritual Center
3159 Furman Drive
Marylhurst, Oregon 97036
Sunday Soup and Contemplation
Sundays
November 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29
4:30 pm — Contemplative Practice & Sharing
5:30 pm — Soup & Community
Dandelion House
A Catholic Worker Community
13319 SE Linden Lane
Milwaukie, Oregon 97222
Note: GPS will mislead!
Directions on the Dandelion House website.
Image by Walter Sturn on Unsplash
Centering Prayer Forever Zoom Sit
Need a little support for your morning sit? Your COOP is here to help! “Forever Zoom” is a no-frills, online Centering Prayer group.
Like the No-Frills sit above, no chit-chat, no ups, no extras. All are welcome. Drop in any time.
Mondays through Fridays
7:00 – 7:30 am
Centering Prayer Forever Zoom Link
Passcode: 907938
Photo by Hana Oliver on Unsplash
Daily Contemplative Pauses
8:00 – 8:30 am Pacific Time
every day
online
Heather Ruce and team lead sitters in a gentle grounding, followed by brief chanting and 20 minutes of Centering Prayer or other meditative silence.
Daily Contemplative Pauses information and Zoom link
Photo by Hans Vivek on Unsplash
New Presenters in Training
Congratulations to our five new presenters in training:
Heidi Franklin, Tom Amsberry, Michael Meredith, Mary Brooks Conley, and Christo Glasgow Brehm completed the four-day program at Gini‘s home in collaboration with Contemplative Outreach of Idaho. We are all looking for opportunities to present a Centering Prayer introduction workshop anywhere in the state.
Contact Gini Graham to start a new group or to add members to your current group
Centering Prayer No-Frills Second Sit
Mondays through Fridays
Sometimes we need help with that second sit. Like the
Forever Zoom Sit above, no chit-chat, no extras. All are
welcome. Drop in any day. Led by COOP volunteer facilitators.
Mondays through Fridays
4:30-5:00 pm (Pacific)
Centering Prayer No-Frills Zoom link
Photo by Autumn Guinn on Unsplash
Centering Prayer Monday Evening Sit
Conducted by our friends at the Mercy Center, this is a contemplative reading followed by 20 minutes of Centering Prayer.
6:30 – 7:00 pm
Every Monday
Online
Centering Prayer Monday Zoom Link
Photo by Micke Lindström on Unsplash
The VOICE
A Quarterly e-Newsletter for Volunteers
This is the quarterly newsletter for any Contemplative Outreach volunteer who facilitates a group or volunteers in any other way.
You might skim through it at some point to feel connected to the larger organization and learn how it operates and communicates.
Meditation Chapel
Visit the Meditation Chapel website for more information on their online offerings and current newsletter.
Opening to the God of Unity: a retreat with David Frenette and Mary Dwyer
SAVE THE DATE!
Opening to the God of Unity:
A Centering Prayer Retreat
With David Frenette & Mary Dwyer
May 7-11, 2027
Friday to Tuesday, 5-days / 4-nights
in-person
Alton Collins Retreat Center
32867 SE Highway 211
Eagle Creek, Ore. 97022
Deepen your journey into unity consciousness with two beloved contemplative guides who will transmit wisdom from the end of Fr. Thomas Keating’s life through their words and presence.
Additional pre-retreat online events with David:
December 5, 9:30 – 10:45 AM:
Bringing the Divine Feminine Into Practice & Life
January 9, 9:00 – 10:15 AM:
The Contemplative Path & The God of Unity Consciousness
Tuition: $1,125 private room; $850 shared. Private baths.
Deposit: $350 due by January 15.
REGISTRATION OPENS NOV 1
Photo by Allec Gomes on UnSplash
Lectio Divina: A Time for Sacred Reading & Prayer
10 – 11:30 am
November 18, etc.
Franciscan Spiritual Center
3159 Furman Drive
Marylhurst, OR
The event is free, but please RSVP:
Lectino Divina: A Time for Sacred Reading & Prayer link
Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash
Contemplative Chanting
2nd & 4th Tuesday; 10:00 – 11:15 am
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
10:00 – 11:15 am
November 9 & 23, etc.
In person in the Children’s Chapel
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.
11th Step Meditation Meetings and 12th Step Centering Prayer Groups
For a full list of in-person
and online 11th Step Meditation Meetings and 12th Step
Centering Prayer Groups,
Online and In-person
Every Day
Fourth Saturday Mediation at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (Portland)
Deepen your practice in community with an hour of silent meditation
(two, 25-minute sits with a short walking meditation in between).
All contemplative practices are welcome.
Free; donations gratefully accepted.
4th Saturdays
9:30 (sharp)- 11:00 am
November 28th, etc.
in the Morrison Room
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
147 NW 19th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97209
Photo by eldhose kuriyan on Unsplash
Looking for a Centering Prayer Group Not Listed Here?
There are opportunities every day! If you are new to any of these groups, please contact the listed facilitator to ensure the time and location or Zoom link are up to date. Contact Linda Garcia at the button below for more information.
photo: contemplative outreach of portland
Centering Prayer Introductory Workshop at Spirit Of Grace
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
1:00 – 3:30 pm
Pre-registration requested, but not required
Free will offering accepted at the doo
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