Floral-themed evening of prayer at Stella Niagara's Center of Renewal

To celebrate the beauty of late spring transitioning into summer, the Center of Renewal at Stella Niagara is inviting all interested Western New Yorkers to “Flowers In Bloom: God’s Insight for Our Lives” from 4:45-8 p.m. Thursday, June 1, as part of the new ongoing “Evening of Prayer” series.

Organizers said, “This mini-retreat will include an enjoyable dinner, prayers, personal reflection, and relevant discussions facilitated by Nancy P. Askins, Ph.D., executive director, Center of Renewal at Stella Niagara.

“This unique topic will feature numerous scriptural references to flowers replete with discussions of the relevance and symbolic correlations of flowers in our spiritual lives.

“Flowers are a beautiful reminder of our glorious God and creation. In the Bible, flowers have been cited as symbolism for beauty, growth, the environment, fullness, and more.

“As part of a special discussion, retreat participants are asked to bring one or two artificial flowers and/or leaves on a stem, or a favorite photo of flowers (but please, no real flowers since many people have allergies). There is no need to purchase artificial flowers if you have none at home; however, some extras will be available to borrow for this retreat activity.”

Preregistrations are required to ensure adequate meals, seating, and materials. Call 716-754-7376, ext. 1, to preregister by May 18. Reservations after May 18 will be subject to availability, so call first to confirm space.

The Center of Renewal Retreat & Conference Center at Stella Niagara operates as an interfaith retreat facility. It is sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Penance and Christian Charity, Holy Name Province. For more information, visit www.stellaniagararetreats.org.