LIVING AN EXAMINED LIFE
 The Process of Self-Reflection

During the month of JANUARY Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy will help us start the new year off right by encouraging us to cultivate and use a variety of essential tools to awaken fully to this experience we call life and our divine purpose within it.

They will guide us to pay attention to our conditioned patterns of perception, emotional reactions, and behaviors so that we can wake up to our original nature and actually live our soul's purpose with a sense of oneness, clarity and awareness.

Each Sunday during services The Rev's will present an inspirational message on a unique topic. Then, they will offer a follow-up workshop after service from 1 to 3 pm to explore practices and introduce exercises that will help us live an examined life.

Sundays in January will be a perfect time for us to set an intention to live deeply, cultivate attention and enter into practices and activities that return us to the Truth of our Being. In this way we can become increasingly aware of the richness of experience that makes up our lives and supports our soul's journey.

Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy invite us to make a commitment to be present all four Sundays in January. Start 2013 on a firm foundation.

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

Resources include:

Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection, by Gregg Krech

The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse: A Breakthrough Program for Connecting with Your Soul's Deepest Purpose, by Debbie Ford

Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind, by Roger Walsh, M.D., Ph.D

Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How to Create a New You, by Deepak Chopra

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

Sunday Morning Inspiration Service Weekly:
10:30 am

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

Talk titles for JANUARY

January 6: The Three Questions

January 13: The Power of Truth

January 20: Developing Wisdom & Understanding Life ~ Teri Wilder, guest vocalist

January 27: 10 Steps to Wholeness

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Robert Fields: Appearing Sundays in January

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

2012 Newsletter Archives

 

 JANUARY CLASSES & EVENTS
 Sunday Morning Inspiration Service 10:30 am

JANUARY SPECIAL EVENTS

SUNDAY WORKSHOPS WITH THE REVS ~ JANUARY 6, 13, 20 & 27 ~ 1 TO 3 PM ~ LOVE OFFERING

VISIONING 2013 ~ WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16 ~ 7 TO 8:30 PM

POTLUCK SUPPER ~ FRIDAY, JANUARY 25 ~ 6 PM

KID'S CALENDAR

Kids' Care Program ~ ages infant thru 5th grade ~ Weekly, Sundays, 10:30 am

OUTREACH

Santa Ana Armory Cold Weather Shelter Outreach, team lead, Mike Kandel ~ Sunday, January 20, 5 to 8 pm

FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

RECYCLE SUNDAY ~ Third Sunday of the Month, January 20

Local Certified Farmers' Markets

ONGOING

A COURSE IN MIRACLES, facilitated by Karen Akers (co-facilitated by Ken Radcliffe) ~ Tuesdays, Weekly, 12 Noon (Okay to bring lunch) ~ Love Offering

EVENING ECKHART TOLLE BOOK STUDY ~ Power of Now ~ Tuesdays, January 15 & 29, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering

ECKHART TOLLE BOOK STUDY ~ New Earth ~ Fridays, Weekly, 12:30 to 1:30 pm ~ Love Offering

REIKI HEALING CIRCLE ~ Tuesday, January 8 & 22, 7 to 8:30 pm ~ Love Offering

WOMAN'S WISDOM CIRCLE & Book Study: Still Here, by Ram Dass ~ Tuesdays, January 8 & 22, 10 to 11:30 am ~ Love Offering

VENUE EVENTS

Orange County Spiritualist Gathering, with Medium Kathleen Vance ~ Wednesdays, January 9 & 23 ~ $10 suggested donation

Development 1: Developing your spiritual path & intuition, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, January 12, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm ~ $20 per person

Development 2: Advanced students in spiritual and psychic awareness, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, January 12, 12:30 am to 3:00 pm ~ $20 per person

Development 1: Developing your spiritual path & intuition, with Bob Lewis ~ Saturday, January 26, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm ~ $20 per person

UPCOMING VENUE EVENTS:

NEW! Orange County Holotropic Breathwork Workshop, based on the work of Stan Grof, M.D., Ph.D.

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.

 

 SUNDAY AFTERNOON MINI-WORKSHOPS
 Waking Up to Life

January is a time of making resolutions, setting intentions, and planning for the future. It is also a time to revisit perceptions, ideas and behaviors that may or may not be serving us well.

With that in mind Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy will be offering weekly mini-workshops to help us get back on track and set a firm foundation for waking up to the pure potential of our lives.

Mini-workshops will be held on Sundays after service from 1 to 3 pm. Participants are encouraged to either grab a bite of lunch at a local restaurant or bring a boxed lunch to eat at Common Ground before the workshop begins.

Each workshop will stand on its own so that folks can attend one or all of them as schedules allow.

Curriculum is as follows:

"What have I received? What have I given? What troubles or difficulties have I caused?" Ishin Yoshimoto
Based on the book, Naikan
WEEK ONE: The Three Questions

Naikan, the Japanese art of self-reflection

Seeing oneself with the mind's eye

Attention in everyday life

Looking at life's mysteries and miracles

Understanding ourselves, our relationships, and the fundamental nature of human existence

"The Truth will set me free." Debbie Ford
Based on the book, The 21-Day Consciousness Cleanse
WEEK TWO: The Power of Truth

Taking honest inventory of our lives

Identifying hidden agreements we have with others and with our ego selves

Seeing old habits and patterns that are not based in truth

Releasing hidden agreements and opening to the sacred contracts our souls are destined to fulfill

"Those who know others are wise. Those who know themselves are enlightened." Lao Tsu
Based on the book, Essential Spirituality
WEEK THREE: Developing Wisdom & Understanding Life

Finding meaning and purpose in our lives

Recognizing the deeper nature of things and life

Opening to and learning from life

Discovering the deepest principles guiding our lives

"You can't think your way to wholeness, but you can feel your way there." Deepak Chopra
Based on the book, Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
WEEK FOUR: 10 Steps to Wholeness

Making promises that we can keep

Helping the 'new self' grow

Channeling energy into our personal vision and higher purpose

Knowing with certainty that the soul's entire existence depends on knowing: "I am enough"

Each mini-workshop will include exploration of material from the selected text, practical exercises, interactive discussion, and take-home exercises.

This is a perfect way to begin a new year, connect with your soul's purpose, and awaken to your highest and holiest potential.

Please make a commitment to join us all four weeks.

 

 FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
 Revisit Green Resolutions

Sometimes it is easy to forget the simple basics that help create and maintain a sustainable planet. We start out with the best intentions and then life seems to throw us back into the same old patterns.

As the Year 2013 gets underway, The Learning Channel reminds us of ten simple ways each one of us can play a part in reducing our carbon footprint and making changes to ensure a sustainable future.

"10 Green New Year's Resolutions"

1. Bike or walk whenever possible
2. Reuse shopping bags
3. Stop buying plastic water bottles
4. Buy local food
5. Simplify your life (reduce, reuse, repurpose)
6. Buy Fair Trade products
7. Use earth-friendly cleaning products
8. Change to fluorescent light bulbs
9. Compost
10. Line dry clothing

In October, World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Report found that America's use of natural resources per person is now so big that the country has one of the largest ecological footprints in the world.

It's time to walk the talk and start making changes to go green this New Year.

 

 COMMITMENT CREATES COMMUNITY
 Moving Forward into the Future

With great enthusiasm, Common Ground is embracing change in 2013.

The five-year lease on our current location at Newport Avenue is ending in May. With a sense of eager anticipation, within a few months our spiritual community will be moving into its new home located in the City of Orange.

The new location has every feature we have been visioning for our community. With the exception of the space we will use for our Sanctuary, the features and appointments of the rest of the property are perfect as they are.

We will have lots of comfortable gathering spaces and a well equipped kitchen for hospitality and to host awesome events.

We will have ample classrooms and spaces for special events and for practitioners to offer services.

We will have a very large Sanctuary that will become a sacred place of beauty and elegance.

We will have peaceful streams and lush grounds filled with calming fountains to provide quiet space for meditation.

We will have a new opportunity to offer weddings and beautiful surroundings for photographs.

We will have plenty of space for our bookstore and upscale resale shop.

We will have ideal space for children and families.

We will even have space to sublease to someone who is a perfect fit for our vision.

We will have a much more advantageous cash flow position than our current location offers.

We will be in partnership with owners and landlords who understand our vision an mission and who are willing to co-create with us. .

During the first week of December we introduced a Capital Campaign to support our move to the new location.

We have set a goal for the campaign of $90,000 to meet our lease requirements, our moving expenses and interior design needs of our Sanctuary.

By year-end, December 31, 2012, we have realize substantial progress toward our goal. We have received $44,545 in donations and $11,301 in remaining pledges for a total of $55,846.

We intend to meet the balance of our goal, $34,154, by the end of our campaign on March 31, 2013.

We need help finding 23 people willing to contribute $1500 each to reach our goal. Of course, donations in any amount are greatly appreciated and will help us move toward completion of our campaign.

Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy are open to discussion and creative ideas. Please feel free to contact them.

 

 FYI
 What's Up?

Shop the shops at Common Ground. The GreenLady Boutique and Bookstore offer a great way to be a conscious consumer. The items in The GreenLady are top quality and sophisticated resale items. The Bookstore offers a unique variety of gifts and spiritual items. Your purchases in the shops support the operating costs of Common Ground.

Support GreenLady Boutique. We are now accepting spring and summer items. Please donate upscale women's fashions and accessories as well as artwork and fine quality decorations. Tax receipts available.

Giving-Made-Easy Offering Envelopes for the purpose of mailing checks or giving by credit card are available on the wall in the Gallery.

Share Hospitality on Sunday mornings. Bring a simple plate of cookies, basket of grapes or other easy treat to share after services. Sign up now for Sundays in 2013.

A large selection of Used Books is currently available. All items on the Used Book Cart are available at a cost of $2.00 each. (Donations of used books are always welcome ~ all genres accepted.)

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

Recycle plastic and aluminum to support a portion of Common Ground's monthly rent expense. Please participate by bringing your recyclables each month.

 

 PRAYER & MEDITATION
 Prayer for a New Year

A year of beauty. A year of plenty.
A year of planting. A year of harvest.
A year of forests. A year of healing.
A year of vision. A year of passion.
A year of rebirth.

This year may we renew the earth.
This year may we renew the earth.

Let it begin with each step we take.
And let it begin with each change we make.
And let it begin with each chain we break.
And let it begin every time we awake.

Starhawk



Life is prayer at Common Ground.

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

Common Ground and its friends are served by a Prayer Team comprised of a large circle of loving people who hold in their hearts and in their awareness the prayer needs of all those in need. Carol Marshall graciously serves as team lead.

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

There are no fees for prayer at Common Ground.

 

 TITHING 2013
 May All That We Give and All The We Receive Be Blessed and Multiplied. 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 2013 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; 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; and, The Humane Society of Dover-Stewart County, a not-for-profit organization rescuing abused, abandoned and neglected animals and placing them into good homes.

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 2013 EVENTS
 Mark Your Calendar Today

CURRENTLY SCHEDULED:

Chinese New Year Potluck Lunch
St. Patrick's Day Potluck Lunch
Good Friday Taize Service
Easter Sunday
Celebrating Earth Day
National Day of Prayer Gathering
Cinco de Mayo Potluck Lunch
Mother's Day
Memorial Day
Father's Day
Summer Solstice Potluck Supper
July Fourth Picnic
Labor Day Picnic
Autumn Equinox Potluck Lunch
Halloween Potluck Supper
Thanksgiving
Advent
Holiday Boutique
Holiday Potluck Supper
Christmas Eve
New Year's Eve

 

 THANK YOU
 Deep Appreciation

As 2012 comes to a close and we open to the infinte possibilities of 2013, we want you to know how deeply grateful we are for the loving support and gracious generosity we have received from those in Covenant with Common Ground, our spiritual community, our friends and those who value our vision and mission.

Because we have all worked together to facilitate the continued growth and expansion of our community we are poised to move forward into the coming year with enthusiasm and confidence.

Thank you to everyone who took time out of busy schedules to be present in spiritual community on Sunday mornings.

Thank you to everyone who held the energy of prayer for one another, for our friends, for our community and for the heart of the world.

Thank you to everyone who brought forth creative ideas and who took the time and effort to bring new things into manifestation.

Thank you to everyone who prepared and presented hospitality on Sundays after services so that people could come together in fellowship and get to know one another.

Thank you to everyone who made a commitment to serve in the Bookstore and GreenLady to help them prosper and grow.

Thank you to everyone who served on Sunday mornings and at special services as greeters, ushers and candle lighters so that there was beauty, warmth and a gracious welcome for all who entered through our doors.

Thank you to everyone who said 'yes' to the call for regular financial support so that we could meet our operating expenses.

Thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to recycle aluminum and plastic to help support our monthly rent.

Thank you to everyone who served the homeless outreach effort at the Santa Ana Armory Cold Weather Shelter.

Thank you to everyone who donated to and served at our Annual Spring and Fall Yard Sales .

Thank you to everyone who donated upscale fashions and items to our new GreenLady Boutique to help make our experiment with something brand new a success.

Thank you to everyone who chose to shop the 'shops' at Common Ground to support our community.

Thank you to everyone who stepped forward (without being asked) to be of service and to fund things like insurance, window washing, painting, matching funds for yard sales, replacement of stolen cash from our burglary, advertising, sponsorships for our anniversary party, and so much more.

Thank you to everyone who has made a contribution and/or pledge to our current Capital Campaign so that we will successfully reach our goal by March 2013.

Thank you to everyone who took tags from our Christmas giving tree and brought supplies for the coming year.

Thank you to everyone who smiled at us while were on the platform, who lovingly listened to us do our best on Sunday mornings, who allowed us to be real and authentic in our ministry, who trust and support us to make the best decisions on behalf of our spiritual community, who give us permission to embrace our own humanity and do our best to express our divinity.

Thank you to all of you for your presence in our lives.

We are humbled and we are grateful.

With love and appreciation,
Reverend Glenda and Reverend Judy