by Coracle | Dec 13, 2024 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this “Space for God: Advent” devotional, artist and author, Bette Lynne Dickinson, guides us into a visio divina based on her work, “Prepare the Way.” This painting foregrounds the birth of John the Baptist and highlights his central role...
by Bill Haley | Nov 19, 2024 | Contemplative Life
Before we knew the outcome of this year’s presidential election, we knew that all of us would need a chance to pause, remember Who is truly in control, and experience refreshment from the wonderfully loving rule of King Jesus. Bach’s B-Minor Mass is a...
by Coracle | Sep 21, 2024 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, Jan Haugen (National Gallery of Art Docent) guides us into an encounter with Bartolome Esteban Murillo’s The Return of the Prodigal Son. She draws on Murillo’s story, historical context, and technique to...
by Mary Gardner | Sep 13, 2024 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty,” Rev. Mary Amendolia Gardner (Coracle Spiritual Director) guides us into a time of spiritual reflection focused on a seemingly simple painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner. She invites us to notice, imagine, and consider how God...
by Rick Mastroianni | Jul 23, 2024 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, Rick Mastroianni (Coracle Spiritual Director) introduces us to the ancient Latin hymn “Ubi Caritas.” He invites us to consider how this hymn can 1) root our imaginations and hopes in the sacrificial love...
by Drew Masterson | Jul 14, 2024 | Contemplative Life, Creation
In this “Space for God: Beauty,” Drew Masterson (UVA Center for Christian Study) guides us into a reflection on a children’s book offering a creative reimagining of St. Francis’ famous prayer, “The Canticle of the Creatures.” Both...
by Chris Lugo | Apr 15, 2024 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, Rev. Chris Lugo (Coracle Community Minister) guides us through a number of artistic reflections on what it means to be beloved and to see ourselves that way. He draws upon 1 John 4’s depiction of God as love and...
by Mary Gardner | Mar 28, 2024 | Liturgical Seasons
In this “Space for God: Lent” devotional, Rev. Mary Gardner (Coracle Spiritual Director) guides us into a practice of Visio Divina, or “holy seeing,” focused on the events of Holy Week. She invites us to attend to diverse artistic depictions...
by Coracle | Feb 29, 2024 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, art historian Jan Haugen invites us to reflect upon a particular work of art: The Railway by Edouard Manet (1873). Through this work, Jan unfolds some of the distinctive elements of impressionist art and helps us to become...
by Coracle | Feb 16, 2024 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty,” Spiritual Director Laura Merricks guides us into a practice of Visio Divina pairing a beautiful print by artist Scott Erickson with Jesus’ famous message about worry at the end of the Sermon on the Mount...
by Mary Gardner | Dec 16, 2023 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this “Space for God: Advent” devotional, Rev. Mary Gardner (Coracle Spiritual Director) guides us into three spiritual practices focused on Mary’s famous prayer in Luke 1, the “Magnificat.” Using both lectio and visio divina, Mary helps us enter imaginatively into...
by Coracle | Dec 14, 2023 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this “Space for God: Advent” devotional, Debra Donnelly-Barton (Coracle Spiritual Director) guides us into a Visio Divina drawing on the story of the Annunciation. She utilizes a modern icon from a Ukranian artist to help us encounter this familiar story afresh...
by Scott Buresh | Oct 23, 2023 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, Scott Buresh (Coracle Community Minister) guides us in a visio divina exercise on Psalm 23 using “The Good Shepherd,” a painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner. He also offers us a short introduction to...
by Coracle | Sep 21, 2023 | Contemplative Life, Vocation
In this Soundings Seminar conversation, Ken Wettig (Coracle Community Minister) speaks with musician and educator Seth Crissman about his work at the intersection of art-making and spiritual formation. For the past several years, Seth has been part of a collaboration...
by Bill Haley | Sep 9, 2023 | Contemplative Life
In this first-ever “Space for God: Thursday,” Rev. Bill Haley revisits one of his favorite topics—the profound way in which we can encounter Jesus through encountering and attending to those who bear his image. He draws on poetry, scripture, and a...
by Ken Wettig | Aug 30, 2023 | Contemplative Life
“That is the best thing I have ever seen come out of Christianity.” Those words were the gut response of a young adult artist, typically uninspired by Christianity, who upon entering a home witnessed a group of people rehearsing Gregorian chants for a church service....
by Bill Haley | Aug 17, 2023 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, Rev. Bill Haley introduces us to the work of 20th Century American poet, Jessica Powers, also known as Sister Miriam of the Holy Spirit. Her poetry, written in the midst of fifty years living and working in a convent,...
by Coracle | Aug 10, 2023 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, we welcome back Jan Haugen (Smithsonian National Gallery) for another “Art Break”—this time looking at a 16th Century Italian painting by Titian. Jan guides us into the beauty and subtlety of the portrait of 12-yr-old...
by Coracle | May 11, 2023 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty,” Jan Haugen (National Gallery of Art Docent) guides us into a close and prayerful viewing of Jan van Eyck’s masterful depiction of the Annunciation. She uses this painting to help focus our attention on the small...
by Scott Buresh | Apr 27, 2023 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” devotional, Scott Buresh (Coracle Community Minister) guides us into an encounter with an artistic interpretation of Psalm 23 by African-American painter Henry Ossawa Tanner. Scott first offers space for imaginative prayer with both...
