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“Abide in Me”: A Weekly Contemplative Prayer Group
The theme of this prayer group is taken from John 15:5: "I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
Jesus offers here a wonderful metaphor for our relationship with the Father and with Him. Life flows from the earth, the sun, and the rain into a vine, through its branches, and into its fruit. Together the world, the vine, the branches, and the fruit form a living whole. To symbolize this mysterious union, Jesus uses the verb “abide” or “remain” to refer both to God’s action and to ours. The Holy Spirit, emanating from the Father and the Son, lives continually in each of us, offering the sustenance of God’s love and grace that enable us to be united with God in Christ. Our part is to live by faith, accepting our dependence on God, trusting in God’s goodness and mercy, and allowing God to bestow on us, in God’s own time, the spiritual gifts that enable us to bear “much fruit” in the world.
In this group we will gather each week to explore Christian contemplative practices. Our intent will be to dispose ourselves as best we can to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including the gift of contemplative prayer—open, receptive, trusting presence for God.
Each session will begin with body prayer followed by a brief guidance that introduces a practice. After a period of silence, we will end with a brief time of prayer for the world. No prior experience with contemplative practices is required.
Leader: Robert S. (Robin) Seiler, Jr., is an experienced leader of contemplative prayer groups and silent retreats. He has trained with the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation.
For more information, contact Robin at rsseilerjr55 @ gmail.com.
