We are very pleased to announce that we will be launching our new website and new product store in January, 2012. The new website will be full of resources, information, downloadable webinars, FAQ's and much, much more. The website is designed specifically to support Prayer Chaplain Programs,Trainers, and Ministries.
Our new Product Store will be even easier to shop than before including the opportunity to register and store your information. We will be featuring a new line of products and discounted pricing.
CHECK US OUT IN 2012. |
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We want to extend a very Happy Birthday to all of you celebrating December birthdays! We are grateful for you and the gifts that you give to the world.
We want to especially acknowledge
Rev. Lei Lanni Burt who will be celebrating her birthday on December 22nd.
Rev. Lei Lanni, we love you, we bless you, and we truly appreciate you! |
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Organizations
Worth Knowing |
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Pachamama Alliance
 Last month we shared with you the important work of The Pachamama Alliance - an organization dedicated to generating a critical mass of conscious commitment.
Empowered by their partnership with indigenous people, The Pachamama Alliance inspires and galvanizes the human family to generate a critical mass of conscious commitment to a thriving, just and sustainable way of life on earth. Visit their website to learn more about this important work and how you can become involved. Consider making a contribution before year-end to receive the tax benefit and to support the work of this impactful and important organization |
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Namaste
Musical Slide Show |
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The following link is to a music slide show entitled "Namaste" performed by singer-songwriter Chad K. Slagl. We received permission to share it and encourage you to share it with your ministry and Prayer Chaplains.
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The 3 R's of Volunteer Management
As you may already know, the 3 R's of Volunteer Management stand for - Recruitment, Retention, and Recognition. These three aspects of managing our volunteer programs are crucial to our success. Without them, volunteers won't come, they won't stay, and they won't come back.
December is a perfect time to focus on one "R" in particular and that is recognition. This is a time of year when our activity level increases due to extra services, decorating the ministry, etc., and volunteers are in demand.
We are firm believers that you can never say "thank you" enough and saying thank you comes in many forms:
- Verbally one on one.
- Verbally from the platform in front of the congregation.
- In writing - letter or note.
- A gift - it really is the thought that counts so this doesn't have to be expensive.
- Name tags.
- Holiday party and/or pot luck.
- And the list goes on and on.
The most important part is not how you say "thank you", but rather that you say "thank you" often and in a heartfelt and sincere way. Volunteers do what they do because they want to contribute, make a difference, and give back. They also do what they do because they feel appreciated.
So, let us take this opportunity to thank you! Thank you for all that you do for your ministries and for the world. Regardless of your role - Minister, Prayer Chaplain, Prayer Chaplain Trainer, or Coordinator your commitment to serving others in sacred service is needed and appreciated. You are the light of the world.
With Love and Appreciation,
Your Light & Love Ministry Team,
Lei Lanni, Jeri, and JB |
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'Tis the Season....
Yes, just a moment ago we were expressing our gratitude and sharing turkey dinner with our family and friends. The holiday season is upon us, and depending on where we are in our personal life, our work life, or our family life, the meaning of "the holiday season" will be different. For instance if we work in a retail store, "the holiday season" may mean long lines, cranky customers, and lots and lots of returns. If we have recently lost a loved one, "the holiday season" may be a painful reminder that we are still grieving. And if we are estranged from members of our family, "the holiday season" may feel lonely.
Yes, "the holiday season" can bring the human condition to the forefront like no other time of year. Our congregants, our Prayer Chaplains, and we may be experiencing those thoughts and feelings that the holidays often bring to the surface. And yet, it can also be a time of contemplation, healing, and peace especially if we think about "the holiday season" from a metaphysical standpoint. Keeping in mind the deeper meaning of "the holiday season" helps give us an important perspective and creates a sense of understanding and compassion for ourselves and for those with whom we interact.
For me, this time of year has come to be about the birth - yes in a literal sense the birth of Jesus - but from a spiritual standpoint, the birth of new thoughts, new ideas, a change of heart, or an opening that had previously been closed. By keeping my focus on the inner process, the outer process may not feel so overwhelming and my heart remains open and reception to what Spirit has in store for me - the true gift of Christmas.
Rev. Felicia Blanco Searcy says it so well in the Unity Advent Booklet (November 29th) when she writes, "This is the time of year when we celebrate the birth of Jesus with the Christmas story. When we read the ancient tale with mystical eyes, we hear our current story of awakening. We heed the invitation of Spirit by listening deeply to hear how to give birth to our dreams, our desires and our gifts. In moments of quiet communion, we see that as we claim our divine inheritance and give birth to our gifts and splendor we save ourselves from our insanity and unhappiness and bring about heaven here on earth. We don't have to know how to do it. We just have to be willing and available. Spirit will do the rest."
One With You In Love and Support,
Reverend Lei Lanni |
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 Conscious Communication Part 2
By Jeri Royce
This month we continue our exploration of conscious communication with the principle of Presence.
Presence is the quality of alert attention that allows you to connect deeply and authentically with yourself and others. Your grandmother may have it. Your minister or rabbi may have it. Your son's school teacher may have it. Take a moment to reflect on your own experience of someone who struck you as having presence. What do you recall about that experience? Do you recall feeling seen? Heard? Understood?
Presence is such an important aspect of conscious communication and is the principle that we try to anchor most deeply in the Prayer Chaplain Program - we call it "holding spiritual space." For some, presence just like "holding spiritual space" may come naturally. But for others it is a skill that can be developed. Mark Gerzon, a communication expert, describes presence as "being awake to what is." According to Gerzon, presence is not about what you know or do; it is about where you put your attention in each moment. It is not a tool or activity but rather a "crucial quality of the tool user," he writes. So, presence is fundamentally a quality of alert attention - a quality often referred to as mindfulness.
There are two important aspects of Presence - the first of which is Internal Presence. As you can imagine, presence is built from the inside out and the basis for internal presence is mindfulness. Have you ever arrived home from work and wondered as you get out of the car, "How did I get here?" realizing that you don't remember anything about the commute? Or have you ever read several pages in a book only to notice that you have no idea what the words said? In these moments of "mindlessness," or lack of presence, you may have gotten so caught up in your own thoughts that you forgot to pay attention to what was occurring right in that moment.
In contrast, consider moments in your life when you were mindful - experiences when you were totally in the moment, undistracted by anything past or future, sharp as a razor, alive to everything around you. As a result, you were able to observe what was happening with total clarity. Do you recall how present you were during memorable moments courting your future spouse, celebrating an anniversary with your life partner, or experiencing the birth of your child? Can you remember how it feels when the only thing that is important is what is happening right then and the most important person is the one directly in front of you?
Mindfulness and presence are qualities that can be cultivated and experienced in our everyday lives and my invitation to you is to make these practices an important part of your ongoing routine. We know from some very visible examples - professional athletes and elite leaders - that the practice of internal presence and mindfulness exponentially increases our performance and success. As leaders within our ministries, families, Prayer Chaplain Programs, workplaces, or communities, strengthening our internal presence will greatly enhance our ability to influence others and will make us more effective leaders. As Woody Allen says "Eighty percent of success in life is showing up."
Experiencing mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment in a particular way - with intention and without judgment. It is fundamentally about maintaining a higher quality of attention and focus. In the Prayer Chaplain Program, we experience it in the Sacred Circle and when we pray with one another - being in our hearts, fully present, and deeply listening. The practice is staying in our hearts and quieting our self-chatter. Our ability to engage in conscious communication begins with internal presence.
In January we will explore the second aspect of Presence - External Presence and specifically the four keys to External presence, which are Attentiveness, Mutuality, Emotional Resonance, and Authenticity.
I wish you a wonderful, love filled, and internally present Christmas and a Happy, Happy New Year!
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Prayer Chaplain Program Trainer's Workshops
2012 Calendar |
No is the time to consider attending a Prayer Chaplain Trainer's Workshop. If you are interested in starting a Prayer Chaplain Program in your ministry or refereshing your current program, attending the Trainer's Workshop is the way to go. We have established our calendar for 2012 and look forward to your being with us for one of our upcoming trainings.
Online registration for these workshops will be available beginning in January. In the meantime, you may call of office at 602-843-8360.
March 22 - 24, 2012
Hosted by Unity Spiritual Life Center
Winter Springs, Florida
April 26 - 28, 2012
Hosted by Unity of Tustin
Tustin, California
May 17 - 19, 2012
Hosted by Light and Love Ministries
Phoenix, Arizona
September 20 - 22, 2012
Hosted by Unity of Loveland
Loveland, Colorado
October 18 - 20, 2012
Hosted by Light and Love Ministries
Phoenix, Arizona
If your ministry is interested in hosting a training, please call us at 602-843-8360. Click here to view our 2012 Host Agreement for details. |
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Prayer Chaplain Trainer's Monthly Meeting Webinars
2012 Calendar |
We will continue our monthly meeting webinars designed to support you as trainers and leaders within your ministry. Each month we will focus on key principles within the Prayer Chaplain Program as well as a topic pertaining to leadership.
Attending the webinars is an important component of your ongoing development. We look forward to seeing you online!
Except for September, our meetings will all be conducted on the 2nd Thursday of each month. We don't hold meetings June - August or in December. All meetings will begin at 5 p.m. (AZ time) and last about an hour.
Thursday, 1/12, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, 2/9, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, 3/8, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, 4/12, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, 5/10, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
*Thursday, 9/6, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (1st Thursday of the month)
Thursday, 10/11, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, 11/8, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
2ND EDITION TRAINER'S GUIDE - Click here to read an excerpt. |
2nd Edition Trainer's Guide
The new 2nd Edition Trainer's Guide is ready! This Guide includes many new features that will help you expand your consciousness around the Prayer Chaplain Program and rejuvenate you and your leadership of the Program.
- 37 hours of PowerPoint Training
- Training Tips and Guidelines
- Program Adaptations
- Much, Much More
The 2nd Edition Trainer's Guide is available for purchase to any Trainer who has taken our Prayer Chaplain Trainer's Workshop since October of 2005. The 2nd Edition is the featured guide in all trainings beginning in 2011.
Cost: $135 and free shipping.
To purchase your Guide, please call our office at 602-843-8360.
Click here to download a copy of the 2nd Edition Introduction.
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We are here for you! Light and Love Ministries' team is available to support you and your Prayer Chaplain Program. We are just a phone call away to answer questions, troubleshoot, and support you with prayer. You are not alone. Contact us by phone at 602-843-8360 or by email at llburt@lightandloveministries.org or jroyce@lightandloveministries.org.
Reverend Lei Lanni and Jerry Burt
Jeri Royce, Director of Education and Training
Light and Love Ministries Team
Light and Love Ministries is a 501c(3) alternative ministry with Unity Worldwide Ministries. We are supported through love offerings and tithes as well as our trainings, programs, and product sales. To make a donation, click here.
Thank you for your love and support.
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