Irish Community for Christian Meditation

List of activities to mark the 25th anniversary

This list has been brainstormed by a number of meditators from Halifax/Dartmouth, Ottawa and Winnipeg. There was a high level of energy in each group as we were following our creativity. As you read this list with your group, use the following examples as a starting point, allowing yourself to modify them, letting your own creativity add others!

1. Prepare and give a talk on the life and teaching of John Main (see notes included).
2. At your parish, offer to give the homily, focusing on Christian meditation.
3. Organize a cottage retreat for your meditation group or other type of retreat or special day.
4. Contact the retreat centre closest to you and give them a book or a CD by John Main or Laurence Freeman.
5. Invite a priest or minister to your meditation group.
6. Invite a priest to give the book The Prayer of the Priest to his/her bishop.
7. As a group, support the WCCM by becoming a Friend (brochure is included).
8. Sponsor one of your group members to attend the Canadian National Conference or the John Main Seminar 2007.
9. Obtain one of the videos on Christian meditation and view it with your group (list is included).
10. Present Christian meditation to a group of school teachers.
11. Prepare a pot luck with your group before or after your meditation and look at pictures of John Main’s life.
12. Submit an article on John Main for your local paper (sample article is included).
13. In your church bulletin, insert an article on John Main and his legacy of Christian meditation.
14. Suggest the key books by Laurence Freeman and John Main to your local library.
15. Plant a tree in a special place to honour the memory of John Main.
16. Create a quiet and sacred space in your garden.
17. Prepare a display on John Main and Christian meditation for diocesan events.
18. Where there are several meditation groups in an area, mark a special week by organizing a series of talks each evening for a week, culminating with a pot luck on the last day, possibly followed by an Irish party!
19. Participate in an interfaith event or organize one.
20. Visit another meditation group and also invite them to visit you.
21. Organize an evening for the general public, invite a speaker from outside your immediate area.
22. Reach out to special groups like AIDS patients, correctional services, etc.
23. Plan a special evening on a specific theme, e.g. meditation and music, meditation and yoga, or meditation and something else.
24. Invite former participants of your group for a special evening.
25. Organize a prayer vigil on December 30th.
26. Start a new group.
27. Invite a meditator who knew John Main to give a testimonial.
28. Create an art or craft work to celebrate this anniversary.
29. Offer a series of three introductory talks on Christian meditation during Lent or Advent.
30. Read or re-read the book John Main by Those Who Knew Him, edited by Paul Harris.