Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe believes something new is emerging. He calls it the emerging system. And he is convinced that contemplative communities — people formed in prayer, rooted in silence, discerning about when to act — are critical to what comes next for the church and for followers of Jesus.
Many of us feel the weight of what we cannot change. The scale of what is happening nationally and in the world can make even the most devoted person wonder: what can I possibly do?
Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe puts it simply: the change we are called to is local. Hyperlocal. And it begins not with a program, but with a practice — one small community, learning to be still together, carrying that stillness into the places where they live and serve, the place where they have roots.
In a time marked by noise, speed, and constant reaction, many people are discovering a deeper hunger—for silence, grounding, and meaning. This year, Contemplative Underground is offering a foundational learning that reflects on why contemplative practice matters now, and how it forms the Church for the sake of the world. Rather than beginning with programs or urgency, this reflection invites us to begin with formation.
I’m often asked to explain contemplative prayer. Or I’m asked, “What does it mean to be a contemplative?”
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Centering Prayer is a practice that helps us to live a Contemplative Life, to “listen with the ear of our heart.”