by Erin Clifford | Sep 20, 2017 | For the World, Justice and Mercy
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “There is another element that must be present in our struggle that then makes our resistance and nonviolence truly meaningful. That element is reconciliation. Our ultimate end must be the creation of the beloved community.” On Saturday,...
by Bill Haley | Sep 5, 2017 | Contemplative Life
Describing his conversion, CS Lewis wrote “Into the region of awe, in deepest solitude there is a road right out of the self, a commerce with…the naked Other, imageless (though our imagination salutes it with a hundred images), unknown, undefined, desired.” It’s a...
by Bill Haley | May 18, 2017 | Contemplative Life
Over the years of my life, I’ve seen something happen enough times to be able to recognize something of a pattern that ends up really changing things for me, super-charging my heart and giving me new passion and vision. It’s when some deep truth–ubiquitous in the...
by Abigail Whitehouse | Apr 21, 2017 | Contemplative Life
Last week I spent my day off doing a deep spring cleaning. I swept the dirty corners of my room, dusted-off countertops and opened all the windows of my house to let the fresh air in; and once everything was back in its place – dusted, cleaned, polished and...
by Rick Mastroianni | Apr 7, 2017 | Contemplative Life
A reflection on the “God Loves You. . . No, Really” retreat “’You are the Beloved’ – My only desire is to make these words reverberate in every corner of your being.” — Henri Nouwen, The Life of the Beloved The symptoms sounded all too familiar: anxiety,...
by Erin Clifford | Mar 27, 2017 | Contemplative Life
“Don’t the Bible say we must love everybody?” “O, the Bible! To be sure, it says a great many things; but then, nobody ever thinks of doing them.” — Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin Whether you are a new follower of Jesus, or have been one for many...
by Scott Buresh | Mar 17, 2017 | Contemplative Life
Fifteen years ago my wife Peggy and I had the incredible opportunity of spending two weeks with Dallas Willard and a community of brothers and sisters at the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, California. As that week progressed we were given...
by Coracle | Nov 8, 2016 | Contemplative Life
Story and Photos by: Dean Luckenbaugh On a cool, cloudy Monday morning, I finished breakfast with a friend and headed from the DC suburbs to a quiet country retreat for a day set aside to hear from God. Against my will, the radio stayed off and I prayed through...
by Bill Haley | Oct 20, 2016 | Contemplative Life
The imagery can be as gentle as “a feather on the breath of God” (Hildegard) or as shocking as “immolate me” (Margaret Mary Alacoque), but the essence is the same. This is where the Christian life will ultimately lead if we want it and are willing to go there. This...
by Wade Ballou | Sep 22, 2016 | Contemplative Life
One of the questions I’ve been considering lately is, what does it mean to live in the kingdom of God? As I’ve talked with God about this, he continues to lead me back to the image of the garden. From the beginning of the Bible to the very end, the garden...
by Bill Haley | Aug 29, 2016 | Contemplative Life
I’m really excited by the retreats we’re offering this fall. Something feels different about them. Deeper. More out there. Sober. Good. Deeply good. Even important. A bit more risky. And not for all, but still for many. First, If you’re anything like I am,...
by Bill Haley | Aug 16, 2016 | Contemplative Life
So I’ve picked up exercising again. It’s been awhile, it’s overdue, and I pretty much feel like this guy when I’m done with a still-pretty-short jog or bike ride. Along with that, I’ve been paying attention to what I put in my mouth, in the attempt to lose some...
by Scott Buresh | Aug 12, 2016 | Contemplative Life, Spiritual Direction
Friends of Coracle in Baltimore: Thank you all who joined us on August 11, 2016 to launch Coracle in Baltimore and thank you all who expressed your desire to be with us. What a beautiful evening of prayer, vision, and worship through the eucharist. I never grow...
by Karla Petty | Jul 26, 2016 | Contemplative Life
In kindergarten music class, I remember my teacher running an experiment with us. She had us sit in silence for a full minute. No talking, no moving. Then immediately after she gave us another full minute where we could talk or be silly. Guess which minute seemed...
by Bill Haley | Jun 28, 2016 | Contemplative Life, Spiritual Direction
Last week I had the privilege of being one of the spiritual directors for the Sojourners Summit, their annual gathering in DC of leaders from around the country and the world who are working to bring more of God’s kingdom to this country and this world. Among many...
by Bill Haley | Apr 2, 2016 | Creation, Spiritual Direction
It wasn’t too long after Bill and Tara Haley moved to Corhaven in the Shenandoah Valley and began hosting spiritual retreats that they realized that when you create the space for God to show up, he shows up! It makes sense. When one of his beloved sons or daughters...
by Coracle | Mar 21, 2016 | Spiritual Direction
Join us on April 16th for a retreat led by Margot Eyring, Spiritual Director with Coracle, and Faith Evans, a pastor in Harrisonburg, VA. See the details about the retreat and more information about the leaders in the flyer below and click anywhere on it for a link...
by Coracle | Mar 7, 2016 | Contemplative Life
The word “contemplative” can seem incongruous in our lightning-fast world, sounding painstakingly slow, or even archaic. For many, life is about results, and the results that count are tangible, quantifiable ones. Prayer doesn’t always produce those,...
by Coracle | Feb 24, 2016 | Contemplative Life, Coracle News, Spiritual Direction
Hello friends! We’re going to start providing more specialized communication about our area offerings, hoping that many of you will take advantage of them and keep them on your radar. We want to highlight a few of the things we currently offer in Northern...
by Bill Haley | Jan 29, 2016 | Contemplative Life
Mother Teresa said once “If I can give you any advice, I beg you to get closer to the Eucharist.” JRR Tolkien wrote in a letter to his son Christopher, “Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth: the...
