Let’s Start Planning

From the Presenter Formation Service Team


Top row left to right: Margaret Swavely, Stephen Hoffman, Diane Boruff
Bottom row left to right: Christine Hoffman, Gerald King

Would you like to have more Commissioned Presenters in your Chapter? If so, then now is a good time to begin planning a Presenter Formation for the Fall of 2021. Let a member of the Presenter Formation Service Team set up a Zoom call with your interested Commissioned Presenters to discuss the process. This is especially recommended for Commissioned Presenters who have not been involved in planning a previous formation. The Presenter Formation for Centering Prayer may seem like a big undertaking and we recommend a small group of Commissioned Presenters work together in the planning and facilitating of the formation. Contact Margaret Swavely at mbswavely@gmail.com to start the process.

During 2020 there were fewer Presenter Formations offered in chapters. Since in-person meetings were sharply cut back it seemed an acceptable response. With the development and availability of a covid-19 vaccine we are all experiencing a strong hope for future in-person meetings. There are many opportunities for service and developing community spirit while working together on this event. These opportunities include presenting the prayer that has been so important to all of us, leading others as they become familiar with the content of the four conferences which are the core of the workshop, offering support to the participants as they present the material in practicums and often mentoring them during the Presenter-in-Training phase.

Over the years Commissioned Presenters have been very creative in scheduling the events of a Presenter Formation to meet the needs of their chapters. Occasionally a Commissioned Presenter has led one person in a Presenter Formation. Schedules have been designed to meet the needs of working people such as meeting weekly in the evening or half day meetings on weekends. A few months ago a Presenter Formation was conducted entirely over Zoom meetings with the facilitator offering meetings before so the participants could become acquainted and follow-up meetings for additional support. Maybe your chapter would want to consider offering a combination of Zoom meetings and in-person meetings.

We invite your Commissioned Presenters to become familiar with the content and steps involved to lead a Presenter Formation for Centering Prayer. They will be preparing others to lead the Centering Prayer Introductory Program. We have often heard, and experienced ourselves, the real joy of helping others to tell the story of the Centering Prayer so that more people will pray with us.

Contact Margaret Swavely at mbswavely@gmail.com to set up a Zoom meeting to explore offering the Presenter Formation for Centering Prayer.