Center for Prayer & Spirituality (CPS)

Our Mission Statement

To reawaken an interest in Christian spirituality and to integrate mind, body and spirit by offering contemplative practices, classes, lectures, workshops and spiritual direction to foster connection, understanding and compassion for self, others and the mystery that beautifully and expansively holds us all.

The Quiet Garden Movement

The gardens at St. John’s Cathedral are registered with the international Quiet Garden Trust and throughout the year host regular opportunities for hospitality and prayer. The Quiet Garden Ministry began in 1992 with the first Quiet Garden in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England. At the heart of Christianity is a treasure to be unearthed: the treasure of contemplative prayer and quiet resting in silence reaching back to Jesus himself, who regularly took time out to pray in solitude and in still places. The Quiet Garden Movement rediscovers these riches and makes them accessible to a spiritually hungry world by providing contexts of natural beauty and stillness where we may refresh our soul. St. John’s Cathedral supports this mission and ministry, eagerly offering its Quiet Gardens to feed the soul of the hungry searching for places of quiet and prayer.
More information.

Director

Owene Courtney
[email protected]

Board

Susan Bancks
Megan Cochran
Gregory Curry
Lisa Duncan
Liesl Gavronsky-Howsare
Joe O'Shields

Spiritual Practice Offerings

Visit the Order of St. Helena

Try this free online retreat: Women's Christmas Retreat 2019

Quiet Garden Mornings 2018-2019

Mornings of holy silence with spiritual reflections, readings and prayers. Quiet Garden Mornings are held on the grounds of the Cathedral, including Ingram Lounge, Cummings Chapel, and the Gardens.

Held on Saturdays four times a year, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm

Every other month in the coming year, the Center will offer a Quiet Garden Morning featuring a speaker/facilitator who will guide participants through a contemplative practice to foster connection, understanding and compassion for self, others and the mystery that beautifully and expansively holds us all. In the past, we have offered programs on writing spiritual memoir, praying with icons and praying with psalms. This year the Quiet Garden Mornings will be on the second Saturdays in October, December, February and April.

Upcoming Quiet Garden Morning:

April 13^th – Joe O’Shields – Lent and the mystics
A Contemplative Morning with Julian of Norwich

Come pray with Julian of Norwich,14th Century English mystic, at this contemplative morning on the day before Palm Sunday. Julian, deathly ill and being giving last rites, had a series of revelations from God in May, 1373, in which she saw Jesus on the cross and came to see that God loves each of us and has no anger toward any of us. She saw how God is with us in our suffering, and famously tells us that "all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well." We will learn about and pray with this amazing saint.

9:30 a.m. to noon | Alleluia Chapel (entrance on Duval Street)

For more information please contact: Owene Courtney, Director.

Periodic Offerings

Eleventh Step Meditation: A Way to Transformation
On the second Saturday of the month, we gather for meditation and reflection formed by Lectio Divina
9:30 a.m., Room 301 Cathedral House
Led by Dianne Larson and Tim Lynch

Guided Spiritual Life Story with Charlene Vincent
Cathedral Writers 2 begins January 31
Second and Fourth Thursdays

Spiritual Companioning
Based on ancient tradition, the Center offers to link interested seekers with trained spiritual companions/spiritual directors who are members of the cathedral parish. All is confidential. If interested please contact one of the following:

Susan Bancks • [email protected]
Claudia Milligan • [email protected]
Joe O’Shields • [email protected]
Susan Woods • [email protected]

Quiet Spaces in the Center for Prayer and Spirituality, 3rd Floor Cathedral House
The Rev. Bernie Dooly Lending Library and The Chapel of the Transfiguration are available.
Please check in with the cathedral receptionist.

Weekly Offerings

Tuesdays:
Yoga
Gather in the late afternoon in the beauty of a sacred space for yoga practice, concluding with prayer. Cummings Chapel. (Enter on Duval Street)
5:45 pm - 7:00 pm.
Led by Megan Cochran

Fridays:
Contemplative Eucharist
Conducted by cathedral clergy and lay leaders, this service combines contemplation and holy communion in a warm, welcoming worship service. Cummings Chapel, 12:10 pm.

Weekly e-Words
E-mailed quotations from works of religious leaders, inviting personal reflection and prayer.

Sundays:
Contemplative Yoga
Using the principles of yoga, professional teachers will lead a gentle class integrating body, mind and spirit with the reading of Scripture. Bring your yoga mat. 10 a.m. Cummings Chapel