Ministerial Miscellany November 2021
I have been thinking about compassion lately. I read the writings of several spiritual teachers, but I think it is Aaron, (coming through Barbara Brodsky) who says: “if you have compassion, forgiveness is not needed.” Others think of compassion as the step beyond forgiveness, and we must take one step at a time. But I think these ideas are intertwined and complementary. Forgiveness can come through more easily and spiritually if we can “step into another’s shoes”, if we can be aware of the pain of another that creates a situation necessary to forgive. Sometimes it may not even be the pain, but just pure lack of awareness of our common humanity. We are less likely to create a difficult situation if we are aware of how deeply connected, we are to each other, every one of us, those we like and those we do not. You may hear me say on a Sunday morning “Each one of us is part of, and necessary for, the healing of the world”.

At the same time, one true gift is one we give ourselves, forgiving ourselves when we know that we have done something that may have hurt someone. We are less likely to forgive another if we have not forgiven ourselves. Let’s decide now: We shall forgive ourselves for not being the ones we thought we should be. We shall forgive, let go, and move forward. That attitude and intention helps us create a great life for ourselves and each other.

Finding a good life at Interfaith is totally possible. All our events have their links on the Welcome page of our website: interfaithspirit.org. Some events meet in person, but not all. This month a few special events are coming up:
Nov. 13th, Cafe 704 with Eric and Mary Fithian and some of their many musical friends. 7-9PM. Come sing and dance (and wear masks for safety)
Nov. 27th, 1-3PM, We will be stuffing Holiday Gift Mugs for sale on Dec. 11 & 12. (At Cafe 704 and the next day after Sunday Service.)
Finally: Keep an eye out for our end of year letter in which you will see all the good stuff we have accomplished at Interfaith this year, and which includes an opportunity for a special donation. Blessings to all, Annie

Ministerial Miscellany October 2021

Recently at Interfaith I was talking about opening our hearts. We need to think about this to make our lives a little gentler, more peaceful, and full of the light that we are radiating all the time.
I guess I should speak for myself when I say: “we spend a lot of time judging and resisting which produces discomfort in our bodies.” I talked about opening to what is happening with those things that confront us in our face every day: the people around us, the things going wrong in our homes, our cars, our animals, and our issues with food. There are truly countless opportunities every day to openly change our attitudes about what we live with, not to mention who we think we are. Can you notice what happens to your body when you are offering resistance and judgement? Just notice your thoughts. Then let them go, without judging yourself for thinking this way.
Then sometimes you may think, how can I do this in my world that is in such bad shape? Then, again, how can I not choose the beauty and the love that is right here with all the other stuff? You and I are truly brighter than the sun, filled with a light that cannot hurt our eyes. See this light. We know it and do not wish to see it, or as Marianne Williamson says, “are afraid of it.” Let’s look gently at that fear, and let it go, for our own good. Bring forth the peace.

Have a great October. These days there is a beautiful crescent moon in the East before sunrise in clear weather. Join us for all the opportunities at Interfaith to let your light shine! Check for classes and events that bring us all happiness and joy. Most of them are listed right on the first page of our website. Cafe 704, Saturday the 9th of October at 7 pm, will fill you with the music of Nutshell – including Linda Teaman, Tom Voiles, Glen Simon, Susie Lorand and Josh Burdick. The concert may be attended in person or via livestream on Zoom. (details on the Café 704 page of this website.)

Sending Blessings of Light! Annie

Ministerial Miscellany September 2021
Good Luck, or not?

Do some people, even friends of ours, seem to have all the luck and others seem to be a magnet for misfortune? Yes, probably. Are we ever going to stop comparing ourselves to others? No, probably not. How many times have you said to yourself, “there but for the grace of God go I”. These eternal questions are not about luck at all, or whether or not we believe in the favoritism of God, but I think they are about the kind of meaning that we have ascribed to the greater landscape of our lives.

I think about the struggles of my young life, and I think this is where we begin a life-long attitude, as a “ground of creation” for our future selves. More than anything else, I remember reading a hundred books in seventh grade, maybe it was seventh and eighth grades combined, but it was a lot of books! Altogether, these had a great influence on my life, and what I began to think it meant to be alive. I learned that some things that happened made me feel good, and some things made me feel horrible, and that I could be moving forward no matter what I had to go through to get there. Still doing that, 65 years later. In only a vague kind of way do I remember my Spirit self with me all that time, but it certainly was.

We make our own luck by being in the right state of mind to perceive and take advantage of opportunities that are all around us all the time. The opportunity to laugh, be loving, not take things too seriously and notice what we are curious about. What is it we will want to explore today?

Speaking of exploring, Interfaith has so many events and groups that meet every week both on Zoom and some returning in person, wearing masks. All of our events are right there on the website, easy to find, easy to sign up (if necessary).

This month Cafe 704 is on the 11th of September starting at our new time of 7:00 p.m. and features the group: PATH with Chris Hedly (Songwriter & Guitarist), Tim Prosser (Mandolin), Scott McQuinney (Harmonica) and Don Allen (Percussion). Click on the Cafe 704 Coffeehouse link at the right of this page to sign up if you plan to come in person or to order your tickets if you prefer the Livestream on Zoom.

Blessings, Annie

Ministerial Miscellany ~ August 2021

Listening to YouTube the other day I came upon a piece by Esther Hicks and Abraham about our self-talk, something I think we do all day long. Do we really understand how easy and destructive it can be to be negative. It is my habit when I wake up each morning and wonder how much my muscles will be aching. Soon I silently express the gratitude I feel for waking up and feeling quite good in this old body of mine. Ever since I went to Santa Fe, New Mexico to live, 42 years ago, and joined the Santa Fe Church of Religious Science, I have understood how important positive affirmations are to our state of mind and general feeling of well being. I believe all is well, no matter what the world looks like. Spirit is alive and well and living through us. We are making daily choices about how this will be.
In the piece on YouTube, Abraham took this awareness up another notch for me which I share with you (converted into “Thank You’s”):
Thank you for many new expansive ideas you bring me today.
Thank you for bringing me to places I love.
Thank you for helping me visit with others who love as I do.
Thank you for making me aware of my power.
Thank you for guiding me to thoughts in harmony with my core desires.
And, Thank you for sending me evidence of how this all works in delicious humorous ways for the goodness of all beings.

Click here https://bit.ly/interfaith-aug5 to purchase your tickets for a very special concert IN PERSON concert at the Center with Bob Sima and Shannon Plummer, Thursday, August 5th at 7 p.m. entitled: “Where the Light Gets In”

Please note that Layla will no longer be sending out a weekly email listing all of our events. Everything will be on our website; interfaithspirit.org.

Have a very happy August,
Blessings,
Annie

Ministerial Miscellany July 2021

Happy 4th of July and a celebration of our freedom! Life will always make sure that we all continue to grow and change and adapt to something new. The circumstances differ for each of us according to our age, activities, desires, finances, hopes, circumstances, and just about anything else that you can think of!
And it is all a gift! Imagine that! Some of these recent gifts I do not like at all! A few months ago I found this quote from Winston Churchill “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” I do not think I have spent my life preparing for crises, but there is no question I have accepted some deeper challenges, so I do feel prepared for just about anything. The only thing necessary for us of course, is to be prepared spiritually. I really do spend some time each day in quiet. Contemplating “disaster” is not “planning” for it, but taking a bit of time to see the bigger picture of our lives is quite invaluable. I don’t care how positive you are, someday you will die, just like the rest of us. Nonetheless, we need to make sure that we observe the positive aspects of our lives and of the Spirit that makes it possible. We are the Spirit that makes it possible! We are that Spirit, exploring and expanding, creating and recreating human and spiritual reality, and that will go on forever. Let’s love each other and have a lot of fun!

Blessings, Annie

P.S. Join us at Interfaith or on Zoom for all the activities of our loving and vibrant community! (Many are or soon will be returning in person.) Every Monday afternoon, Layla Ananda keeps us up to date, sending out a list to our group email and posting on our website Interfaithspirit.org.

Ministerial Miscellany June 2021

Recently, at one of our group gatherings on Zoom, someone commented that she is glad she has been able to attend services at Interfaith as it’s in alignment with her spiritual direction. She said, “It is good to be fed.” I loved this idea. To be spiritually fed, and to be able to spiritually feed others, takes conscious awareness, ample love, a sense of serving others, and broad intention of deep being and living with gratitude. What are we doing with each other that is spiritually feeding ourselves and each other? First, we are reflecting the true spirit that we are. In that radiance, in that luminescence of another, we identify and honor ourselves.

Another one of the great things about the people I interact with at Interfaith, is that we seem to be able to relax and let go in any moment of what we think should be true and go with the moment as it is and as we are. It is one of our greatest gifts, to let go and let God. Another great gift is to be able to listen to each other. Listening is not a given, we train ourselves to do this as we balance our own needs with those of others, and as we become one with one another, for a few moments, or many moments. Next time you feel someone really deeply listening to what you say, savor it, and see how you feel. It can be transcendent. Honor yourself in that moment. With gratitude we give and with gratitude we receive.

We have events and classes (some returning to in-person) that will keep you connected to your Interfaith community. All are listed on our website: Interfaithspirit.org including instructions to join our email list, if you have not done that already. Layla Ananda sends out an email every Monday containing all the Zoom links you will need for the week. Please join us. Many Blessings, Annie

P.S. We will return to in-person on Sunday mornings gradually. Watch for emails.

Ministerial Miscellany May 2021

It is May 2nd already. I usually write this and pass it on to Heide sooner for our newsletter, but I am glad I didn’t. I get to think more about the talk today (Sunday) from Mara Evenstar. I have been getting more emotionally moved by our services lately, and today was no exception. I had to get up at one point and walk across the room to move a box of tissues closer to me.

It seems that everyone is showing up to do very high levels of service at this time. I feel deeper and deeper levels of meaning and intention are showing up at our services and pouring out of those of us willing to be channels for deeper love than we can imagine. We are being one with each other, and allowing the expressions of our love. I know what it means when they say “We are all in this together”, that we deeply need each other to come through this particular virus event together, and to know that truth we must each take in that idea, acknowledge healing is happening, and make it happen for ourselves. For although the reminders of all that we are and have come together to share come from one another, the reality that enables it to happen is our Spiritual Loving Self deep within.

As we begin to open and feel the healing of the increasing warmth in the weather and everywhere in nature, let’s remember it is the same healing and warmth around and within ourselves for each other and the miracles it brings to our shared lives.

Throughout the week many of us attend groups and classes on Zoom. Each week on Monday, Layla Ananda sends out the links to your email. They can be found on the website also: interfaithspirit.org.

Blessings for a really great month.

Annie

HAPPY SPRING!

Today is a really exciting day! I am listening to the trill of the redwing blackbirds at my birdfeeder this morning for the first time this year! You can’t miss them because the sound is so distinct. For me, this is the beginning of Spring! It is the time of year I get outside more, and appreciate the natural world to a much greater degree than in the winter. I become much more tuned in to all the changes, and open up to my inner and outer processes. I complain and criticize less about anything and everything.

Let’s talk about trees. I have been watching the trees; there’s not much change lately, but there will be very soon. They all have blossoms of some kind, with as much variety as our favorite blossoms on the ground, mostly without as much color. We recognize trees as a higher life form. They are connected with each other and the growth of the plants of a whole area through their own unique chemical and fungal underground communication. We human beings help to restore the balance in any area by touching the trees, communicating with the trees and listening to the trees. We heal ourselves and the land. We heal our bodies and we heal our souls. We feel physically restored. This is all about our connection with our spirit, our land, and our love for each other. I ask you to listen, pay attention, be aware. Breathe deeply. You will heal.

We see that all of our events at Interfaith are healing too, in so many ways. We will find the links for the ZOOM sessions come to our email, as long as we have signed up to the group messages. If you have not, go to our website at interfaithspirit.org. Every Monday Layla Ananda sends out all the information you need to stay connected. Thank you, Layla!

Sending Love and Blessings to All, Annie

Don’t tell me how glad you are that 2020 is over. I already know that! Me too. We already know that 2021 will be better. When I hear you say “Happy New Year” it means a lot more to me this year. On Valentines Day I found out I had breast cancer. Less than 2 weeks later, we were hearing very dismal messages about a new rapidly spreading virus, and 2 weeks after that we were required to shelter at home. This meant a halt on my massage therapy work. I must have needed a vacation, so I took it. I decided to take responsibility for all that was happening to me, reaffirm my decision making power, and not become a victim of anything that was happening for any reason. (And at the same time I decided to do everything the doctors told me to do.) I had an opportunity to slow down and become very quiet, more than I had chosen to be in a very long time.

In this new year it is a very good time to do some deeply healing practice and contemplation, whatever that means for each of us. All the tools we need are within us. Listen carefully and creatively. Due to the depth that I seem to need to go in this lifetime of healing, it makes me think that I have not been aware of healing needs in every lifetime. I have probably been exploring many darker choices.

What have we been learning in this time of healing? Laughter is essential. Life itself is the ultimate gift. We are not assured of much of anything else. How we express it is our choice. Attitude is everything. Every little and big challenge takes courage. Practicing trust is a really good idea. We are never alone, and we are very deeply loved, more than we can know.

I am so delighted to know that you know we are all in this together, and we are here to love and support one another. This has been a year of great love for me. Thank you!

Opportunities to show up for yourself and each other come to you via email every Monday afternoon from Layla Ananda, our Webmaster. She lists all the Zoom links for our classes, study groups, socials, and musical opportunities, including Cafe 704, featuring Madcat Ruth in January. They will also be listed on our website: interfaithspirit.org. See you there.

Many blessings for a great New Year! Annie