Contemplative Outreach of Greater Vancouver

Spring 2009

We acknowledge that any good accomplished by COGV is the "work of the Spirit.” Since the fall of 2008, we have hosted four Introductory workshops, one retreat, the United in Prayer Day, a Facilitator’s Workshop, and we have welcomed three new Centering Prayer groups.

We now have several Service Teams in place focusing on the areas of accounting, library resources, retreats, facilitator support and special events. Our region is blessed by the service of all our team members who generously volunteer their time and skill in a spirit of servant leadership.

COGV’s goal is to continue to encourage more involvement from the many talented people in the region. The availability and flow of servant leaders promises to provide the area with fresh vision and energies to inform and nurture the practice of Centering Prayer in the Greater Vancouver Area.

Our Servant-Leadership Team has grown from three to four with the addition of Erica Thiessen. She was introduced to Centering Prayer during her seminary studies in Indiana; her practice was established during the three years she spent in an ecumenical monastery in Wisconsin. She returned to the Lower Mainland five years ago and discovered COGV through the website, http://www.cogv.org. We are grateful she is sharing her many gifts with us.

The “Reflections” page of our COGV website has recently been graced with a personal story and poem written by one of our members, Karen Duddy. We are delighted to share this with our readers.

Anne Larochelle Coordinator
Contemplative Outreach of Greater Vancouver

On behalf of our Servant Leader Team:
Erica Thiessen
Judith Ann Donaldson
Wendy Eyre-Gray