".......In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God; and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Holy Bible, Philippians 4:6-7

The war inside of us is over the minute we let go of our resistance to what is. We cannot change what is. We can only change what we think about it.

As we move into this holiday season, we may be facing circumstances or situations that are less than ideal. The holidays are often filled with emotional turmoil, but we have the capacity to create any experience we want to have.

What you fight against persists, but what if you do it differently this time? What if you let go of resistance and accept what is before you? What if you cease to judge it, but instead make peace with it?

We are not here to change the world, but the world will change because we are in it. You can create your own holiday experience. You don't have to do it the way you've always done it in the past. You can do it differently this time and focus on what is great about this time of year...the generosity and cheerful air of those around you....the warmth of loving exchanges and well wishes...the music and songs of love and peace. Yes, joy can be your template. You have a choice! You can choose to be filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for all you have to be grateful for. You can choose to be a place of peace, love and joy. You can create the best holiday you've ever had.

When we make peace with what is, we are free then to create something entirely new. We open ourselves to receive the true gifts of this holiday season. We see the perfection all around us and are glorified in God!

In loving gratitude,    

Rev. Karen Wylie

Special Guest Musicians This Sunday  

Renee Mandala and Smitty West will be performing, along with Patricia Cardinali, this Sunday at the Symphony of Life. It will be fun! Be sure to join us for a beautiful morning.

October Tithe Recipient  

Celeste Matesevac, the Communications Liaison for The Search Dog Foundation, attended our service this past Sunday to receive our Certificate of Appreciation and tithe check in the amount of $567.22. We tithe every month to local non-profit organizations here in Ojai. The Search Dog Foundation does great work all over the country during times of national disaster. We are grateful to include that organization as one of our tithe recipients. Celeste is pictured below with Rev. Karen.

Volunteer of the Month for December 

Our Volunteer of the Month for the month of December is Duane Williamson. Duane has served as Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Symphony of Life for almost three years. In addition, he has served in so many capacities and has assisted with every event we have had during that time. His life seems to be one dedicated to service; he shows up in service to other organizations here in Ojai as well. Duane is a person that you can count on to show up when you need help, and we at the Symphony of Life so appreciate all that he has done to support our community in its growth and expansion. Thank you Duane!      

Annual Congregational Meeting  

Our Annual Congregational Meeting will take place in the sanctuary on Sunday, December 11, right after our regular church service. This is an opportunity to find out about the inner workings of our spiritual community. The budget for the new year will be presented. Afterwards we will be serving chili, cornbread and hot fudge sundaes. There is one Board position which we will be filling this year. If you are interested in joining the Board of Directors of the Symphony of Life Spiritual Center, please see one of the members of this year's nominating committee: Rick Ricksen, Tiese Quinn or Rev. Karen Wylie.

Interfaith Christmas Eve Service  

The Symphony of Life will celebrate Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24, at Meditation Mount again this year. We will be offering a joyful, love-filled Interfaith Service at 7:00 PM followed by an appetizer and dessert potluck social. Bring your favorite appetizer or desert to share. Celebration, music, readings, and fellowship! Invite your family and friends! All faiths are welcome.

Symphony of Life Spiritual Center Choir

Our choir will be singing again this year at our Interfaith Service on Christmas Eve, and our rehearsals begin this coming Monday evening, December 5, from 6 to 8 PM at 12464 MacDonald Drive here in Ojai.  If you wish to participate in the choir, please contact Rev. Karen at (310) 968-8928 for more info or for directions to the rehearsal site.  Our rehearsals will be from 6 to 8 PM on Monday nights, December 5, 12 and 19, and Wednesday nights, December 7 and 14.  

Symphony of Life Book Club  

Our book club meeting will be held tonight, December 2. We will be selecting our new book for the month of December. We meet at 6:00 PM and our meetings are a potluck so bring a dish to share. All are invited to join in at any time. Our meeting tonight will be held at Peggie and Duane Williamson's home, 11756 N. Ventura Avenue. Contact Peggie Williamson at (805) 640-2450 for more information.

Creative Adventures Winter Program  

A deep and profound thank you to our teachers in the youth program this past Sunday, Steve Weed and Kwan Hearn. We had so many young ones this past Sunday; it was a delight! If you have any interest in helping with our children one Sunday a month or even one Sunday every two months or every quarter, we would appreciate your stepping forward to assist us in this very important part of our Sunday service.

We welcome children 3-11 years of age to enjoy prayer, story telling, visual arts projects and/or music and movement. Our program is enriching and appropriate for young people regardless of their religious backgrounds. Please call Rev. Marilyn Miller, (805) 640-0498, if you are interested in assisting with the children.

Also, if anybody out there in newsletter land has a baby gate, we would love a donation for use in our children's area.

Special Request

We would like to start making CD's of our service. If you, or someone you know, would be interested in helping us with that project, please give Rev. Karen a call at (310) 968-8928. We know you are out there!

Open Invitation  

New YouTube Video 

Check out the home page of our website to see our YouTube Video!

Visit our SOLSC Website

Please go to www.solsc.org to visit our community website.

Visit SOLSC Facebook

A DOCUSERIES CALLED "STARVING SECRETS" is scheduled to air on December 2nd on the Lifetime TV Channel, right after America's Most Wanted. One of our congregants has a daughter who has been in treatment and is in recovery from Bulimia. She wants everyone to know about this series which she feels was tastefully produced and is beneficial for anyone dealing with a similar problem.  

THE 21ST ANNUAL HOLIDAY BASKET BRIGADE is here again! It will be held on December 4, 2011, at 1:30 PM. The group will meet in the lobby of the Ojai Valley Woman's Club. Feel the true spirit of the holidays! Bring joy to the lives of others by helping acquire or buy holiday food and/or gifts and then helping to anonymously deliver them door-to-door as a surprise to low-income families or seniors. Here's your chance to deliver gifts like Santa! Your tax-deductible donation makes this great event possible. (100% of donations go to recipients.) Please consider helping to purchase food/gifts or discuss funding or arranging for a particular item for each family/senior. You can also bring food items and fresh produce on the day of the event, December 4. To contribute or for more information, contact justine@justinewynn.com , (805) 640-5148. Also, you can check out http://holidaybasketbrigade.shutterfly.com to find out more about the Basket Brigade.  

MEINERS OAKS HOLIDAY STROLL, Saturday, December 10, 5 - 8 PM, El Roblar Drive from Lomita to Poli. Delicious, warm holiday treats; caroling along El Roblar; making gingerbread houses and decorating gingerbread boys, photos with Santa, MO Town Marketplace; kids crafts.

DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE, Saturday, December 10, 7 - 9 PM, Sacred Space Studio, 410 Bryant Circle, Suite A, Love Donation, (805) 701-1327.

COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER, BAKE SALE AND SILENT AUCTION FOR THE PINE RIDGE RESERVATION IN SOUTH DAKOTA, Sunday, December 4, 5:00 - 8:30 PM, Sacred Space Studio, 410 Bryant Circle, Ojai.  Donations will be used to benefit several families on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. There will be prayer, poetry and music as part of the fund raising effort.  Donation of acceptable items are:  blankets and sleeping bags, winter clothing, non-perishable foods, craft supplies, construction materials, baby diapers and supplies, emergency kits, as well as cash donations to help pay fuel costs for truck rental and delivery (for travel to South Dakota).  Direct donations to the Lakota families on the Pine Ridge Reservation also welcome.  For questions or for further information, contact Chris Jones, (707) 217-7869, or e-mail Chris: wyndhooper@earthlink.net.