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Contemplation Lab: A Weekly Contemplative Prayer Group in Austin
Updated: 3 days ago
September through December | Every Monday, 6–7:15 pm | Parlor, Adult Education Bldg. | Oak Hill UMC in Southwest Austin (campus map)
A lot of us want more of God than our schedules seem to allow. Not more information, not more meetings. Just a weekly space to be with God. If that sounds familiar, the Contemplation Lab is for you!
The Contemplation Lab is a weekly gathering for anyone who wants to slow down and practice being with God — not just learning about God. We call it a "lab" because we're experimenting together. Nobody has to be good at this. Nobody has to have done it before.
What an evening looks like
Each week follows the same simple rhythm:
Centering prayer — settling into silence together, letting the noise of the day fall away, consenting to God's presence already within us.
A guided contemplative practice — rooted in the month's focus and drawn from the deep wells of Christian spiritual tradition.
Reflection and sharing — always optional, never pressured.
You don't need experience. You don't need to be good at silence. (Nobody is, at first.) You don't need to have your theology sorted out or your life together.
Fall 2026 Schedule
SEPTEMBER | Ignatian Contemplation
Ignatius of Loyola invited people to pray with their imagination, to step inside a Gospel story and let it happen to you. Where are you standing? What do you hear? What does Jesus say when he turns and looks at you? It's prayer that engages the whole self, and it has a way of making familiar scripture new again.
OCTOBER | Praying with the Psalms
Raw, honest, and beautiful, the Psalms teach us how to cry out, how to praise, and how to wait on God. They give us words for the seasons when we don't have our own — including the ones we're not sure we're allowed to say out loud.
NOVEMBER | Walking the Labyrinth
All month, we take our practice outside and let our feet do the praying. Labyrinth walking is an ancient Christian form of prayer. Pilgrims who could not travel to Jerusalem walked labyrinths in the great cathedrals of Europe as a form of sacred journey. There is something quietly powerful about letting your body do what your heart is trying to do: find the center, rest there, and return.
(In September and October, we'll also close each month with a labyrinth walk on the last Monday.)
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 | Advent Labyrinth Walk by Candlelight
Our gift to the whole church — and to you.
Picture our labyrinth lit up with hundreds of lights. Walking a lighted path in the December night is about as fitting an Advent prayer as we can imagine: the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. We'll meet at 6 pm at the outdoor chapel area and then walk at 6:30 pm.
Bring a friend. Bring your family! Stay tuned for more info!
THE REST OF DECEMBER | Rest
We take our own advice. The Lab goes on break for the remainder of the month so we can be present to Advent, to family, and to the holy work of doing nothing in particular. We'll be back in January.
Why we call it a 'lab'
We call it a lab on purpose. A lab is where you try things. Some practices will fit you like they were made for you; others won't, and that's genuinely fine. Nobody is grading you. We're all just experimenting our way toward a God who's already here.
When and where
Mondays from 6:00–7:15 p.m. | Parlor, Adult Education Building | Oak Hill UMC, 7815 US-290, Austin, TX 78736.
Come once. Come every week. Just come join us!
You can drop in for a single evening when you need to slow down. You can come for one month because a particular practice catches your attention. But if you're looking for a place to actually land this fall — a small, steady, judgment-free group where silence is honored and sharing is always optional — we'd love for you to make this your place.
No registration required. No experience necessary. Newcomers always welcome.
Curious about the practices we explore at Contemplation Lab? Our free guide, 7 Contemplative Prayer Practices, introduces centering prayer, lectio divina, labyrinth walking, and more, with simple instructions and resources so you can try them at home between gatherings.
Fall 2026 flyer
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