"Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you."  

Richard Bach

Oh my Beloveds, there is nothing that happens in your life that is not an opportunity for great learning. There is life happening and then there is the spiritual truth in each and every situation. In that perfection is the process of our inner evolution. When you can begin to see your life from that spiritual perspective, you will be set free! You will experience heaven on earth. In that, you will find your joy and your salvation. That is how amazing and good God is. We are given opportunity after opportunity to reveal the truth of our being.

It is for you to understand that nothing happens as a punishment but rather as a lesson. It is our birthright that we should learn and grow from life. It doesn't matter what the circumstance; look for the spiritual truth. Look for the light behind every bit of darkness. We are here to learn and grow and to become. There are no accidents. When we realize that everything is happening for our spiritual growth, we can ask "What am I to learn from this?" "What possible good is in this situation?"

To remember our true identity as Divine Spirit...this is the human walk, the human experience...to find God in all things. How grateful I am to be on this sacred journey of self discovery with you. Let us be excited together at the prospect of tomorrow. Let us thank God and joyfully welcome our own becoming.

Our affirmation of the day: Today I move to a new place in consciousness. I release old limiting ideas and turn to new ways of being. I allow the great revelation to begin.

In loving gratitude,    

Rev. Karen Wylie

Special Guest Musicians 

We are so grateful for our music ministry. This past Sunday, Renee Mandala and Smitty West performed, along with Patricia Cardinali. It was a joyous celebration of life!

Below is a picture of Cindy Wright who plays the didgeridoo for us every Sunday morning.  We are so grateful for Cindy's participation in our service.

Annual Congregational Meeting 

Our Annual Congregational Meeting will take place in the sanctuary this 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. Afterward we will be serving chili, cornbread and hot fudge sundaes. There is one Board position which we will be filling this year.

Interfaith Christmas Eve Service 

Symphony of Life Spiritual Center Choir  

Our choir will be singing again this year at our Interfaith Service on Christmas Eve, and our rehearsals are Monday and Wednesday evenings (Dec. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19) until Christmas Eve. We meet 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.   

Symphony of Life Caroling 

The Symphony of Life will be going Christmas caroling this year on Friday, December 16, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM.  We have chosen three care centers which we will visit that evening: The Gables of Ojai, The Gardens, and the Los Robles Care Center. All are located on Montgomery Street and are within walking distance of each other.  We will be singing popular Christmas carols, and everyone is welcome to join in the singing.  You do not have to be a great singer nor do you have to be in the choir to participate.  I have met with the Activity Directors of these facilities, and they are very happy that we are coming.  Meet at the Gables Clubhouse at 4:45 on Friday, Dec. 16. 

Symphony of Life Book Club 

Our book club met last Friday, December 2, for our yearly Christmas party. We decided to read The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls for the month of December. We regularly meet at 6:00 PM and our meetings are a potluck. Everyone is invited to bring a dish to share. Contact Peggie Williamson at (805) 640-2450 for more information. Our next meeting is Friday, January 6, 2011. It is possible to join the group at any time.

Creative Adventures Winter Program 

A deep and profound thank you to our teachers in the youth program this past Sunday, Todd Chandler and Robert Gluckson. 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.

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! 

Duane and Rev. Karen 

   

December Birthday Babies

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

What a wonderful Holiday Basket Brigade! Thank you for helping deliver 48 bags of food, sparkling cider, poinsettias and holiday characters to 30 families in Ojai facing financial hardships, life-threatening illnesses, and/or recent deaths. As you will see below, your efforts have already made a difference.

Our special thanks go to Cindy and Terry Wright (for financial donations and oranges), the Oliver family (for bananas, cider, and help with logistics), the Blomsterberg family (for bananas and cider) the Yamamoto family (for donated and discounted poinsettias), and for financial donations from the Symphony of Life Spiritual Center, the Borgeson family, and the Wynn family. It's always so amazing what a small group of people can do to bring more joy into the world! Thank you to everyone who volunteered and for giving your love during the 30 deliveries! Creating and spreading joy is part of the purpose of the Holiday Basket Brigade. You definitely made an impression and a couple of families have already found ways to send messages back to you.

One family found the Facebook page of a separate Basket Brigade in Oxnard that has been inactive the past few years, and the message got passed on: "To whom it may concern, I would like to express my love and gratitude for the wonderful people who brought baskets to my home...Please let me know who to thank for being so thoughtful."

Another family did a Google search and mailed a message after they somehow read something posted four years ago when I belonged to a mom's club. We deleted the identifying info after discovering it could be read by the public! "Dear Family, Thank you very much for your visit yesterday! I was surprised to learn of someone's thoughtfulness in recommending this home. Your presence in this house brought a kindness and generosity much appreciated."

I once described the Holiday Basket Brigade idea to some potential volunteers and a woman in her 80's welled up with tears. Her mother's family had received an anonymous delivery of food and gifts way back in the 1920's when her mother was a little girl! The woman's mother had told the family the delightful story of that one delivery many times, and it had been passed down through the family for OVER 90 YEARS! Wow, that's a reminder never to underestimate the power of unexpected love and generosity, and the beautiful memory of knowing other people care.

These are hard times for so many people. Please feel free anytime to send info about any Ojai residents in need to www.BasketBrigadeSuggestions.Shutterfly.com There's an anonymous group of donors in town (entirely separate from the Holiday Basket Brigade) that wants to know about Ojai residents in special need throughout the year. No guarantees, but we may be able to make recommendations and those members of our community may be able to get some help that way. They may also be able to go on the list for the next Holiday Basket Brigade. Let us know if you have anything you'd like to contribute to help those Ojai residents during the year or for the next Basket Brigade (funds, tree fruit, garden vegetables, gifts, etc.) You can also check www.HolidayBasketBrigade.Shutterfly.com next October/November to find out about the next Holiday Basket Brigade or email OjaiBasketBrigade@gmail.com 

As you prepare for the holidays and when you sit down to your holiday dinner, we hope you'll feel the joy of knowing that you made a difference in the lives of 30 families and you gave them a wonderful holiday surprise they will never forget.

Happy Holidays to all of you!

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.