You are invited to share in a special retreat at Grace Episcopal Church as we welcome Phileena Heuertz, author of Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation. Phileena is an extraordinary teacher and retreat leader, and she brings her heart and experience to bear in challenging us to delve more deeply into the potential of the Christian Contemplative Tradition. Phileena will reflect on her new book, inviting us to consider what it means to ground our practice of faith in our awareness of God’s presence in our lives.
After lunch, we will share in a panel discussion with Phileena and Rebecca Parker, co-director of Mary and Martha’s Place in Atlanta.
The Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation retreat is scheduled for Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 9:00 AM- 2:00 PM in the parish hall at Grace Episcopal Church. The day will include a morning presentation, lunch, panel discussion, and Q&A session. Cost is $40 to cover food and honoraria and scholarships are available. Please register and pay on or before January 7, 2019.
Phileena and her husband, Chris, are co-founders of Gravity, A Center for Contemplative Activism, in Omaha, Nebraska. She counts Fr. Richard Rohr and Fr. Thomas Keating as two of the key teachers in her own life and study.
After 20 years of grassroots work in some of the world’s poorest slums, red light areas and places of intense human suffering, Phileena and Chris Heuertz have reflected on what it takes for communities to maintain a vibrant, growing spirituality in the face of human need by integrating faith-filled spiritual practice with modern daily life and service.
Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism exists to nurture the integral connection between contemplation and action. Gravity grounds social change in contemplative spirituality, to do good better, by facilitating contemplative retreats, spiritual direction, and enneagram consultations.
Gravity’s aim is to support the development of consciousness by making contemplative practices accessible to individuals and communities who care about their spirituality and want to make the world a better place.
Phileena was part of the New Contemplatives Exchange gathering at St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado, with Fr. Stuart, in August 2017.
They shared in the conversations there, and they continue to collaborate on endeavors, including a forthcoming book from Crossroad Publishing Company exploring various embodiments of the contemplative tradition.
Rebecca is an ordained pastor in the Presbyterian Church (USA), having studied at Yale. She has also been a long-time student of Cynthia Bourgeault, participating in many Wisdom School gatherings.
Mary & Martha’s Place was established in 1994 by a group of women who were deeply committed to theological education, spiritual growth, social justice and ecological consciousness. They believed that women needed a community where they could reflect on their lives, find their voices and articulate their unique spiritual experiences. That belief still holds true today. Mary & Martha’s Place explores concepts of spiritual transformation and provides a place where people can learn to put these ideas into practice. In these times of change in the culture, the church, and our personal lives, MMP is a center for resilience and vision that helps people stay grounded.