he Contemplative Parish Project is a collaborative initiative on the part of the World Community for Christian Meditation and the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles

It is a Trinity Grant funded Project for the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese.

The project had its beginnings in meetings between Fr. Laurence Freeman, OSB, Director and Spiritual Guide of the World Community for Christian Meditation and J Jon Bruno, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. 

A theological basis for the project can be found in Laurence Freeman’s article entitled The Contemplative Parish.  Here, a contemplative parish means a local Christian Community, which has learned to integrate and balance the active and contemplative aspects of the gospel life. 

Laurence Freeman suggests two  “simple things” which can be done to help in the development of a contemplative parish. The first is active encouragement and support by church leadership of a weekly meditation group in parishes.  Second is to offer a place in the parish where regular morning and evening meditation periods are held  near the main place of worship, but in an atmosphere dedicated to silence.

Supported and encouraged by Episcopal Bishop J Jon Bruno, Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Laurence Freeman, Ben Levine, meditation coordinator for Los Angeles, CA, led in the development of a grant request. The request was submitted to Trinity, New York, Episcopal Church Grants Program.  It asked Trinity Episcopal to fund a Contemplative Parish Project in the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese.

In February 2005, Ben Levine received welcome news that Trinity, New York, had awarded $90,000 over three years to the World Community for Christian Meditation, Calabasas, CA to support the Contemplative Parish Project in the Diocese of Los Angeles.  The award was given under the Trinity category of “Spiritual Formation and Development”.             

The project in the Los Angeles Diocese is conceived as having an ecumenical dimension. Episcopal parishes are given priority in all aspects of the project.  Other Christian parishes who request participation are also being served.

The work distribution is similar in each of the three potential years of the grant.  The scope of the work for Year One is covered here.

Contact Us:
California Meditation Center, Holy Nativity Episcopal Church
6700 West 83rd Street, Westchester, CA, 90045
Phone: (310) 641-1164
wccm-ca@sbcglobal.net