by Coracle | Apr 15, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God: Beauty” long-time docent at the National Gallery of Art, Jan Haugen, guides us through a practice of gratitude using the story and colorful artwork of African-American artist, Alma Thomas, for inspiration.Click Here for more on Alma...
by Drew Masterson | Mar 29, 2021 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this “Simple Soundings,” Drew Masterson (Coracle Dir. of Comms & Development) offers a slow, prayerful reading of a classic of English Christian Poetry, “The Dream of the Rood.” The poem itself is an extended reflection on the...
by Mary Gardner | Mar 22, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God” devotional, Rev. Mary Gardner guides us through a contemplative encounter with artistic depictions of prayer, paired with helpful prompts to spark our own prayer. We hope it will be a blessing to you as you pray with your mind,...
by Drew Masterson | Mar 11, 2021 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this “Space for God” devotional, Drew Masterson (Coracle Dir. of Comms & Development) guides us through the ancient Old English poem “The Dream of the Rood.” This anonymous poem dates back to the 8th Century and tells the story of the...
by Mary Gardner | Feb 22, 2021 | Contemplative Life
Nearly two years ago my husband and I visited the Boca Raton Museum of Art on our travels through Florida. There I encountered a deeply moving, profound, disturbing, and yet in some ways prophetic piece of art. A model of a life-size work, this piece by artist...
by Coracle | Feb 19, 2021 | Contemplative Life, Vocation
In this Digital Soundings Seminar, a wonderful panel of artists and storytellers discussed the role that beauty plays in the pursuit of wisdom. Specifically, they explore the ways in which we can orient ourselves so that we become better able to see beauty where we...
by Mary Gardner | Feb 16, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In this pithy review, Rev. Mary Gardner offers a compelling review of acclaimed artist and Christian thinker Makoto Fujimura’s newest book, “Art + Faith: A Theology of Making.” You can get your own copy of Mako’s wonderful book HERE....
by Coracle | Feb 11, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In this Collection, we will be assembling reflections, devotionals, and other resources intended 1) to help us grow in our ability to behold the beauty always around us, and 2) to offer opportunities for direct encounters with beauty– whether through art, creation, or...
by Coracle | Feb 9, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God” devotional, Rev. Bill Haley also makes space for beauty. In particular, he invites us into a contemplative stroll through music, poetry, and natural beauty woven together by the theme of Winter. We hope it is a blessing and a...
by Mary Gardner | Jan 28, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In this “Space for God” devotional, Rev. Mary Amendolia Gardner introduces us to the life of Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller, a renowned African-American artist from the turn of the 20th Century who faced many obstacles and tragedies throughout her long life, but...
by Karla Petty | Jan 27, 2021 | Contemplative Life
In the mid 1990’s, you may recall, “Magic Eye” optical illusion books swept the nation featuring graphics (autostereograms) that, if seen correctly, would reveal a 3D shape or picture. Not for lack of trying, those 3D images never appeared to me. I would sit and...
by Coracle | Jan 19, 2021 | Contemplative Life
by Anna Holowinsky It was the summer of 2016. I stumbled upon a creative community in Charlottesville, VA, and within that space, I met a friend named Richard. Richard was a word artist. I had never heard of word art before, but I knew after rubbing...
by Coracle | Dec 21, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
In this Advent Offering– recorded on December 17, 2020– Bill Haley guides us through a worshipful experience of Advent and Christmas carols new and old, to help us encounter anew the gift of Christ’s birth and to whet our appetites for His second Advent. If...
by Bill Haley | Dec 17, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
It’s not a question of “If?” but rather “When?” and “Where?” Is it going to be in Safeway, or the Starbucks, or while wandering the hall of some shopping mall, past pilgrims lugging their gifts of Godiva, fragrances, and merino wool? It’ll probably happen after the...
by Coracle | Dec 11, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
On Dec 9th, Drew Masterson (Coracle Dir. of Communications & Development) and Rick Mastroianni (Coracle Spiritual Director) discussed the role of the imagination and creativity in the Christian life. They share Rick’s poem “Joseph Speaks” as an...
by Drew Masterson | Dec 2, 2020 | Contemplative Life, Liturgical Seasons
The Advent Season presents us with the invitation to slow down, to shear away the clutter and noise of our lives enough to dwell on some of the richest themes in human existence. We can observe how these themes play out in the grand drama of Scripture, as well as in...
by Coracle | Nov 10, 2020 | Contemplative Life
On the evening of November 5th, 2020– two days after election day and two days before the election results would be called– we gathered for what we had been calling a “Post-Election Palette Cleanser.” This was an opportunity to tune-out all of the noise...
by Coracle | Nov 9, 2020 | Contemplative Life
by Lan-Vy Ngo I walk until I reach the bench I love and sit down. Relaxing against it, I feel completely at peace. Before me is the Rhone Valley of Switzerland, a breathtaking expanse of green plains, spruce trees, and wooden chalets spread out before the...
by Coracle | Jul 21, 2020 | Contemplative Life
On July 16th, 2020, Rev. Karen Curry of Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church offered a workshop on “Poetry as Spiritual Formation.” She facilitates a discussion of her own original poem “Holy, Wholly Holey Ground,” shares how lectio divina can be...
by Mary Gardner | May 28, 2020 | Contemplative Life
Download a Free Visio Divina Resource Guide from Mary » Right now, many of us are struggling to pay attention. Psychologist Curt Thompson recently wrote about fatigue and irritability and offered suggestions that may help during this time – including contemplative...
