In-Person Centering Prayer Session
2026-12-08 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center, 1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD, 21104, United States
Held IN PERSON on the:

2nd and 5th Tuesdays of the month, 1-2pm and
4th Tuesday of the month, 7-8pm.

For these in-person sessions, registration is required in advance, due by the Monday before each in-person session.
(Virtual Zoom sessions will be the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 1-2pm. Register for Virtual Sessions by emailing facilitator Amy Sorensen Kulesa at kulesa.neshama@gmail.com.)
Centering Prayer is a form of Christian contemplative prayer, in which one abides in the Presence of God in interior silence. Centering Prayer emphasizes the indwelling Presence of the Holy Trinity within and among us, and our openness, through receptive silence and restful surrender, to God’s action and healing grace. For our one-hour sessions, we will gather to pray together in silence, attentive to the stillness within, and reflect together on readings related to our prayer life. The sessions are relaxed and informal. You are invited to dress comfortably and use a meditation cushion, if you would like.
Facilitation for each Centering Prayer session will be led by an experienced member of the group, both staff and from the community. We follow a consistent format from week to week, with variability each session in the reflective reading that is shared. Coordinated by Amy Sorensen Kulesa.

Grief Retreat
2026-12-11 09:30 - 16:00 | Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center, 1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD, 21104, United States
We’re so sorry, but the presenter originally scheduled to facilitate this retreat is unable to join us. We still plan to offer a Grief Retreat on this date. Please check back soon for an updated description and presenter bio.
Program description and presenter information coming soon. Thanks for your patience and understanding!

Journeying to the Heart of the Nativity with a Celtic Spirit
2026-12-12 09:30 - 16:00 | Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center, 1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD, 21104, United States
As you set your intentions this Advent to honor the Incarnation of God’s Love and celebrate the holiday season, what would it be like to do so with a Celtic spirit? What graces and gifts could be waiting for you at the heart of the Nativity by incorporating some of the rituals, music, and perspectives of the ancient Celtic way into your annual traditions?
Join us for a day-long retreat that invites you to explore Celtic spirituality with its intimate connection to the heartbeat of God and Mother Earth and its reverencing of the returning light at the Winter Solstice. Throughout the program, participants will be engaged in cherished Celtic legends about the birth of Christ and their intersection with various Christian saints from this tradition. Additionally, time will be spent participating in practices from Celtic spirituality that touch both the senses and the soul while offering moments for creating personal meaning.
During each of these activities and exercises, participants will have opportunities for contemplation and prayer, group dialogue, and mirthful expression related to all that is explored personally and within community. While this retreat is similar in theme to last year’s Celtic Advent retreat, the content offered will be different. Participants from the 2025 retreat are encouraged to register if interested. Lunch is included. Guided by Gordon Creamer.
In the Celtic spirit of blessing others:
The Light of the Christmas Star to you, the warmth of home and hearth to you, the hope of a childlike heart to you, and the joy of a thousand angels to you…

Gordon Creamer, MA, creator of the Mission Bridge, currently serves as Program Director at Well for the Journey, a spiritual wellness center in Lutherville, MD. As a contemplative theologian and creative builder, he has held leadership roles in healthcare programming and operations since 2001 at various assisted living, skilled nursing, and hospice communities. He earned a Master of Arts in Spiritual & Pastoral Care from Loyola University and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Ecumenical Institute of St. Mary’s Seminary & University. Currently, he is a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry Program at the Ecumenical Institute. Gordon has facilitated numerous retreats and workshops that focus on creating opportunities for participants to explore and enhance their spirituality and well-being through various media and formats. He also participates as a peer group leader in the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation’s Transforming Community Program. His passions include uplifting the journey of adults, individuals with memory impairment, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as fostering support groups and programs for caregivers and those who are grieving losses. Trained as a spiritual director/companion, end-of-life doula, and Reiki practitioner, Gordon welcomes all in discovering the spiritual life as a means of healing, expanding, and flourishing. For more information, visit TheMissionBridge.com.

In-Person, Evening Centering Prayer Session
2026-12-22 19:00 - 20:00
Held IN PERSON on the

2nd and 5th Tuesdays of the month, 1-2pm and
4th Tuesday of the month, 7-8pm.

For these in-person sessions, registration is required and preferred in advance.
(Virtual Zoom sessions will be the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 1-2pm. Register for Virtual Sessions by emailing facilitator Amy Sorensen Kulesa at kulesa.neshama@gmail.com.)
Centering Prayer is a form of Christian contemplative prayer, in which one abides in the Presence of God in interior silence. Centering Prayer emphasizes the indwelling Presence of the Holy Trinity within and among us, and our openness, through receptive silence and restful surrender, to God’s action and healing grace. For our one-hour sessions, we will gather to pray together in silence, attentive to the stillness within, and reflect together on readings related to our prayer life. The sessions are relaxed and informal. You are invited to dress comfortably and use a meditation cushion, if you would like.
Facilitation for each Centering Prayer session will be led by an experienced member of the group, both staff and from the community. We follow a consistent format from week to week, with variability each session in the reflective reading that is shared. Coordinated by Amy Sorensen Kulesa.

New Year’s Eve Retreat
2026-12-31 09:30 - 16:00 | Bon Secours Retreat & Conference Center, 1525 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD, 21104, United States
Humor and Laughter: Divine Gifts
Finding humor in both the joyful experiences and challenging situations in life — and embracing the freedom to laugh — are important elements of a healthy and balanced spirituality. The closing of one year and the opening of a new is a wonderful opportunity to explore our spiritual life through these elements. On this threshold of “what has been and what will be,” we will explore how the joyful sound of laughter calls us to action. We will discuss where humor can be a powerful testimony. We will answer together what it means to be a collective chorus and how we can make laughter an intentional practice. Bring the joys and sorrows of the year as we join with friends, old and new, to reflect, heal, look forward, and yes, have more than a few laughs! Lunch is included.
Andrea Springer, MA has spent many years in executive administration and formation. She is a graduate of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, now Notre Dame of Maryland University, with both Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Liberal Arts and Religious Studies. In addition to being a graduate of the University, she is an adjunct faculty member. Andrea designs and facilitates workshops and retreats for a variety of organizations and has been a popular presenter for Women’s Wellness and other Bon Secours retreats.
