| Save the Date! |
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Spiritual Retreat
May 29 - June 1
Aurora University Conference Center Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Meditation (Silent) Retreat
Sept. 26 - 28
Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farms
Selma, Indiana
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"Your desire is your prayer. Picture the fulfillment of your desire now and feel its reality and you will experience the joy of the answered prayer."
-- Dr. Joseph Murphy
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"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost."
-- Martha Graham
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"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm."
--Colette
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"The best part of working with kids is being reminded of how in the moment they are, because they express whatever is going on."
--Rainbow Weldon
CSL Uth Director
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| Museletter Team |
Reverend Mark Anthony Lord
Spiritual Director
Joe D'Angelo
Quotes
Madelon Guinazzo
Calendar
Paula Hoffman
Quotes and Design
Linda Michaels
Spiritual Practices
Brekke Anada Kraoutil-Mueller
Kidz Kwotz
Donna Pitz
Design and Word Puzzle
Julie Pottebaum
SEVA Community Focus | |
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| REV IT UP |
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Please join me in a challenge to TRULY change your life for good! 
Happy New Year! The years really do fly by, don't they? I feel the excitement that the New Year brings. The excitement of all possibility - when we naturally think about our goals and intentions.
I have many goals and visions for myself and for our beloved community. One goal I continue to say 'yes' to every year is the deepening awareness of God as my unlimited Source and Supply. I really see how I have grown tremendously in this area. My consciousness, specifically around finances, is so much more graceful. Because this is true in my thoughts, it out-pictures in my life more and more. I guess the Law really does work! Imagine that.
I love being the Spiritual Director at CSL. It is my greatest joy, and I love pushing you to your greatness (God-ness) because it pushes me to mine.
As the New Year unflolds, I want for us to all walk together in financial freedom and in the glory of knowing God as our Source. I love the intimacy and the healing of shame that occurs when we work together to get the ghosts of lack and limitation out of the dark corners of our minds. It truly is a reward and fun to do it together.
Where am I going with this? I'm taking us right into an invitation and a request for you to join our community in the 4 T's Class starting the third Monday in January. It is a 12-week course that Rev. Vincent and myself will be co-teaching . . . now, you know it doesn't get much better than that.
It is a huge commitment to take this class, but I guarantee the rewards will be tenfold. Let us kick off the New Year together with a commitment to more prosperity, joy, and happiness!
Much Love to You!
Rev. Mark Anthony Lord |
| SPIRITUAL PRACTICES |
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"These lessons are dedicated to that Truth which frees man from himself and sets him on the pathway of a new experience, which enables him to see through the mist to the Eternal and Changeless Reality."
SOM Textbook. Ernest Holmes
Prayer is the most powerful tool we have to contact God - the All-sufficiency, All-knowing, All-amazing, Always-here-for-you Source of unconditional Love.
At CSL, another word for prayer is spiritual mind treatment. Are prayer and spiritual mind treatment the same thing? The answer is both yes and no. If a prayer is affirmative, recognizes the allness, oneness and wholeness of Universal spirit and mankind, then it is indeed a spiritual mind treatment. If a prayer is a plea to some Heavenly being that we feel sits in judgment then that prayer is not spiritual mind treatment.
A spiritual mind treatment consists of five steps: Recognition, Unification, Realization, Thanksgiving and Release. It is a scientific formula that is brilliant and provable. We never declare it to be the ONLY way to pray, but we are very confident that once you learn how to do a spiritual mind treatment, and experience the amazing results from it, you will easily become hooked. If you want to delve more deeply into these steps you MUST take the next Foundations class. It's truly a phenomenal class!
So, to whom do we pray? CSL teaches that we are all of God, the One Mind. The power and vitality of prayer lies in a consciousness of one's union with this power and presence. The approach to Spirit is direct, through our own consciousness. "It shall be done unto you as you believe." In dealing with the One Mind, we are dealing with a force we cannot fool. God can only do for us what can be done through us. If your prayer is for love, be receptive to love. If your prayer is for abundance, be ready to receive it! If you find your prayer is "not being answered," go within. The answers are there. The prayer is the answer.
Remember, you can always pray - long or short prayers, out loud or silent, alone or with someone else. Although CSL teaches a specific formula for prayer, never let that stop you from going for it NOW. God, the Universal Mind, listens to the intentions of your heart.
CSL offers prayer in a number of ways-
· Give yourself the gift of a Practitioner session with one
of CSL's licensed spiritual counselors. You will
receive transformational prayer support as well as
compassion, non-judgment, faith, and conviction in
the Goodness of God within you.
· Call the CSL prayer line at 773-248-PRAY.
· Receive one-minute miracles after service on Sundays.
· Fill out a prayer request form which you can get on
Sundays or at the CSL office at anytime.
The absolute Truth is PRAYER WORKS! Prove it for yourself. Challenge yourself to expand and know you are supported, loved, and constantly being cheered on by the Infinite Presence within you, and by your ministers, practitioners and your spiritual family at CSL.
The time is now. The place is where we are. It shall be done unto us as we believe. And so it is.
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| WORD PUZZLE |
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feitinin ndeuabcna
Unscramble the words above and email your answer to puzzle@chicagocsl.org to put your name in a drawing for a fun prize. |
| SEVA COMMUNITY FOCUS |
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"Giving - the New Getting"
Meet Ted Squires
House Usher/Greeter (HUG) Team Co-Lead
Ted Squires had a moment of enlightenment watching family members open his gifts and seeing the joy in their eyes. He realized in that instant it was much more fun giving than receiving. He'd always been generous but not with the same understanding he has now, that you "get more out of giving than what you give."
"I love greeting people. I can see a real shift in their posture and eyes. They genuinely respond to the joy and love you send them," he says. "It's very cool, there's an instant gratification. You always walk away with your tank more full than when you started."
Giving can come with some responsibility and not just the kind you'd expect. Ted says it's important to set boundaries and not become overtaxed. You owe it to yourself and your fellow teammates to be giving from a generous heart. "Pay attention to your feelings," he advises, "but also take risks that get you out of your comfort zone. You never know what you're going to discover."
And now every Sunday morning when Ted greets us at the doors, he gets to rediscover that same exhilarating feeling. This time, seeing the joy in all of our eyes. |
| GIVING - THE NEW GETTING |
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What is SEVA?
SEVA, a Sanskrit word meaning selfless service, is the spiritual practice of service inspired by divine love. We put our spiritual knowledge and divine gifts into practice by seeking paths to serve. We help ourselves by helping others. Through SEVA practice, we uplift ourselves, humanity, and all that has been created by radiating a dynamic field of inspired love. At the Center for Spiritual Living, we serve in a spirit of excellence with integrity and compassion for our community and world.
How Do I Become a SEVA Volunteer?
2008 teams are now forming! We appreciate people volunteering for a three month term. Volunteers can serve once a month but twice would be ideal. We hope to fill each team with 10-12 members so that volunteers can rotate. Ideally, two to three of the same people each week help anchor the team, and the lead is always there.
SEVA luncheon/orientation
Come join us on January 27th! The teams will get to know each other and spend time visioning for their area. One really important aspect of SEVA is the support network. Rev. Mark insists that team members are spiritually nurtured as they serve. Therefore, each team has a practitioner to anchor them and consult.
Current needs
Bookstore: 3-4 people to serve before and/or after service
Set-up: 3-4 people before service, starting at 8:30 and
finishing by 9:15
Restoration: 4 people, starting at 12:15, finishing by 1pm
Uth:Orientation on January 20th, directly after service.
Volunteers receive a free CD the day they serve. |
| KIDZ KWOTZ |
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| One of the funniest illustrations of children being in-the-moment occurred while Rainbow was acting as the summer Uth Director for the United Centers' Asilomar Regional Conference. As she explained to a circle of children that God is everything and all things, one little girl had an epiphany: With her big eyes wide in amazement, the little girl sitting beside her exclaimed, "I'm sitting on God!"! Giggles erupted from both of them. |
| CALENDAR |
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January Ongoing Events
Service Wednesday night service - 7-8pm
4T's Prosperity Program
January 21st -April 5, 2008
7-9:30pm (Mondays)
Spiritual Practices
January 26th - April 5, 2008
9:30am-12pm (Saturdays)
Teen Ministry
Meets every other Sunday. See the calendar below for the dates.
January Calendar
Sunday 6th, 1-2:30pm: Teen Ministry
Sunday 13th, 1pm: Visioning Workshop
Saturday 19th, 9:30am-12pm: New Member Class
Sunday 20th, 12:15pm: Uth Orientation (Uth
room at St. Agassiz)
Sunday 20th, 1-2:30pm: Teen Ministry
Sunday 20th, 1:30-4pm: New Member Class
Wednesday night service - 7-8pm
4T's Prosperity Program
January 21st -April 5, 2008
7-9:30pm (Mondays)
Spiritual Practices
January 26th - April 5, 2008
9:30am-12pm (Saturdays)
Meetings
Teen Ministry
Meets every other Sunday. See the calendar below for the dates.
February Calendar Sunday 3rd, SEVA Luncheon/Orientation for new volunteers
Sunday 3rd, 1-2:30pm: Teen Ministry
Sunday 17th, 1-2:30pm: Teen Ministry
Sunday 17th, 1-3pm: Annual Members Meeting
Sunday 24th, 1-4pm: Practitioner II Workshop
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