News of Recent Events

Headlines

September, 2011 John Main’s Last Sibling, Ian Main, Dies at 89

June, 2011 Silence in the City: A Retreat for Youth and Young Adults

May, 2011 Twilight Retreat held in Cornwall

May, 2011 Lenten Series on Meditation held in Ottawa

May 13, 2011 Anglican Dioceses Sponsor Prayer Conference

December 2010 Ottawa: Meditation Introduced at Ottawa’s Trinity Anglican Church

Dec 4, 2010 Ottawa: Living Between Memory and Hope - Kevin Flynn Leads Ottawa Meditators into Advent

Nov 10, 2010 Ottawa: Ottawa Hosts 4^th “Annual Introduction to Christian Meditation” Series

Oct 18, 2010 Ottawa: Paul Harris Speaks in Kanata at 25^th Anniversary of Group

May 29, 2010 Ottawa: Sharing Our Journey

May 27, 2010 Seaway Area Christian Meditation Community Event

March 23, 2010 Phil Barnet Speaks at Twilight Retreat in Ottawa

March 21, 2010 Paul Harris Speaks at Historic St Bart’s, The Guards’ Chapel

March 20, 2010 Benedictine Oblates Meet in Ottawa

March 6, 2010 Christian Meditation represented at Anglican Prayer Conference

March 1, 2010 National Coordinator Visits Carribean Countries

Feb 26, 2010 Canadian Council Appoints National Youth Coordinator

Feb 6, 2010 Ottawa Group Leaders Harvest their Collective Wisdom

Nov 28, 2009 Kevin Flynn Leads 3^rd Annual Advent Retreat in Ottawa

Nov 9, 2009 Ottawa’s 3rd Annual Six-Week Introduction to Christian Meditation

Sep 26, 2009 The Camino de Santiago and the Way of the Mantra: Ancient Roots, Interesting Paths

Sep 25, 2009 Pembroke Meditation Groups hold 10th Annual Retreat

August 2009: Paul Harris at 83 Protesting at an Arms/Weapons Sale

June 2009: CCMC National Conference - A Young Meditator’s View

May 23, 2009: Meditating with the Mystics

May 2, 2009: Introduction to Christian Meditation in Cornwall

Mar 29, 2009: Becoming Who I Am—Christian Meditation and the Return to Self

Mar 10, 2009: Ottawa’s St. Barnabas Church Launches New Meditation Group

Mar 5, 2009: Beloved Meditator, Claire Charbonneau, Dies at 83

Feb 24, 2009: Paul Harris Speaks at Ottawa Public Library

Feb 23, 2009: Arnprior Ontario Meditation Group Hosts Evening at Public Library

Jan 24, 2009: What Makes Jack Run?

Nov. 2009 Ottawa Hosts Second Six Week Introduction to Meditation Series

Nov 29, 2008: Kevin Flynn Leads Ottawa Meditators in Advent Retreat

Sept 27, 2008: Ottawa Area 2008 Group Leaders Workshop

June 20, 2008: Meditators Share Prayer and Silence with Monks at Rougement Abbey, Quebec

June 7, 2008: Ottawa Area Oblates hold Meeting

May 2008: Ron Dicks gives talk on Christian Meditation in Ottawa

April 2008:Christian Meditation from the Pulpit of Ottawa’s First United Church

April 2008: School held in Pembroke Ontario

March 2008: Ottawa Area Coordinating Committee holds Visioning Weekend

February 2008: Ottawa Meditators enjoy Fr. Tom Riopelle’s talk

February 2008: Ottawa Area Silent Retreat

July 2007: Phil Barnett inducted as new National Coordinator

July 2007: National Conference held in Vancouver. See pictures from the conference here.

Christian Meditation from the Pulpit of Ottawa’s First United Church

Parishioners of First United Church in Ottawa and Ottawa Meditators were privileged to experience a unique opportunity to hear Christian Meditation explained during the April 6, Sunday service. Leader Joyce Hardman of the Monday evening group of First United and co-leader Cathy Nobleman Hardman presided with Minister Brian Cornelius in conducting this celebration of the Third Sunday of Easter. Joyce gave a very clear and concise history of Christian Meditation and John Main, and the practice of this discipline. Three parishioners who acted in the roles of Jesus and the disciples accompanied the gospel of the day, about Jesus meeting the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Joyce expertly interwove this gospel story with our practice by explaining that, like the taking of bread by these disciples, meditation opens our eyes to recognize Jesus. To signify the experience and beauty of silence, which is central to Meditation, the presentation and partaking of Communion were done without any words. After the service, everyone was invited for a social gathering in the church hall.

Both Joyce and Cathy and the meditators of First United are to be congratulated for organizing this event. Explaining Christian Meditation from the pulpit of a church gives our prayer the validity and respect that it deserves and should be a powerful means of attracting more to meditate. It would be wonderful if this could be done in other churches as well.

Ottawa Area Coordinating Committee holds Visioning Weekend From left to right - Robin Lane, Jean Murray, Flora Benoit, Ted Sugden, Jean Andercheck and Ron Dicks. Missing: James Kubina and Weldon Burlock. From March 7 to 9, during the biggest snowstorm of this winter, the Ottawa Area Coordinating Committee for Christian Meditation held a Visioning Weekend at Galilee Centre in Arnprior. We meditated and talked together further about the responses we had received from meditators in the questionnaires we circulated in our visits to groups last year. We also reflected on what we believe to be our priorities each year and what are some of the things we need to do to meet the needs of the meditation community. On the whole it was a very enjoyable and inspiring weekend from which we returned tired but refreshed.