Welcome to Contemplative Outreach of Northern California
This web site has been designed to provide information about activities in the northern California area and provided by the Contemplative Outreach Organization of Northern California. At the heart of each local community are prayer groups, which make up local chapters. The local chapters, in turn, support regional groups, which together create a global community of oneness in silence.
There are several Contemplative Outreach chapters serving
Northern California:
The Northwest Bay Area chapter led by Leadership team
The East Bay chapter led by Steve West or (925) 550-7837
The Sacramento and Surrounding Areas chapter led by Chuck Schaller or 916-390-3465
The Central California chapter led by Everardo Pedraza.
” Excerpted from Thomas Keating’s presentation at the 2006 Contemplative Outreach Annual Conference."
Contemplative Outreach is a community of individuals and small prayer groups committed to living the contemplative dimension of the Gospel in everyday life. A commitment to the daily practice of Centering Prayer is the primary expression of belonging. These commitments transcend geographical, cultural and religious differences.
“Centering Prayer as taught by Contemplative Outreach can serve as a spiritual resource for any structure including a corporate model, but is not itself a structure. It infuses into all activity the motive of divine love and personal commitment to transformation in Christ. It provides interior resources for many lifestyles without having an independent existence of its own. Hence, it competes with no other organization, work of mercy, or spiritual discipline. It is the contemplative dimension of the Gospel, not the gospel itself. It can be lived and practiced in any state of life that supports or manifests the values of the Gospel without being identified with any particular state of life. It fosters the divine way of being human in every situation. It is not exclusive to any one religion but nourishes the heart of every religion. Thus it can enhance the practice of every religion by sustaining as its primary responsibility the process of human transformation in Christ, as the eternal Word of God made flesh.
This website is dedicated to the loving memory of Bill McLennan. We are deeply grateful to his loving service in creating and hosting this website.
Please report any problems or if you have any comments or questions about this web site please email the web site administrator Marty Badgett.
