Author will speak at Trinity Cathedral
Episcopal priest and best-selling author the Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor will be the featured speaker during the “Insights: A Series of Lectures and Talks” program Sept. 8 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Little Rock.
Taylor’s books include the memoir, Leaving Church, When God Is Silent and An Altar in the World. Her latest book is Learning to Walk in the Dark, which she will talk about during her lecture. In addition to writing, Taylor is professor of religion and philosophy at Piedmont College in Demorest, Ga. She has lectured at various universities, including Emory University in Atlanta; Duke University in Durham, N.C.; Princeton (N.J.) University; and Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the cathedral with a reception following in Morrison Hall. A reception for patrons and sponsors will be held before the lecture. Admission is free but tickets are required and can be acquired at trinitylittlerock.org/events/insights. Patron tickets are $100.
Future speakers in the Insights series include Donald Miller on Oct. 20, Marilynne Robinson on Feb. 22, Lauren Winner on April 22 and Rachel Held Evans on June 3.
The cathedral is at 310 W. 17th St. Information is available by calling (501) 372-0294.
Buddhist center
to host LR retreat
The Ecumenical Buddhist Society of Little Rock will host a Vipassana retreat, “Equanimity in Uncertain Times,” Sept. 16-18.
A free public talk will be held at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 and the retreat will be held 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sept. 17 and 8:30 a.m.-noon Sept. 18. Participants are asked to take a vegetarian sack lunch on the first day. All events will be held in the society’s Meditation Hall at 1516 W. Third St.
The retreat will focus on equanimity and will include alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, as well as time for questions. Participants will also have the opportunity to talk with one of the retreat teachers about their meditation practice. The teachers will be Terry Furstenau and Joe McCormack.
Cost is on a sliding scale based on the participant’s ability to pay, with a minimum cost of $70. The suggested cost is $120. Registration is available by emailing name and address to [email protected]. Scholarship requests are available at the same address. Payments can be mailed to Ecumenical Buddhist Society, Attention: Vipassana Retreat, P.O. Box 561, Little Rock, Ark. 72203.
Information is available by calling (501) 376-7056 or online at ebslr.org.
— Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
St. Scholastica
silent weekend set
Sister Macrina Wiederkehr, a Benedictine nun, author and retreat leader, will present a silent weekend retreat on Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at St. Scholastica Retreat Center, 1205 S. Albert Pike Ave., Fort Smith. The program theme will be “O Beauty Ever Ancient, Ever New.”
Wiederkehr is a member of the religious community at St. Scholastica Monastery, which is part of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. She has written eight books, including Abide: Keeping Vigil With the Word of God, A Tree Full of Angels and The Song of the Seed: A Monastic Way of Tending the Soul.
Retreat participants will spend time in silence and prayer while reflecting on the prayer of St. Augustine. Cost is $195 and includes lodging and meals. Registration is available online at stscho.org/retreat-registration or by calling (479) 783-1135. Deadline to register is Sept. 16.
— Arkansas Democrat-Gazette