Peace to you, God’s people of Mountain Shadows Presbyterian Church. And peace to this conflicted world…
If we want to change the world, it starts with our being changed within. Many of us are stuck in stress-induced patterns of behavior that limit our peace of mind and cause difficulties in our relationships. But there’s hope.
“Practice the Pause: Jesus’ Contemplative Practice, New Brain Science, and What It Means to Be Fully Human” is a book by spiritual director Caroline Oakes that offers hope by: 1) Exploring the contemplative way Jesus prayed; 2) connecting contemplative prayer with new knowledge about the human brain; and 3) promoting simple ways that we can be changed by simply, silently returning to the presence of God each day—as Jesus did.
On all five Thursdays in August, from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at Mountain Shadows Presbyterian Church, Pastor Rachel Srubas will facilitate Practice the Pause gatherings. These gatherings will include conversation about Caroline Oakes’ book, and time for contemplative practice: Jesus’ simple, silent way of being prayerfully present to God, which we all can practice. On Sunday, July 28th, Pastor Rachel’s sermon will focus on Jesus’ contemplative practice and our own spiritual lives.
If you want to participate in the Thursday gatherings in August, here’s what to do: Get the book, and show up at Mountain Shadows Church on Thursdays in August at 4:00.
You can buy “Practice the Pause” by Caroline Oakes from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Target, Indiebound.org and other retailers. Audio and electronic versions are available. Books will not be available for purchase at church, so please take the initiative to acquire a copy of ‘Practice the Pause” for yourself. It might lead you to be changed within, by God.
The class is offered as part of our Learning Faith Priority — Adult Faith Formation.