NOTE:  All lodging at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center for the October 5-7, 2012 Welcoming Prayer Retreat is filled.  We are, however, offering a "day rate" option for $110 that includes all activities and meals at St. Francis Springs.  Those who sign up for the day rate option will need to arrange for lodging on their own and at their own expense.  One option for this is the nearby Hampton Inn in Eden (phone number 336-627-1111; click here for a link to their site).  To register for the day rate option call Susie Britt at 336-288-8544.

Who is Mary Dwyer?  Mary Dwyer has been involved with Centering Prayer and the Welcoming Prayer since the mid 1980's.  She lived with Mary Mrozowski, the founder of the Welcoming Prayer practice, and others in the Chrysalis House in Warwick, New York where the Welcoming Prayer was first taught.  Mary is former Chairperson of the Contemplative Outreach Faculty.  She currently is National Coordinator for the Living Flame program and on the Welcoming Prayer Service Team.  She received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in Economics and was a banker and college administrator.  After Chrysalis she became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and lived in Erie, PA.  Mary now lives in Miami and devotes her time to giving retreats and workshops on behalf of Contemplative Outreach throughout the US and internationally.

Where is St Francis Springs Prayer Center?  St Francis Springs is a beautiful inter-faith retreat center located in Stoneville, NC (about a 40 minute drive north of Greensboro, NC)  Its mission is to promote spirituality through contemplative prayer and action.  The retreat center is located on 140 acres and offers an inviting, peaceful environment.  Their website is www.stfrancissprings.com.

What are the Details of the October 5 Retreat?  The retreat will begin at St Francis Springs at dinner at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 5, 2012.  Participants should try to arrive by 5:30 p.m. to check in and get settled in their rooms before dinner.  The retreat will end after lunch on Sunday, October 7, 2012.  Reservations may be made on a first-come, first-served basis (1) online at www.4thdayjourney,org; or (2) by calling 336-288-8544.  

What is the Cost of the Retreat?  The all-inclusive price for two nights is as follows:  Triple: $175; Double: $195; Single: $250.

What is Welcoming Prayer?  The Welcoming Prayer is a method of actively letting go of thoughts and feelings that support the false-self system.  It helps to dismantle the emotional programs of the false-self system and to heal the wounds of a lifetime by addressing them where they are stored - in the body.  The method of the Welcoming Prayer includes noticing the feelings, emotions, thoughts and sensations in your body, welcoming them and then letting them go.  Practicing the Welcoming Prayer offers one the opportunity to make choices free of the false-self system - responding instead of reacting to the present moment.

The purpose of the Welcoming Prayer is to deepen one's relationship with God through consenting to God's presence and action in the ordinary activities of daily life.  In this way, the Welcoming Prayer supports all forms of prayer, like Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina, which share the purpose of growing in relationship with God through consenting to His presence and action.