A Spiritual Publication
Issue # 4
OCT - DEC 2000
Durham, NC

 
ARTICLES: 
Editor's Welcome 

Diane's Welcome 

Serione's Message 

Spiritual Chapel of Inner Light 

Special Olympians, Special Teachers 
 

My heart has opened unto every form. 
It is a pasture for gazelles, 
a cloister for Christian Monks, 
a temple for idols,
the Ka'ba of the pilgrim, 
the tablets of the Torah, 
and the book of the Koran. 
I practice the religion of Love; 
in whatsoever directions its caravans advance, 
the religion of Love shall be my religion 
and my faith. 
-Ibn Arabi-



Editor’s Welcome

Welcome to our fourth issue  and to my favorite time of the year.  Hopefully this issue finds you all well, having survived the personal hurricanes and storms that September brought.  Most everyone I know has had some real interesting things happen in the last month.  Diane's Guides, Serione', warned our congregation one Sunday that this was coming, in an unusual spirit message, but I can explain what an unusual spirit message is in my "Chapel News" article.  If you like what you find in this newsletter, and have internet access, you can read all of the articles from the first three issues archived at our very own website:www.serenityshop.net.   There you will also find more spiritual stuff from Diane and I.   But for now please enjoy this issue, and as always  it is our honor to serve.

NAMASTE
Jeffrey
 
 
 
Diane’s Welcome
 I really like this fall weather in North Carolina.  It is still warm, kinda of like the summers I became accustomed to in Washington State.  We just get a longer summer here :-).
As Jeffrey mentioned, there has been personal and real hurricanes for many people in one form, fashion or the other..  September has been a particularly chaotic month in a lot of ways.  Hang in there, it is the beginning of wind down time.  Jeff and I enjoyed our vacation this summer.  We spent time with some of our friends and family.  Cheryl and Steve are our boating buddies.  These two taught us how to love from the heart and PLAY.  Pat and Duane are a part of our Spiritual quest...they have a ranch in Oregon...and it is such a beautiful, serene place.  All kinds of wild life are abundant on this property and of course they love their animals, in which I thoroughly enjoyed.  The best part of our trip was the relaxation and spending time with our friends and families. These  memories will be cherished forever :-).
In closing, I wish you all a safe,  enjoyable holiday filled with  wonderful memories
With love, Diane
 
 

And the angel said unto them,  
"Fear not! 
For, behold, I bring you  
tidings of great joy," 
Luke 2:10-12


 
With Love, From Spirit
 
The stage has been set for much reward within the next few months.  The last couple have shown many where there heart desires are not.  We would wish that within your hibernation period, you give the gift of life to self regardless of your traditional festivities that are upon you.  Pay particular attention to your truest desires during this time. Enjoy that which is upon you with the greatest reverence.  Life has much to offer for those that are willing to see.  When you get caught up in the robotic states of society, traditions, and obligation - the smallest of life events and gifts will by pass you. These next few months will show you who you are, what you want and what you no longer have the energy for.  When you honor that part of your creation to the fullest, life will benefit you in all ways.  It is much like the autumn on your planet.  The colors have a magnificence and mystery all of their own.  This is such with each of you and the uniqueness that you possess.  As all of creation begins to change it's colors - in the simplest form - it will create atomism with a profound existence.  As these words may seem of general connotation we ask you to search within the depths of humanity and expand your mind and heart to play the melody of the essence of your own being.  The uniqueness and lightness of your ways will bring a sense of peace in its wake.  As a candle ignites and begins to dance within each heart - there will be UNITY......
.
We wish you Love, Light,
 Peace and Joy.
Serione'
 
 

Hope is the pillar of the world.
-- African (Kanuri) Proverb--

Spiritual Chapel of Inner Light
In the Editor’s welcome column, I mentioned a Spirit message from Diane’s Guides.  For those of you, new to our church, something in the way of an explanation is in order.   To some, the concept of Spirit messages may be odd, or even unsettling, but it is a fundamental part of our worship, of ALL of God’s creation.
At the Spiritual Chapel of Inner Light we offer an interfaith, non-specific worship, in the name of Love.  We are currently not aligned with any church or organization so we are truly congregational in nature.  If we tend toward Christianity in some of our platform it is born of familiarity, not an out and out bias.  This is not to say there are not those among us who believe absolutely that Jesus the Christ was the literal incarnation of God on Earth.  But, likewise I would hope that some day we should have members who insist that Mohammed is the Seal of the Prophets and the Koran the single best Book of God’s laws.  I know we have a few closet Buddhists and Taoists who frequent us.  We welcome all who would share their light and wisdom in a loving manner.
Our Church shares some common features of the Modern Spiritualist and Spiritual Science movements.  We, for example, believe in and practice communication with non-corporeal Spiritual beings.  By careful application of natural/spiritual laws and personal discernment, we communicate with those beings who have always been there to assist, comfort, and teach humans since we first began incarnating on this Earth.
These Spiritual beings go by many  names in many belief systems and there are several types of beings as well.  Many are called Angels, Spirit Guides, Ancestors, etc. We can also communicate with the souls of deceased loved ones.  The communication likewise goes by many names, and many modalities.  Some call it channeling (both conscious and unconscious), divination, mediumship, etc. One important and beautiful part of our Sunday service, generally after the lecture, is Spirit greetings or messages.  In Spirit Greetings one or more of our Ministerial staff will offer for Spirit, be it Guides, Angels or Loved ones,  a link to deliver messages to anyone present in the room, think of it as a spiritual internet.  Diane, usually performs  this part of the service, though I am starting to receive and deliver some messages as well.  Diane will typically call out a name, with the preface that if they want to receive the message, they need simply say yes, if they for any reason do not want the message given out in this manner, they need only say no.  It is worthy to note that some who feel they  want the message later in private do usually get it if they  just ask after the service.
Diane’s message one particular Sunday was unusual because Spirit wished to give only one large blanket message that covered all present.  Wewere informed to expect the month of September to bring some personal turmoil, though no particular Hurricanes or general disasters were due for us.  Indeed most of us have had some such individual storms in our lives, but this was not a warning to scare us.  It was an admonishment to see the meaning in these lessons, and to learn from them.  In fact the guidance was more positive than I in my poor recollection am making it sound.  Pity is that we have not yet taped a spirit greetings session, and for reasons of privacy probably won't and Spirit gave us no forewarning that they were going to do this.  Still it was a very uplifting service and welcome message.
To return to the object of the church, I will warn you not to expect too much normality from us.  Our platform decorum, like our dress code is loose and casual.  The scheduled service shown in the pamphlet the day of the service, may change at any given moment based on what we perceive serves the best for the congregation.  Our focus is on what works and what we are guided to offer in that  moment.  In our service, we may borrow exercises, prayers, thoughts and gestures from any of  Love’s beautiful religious embodiments.   Besides, I don’t personally care much for a stagnant church service where it is always the same. After all, we live, we learn and we grow, so it is natural that our forms of worship should evolve as well.  Evolution of our church is really a natural event especially given growth and diversity of our congregation.
If you are interested in what we have to offer, and want to add your unique energy  to ours and see where it takes us, you are welcome on any first and third Sunday of each month, to attend our services. So welcome all children of God, and may the light of Spirit fill your day, your heart and your soul.  Namaste.


Special Olympians, Special Teachers

 Some folks call some of these people "retarded"...  A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash.
At the gun, they all started out, though not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and to win.  All, that is, except for one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbling over a couple of times, before in shame and disappointment he began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy cry, slowed down and looked back.  Then they all turned around and in unison went back.  One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said: "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
Everyone in the stadium rose to their feet and cheered for several minutes.  Many, who were there, were so moved they are still telling the story today.  But why are we so moved and what did these beautiful masters show us that day?
We were moved because they touched something our Creator planted deep inside of us.  Deep down we know that what matters in this life, more than winning for ourselves, is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.



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