Weekly Centering Prayer

Wednesday Mornings at 9:30 - 11:00am
Thursday Evenings at 6:30 - 7:30pm
Nevada Room

Join us for weekly drop-in Centering Prayer sessions, held on Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings. No registration necessary.

Centering Prayer is a gentle, silent method of consenting to God’s presence and healing action within us.

Centering Prayer a heart-centered practice. We let go of thoughts, or any other distractions that block our awareness of God’s presence in our lives. This letting-go process is the core of the practice – it creates an inner silence, an opening for consciousness of God’s presence to emerge. Learn more about Centering Prayer

What to Expect - Wednesday Morning (9:30 - 11:00am)

Each Wednesday morning, contemplative music and candle-lit presence welcome us into our time together. We are gently guided into Centering Prayer by a brief body scan and a short, contemplative reading.

Following our 20-minute Centering Prayer or other silent meditation, we often engage in related contemplative practices, such as Lectio Divina and Ignatian Imaginative Prayer. We also occasionally read contemplative thought leaders, and discuss the meaning of their insights for our lives.

These practices open us to God’s active presence in our lives, grounding us in living from a deeper reality as the world rapidly changes around us.

What to Expect - Thursday Evening (6:30 - 7:30pm)

On Thursday evenings, we gather in a warm, candlelit setting to practice Centering Prayer. Once a month, our gathering includes the contemplative practice of lectio divina.

We begin at 6:30 p.m. with a brief relaxation exercise that gently prepares us for a 20-minute period of silent prayer. Our practice follows the four guidelines established by Thomas Keating and Contemplative Outreach:

  • Choose a sacred word or your breath as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within.

  • Sit comfortably with your eyes closed.

  • When you become aware of thoughts, gently return to your sacred word or breath.

  • At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence for a few moments before concluding.

Following our time of silent prayer, we typically listen to a contemplative teaching and engage in thoughtful discussion. Participants are welcome to share their reflections, though sharing is always optional.

Whether you are new to Centering Prayer or have an established practice, you are warmly welcome. We conclude our gathering at 7:30pm.

Mercy Center also hosts 3 Intensive Centering Prayer retreats each year.
The retreats are typically offered in the Spring (March), Summer (June), and Fall (October)

About the Facilitators

Barry Davis retired from corporate life and relocated from Texas to the NorCal foothills in 2009. Since then, he has actively pursued the spiritual dimension he first encountered at Princeton Theological Seminary in the 1970’s. 

Barry’s Centering Prayer practice spans 20 years. His primary teachers include T Keating, R Rohr, C Bourgeault, J Finley, D Bisson, as well as 30 years of active participation in 12-Step recovery. He has facilitated the Wednesday morning prayer group since moving here several years ago.

Marby Brown is a spiritual director and longtime centering prayer practitioner. Her formal spiritual direction training began with the Sacred Journey Program at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, and following that, a two-year training program at The Benedictine Spiritual Direction Training Program at Benet Hill Monastery in Colorado.

The faith tradition she was raised in is Catholicism, which forms the foundation of her beliefs. She has also spent time in evangelical and mainline Christian communities. In all, knowing God’s love is preeminent. Contemplating the risen Christ, God’s loving presence here and now, is what leads to inner transformation. Marby finds it an absolute privilege to accompany others on their own, unique, inner journey with the One who calls them “Beloved.”