Dear Friends,

At our last POINT Interfaith Team Meeting, Jeff Blanton, founder and President of the Blanton Group, spoke to us about how he is dedicated to guiding business professionals to find the meaning of work by aligning their personal purpose, calling and passion to what they do. We had a thought provoking discussion on bringing faith, spirituality and values into the work place, and business environment.

This idea reminded me of when I began a “prayer time” at my last school before retirement. I know religion in schools is frowned upon and kept separate unless it is a parochial school. I was fortunate to get permission from the principle to have it once a week for the teachers early in the morning, well before school began. It was a beautiful experience for the few of us who met consistently. We were of different faiths and yet we prayed for the well being of each other and the school, teachers and parents. I have not heard of any other teacher doing this, and hopefully there are others implementing an inclusive prayer time for teachers in other schools around the nation and globe.

My question is, why can’t we bring in the idea of authentically pursuing company goals with core values guiding the way in the business world!? All faith traditions have core values of love, peace, compassion, kindness, integrity, and ethics. Jeff said the companies who have core values as part of their mission are successful and prosperous. I would think meetings and business proposals could be based on the good of all parties, rather than making one the winner and the other the loser. When it is a WIN WIN, everyone is happier, works harder and better.

What job/occupation do you have? How are you bringing your core faith values into the decision making process wherever you work and whatever you do?
Government
Real Estate
Businesses local and national
Profit/ Non-Profit
Stores
Restaurants
Medical offices/hospitals
Schools
Police, Fire
and more…..

Questions:
How are you lifting up, encouraging, respecting each other in your work place?
Are you honoring the different faiths knowing some people will need time off for their holy days?

Are you aware and sensitive to food preferences/needs whether they are religious, vegan or vegetarian?

Are you promoting positive talk with people and stepping in to stop implicit racist/bias talk?

How are you showing you care for the PERSON who works for you?
He/she is not just a place holder in a chair in an open office area. This is a person with a life outside the office, with family, friends, a gender preference, a faith community, and sacred traditions.

Are you honoring all people regardless of faith, gender, race or culture?

And again, how are you bringing your personal core values to work and allowing them to guide your words and way each day?

Roy Disney said,
“It is not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.”

Practicing Our Values,
Abigail and Steve

March 30, 2021

Dear Friends,

Our hearts go out to all the family and friends of those who died in the horrific mass shootings in Georgia and in Boulder the past two weeks.

The ALL FAITH CENTER stands in solidarity with people of all colors, ethnicities, cultures and faiths.
We are all ONE Humanity and our inhuman cruelty must end. The .01% that appears to make us “different” is inconsequential.
“Race is a Social Concept, Not a Scientific One. Data show that the DNA of any two human beings is 99.9 percent identical, and we all share the same set of genes…”
https://www.livescience.com/47627-race-is-not-a-science-concept.html
There is no validity to the term “race.” The concept of race is manmade.

It is time for those who hate “differences” to wake up and realize, Spirit, the Divine, God, Allah, however you wish to call our Creator, does not take sides, shows no preference, sees no differences and Loves us equally. It is our job to love equally as well. That is why we are here on earth. For God is in ALL of us! Essential values are inherent in all faith traditions. Humanists, agnostics and atheists also hold kindness and compassion in the highest esteem. We are all human, living on the same earth connected together in the Divine Web of Life.

As we pray for those suffering loss, we must pray for all those who have thoughts of hatred and killing. We are ONE Family and our prayers influence everyone in the field of mind.

We are at the brink of transformation and transmutation. Light a candle and say a prayer for all of humanity to evolve into a higher consciousness of love, compassion, kindness and peace.

In Oneness,
Abigail and Steve

March 23, 2020

Dear Friends,

“We are all CELLS in the body of God.”
Deepak Chopra
(quote shared from
Rev. Michelle Medrano)

“I am a LINK in the chain of creation….”
Detra Johnson RScP (April Science of Mind magazine)

I love these beautiful truths. It is so important to really feel like a cell, a link, in our humanity. Every cell has its place in the body, designed to do and be itself. Each cell is needed for the body to function. When one cell goes down, all cells are affected. When one cell is infected, all cells come to its aid to help it heal. We need to remember that our souls and our bodies are here for each other. We need to care for each other in the body of God.

Nature is teaching us, we as humans are completely connected to each other, to the environment, and to animals. As you can see in the picture above, the roots of the trees are all connected. They feel each others pain and joy. When one hurts, they all hurt. We can also see the hurt of people everyday, when we read the papers and watch TV. We cannot say, “Oh that is not me…” I say, YES it is me. I am ONE with and as that person. I am not separate. Animals are also entwined and connected to us. When we see elephants, whales, dolphins and other animals being hurt, abused or killed, it affects us. They too are important cells in the body of God. We are linked to them as well.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.”
How can we help and support our brothers and sisters, who have less than us, How can we help bring a little joy to them and to our animal friends, and mother nature? What is ours to do?

Each one of us must make the decision to lend our support.
We can:

Say daily prayers,
Light a candle,
Give financially to organizations that: help cloth and feed the homeless,
care for animals, work to preserve our environment.
Protest peacefully for causes that support equity and equality.
Write letters to your government officials on pending laws and legislation.
Write letters to your local newspapers expressing your opinion.
Read stories to children about our oneness and connectedness with all.
Take a walk among the trees and listen to their wisdom.

What other action fills and moves your heart?

As you take action, affirm:
I am a cell in the body of God.
I am a link in the chain of creation.
I give to and support others, for others are myself.

In Oneness,
Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,

We have all heard the spiritual phrase,
“We Are All Connected!” Sometimes we hear it and say it so often, we lose touch with the actual meaning.
Eugene Holden, RScP said,
“There is nothing we can look at that is not connected to us. The mere act of seeing an object connects us to it.
This holds true for the sounds we hear, the fragrances we smell and the things we physically touch.”
(SoM March Magazine)

I love the quote above as well, which says, “We are all Connected.
Our actions are like waves touching all things.” I like to think of the waves being sacred. I felt a sacred connection as
I sat beneath my beautiful Blue Spruce tree this morning. I put my hand on its branch and felt connected through touch.
I felt connected to the hummingbird who came near me with its sweet humming sound. I felt connected to the new flowers
I planted smelling their fragrance while standing near to them. My energy went forth from my eyes, ears, and nose as well as my heart and mind.
My whole body was a sacred wave connecting with and touching all things.

Even when picking up a book, there is a wave of connecting energy between
our hand, heart, eyes. Everything and everyone is waving energy. We are continually sending this wave to everyone and all things.
Every wave is SACRED. You are a sacred influencer. Consider today, what energy wave is going forth from you…. a wave of love, joy, peace, forgiveness,
or is your wave one of anxiety, anger, frustration or fear?

Everything blossoms with the wave of LOVE enfolding and encircling them. Not only does this apply for people we love, nature, pets, plants,
it applies to those we do not like. If we could stop a moment and send a kind thought to a person who is completely opposite in thought, word and deed as you, it will be felt. We are so connected EVERYTHING is felt. Perhaps that one kind word or thought will influence the person in a way we could not imagine.

Today let us be a SACRED WAVE OF LOVE in ACTION with our heart, mind, eyes, ears, nose and hands, so that every part of us connects,
and is a Loving influence in the world!

March 2, 2020

Dear Friends,

Last Saturday we attended (via zoom) the retirement of a minister friend who founded and served her church center for 30 years. It was a lovely honoring of her and all she has done.
It was a celebratory evening and the celebration is over. Now what!
We know the idea of “Retirement” can be hard for some people, while others relish in the thought of creating a new purpose and life. I like to think of retirement as “reinventing” ones wheel of life. I certainly have had several “reinventions,” from:
• Retiring from 20 years of elementary teaching to ministry
• Child Centered Church ministry to Family Spiritual Center
• FSC to Interfaith Services
• Interfaith Services to Executive Director of POINT Interfaith Team.
Everyday I “retire” the day before and “reinvent” myself in the new day!

It does not matter whether we are in a pandemic, we still have the Creative Urge and Pull within us to be and do what is ours to do. What is calling you? What are you ready to RETIRE from in your life. What no longer serves you?
What makes you happy? What have you put on a shelf for the past few years? Rev. Dr. Kenn Gordon, former CSL Leader said he is, “Retired and Rewired.”

Can we rewire ourselves and feel excitement about NEWNESS in our lives? Everyday we have the opportunity to retire ideas, projects, and reinvent or rewire ourselves into someone and something new.
Maybe it is time to create a new VISION BOARD!
Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith is a leader in Visioning. and he suggests we ask three questions of ourselves:
• What must I release?
• What must I embrace/embody?
• What must I become?
Rev. Jane Beach suggests we ask:
• What’s the one change I can make today that would improve my life?
• What activities make me happiest?
• When I look back, how will I know I have truly lived my life?
Your Vision Board can be as elaborate as pasting pictures, symbols and words on a large cardboard poster. It can be as simple as drawing simple figures, words, ideas in your morning journals. The physicality of cutting, pasting, and drawing solidifies your vision and your reinvention.

Remember, EVERY day is a NEW day and we are here to use and be the God Power within us. Life is precious. Let us live it the way we wish. Retire what no longer serves or is useful to us. Reinvent, rewire and expand our life journey in consciousness and action.

Visioning a New Way,
Abigail and Steve

Dear Friends,
On my walk I noticed a row of trees, which all looked the same, and yet when I got closer they were different. The branches, the tree trunk, the roots all were different, and yet they were of the same tree line. Isn’t that like us? We all look a little different yet, we are all human from the God line.
Take this step further, and all religions may look different yet they all come from the God line. God brought forth wisdom to saints, messiahs, prophets,
not the other way around. Who is to say, one is better than the other.

I watched a wonderful webinar by a colleague, Dr. Jim Kenney, who talked about the first and second Axial Ages. He believes, as do I, we are moving forward towards, and partially in, the second Axial Age. In a nutshell, the first age is tribal and the second age is global. Our consciousness is expanding and enlightening with thoughts that move outside our borders, whether they be religion, state, or country. Of course there is always a span of consciousness in any age. Our goal is to reach and become an awakened global conscious society. He clarified the words, “Inclusivism” and “Pluralism” for me. I had actually thought they were the same. He said:
“Inclusivity is accepting of all faith traditions,
and yet we still think ours is the best.
Pluralism goes beyond inclusivity where we realize another’s faith path/tradition is just as valid as our own.”

When I looked at those beautiful trees, each was magnificent in itself. All religions are magnificent in themselves. They give us grounding and purpose. There does come a time when we expand and look at the good and magnificence of other traditions and begin to incorporate some beliefs and practices into our own. When we do, we are moving toward Global Consciousness. In time maybe being Spiritual, with all the values of all traditions, will become more important than religiosity with its rules, laws
and creeds.

HEADING to the HUB of GOD
The Rim is where we are set in our fundamental religious ways. As we open to learning about each other, we begin to journey to the center where GOD is the Hub. At this point all religions and spiritual practices are valid and Love is the core. (Kenney) Rumi said:
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field and I will meet you there.”
Pluralism is the Hub, the field, where we all realize, no one and no religion is better than another. We meet there with mutual love and respect.

Dear Friends,
Believe it or not, we are in FEBRUARY, the month of sweetness, love and Valentine’s Day. Today let us imagine a      Circle of Love
where everyone holds each others hands with the intent to always drop hands to let another person into the circle. Imagine the
circle becoming wider and wider and people laughing, singing, chanting with joy and love for one another.

Let us all imagine the circle surrounding the earth and all that love radiating out into the world and universe. Imagine the angels
smiling on us and joining in the celebration!
This Circle of Love is inclusive, so no one is left out.
All are welcome, all races, nationalities, cultures, ethnicities, immigrants, genders, young, old, in-between, homeless, the good and the bad.
For we are All God’s children, loved without preference or favoritism. The Oneness, the safety, the security, the connection,
the non-judgement and Unity is felt by all.
What a wonderful world we would live in. Let us make it happen!!!

THE HILL WE CLIMB

Amanda Gorman, Youth Poet Laureat shared her beautiful poem,
“The Hill We Climb”

Dear Friends,

It was a beautiful inauguration day for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. It feels like we have America back in balance, truth and integrity again. Let us keep our President and Vice President in our prayers as they restructure our society to be inclusive, equal, diverse, and compassionate, for people of all colors, nationalities, ethnicities, genders, and gender preferences, EVERYONE!

I feel like our new leaders are role modeling from the top down, the ideas of communication, collaboration, and uplifting the wide strengths, skills and wisdom of diverse people to help lead this democratic country. We again have leapt forward in consciousness as we did in 2008 with President Obama. Unfortunately the old ways and old paradigm took over for 4 years, where divisiveness, exclusivity and autocracy was thought the only way to run our country. However the old ways must change to allow the new paradigm to come in, democracy to flourish, so all can benefit and prosper.

The NEW is really not knew but ancient spiritual wisdom. We are all one people in, as
and of God. Each one is loved and unique.
Each one is “the individualization of the One Spirit and all people are individualizations of the One Spirit.” (What We Believe by Ernest Holmes).
Let us continue to BE this High Consciousness of Inclusivity, Equality, and Diversity and DO what we must do to insure these ideals in our family, friendships, work places, churches, centers, mosques, temples, synagogues, organizations and charities.

Consciously,
Abigail and Steve