SAY YES TO SPIRIT
 Appreciating the Blessings in Life

During the month of MAY Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy will help us explore ways to open ourselves to the mysterious element of the divine that comes to us when we somehow find ourselves completely available, open-hearted, open-minded, and willing to say 'yes' to spirit.

They will take us on a journey toward discovering that it is our willingness to say 'yes' to spirit that allows us to relax in the midst of tension, stop for a moment to breathe and notice the presence of the divine, and to expand into an ultimate sense of well-being right in the midst of the present moment circumstance, just as it is.

They will invite us to listen deeply to hear the call of spirit and to find our inner wisdom, our inner teacher, so that we can allow our hearts to blossom and connect deeply with what is and with each other.

Please join us at Common Ground every Sunday for our 10:30 am inspirational service.

Resources include:

Say Yes to Your Spirit, by Reverend Leo Booth

Falling Into Grace, by Adyashanti

It's Easier Than You Think, by Sylvia Boorstein

These titles are available in the Book Boutique. (Quantities Limited)

Sunday Morning Inspiration Service Weekly:
10:30 to 11:30 am

Kids' Enrichment Program available during service for infants through 5th grade

Talk titles for May:

May 1: Saying Yes to Your Spirit
Reverend Leo Booth, guest speaker

May 8: Flowering of Life
Mother's Day

May 15: Being a Positive & Creative Human Being
Freebo, guest vocalist

May 22: Taking Responsibility for Life
Stacie Buda, Ministry Intern, guest speaker

May 29: Bringing Peace to Life

Watch Recent Talks On Video

Robert Fields: Appearing Every Sunday in May.

Thank You for Your Generosity!
Common Ground is solely supported by the gracious offerings of its spiritual community and friends.

2010/2011 Newsletter Archives

 

 MAY CLASSES & EVENTS
 Sunday Morning Inspiration Service 10:30 to 11:30 am

MAY SPECIAL EVENTS

REVEREND LEO BOOTH: Saying Yes to Your Spirit ~ Sunday, May 1, 10:30 am inspirational service

NEW

Movie Night: Black Whole ~ Thursday, May 19, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $10 Suggested

KID'S CALENDAR

Kids' Enrichment Program ~ Weekly, Sundays, 10:30 to 11:30 am

OUTREACH

Get on the Bus Comfort Travel Bag Project ~ facilitated by Nancy Berg, Judith Freyer & Team

Standing In Peace, facilitated by Carol Marshall, Irvine Blvd @ Prospect Ave ~ Tuesdays, 4 to 5 pm

Knitting for Good, facilitated by Jeanne Czuba & Friends ~ Saturday, May 14, 1 to 4 pm

FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

OCICE General Meeting ~ Thursday, May 5, 6:45 pm ~ Aldersgate Methodist Church

University of California Master Gardners Event at Santa Ana Zoo, Saturday, May 14, 11 am to 3 pm

RECYCLE SUNDAY ~ Sunday, May 15

Local Farmers Markets

Local Environmental Projects ~
Zero Trash Laguna Cleanup
ROOTS, Restoration and Native Vegetation Program: Upper Newport Bay
Save Our Beach Program

ONGOING

Eckhart Tolle Book Study ~ New Earth ~ Fridays, Weekly,12:30 to 1:30 pm ~ Love Offering

Healing Grief Circle: Life Transitions ~ , May DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED , 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $10 suggested

Reiki Healing Circle ~ Tuesday, May 10 & 24, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering

Way of the Bodhisattva: Training in the Six Perfections ~ Wednesday, May 4, 7 to 8:30 pm (Closed)

Women's Wisdom Circle ~ Tuesdays, May 10 & 24, 10 to 11:30 am ~ Love Offering

VENUE EVENTS

Beginning Astrology, with Paula Belluomini ~ 8-week session, Tuesdays beginning May 3, 6:30 to 8:30 pm ~ $15 per class

Orange County Spiritualist Gathering, with Medium Kathleen Vance ~ 2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $10 suggested donation

Development 1: Developing your spiritual path & intuition, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, May 14, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ~ $20 per person

Development 2: Advanced students in spiritual and psychic awareness, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, May 28, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ~ $20 per person

LightLovers Studio, Readings & Energy Balancing ~ Saturday, May 14, 2 to 4 pm ~ $20 per session

Own Your Divinity, facilitated by Suzanne Banken ~ Thursdays, Weekly, 7 pm ~ $30 per person

Intenders' Circle & Conscious Enterprise, facilitated by Judith Freyer & team ~ Thursday, May 12 & 26, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $5 suggested

Be sure to look for updates and details of activities in weekly email notices.

Ongoing weekly classes continue as scheduled. Check our At-a-Glance Calendar for information.

 

 CREATING HEALTHY SPIRITUALITY
 Reverend Leo Booth

On Sunday, May 1st, Common Ground is pleased to share the platform with Reverend Leo Booth, internationally acclaimed author, speaker, former Episcopal priest, spiritual adviser, and newspaper, radio and TV personality.

Reverend Leo speaks about aspects of spirituality, religious addiction and abuse, recovery from depression, addictions, compulsive behaviors, and low self-esteem as well as a broad spectrum of issues pertaining to the contemporary world.

A favorite of Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy, Reverend Leo is an energetic mix of Charlie Chaplin with a touch of Dudley Moore. Similar to their own understanding, Reverend Leo believes that spirituality is not "out there" somewhere, but is found within ourselves and our world.

Don't miss this awesome opportunity to hear the wisdom of a master teacher. If Love, Codependency, Addiction, Alcoholism, Spirituality, Separation, Divorce, Sickness, Sexism, Death, Racism or Violence has touched your life, come listen to Reverend Leo's inspirational message, Say Yes to Your Spirit.

Everyone is welcome.

 

 FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
 Celebrating & Preserving Endangered Habitats

When was the last time you visited a zoo?

Take time this spring to get in touch with nature and revisit the wonder of seeing global wildlife conservation in action and visiting animals in their native habitats.

Right in our own back yard, the Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park occupies 20 acres and hosts more than 270,000 people annually. Along with at least fifty monkeys, you will find a rain forest, endangered species, an aviary, an electrical train and children's zoo right in the middle of the Orange County urban jungle.

SeeTierra de las Pampas, a new exhibit that celebrates and preserves one of the most highly endangered habitats in the world.

May 14th would be a perfect time to visit the zoo, not only to enjoy and rediscover the wonder of the natural world, but to take advantage of a presentation by the University of California Master Gardeners.

Fun activities and helpful information for the gardening enthusiast will be offered from 11am to 3pm. This activity is FREE with price of admission to the zoo.

Santa Ana Zoo is a fun place for your whole family and friends of all ages.

Pack a picnic.

Get a group together.

Make plans to spend the day at the zoo!

 

 FACILITATING EXCELLENCE
 Ministerial Training

Common Ground is pleased to offer a high quality service-learning program supporting and guiding individuals toward ministerial licensing.

Specific curriculum encompassing a full-spectrum approach: spiral, integral, all-quadrants, all-levels and all-lines of development, is key to success of the program.

The program is outcome driven and designed to accommodate each student's unique time and location restraint.

The format of the program reflects an Independent Education Plan in which students progress at an individual rate. Typically, students complete requirements within a 2 to 4 year period depending on circumstances.

The focus of the program is on a global perspective that translates into action on behalf of the whole and all its parts.

Several individuals have completed the ministerial training program at Common Ground.

Reverend Danell Wheeler was licensed by Common Ground in 2006 and ordained in 2009. Under her leadership, a satellite location, Common Ground Corona, was founded and is currently in its fourth successful year as a thriving and growing spiritual community. Reverend Danell demonstrates excellence and enthusiastic commitment to the mission and vision of Common Ground.

Reverend Susan Chamberlain was also licensed in 2006 and ordained in 2009. She is currently on sabbatical from Common Ground. In the past she led the Earth Ministry Team at Common Ground, taught a variety of classes, and presented seasonal services. She now gives classes and operates out of her home in Santa Ana.

Currently, Stacie Buda, Ministerial Intern, is entering the final phase of her ministerial training program.

Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy are pleased to announce that Stacie will be on the platform in the Sanctuary at Common Ground giving her first full-length Sunday talk at 10:30 am on May 22, 2011.

The spiritual community and its friends are invited to support Stacie in her work by being present with her as she polishes her platform skills. Our work together is to facilitate one another in becoming our very best and highest selves. This is an awesome opportunity to be part of Stacie's blossoming forth.

Common Ground's Ministerial Licensing program is open to everyone. See Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

 

 SIMPLIFY
 Taking a Break

In preparation for summer vacations and seasonal trends, beginning in May, Common Ground will simplify Sundays by eliminating the 9 am service and focus full attention on the 10:30 am inspirational service.

This shift will offer an opportunity for the entire spiritual community to come together at one time to share hospitality and spend time chatting and catching up with one another and also to make new acquaintances.

Increased seating capacity in the Sanctuary makes this change feasible.

Summer months at Common Ground will be full of high energy, meaningful messages, special guests such as Daniel Nahmod and Karl Anthony, the enthusiastic music of Robert Fields, and many opportunities to expand into new ideas, possibilities and experiences.

Please join us each week.

 

 PRAYER & MEDITATION
 Light Upon Light

God is the light of the heavens and the earth.

The smile of God's light is like a niche in which is a lamp,

The lamp in a globe of glass as if it were a shining star,

Lit from a blessed olive tree neither of the East nor of the West,

Its light nearly luminous even if fire did not touch it.

Light upon light!

God guides to this light whomever God will:

And God knows all things.

From the qur'an - 24:35 - al 'nuur - the light



Life is prayer at Common Ground.

Those needing prayer support are invited to make Prayer Requests on-line or by placing a request in the prayer box in the Lobby.

There are no fees for prayer at Common Ground.

 

 TITHING 2011
 As We Give, So Shall We Receive ~ Common Ground is truly blessed and in turn becomes a blessing in the world

Common Ground reaches out to the global community through our spiritual practice of conscious giving.

Giving back to the world is an important aspect of our mission and vision. A balanced integral approach is reflected in conscious selection of 501c3 qualified programs and institutions to which Common Ground provides tithes each month.

Recipients of Common Ground 2011 tithes include: IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences), advancing the science of consciousness and human experience to serve individual and collective transformation; Kiva, empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty; Disability Rights California, affirmatively addressing the needs of the traditionally underserved and underrepresented disability community; Project HOPE School, (Homeless Outreach Program in Education), helping children without permanent homes transition into the mainstream educational system; Walking Shield, helping to improve the quality of life for American Indian families; Direct Relief International, supporting the immediate medical needs of earthquake victims in Haiti; Direct Relief International, supporting the immediate medical needs of earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan; and, Get on the Bus, serving as a conduit to assist children in crossing barriers that separate them from parents in prison.

The organizations to which Common Ground tithes are meaningful programs where people from the spiritual community and its friends are already serving with heart and hand, and supporting with time and treasure.

 

 UPCOMING 2011 EVENTS ~ REVISED
 Mark Your Calendar Today

CURRENTLY SCHEDULED:

Father's Day: Sun, Jun 19

July 4th Pool Party: Mon, Jul 4

Karl Anthony: Sun, Jun 12

Melissa Suzanne: Sun, Jul 10 (guest vocalist)

Covenant Dedication: Sun, Jul 24

Daniel Nahmod: Sun, Jul 31

Darius Lux: Sun, Aug 14 (guest vocalist)

Backpack Outreach Project: Aug/Sept

Annual Common Ground Picnic: Sun, Sept 4

Daniel Nahmod: Sun, Sept 11

Karie Hillery: Sun, Sept 18 (guest vocalist)

Earthdance & Global Peace Prayer: Sat, Sept 24

Seventh Anniversary Celebration: Fri, Nov 18

Daniel Nahmod: Sun, Nov 20

Thanksgiving Eve: Wed, Nov 23

Christmas Eve: Sat, Dec 24

Christmas: Sun, Dec 25 (CLOSED)

New Year's Eve: Sat, Dec 31