common ground
March 2012 Newsletter - Volume 3, Issue 8 
 March Newsletter
 Embracing Humanity & Expressing Divinity
In This Issue
Quick Links

 LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE
 The Challenge to Grow

During the month of MARCH Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy invite us to join them in exploring ways of allowing life to be what it wants to be and letting ourselves be who we were created to be.

They will help us see that reaching within ourselves for clarity, strength, forgiveness, serenity, love, patience and trust ~ regardless of the situation we face ~ gives us the capacity to choose who we become regardless of what happens around us.

They will remind us that we are at the center of divine purpose in the world; that we have the strength to make positive changes,wisdom to endure negative changes, and the capacity to become a presence of healing in the world.

They will encourage us to understand that the only real failure in life is the failure to grow from what we go through.

This month's topic will take us into the possibility of living a life of devotion to our highest selves so that we can express our soul's highest purpose and remember our divine essence.

We invite you to join us at Common Ground every Sunday for our 10:30 am inspirational service.


Resources include:
  • The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse: A Breakthrough Program for Connecting with Your Soul's Deepest Purpose, by Debbie Ford
  • The Gift of Change: Spiritual Guidance for Living Your Best Life, by Marianne Williamson
  • The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment, by Adyashanti

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


    Sunday Morning Inspiration Service Weekly:
    10:30 am


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

    Talk titles for March

  • March 4: Your Brighter Nature
  • March 11: Trust the Process
    Teri Wilder, Guest Vocalist
  • March 18: Step into Your Greatness
    Freebo, Guest Vocalist
  • March 25: Father Leo Booth, Associate Minister, Guest Speaker

    Watch Recent Talks On Video

    Robert Fields: Appearing Every Sunday in March




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


    2011/2012 Newsletter Archives

     


  •  MARCH CLASSES & EVENTS
     Sunday Morning Inspiration Service 10:30 am

    MARCH SPECIAL EVENTS
  • BUSINESS PROMOTION PLANNING SESSION ~ Sunday, March 4, 11:45 am
  • DANIEL NAHMOD LIVE ~ 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, March 7 & 21, 7:30 to 8:45 pm ~ $10 per person
  • SPRING LUNCHEON IN THE SALON ~ Celebrating Community ~ Sunday, March 25, Immediately following service ~ Everyone Welcome ~ $5 Suggested Donation ~ No one refused
  • SPIRITUALITY & RECOVERY CELEBRATION, presented by Father Leo Booth and Team ~ Sunday, March 25, 7 to 8:30 pm

    KID'S CALENDAR
  • Kids' Enrichment Program ~ ages infant thru 5th grade ~ Weekly, Sundays, 10:30 am

    FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
  • RECYCLE SUNDAY ~ Third Sunday of the Month, March 18
  • Local Certified Farmers' Markets

    ONGOING
  • Eckhart Tolle Book Study ~ Power of Now ~ Fridays, Weekly,12:30 to 1:30 pm ~ Love Offering
  • Reiki Healing Circle ~ Tuesdays, March 13 & 27, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering
  • Women's Wisdom Circle ~ Tuesdays, March 13 & 27, 10 to 11:30 am ~ Love Offering

    VENUE EVENTS
  • Access Consciousness ~ Saturday, March 3, 10 am to 6 pm ~ $200 first-time students/$100 returning students
  • Intuitive Tarot Class ~ Tuesdays, March 13 & 27, 6:30 to 8:30 pm ~ $20 per person
  • Orange County Spiritualist Gathering, with Medium Kathleen Vance ~ Wednesdays, March 14 & 28 ~ $10 suggested donation
  • Intenders' Circle & Conscious Enterprise, facilitated by Judith Freyer & team ~ Wednesday, March 14, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ $5 suggested
  • Development 1: Developing your spiritual path & intuition, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, March 10 , 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ~ $20 per person
  • Development 2: Advanced students in spiritual and psychic awareness, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, March 24, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ~ $20 per person

    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.


     


  •  WHAT'S IN A NAME(TAG)
     The Importance of Being Included

    What makes Common Ground a unique spiritual community is the way it is organized and the way it functions.

    Common Ground is a place where all paths to God that have a foundation in loving kindness are honored; a place where race, ethnicity, life-style choices and political beliefs are respected; a place where people are measured by the quality of their Essential Being rather than economic status, social standing, accomplishments or credentials.


    Common Ground is truly 'common ground' where everyone is a minister in facilitating each other's 'becoming'. Everyone is 'special' but no more 'special' than anyone else, including the ministers. The playing field is level and everyone assumes responsibility for the quality of spiritual community.

    Of course, Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy assume ultimate responsibility on behalf of the community for paying bills, good stewardship and forward movement of the vision and mission of Common Ground.


    Since the inception of Common Ground, Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy have been resistant to the suggestion of using name tags, and, at the same time, no one benefits more from using name tags than the ministers, who occasionally have difficulty remembering names.

    The downside of using name tags is reflected in the fact that official name tags can result in the appearance of exclusion. This can happen as a natural consequence when people who have been around for a while have a name tag as compared to visitors and new people who do not.

    Now, as Common Ground continues to grow and include more and more new people, a creative way of using name tags will be introduced during March.

    Common Ground will provide magnet-backed blank name tags with the Common Ground logo. The name tags will be a reusable high quality plastic with a writable surface. Each Sunday, upon arrival, everyone will be invited to take a name tag and write their own name on it. Then upon leaving, people will be asked to erase their name and return the name tag for reuse the next Sunday.


    This is a solution that fits with the intention of Common Ground being an inclusive spiritual community and at the same time answers the idea of using name tags for convenience in getting to know one another.

    Anyone who would like to co-sponsor the cost or a portion of the cost of the name tag project is invited to let Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy know.


     


     FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
     Green Your Spring Cleaning

  • Make your own cleaners. Household items like baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and club soda, can be combined to clean everything from carpets to toilet bowls.
  • Use old clothing and sheets for dusting and cleaning rags, rather than paper towels.
  • Eliminate the need for chemical fabric softeners by adding � cup of vinegar to your washing machine's rinse cycle.
  • If you use mothballs, consider replacing them with a more natural alternative. Try cheesecloth-wrapped cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, or whole cloves.
  • Get rid of all that stuff you never use. The quickest way to cut spring cleaning time is to simply have less stuff to clean.
  • De-clutter your wardrobe. Donate gently worn items to Common Ground's Annual Spring Yard Sale, where they'll get a second life.
  • Add a little greenery. Install a living air filter-houseplants!
  • Open the windows to get dirty air moving out and fresh air moving in.

    Some of these ideas have been borrowed from Green America


     


  •  SAFE SANCTUARY
     Clear and Present Business Opportunities

    From its inception, Common Ground has maintained a strict Safe Sanctuary Policy to ensure that spiritual community remains a safe environment that is trustworthy and free from solicitation.

    The intention of Common Ground is to foster an environment where people come together without consideration of personal fame or personal profit.

    "Every effort is made to keep spiritual community free from solicitous and/or uninvited conduct in which an individual advances, urges, persists or otherwise attempts to persuade others to adopt his or her views, purchase products or services, or in any way uses individuals in the spiritual community to advance a personal agenda, personal gain or personal profit."


    Through the years Common Grounders have respected this policy and have honored the stated intention of safe spiritual community.

    Fostering relationships in spiritual community that are based on friendship, care and compassion remains a top priority.


    Now, in an effort to facilitate a growing number of individuals who are part of Common Ground and who are entrepreneurs, holistic practitioners, product representatives, service providers, etc., an exciting new opportunity will be available in which these people can openly network at Common Ground and provide information about their businesses.

    Transparency is the key.

    The Safe Sanctuary No-Solicitation Policy will remain in effect. However, beginning in March, individuals wishing to promote their businesses at Common Ground will be invited to enroll and participate in a program that will provide clear guidelines and ample opportunity to advertise, promote, and offer business information to those in spiritual community who have an interest.

    Some of the possibilities that may emerge are the presence of a weekly business promotion table, Business Fairs, a business directory and business networking events.

    An organizational meeting will be held on Sunday, March 4, immediately following service. Anyone interested in participating is invited to attend. Please contact [email protected] for more information.


    To protect the tax-exempt status of Common Ground and in keeping with the Internal Revenue Code pertaining to 501(c)(3) organizations, promotion of any and all political agendas is absolutely prohibited. Common Ground makes no exception to this policy.

     


     FYI
     Attention to Details

  • Reiki practitioners who have been trained in the Usui System of Reiki Healing are invited to participate in bi-monthly Reiki Healing Circles at Common Ground. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

  • Common Ground offers Hearing Assistance in the Sanctuary on Sundays. Currently, all receivers are spoken for. Please let the sound technician know if you would like to have a receiver ordered for your use.

  • Giving-Made-Easy Offering Envelopes are now available for those who give by credit card or cash. Look for them on the wall in the Gallery where the information brochures are located.

  • Common Ground recycles plastic and aluminum to support a portion of monthly rent. Please participate by bringing your recyclables on the third Sunday of each month.

  • Join Father Leo Booth on Facebook.

  • Check out Freebo's newest CD, "Something to Believe", which will be available for purchase at Common Ground when Freebo appears on Sunday March 18th.

  • At last! New Spring merchandise for Common Ground's Book Boutique and Gift Store is on the way just in time for Easter. Look for new items arriving weekly.

     


  •  PRAYER & MEDITATION
     "Go placidly amid the noise and haste....."

    You are a child of the universe,
    no less than the trees and the stars;
    you have a right to be here.
    And whether or not it is clear to you,
    no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

    Therefore be at peace with God,
    whatever you conceive Him to be,
    and whatever your labors and aspirations,
    in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
    it is still a beautiful world.
    Be cheerful.
    Strive to be happy.


    Excerpt from Desiderata, by Max Ehrmann - 1927




    Life is prayer at Common Ground.

    If you need comfort and inspiration please visit our website and click on Prayer.


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

    There are no fees for prayer at Common Ground.


     


     TITHING 2012
     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 2012 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 2012 EVENTS
     Mark Your Calendar Today

    CURRENTLY SCHEDULED:

  • Daniel Nahmod, Sunday Inspiration ~ Music as Message
  • Easter
  • Mother's Day
  • Teri Wilder, Guest Vocalist
  • Father's Day
  • Eighth Anniversary Celebration: November 9

     


  • Common Ground is a Teaching-Learning Center

  • where people bring their very souls
  • where people grow one another by sharing what they know
  • where people learn spiritual practices to support them in working with the complex possibilities of today's world

    May you remember that you are at the center of divine purpose in the world; that you have the strength to make positive changes,wisdom to endure negative changes, and the capacity to become a presence of healing in the world