Centering Prayer is a receptive method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God’s presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship.
Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. Rather, it adds depth of meaning to all prayer and facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer – verbal, mental or affective prayer – into a receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God and as a movement beyond conversation with Christ to communion with Christ. – Adopted from Contemplative Outreach
Find A Centering Prayer Group in East Tennessee
Sunday at 5 p.m.
St. Francis Episcopal Church, 154 W Norris Rd, Norris, TN 37828
Get Directions
The Centering Prayer Group meets every Sunday evening. All are welcome – just come.
Monday at 1 p.m.
The Center for Mindful Living, 400 E Main St #150, Chattanooga, TN 37408
Get Directions
The Centering Prayer group at the Center for Mindful Living meets from 1-2 every Monday. After a brief check-in, a poem is read as we enter into 20 minutes of silence. Following that centering, we watch a DVD study and then briefly discuss it. Our current study, which started June 20, is The Enneagram as a Tool for your Spiritual Journey. The DVD was recorded during a 2009 conference with Richard Rohr, founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, and Russ Hudson, co-founder of the Enneagram Institute. There is no charge for members of the Center for Mindful Living, but non-members are expected to make a small donation to the Center.
Tuesday-Friday from 9:00-9:30 a.m.
St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, Third Floor, Administration Building, 401 Cumberland Ave. Knoxville, TN 37902
The leaders of the group are Heather Stagg (hss3047@gmail.com) and The Rev. Canon Thom Rasnick (thom@stjohnscathedral.org).
Tuesday at 11:15 a.m.
Church of the Good Shepherd, 211 Franklin Road, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350, Lou Garcia Room, www.goodshepherdlookout.com
Tuesday at 6 p.m.
St. John’s Episcopal Church, 500 North Roan Street, Johnson City, TN 37601
Get Directions
Facilitators: Frances Jackson
Contact us at: jxn621@gmail.com or (423) 946-3345
The Centering Prayer group at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnson City meets weekly on Tuesday from 6-7 p.m. on Zoom. All are welcome.
Tuesday at 6:45 p.m.
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 848 Ashland Terrace, Chattanooga, TN 37415
On Zoom. Check church website for information. www.stpeters.org
Facilitator: Joan Koch, joankoch@bellsouth.net
Wednesdays at 4:00 p.m.
Church of the Good Shepherd, 211 Franklin Road, Lookout Mountain, TN 37350, via Zoom, www.goodshepherdlookout.com Email Sandra Alagona at sandra@gslookout.com or call 423-821-1583 for access information.
Thursdays at 4:00 pm
Church of the Ascension, 800 S Northshore Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919, in person
Facilitator: Bill Poppen, williamalfredp@gmail.com
Join community members who gather for a 20 minute Centering Prayer sit followed by Lectio Divina on the upcoming Gospel reading for Sunday’s services. The time is concluded by a circle of shared prayer.
Thursdays at 4:00 pm, Zoom
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 212 N Tulane Ave, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Facilitators: Liz and Steve Herbes, Liz: 865-228-2537, Steve: 865-250-9123, liznsteveherbes@yahoo.com
To join the Zoom group, email Liz and Steve for the link. After a brief opening prayer, we start by checking in, then have a few minutes of soft music to get settled, followed by a 20-minute period of silence. After our sit, we ask if anyone has a thought they would like to share, then we close with prayer. We are usually done by 4:45 pm.
Fridays at 1:00 p.m.
Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37411, Barth Room
Facilitator: Barbara Ray, barbaraannray123@gmail.com