Shows
Church of One LoveA Look at Unity’s Five Principles: 1 and 21. God is Good, and God is all there is; and 2. We are that—the very substance of God is our substance, meaning our very essence is God, and is good. These statements are in alignment with COOL’s tenets of oneness with God and with each other, yet regardless of our belief in our ultimate oneness, it is a constant challenge for us to see the world, other humans, God itself, as ultimately “good,” when the evidence of our eyes could lead us to believe in an opposing force--what the world calls “evil.” Let’s explore the deeper meaning of these foundati...2025-06-0134 minChurch of One LoveRev. Rick Horsey: Facts - The Biggest Barrier to Spiritual GrowthThroughout history, mankind’s evolution has been slowed or even stopped by the belief in the certainty of facts that were known to be TRUE, but turned out not to be so. This is clearly true in the spiritual and religious world. Today, we will use a few current events and a Biblical story to see how our definition of God was formed from ancient literature, and how we can transcend those old beliefs through the use of metaphysical concepts hidden beneath the literal words.
2025-05-1829 minChurch of One LoveMy Mother's HouseMother to child is maybe the most intimate and important of relationships, which does not mean that it is easy or comfortable—often just the opposite. Yet, we all have at least two mothers: we are offspring of Mother Earth, and we are children of our own mothers. While Divine Mother is the perfection of the feminine principle in us, it was a very imperfect, very human woman who gave each of us birth into this human form. Learning to be in healthy relationship with ALL the mother energy in our lives helps us to better understand who we are, and...2025-05-1130 minChurch of One LoveToward A Deeper UnityMost of us began a conscious spiritual path because we wanted more understanding, inner peace, joy, wisdom, and love in our lives. This is right and good... AND there is more. As we grow in love, peace, joy, service, we also grow the world in those things--even more when we make a conscious intention to do so. Our spiritual practices help us to explore and come to know the depths and edges of ourselves, and a wider attitude enables us to be of service to the whole of humanity—to come to know ourselves as not separate from anyone els...2025-05-0429 minChurch of One LoveYou Gotta Serve SomebodyOvercoming the ego is often touted as our greatest task on the spiritual path. Yet, to be human is to have an ego; it is an inevitable part of life on planet earth. Are we really here to get RID of our egos? Or to put them in their proper place—not as rulers of our lives, but as servants to Spirit?
2025-04-2737 minChurch of One LoveUp From The Gravy, A RoseTraditional Christianity is focused more on the fabled death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ than on the content of his teachings on love. Jesus taught a totally new way viewing he world: freedom from transactional, conditional love, spoke of the spirit inside all of us, which is unconditional and eternal. Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Does it matter? Join us this Sunday to discuss the significance of the resurrection story, and how it is OUR story, every time we choose love.
2025-04-2033 minChurch of One LoveKeeping The PeaceWhen our inner peace is dependent on outer circumstance it is fragile and unreliable. We can’t control the world, or make anyone else peaceful, but we can learn to find peace in ourselves regardless of what happens around us. Jesus was celebrated as a hero on Palm Sunday, and by the end of the week betrayed, reviled, abandoned, taunted, and killed. Yet he kept his peace and humility throughout. Let’s explore what we can learn from his example.
2025-04-1531 minChurch of One LovePracticing Sanity in an Insane WorldTrue compassion is not just feeling sympathy or even empathy for another—but it includes the desire to alleviate the suffering of others. How do we fulfill this desire? Especially for people we don’t know, will never meet? This week we will explore 2 spiritual practices we can do anywhere, anytime--that are meant to assuage the pain of humanity, one a Buddhist practice, and one from the indigenous shamans of the south seas islands.
2025-04-0630 minChurch of One LoveThe Call To CompassionWhat is compassion? Is it feeling sorry for another? Helping one another? Can one have compassion for oneself? Is it something to do or something to feel? How can we lead lives of compassion in a world of overwhelming suffering?
2025-03-3036 minChurch of One LoveThe Call To ContemplationThere is so much noise in today’s world—a constant soundtrack of news, music, entertainment, other people’s opinions and requests, continuous ‘to-do’ lists… To change our lives we must change our ways of thinking and viewing the world, and we can’t possibly know what we think until we get quiet enough—inside and out—to hear our own thoughts, intuition and guidance. Can time dedicated to quiet contemplation lead us into a more centered life?
2025-03-2730 minChurch of One LoveOur Thoughts Are PrayersHow does one distinguish between a thought and a prayer? How much praying is enough? How would you change what you spend time thinking and believing, listening to- and watching-- if you knew that your thoughts had a direct impact on the world?
2025-03-1631 minChurch of One LoveFinding Refuge: In The SanghaWe continue our series on finding refuge as we explore the Sangha: the community of all those who endeavor to practice the Way of love, peace, joy, and abundance. We are uplifted, held, encouraged and supported by the community…to the extent that WE participate in community and allow ourselves this refuge. What does it require to truly be a part of a community of trust and openness, where we can find true refuge?
2025-03-0930 minChurch of One LoveFinding Refuge: In The DharmaThe Dharma is the Way itself…the directions we follow, the practices we engage in, the thoughts we think, the words we speak and the actions we take. The idea is that we can find refuge, comfort, safety in our very way of being in this world. How do we find that? What practices will lead us there?
2025-03-0229 minChurch of One LoveRev. Janet Ellis: AbracadabraJoin Rev. Janet Ellis as she speaks on finding and owning one's passion.
2025-02-2318 minChurch of One LoveFinding Refuge: In The BuddhaThe Buddha in this context is not a person, but a representation of the One Presence and Power in the universe. How do we contact that Presence? How do we know it is there? How can we activate this presence in our lives so that we may find our safety and our refuge in it?
2025-02-1628 minChurch of One LoveLetters From Birmingham JailIn Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s letter, he outlines both the reasons for non-violence, why the time is right NOW, and the basic steps to ensure its success.
In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: 1) collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive; 2) negotiation; 3) self-purification; and 4) direct action. How can these apply in our daily lives as we endeavor to live non-violently in the truest sense of that word?
2025-02-0931 minChurch of One LoveSpecial Guest Rev. Rick HorseyWelcome, Black History Month!
2025-02-0218 minChurch of One LoveWhat Is Ours To DoWhen we truly know what we believe, then our task is to truly live from that conviction. In choices small and large--do our thoughts, words, and actions support, illustrate our beliefs? Can others tell what we believe by the way we live? Let’s explore what it means to live out our beliefs into the world.
2025-01-2628 minChurch of One LoveWhat We BelieveAt COOL we don’t necessarily follow an “organized” path, but we do have some fundamental beliefs: oneness and unconditional love. In this new year, let’s get back to basics and explore these foundational ideas. What is Oneness? What does it mean to teach only love? Are there really many paths, and are they all equally valuable?
2025-01-2226 minChurch of One LoveRev. Rick Horsey: What Was I Thinking?Perhaps we have all said this to ourselves a few times in our lives, when what we must have thought was a good idea at the time, turned out to be less than useful, or worse!
If we believe that we should lead an examined life, then let’s begin today to open the hood just a little higher and see what we can find by asking this simple question: “What is it within Me that would cause Me to choose this situation or choice for my life?”
2025-01-1221 minChurch of One LoveThe ReleaseBurning Bowl Sunday! Changed by the rebirth experience, we cannot keep being, doing what we’ve always done. What will we claim? What will we need to release first? Join us as we identify (and set fire to—literally!) what we wish to release from the old year, and claim our new good for the coming one! Mark your calendars and invite a few friends for this fun and festive annual tradition!
2025-01-0525 minChurch of One LoveHome By Another WayWhen we become conscious of the birth of the Spirit of Love and Light within, our lives change. Just as the Magi, after visiting the baby Jesus, were instructed to take a different route home in order to avoid falling into Herod’s schemes, our new awareness calls us to approach our lives from a different direction, with different energy and attitudes.
2024-12-2930 minChurch of One LoveThe BabeChristmas Eve traditionally marks the birth of Jesus—a symbol of innocence and infinite possibility for all of us—and reminds us to celebrate the continual re-birth of that Spirit of love and light in ourselves. Please join us at 6 pm for a contemplative Candles & Carols service, beginning with the lighting of the advent candles, and culminating in illuminating the night as we pass the light of our individual tapers, one to the other.
2024-12-2924 minChurch of One LoveThe LightAt this time of winter solstice when daylight time is at its shortest, the ancients longed to remember light. This Christmas season we recognize the Light of Love and its power to illumine, to beckon, to fill us and to give us hope & direction. Join us as we celebrate this festival of light and joy with lots of extra music from our music team, and revel in our own light shining brightly in the world.
2024-12-2217 minChurch of One LoveThe GiftsChristmas is a time of giving—from the legend of the Magi, to the generosity of St. Nicholas, to the gifts we give and receive with friends and family. What does each of us really have to offer this Christmas, and how can we find deeper meaning and truly receive –and give --the gifts of Spirit that are here for us this season?
2024-12-1530 minChurch of One LoveThe StoryThe Christmas story is one that has shaped our view of this season, just as we tend to define ourselves by our stories--our past. Stories can be helpful and bring us clarity , until the moment we become rigidly attached to a single interpretation of them. As we explore the Biblical Christmas story in ways that can free us from the ghosts of Christmas past, we are invited to free ourselves from the stories we’ve heard and told-- about the world, and about ourselves –and find new meaning.
2024-12-1126 minChurch of One LoveThe WaitAdvent: the arrival to come. To everything there is a season, and in our culture we like the season of Having & Doing. The season of Advent asks us to wait and just BE. Mary could not force the birth of the Christ, but had to wait for the wisdom of her body. The Magi could not speed up their quest, but only follow the star of their intuition and trust it would lead them to where they were meant to be at the right time. We also are invited to enter a season of spiritual preparation--waiting for the coming birth, t...2024-12-0828 minChurch of One LoveThe Magic of "Thanks"Most parents urge their children to say Please and Thank You. They were considered the “magic words” that could open doors and were more likely to get us what we wanted than whining or demanding. Could this still be true? It is my experience that expressing gratitude is magical in that it opens our eyes to the blessings already all around us, and even opens our hearts to receive even greater blessings in our lives. Lets explore the magic of giving thanks this Thanksgiving holiday week.
2024-11-2535 minChurch of One LoveThe Practice of "Welcome"What if everything that shows up in our lives is truly for our good? Would we learn to embrace and find the gifts in all the ways life presents itself, instead of those we predetermine to be “good”? How much energy do we waste judging and fighting conditions? Let’s explore the practice of greeting all of life with a hearty welcome.
2024-11-1731 minChurch of One LoveThe Gifts of "No"None of us likes to be told “no,” and yet—a “no” from the universe might be just the re-direction we need to change course and find we are headed to a more enriching, fulfilling destination. In the same way, the “noes” we give to others define our boundaries and help determine the paths we take and those we avoid. Every “no” leads to a “yes” of something else. What gifts might we receive if we can learn to embrace- the wisdom of “no,” rather than fighting it?
2024-11-1427 minChurch of One LoveThe Power of WordsThere is power in the thoughts we think and the words we use. They illustrate the core beliefs behind them, and influence our actions and determine the reactions of the world around us. Are we living the way we say we believe? If we want to change our destiny it makes the best sense to start with our thoughts and words. Are they filled with love? Compassion? Cynicism? Suspicion?
2024-11-0329 minChurch of One LoveRev. Janet Ellis: Cut The StringAre you buried under crushing burdens? Projects that are too huge? Schedules that are too complicated? Maybe you are trying to do too much at once – trying to do everything instead of doing something.
2024-10-2819 minChurch of One LoveCJMiller: Embracing Samhain: Removing Our Masks to Reveal the Unique Expression of GodSamhain is a sacred time when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds thins. We are reminded of the ancient traditions that encouraged people to don masks for protection. The Celts wore these masks not only to hide from spirits but to shield themselves from what they feared most—being truly seen. Today, as we celebrate this ancient festival, I invite you to reflect on the masks we wear, not just physical ones but the invisible ones we carry to shield ourselves from being vulnerable and authentic. It’s a moment for us to pause and recognize the ways...2024-10-2123 minChurch of One LoveThere is Only Love...Really? w/ Daniel NahmodWe profess to believe in the ultimate reality of the One Love - of which we are all a part, even as we face a world that can look very unloving. How do we reconcile our belief with the evidence of our eyes? Rev Mel & special guest Daniel Nahmod will engage in dialogue exploring this timely subject.
2024-10-1331 minChurch of One LoveWhat We Can Learn From The AnimalsAs we remember our soul connection to the natural world on Pet Blessing day, we bless the animals that come into our lives to teach us. They give lessons in love, care, and nurturing, responsibility, oneness, and non-resistance, and –ultimately--loss.
2024-10-0633 minChurch of One LovePrayer or Blessing?Prayer is often about what we want from life. Blessing can be about what we bring to life. We are all “blessings to the world,” as the song says—but how much more so when we are intentional with our blessing? Can we truly bless life on purpose? Do we have that power? Instead of “What’s in it for me,” we can practice, “What’s in it FROM me?”
2024-09-2932 minChurch of One LoveLet Go Into the MysteryWhen we live life in box—with defined, clear edges, reasons, absolutes, we limit ourselves (and try to limit God) to a level of our human understanding. Our perspective is small and centered in the self. But to allow mystery—to rest in the process of life as a whole, rather than focus on the singular events we see and think we can define—is to open to being happy even when conditions do not seem to dictate it.
2024-09-2230 minChurch of One LoveHeaven is Now or NeverIf not now, when? If not me, who? The life of the Spirit allows joy and contentment without needing conditions to be perfect. So why do we keep piling up our “good works” and denying “bad?” What reward do we think will come in any time other than this, right now? If heaven is now--how, then do we live in it?
2024-09-1533 minChurch of One LoveChange or Transformation, Which?To change is to do something different—or do the same thing differently. Yet, when we change we can always go back to old behaviors. Transformation is when we become something different. A butterfly can never go back to being a caterpillar. In what ways are you changing? Have you noticed any transformations in your life?
2024-09-1530 minChurch of One LoveThe Freedom of "I Don't Know"Magic, wonder, anticipation, openness, opportunity for awe are just a few of the gifts that come when we let go of “knowing.” Expertise is not wisdom. Expertise is what we can acquire through much practice, but wisdom is something we “become” after years of experiencing the results of our practice—expected and unexpected. This week we explore the wisdom and the blessings that come from not knowing.
2024-09-0432 minChurch of One LoveRemember the Sabbath & Keep it HolyAs I compose this theme, I am about to embark upon my Sabbatical (a word that comes from the same root as “Sabbath” ), having very little idea of how I will experience this time apart. I am excited, nervous, and expecting the unexpected—knowing that there will be challenges and gifts, both-- which will serve to further my growth as a spirit “being human,” and as a minister. In my first week back I will share with you some of the gifts and “growth opportunities” from this time I have promised to “keep holy.”
2024-08-2533 minChurch of One LoveRev. Dr. PJae Stanley: You See What You BeToday’s talk is about the power of creating your life from the inside out. Whatever you “see”, whatever you think life is like, or what others are like, is a product of your own perceptions.
If this is true then the key to having the life you want is becoming that which you desire to see in the world.
The Law of Attraction tells us we are Living Magnets that invariably attract into our lives the people, circumstances, and situations that are in harmony with our dominant thoughts.
Today Rev. Dr. Pjae Stanley will...2024-08-1938 minChurch of One LoveRev. Rick Horsey: Is That All There Is?One of the main questions in life is why human beings tend to choose chaos over happiness? We seem to do this even when we say we know better. We will examine this duality using the thoughts of spiritual thinkers to look even deeper!
2024-08-1128 minChurch of One LoveRev. Michael Gott: The Courage to Change God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
The Serenity Prayer has been a source of comfort and clarity for many people from many walks of life for the last century. Its origins may go further back that. The genius of this simple prayer is that it reveals to us that we cannot control all the conditions of the world around us, and yet there will be things we can change, indeed that we are called by Spirit to change. Once we have be...2024-08-0730 minChurch of One LoveNancy Cox & the Prayer Partners: Our Pathway to PrayerJoin us as Nancy and the Prayer Partners discuss how our prayers progress from childhood forward.
2024-08-0720 minChurch of One LoveGreg Tamblyn: GPS 1.02024-08-0740 minChurch of One LoveRev. Janet Ellis: "Figure It Out" is NOT a Good SloganPeople in my galaxy are terrified, heartbroken and exhausted scrambling in their minds to figure things out. I want to remind you - Figure It Out is NOT a good slogan!
2024-07-1525 minChurch of One LoveCJMiller: Force or Flow: It's All GodEarlier this year, CJMiller shared his experience with God and the creative process. In Force or Flow, CJMiller explains what he means by "Intelligence of Being" and why you should trust it. Spirit is speaking to us in every life situation and when we step into Spirit we trust the process and the unfolding.
2024-07-0932 minChurch of One LoveRev. Kim Andrews: Practicing Ebb & Flow - The Gift We Give To Our EssenceLife happens and, in the chaos, we forget that we hold the key to bringing peace into the situation at hand. Beloved guest speaker Kim Andrews guides you through the ways we can honor our true nature, enhance our awareness of the Divine, and bless every facet of our being.
2024-07-0337 minChurch of One LoveAcceptance, Change & Wisdom: The Serenity PrayerThis beloved prayer has been used in the recovery of countless people. It very simply helps us to remember what is ours to change and what is not. Then we can put our attention and energy into the places where healing is available— in ourselves, our outlook, our attitudes, our lives. Then we trust God to do God’s work and allow others the dignity of their own experiences and choices.
2024-06-2626 minChurch of One LoveBe The MessageThe essence of the 12th step is that we pass our healing on and not try to keep it to ourselves. Unless we consistently practice these spiritual principles in every area of life, we’ll quickly forget and lose the progress we’ve made. Being of service and leading by example-- sharing our experience, strength and hope with those we would serve-- is how we continue to grow in serenity, in spirit, in evolution. We speak of what we were like in our suffering, what happened, what we learned and how we now live differently, in joy and freedom.
2024-06-2636 minChurch of One LoveCenter in SpiritIn order to maintain our newfound spiritual freedom, we must keep in touch with ourselves—our Higher Self, our Higher Power, however we understand that to be. Conscious connection keeps us from piling up more shame and blame and miscommunications and helps us keep ego in check. As we do this our trust in God increases, as we realize that letting Spirit rule instead of Ego always gets us to a happier place.
2024-06-0932 minChurch of One LoveClean Your WindowAfter we’ve taken a truthful, non-judgmental look at our lives, we clear the shame for what is not ours and take responsibility for what IS. We become willing to make any amends needed to clear the slate in our relationships—with others and within ourself. Then we take the action necessary to follow through. After that, we keep up daily in order to not let the junk pile up again. We move thru’ life more smoothly, freely; we cease fighting what is, and find peace within.
2024-06-0233 minChurch of One LoveReady for ChangeOnce we have a clearer picture of what in our life has served us and what has held us prisoner, then we’re free to learn to live differently, if we so desire. We ready ourselves through willingness and trust, and ask our higher power to help us to change what we can, even as we accept what we cannot change.
2024-06-0226 minChurch of One LoveThe Truth will Make You FreeIn order to “recover” we must begin to see clearly who we have been, who we are, and who we want to be, so we “take stock” of the truth --without judgment. We no longer take the weight of burdens that are not ours to carry, nor need to assign blame to others as we begin to deal with life as it IS not as we wish it to be.
2024-05-1929 minChurch of One LoveTrust Something GreaterStep Two: “Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity”
Admitting personal powerlessness allows us to activate a Higher Power in our lives. We can call that power by any name: God, Mother Nature, the Universe, the Sangha (group of spiritual peers), our Higher Self, the Buddha, or Fred. It doesn’t matter what we name it, as long as we are willing to call on it. To do so, we learn trust-- that it is good and for our good.
2024-05-1932 minChurch of One LoveSurrenderStep one: “We admitted we were powerless over _____, that our lives had become unmanageable.” This step is about letting go of the thought that we can control anything outside ourselves. We come to understand that in our humanness we never had “control” to begin with, so we only surrender our illusions, and have lost nothing at all.
2024-05-0824 minChurch of One LoveThe Commonality of our Infinite VarietyAt COOL our tagline is “Many Paths, One Spirit.” What does that mean? How can we all choose our own individual path, and yet come together each week in study, song, message, meditation, spiritual practice—in unity? How can people across worlds and cultural divides and varying belief systems ever achieve peace and harmony? For that matter, how can we even truly befriend someone who holds beliefs with which we strongly disagree? By finding the unity in the variety—the common threads that tie all of humanity. What are they? How can we activate them in our lives?
2024-04-2936 minChurch of One LoveThe Freedom of ChoiceWe all are free to choose how and what we think, believe and accept about ourselves, our world, and our place in it—to find our own answers to the questions our hearts ask. When we exercise the power of choice we take full advantage of that freedom, and life gets really interesting and rewarding. Or we can slip into ‘habit mind’ and fail to use our power of choice. This week we will talk about how to keep choice in the forefront of our minds and lives so we can live a life of intentionality rather than one of defaul2024-04-2132 minChurch of One LoveThe Necessity of Asking QuestionsAs a girl brought up in a fundamentalist Christian church, I learned that to even question what I was taught as the (one and only) truth about God and the nature of the universe was dangerous and sinful, and left me teetering on the brink of hell. What I know now is that the power to question is fundamental to our freedom as human beings, and that any spirituality that is coerced rather than chosen freely is no spirituality at all. Let’s explore some of the most important questions to ask of ourselves and the universe.
2024-04-1737 minChurch of One LoveThe Activity of ProsperityLast month we talked about the consciousness of abundance. We know it is necessary to change consciousness in order to change outer conditions, and learned how we impoverish ourselves in multitudinous ways when we hold a consciousness of lack. We also hinted at how difficult it can be to change consciousness so that we see changed results in our outer world. This week we will talk about specific activities, attitudes, and habits we can cultivate to bring about the change in consciousness that allows us to live the abundant lives we are here to live.
2024-04-0731 minChurch of One LoveEaster Sunday w/ Rev. Rick Horsey2024-03-3123 minChurch of One LoveThe Energy of Community
Jesus made his final journey into Jerusalem with a large group of disciples. Why? Is there spiritual strength in numbers?
Each of us has within us all we need to be fully at one with the love and power of the One. Yet, this is difficult to remember and to practice in the face of a world of ego that often looks, thinks and acts as if we were separate from God and from each other. In Spiritual community, we join in awareness of Truth, we experience love, support, & compassion, and together…we more firmly and cons...2024-03-2727 minChurch of One LoveThe Consciousness of AbundanceWhen people talk to me about fundraising, I like to talk instead about consciousness raising. When we understand that we are not separate; that what is ours to give can never be taken from us; then we are full participants in the ongoing flow of Divine Abundance. We begin to experience the freedom of forgiveness, the truth of our oneness, the joy of generosity, and fear no longer has a foothold.
2024-03-1735 minChurch of One LoveThe Power of PrayerTraditional prayer models in the Judeo/Christian/Abrahamic religions consist of beseeching, petitioning, or begging a God that is somewhere “out there” for mercy or special favors.
At cool we pray affirmatively: from an understanding that the Presence of Spirit is within us, therefore our desires are known and there is no need to beg or convince any separate “being.” Instead, we pray to bring that Presence into our full awareness, and to align our human will with the energy of Divine Love which is always for our good.
2024-03-1331 minChurch of One LoveSpecial Guest Speaker Chris Miller: Perfectly Imperfect“There is a crack in everything, that is how the light gets in.” -Leonard Cohen
We all are perfectly Imperfect. How can we use art to learn the lessons of our perceived imperfections? What if our imperfections are spiritual opportunities? Author artist, and speaker CJ Miller discusses universal lessons learned from making art. We are all creators. Lessons learned from making art apply to our Spiritual journey.
2024-03-0319 minChurch of One LoveThe 4th Agreement: Always Do Your BestWe try to so hard to meet standards set by others, or our own false ones. The truth is that doing our best is actually the BEST we can do, and when we acknowledge this we cease to punish ourselves for not doing or being “better.” When we become aware of our inner “judge,” we can begin to let go of arbitrary “rules” that have nothing to do with truth. We go within to find our own personal best and live in peace as we practice it.
2024-02-2524 minChurch of One LoveThe 3rd Agreement: Don't Make AssumptionsWe humans hate the unknown (and most things in this world are unknown). In the absence of information we make up stories—assumptions not based on truth but on fear. These assumptions are harmful—even devastating-- to ourselves and others. When we stop these assumptions, our joy increases a thousand-fold.
2024-02-1833 minChurch of One LoveThe 2nd Agreement: Don't Take Anything PersonallyWhat other people do is ALWAYS about them, and never about us. Yet we torture ourselves with the words and actions of others every day. If we change only this one fundamental agreement, our lives are dramatically transformed.
2024-02-1535 minChurch of One LoveThe 1st Agreement: Be Impeccable With Your WordIn this first lesson, we learn how powerful our words are, and how we unconsciously use them against ourselves and others. We punish ourselves for the same mistake—not once but over and over again. We judge, find ourselves lacking, penalize ourselves, then pass that judgment and punishment on to others I an endless cycle. In this agreement, we break the cycle and begin using the impeccability of our word for good for ourselves, others, and the planet.
2024-02-1538 minChurch of One LoveGod Means It For GoodIn the Hebrew legend, Joseph’s own brothers were his enemies…or were they? Through their despicable acts, Joseph triumphs and finds glory and more—true humility. Pema Chodrun, Buddhist nun, teaches that the worst experiences of life can be our best teachers, as they strip us of our armor and our masks and allow us to know ourselves as we truly are. Can anyone be against us if God (Love) is with us?
2024-01-2831 minChurch of One LoveJust The Way You AreWe are all on a spiritual path—a path of growth and evolution. A path of growing awareness of who we are…and…we are 100% loveable, just as we are. This feels like a paradox. There is nothing wrong with us, and yet we wish—we yearn--to change. How do we navigate having goals of being “better” people, while loving ourselves exactly as we are?
2024-01-2132 minChurch of One LoveTo Everything There Is A Season
Are things really getting worse, as it sometimes seems, especially if you watch the news or “reality” TV? Or is the world pretty much as it has always been? Life is full of kindness and beauty, also heartache and loss. Let’s explore this paradox using wisdom from the Hebrew prophet in Ecclesiastes and from Sufi saint Jalaluddin Rumi.
2024-01-1425 minChurch of One LoveSurrender: Special Guest SuZ OgdenJoin us as we welcome back special guest musician and speaker SuZ Ogden.
2024-01-0713 minChurch of One LoveWe Begin AnewOn this New Year’s Eve we take stock of what “old stuff” we are willing to release and what new good we wish to claim for our lives in the coming year. In our “burning bowl” ceremony, weliterally set fire to our lists of what no longer serves, and enter into a meditation for guidance of what is to be ours in the newness of life into which we are being reborn!
2024-01-0119 minChurch of One LoveWe Are The Bearer, We Are The BornIn the Christmas Eve story of possibility and birth, we are both the ones bearing the re-birth of the soul into new possibility, and the newness of soul being reborn. This story is rich in the symbolism of oneness and infinite love that is our source and our substance. Celebrate with us in this special service full of carol singing, extra music and candle lighting. Full music on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ChurchofOneLoveDFW/videos/1499982367451499
2023-12-2412 minChurch of One LoveWe Are the Star, We Are the WiseThe Star was a light that guided the Wise. The wise men were wise because they had the strength and insight to follow their own inner guidance (the star) instead of listening to what was “sensible” in the physical world. We each hold the light of the celestial, and the energy of the Divine gives our human selves the fortitude and ability to follow that light.
2023-12-2221 minChurch of One LoveHanukkah: We are the Light of MiraclesThe Hanukkah (or Chanukah) story says that a single days’ oil miraculously lasted for 8 days to light the temple in Jerusalem so that it could be purified for the celebration of Jewish Holy Days. The story is rich in symbolism, as we all embody the miracle of light and energy.
2023-12-1025 minChurch of One LoveWe Are The Shepherds, We Are The WiseThe ordinary and the extraordinary exist in all of us. In the Christmas story the shepherds trembled in fear, and angels both calmed the fears of the people in the story and celebrated the good news. We are human and divine, of body and spirit. We will look at how the shepherds and angels represent who we are at depth.
2023-12-0325 minChurch of One LoveEyes Wide Shut w/ Rev. Dr. Pennie MurrayDo we see, yet don’t see, the movement and synchronicities of Divinity in your life?
The demands of daily life make it easy for us to overlook the subtle movements of the divine around us. But with a simple shift in perspective, we can learn to see, get confirmation, and interact with the energies of Divine ONENESS surrounding us. Join us on Nov. 26, 2023, to hear Dr. Pennie Murray share the simple way she’s learning to see Divine ONENESS in plain sight.
2023-11-2933 minChurch of One LoveSikh Wisdom: Chardi Kala - Eternal Optimism, Everlasting GratitudeGratitude is the attitude of healing, of abundance, of love, of realizing and expressing our oneness. It is in gratitude that we find out how blessed we are. We are only grateful, though, if we are truly paying attention. Let’s explore this life-changing spiritual practice. Come prepared to share what you are most grateful for!!
2023-11-2934 minChurch of One LoveThe Bible: A New Understanding w/ Rev. Rick Horsey2023-11-2930 minChurch of One LoveSikh Wisdom: Ik Oankar - OnenessIn the Sikh tradition, Oneness is the first and greatest teaching. All others flow from it. It is also our greatest value at COOL. When we know we are one, how does that inform how we approach the world? What are we to do in times like these when there is so much division? How can we truly know our oneness with each other? We’ll explore these and other ideas about putting Oneness into practice.
2023-11-2833 minChurch of One LoveEveryday Heroes: Special Guest Speaker Sue K RileyFairy tales are full of heroes sweeping in to save the day, but really, we don’t need to look far away from our everyday life to see numerous everyday heroes quietly doing their thing. A true hero should encourage us to transform ourselves for the better. As an artist and songwriter, I write songs of personal heroic journeys hoping to inspire an emotion in the listener. But each one of us is a creator, a storyteller, a memory keeper and our creations and actions go out into the world like dandelion seeds, touching people’s lives in ways we may...2023-11-2727 minChurch of One LoveSpecial Guest Speaker Rev. Rick HorseyIn the Beginning, there was Golf, and it was Good...
2023-11-2631 minChurch of One LoveSpiritual Skills: DetachmentThe ability to detach from that which we cannot control is a vital skill. The word “detachment” is used a lot these days in pop psychology and self-help books…but what does it mean, exactly? And how do we go about doing it? Do we need to reject people, places situations? OR –can we detach with love rather than contempt or anger or isolation? We’ll talk about developing this skill on the spiritual path.
2023-11-2632 minChurch of One LoveEvery Dog KnowsWhat do our pets know about unconditional love that we seem to miss or misunderstand? As human beings, we are mammals—part of the animal kingdom—and yet we forget our brother- and sister- hood with the other creatures of this world. Can we learn to love as unconditionally as a devoted dog? What other blessings do we receive from the non-human animals in this world? Let’s explore the gifts animals give us and give back by blessing them in return.
2023-10-1032 minChurch of One LoveSpiritual Skills: Acceptance (No Regrets)The Buddha taught that the way to Nirvana—peace, equanimity, joy, is to learn to accept the world as it is, rather than spend our mental, emotional, and spiritual energy resisting. Acceptance is a vital spiritual discipline, but does it mean we give up? Condone what is “wrong” with the world, and don’t try to change anything? A strong “no” to that. What DOES it mean for us in our increasingly “unacceptable” world?
2023-10-0833 minChurch of One LoveSpiritual Skills: ResilienceWe cannot avoid negative things in the is world. Loss, death, grief, regrettable actions & words, shame, guilt, even despair. The trick to life is not to avoid these at all costs (not possible, and incredibly limiting try) but to learn the skill of resilience. And yes, it’s a skill, not something we are either born with or without.
2023-09-2639 minChurch of One LoveMantra: The Power of RepetitionA generation ago the word “mantra” brought about visuals of crossed-legged Indian Yogis on pillows or maybe of special (and expensive) classes that would give you your own “secret” one. Today the word is used more often, and some of its mystique is gone, but do we really know what it means? Let’s learn what mantra really is and how we can all use it to develop a life that is healthier, more mindful, closer to the truth of our being…immersed and saturated in Divine Love.
2023-09-1832 minChurch of One LoveMessengers of GodMore than 70 % of Americans believe in Angels. What are they? What do various scriptures say? How do they work in the world? Are You one? Could you be?
2023-09-1324 minChurch of One LoveMay All BeingsWe have prayed the Metta prayer with each other all of August. Let’s check in and see how it may have changed us and our world, and talk about the meanings of the prayer and how to continue using it as a tool for transformation of ourselves and our relationships.
2023-09-0540 minChurch of One LoveReligious or Spiritual...or Science?The fastest growing segment of people in 21stcentury society describes itself as “Spiritual not Religious.” What does that mean? Humankind has always sought to understand the world, and our place in it. In trying to make sense of the world humans developed incomplete explanations, mythology, magic, and false spiritual hierarchy to help us navigate the mysteries of life and death, good and evil, so we could feel safe. The old paradigms do not work in the modern world, so let’s explore what Einstein called the “Cosmic Religious Feeling” –a drive toward a universal world order--that still motivates us to explain our w...2023-08-3037 minChurch of One LoveSacrifice: Making All of Life SacredThere are many negative connotations to the word “sacrifice.” We think of it in terms of martyrdom and deprivation. But what if we take it back to its roots? How can we bring the sacred into everyday life? We’ll explore perspectives and practices to help us remember our own wholeness—holiness--and that of this world we live in, and to feel closer to the Divine.
2023-08-2232 minChurch of One LoveTurn The Other CheekThis phrase has been misinterpreted and misused to keep the underdog in his place. Did Jesus mean we are supposed to be doormats? Take abuse? Or is there much more to it? Let’s explore this and others from the “Sermon on the Mount” that may have a richer meaning than we at first suspect.
2023-08-1631 minChurch of One LoveComforting the Afflicted / Afflicting the ComfortableThe teachings of Jesus the Christ are all about being truly loving—not later, when we all get to “Glory”-- but now, in this difficult, confusing world. Not to those who already love us, but to our enemies. He welcomed the child-like and would rescue the smallest lamb. He also said he came “to bring a sword.” The spiritual path is fraught with such paradoxes. How do we reconcile these two seemingly disparate teachings?
2023-08-0835 minChurch of One LoveYour Karma Ran Over My Dogma (Or East/West, Which is Best?)In many Eastern religious traditions, we are taught that our object on the spiritual path is to transcend and overcome this world...to become “enlightened,” whereas the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Islam, Christianity) teach us that we will never be “good” and must rely on the mercy of God (and follow certain rules). Modern psychology teaches us that in order to change anything we must first come to acceptance. Are these ideas in direct opposition or are they different sides of the same coin?
2023-08-0234 minChurch of One LoveThe Fundamental(ist) ProblemMost of us who rebel against religion are actually put off—not by the religion itself (which is arguably just a moral system illustrated by myth and story)--but by the fundamentalist way that religion (and those stories) have been presented. Each religious system is seated in a specific time, place, and culture; its writings contain static & localized imagery, idiom, legends, and era-specific cultural mores, while we humans --and life itself --are never static, ever moving, progressing, and evolving.
2023-07-2534 minChurch of One LoveMany Paths, One SpiritThis is the tagline for our logo at COOL. We speak a lot about Oneness and our awakening into the awareness of the One Spirit—the Spirit of Love. But what are the “many paths?” Does it mean the paths of the world’s major religions? How can different religions or religious paths all lead to one place? How many paths are there? How are they represented here, and how can we know when we’ve found the “right” one?
2023-07-1733 minChurch of One LoveDivine Love, Through MeEvery week we begin our offering affirmation this way. What does it mean to have Divine love flowing through us? How can it bless and multiply? How can giving something away be the very thing that draws more to us? Let’s explore the idea of abundance consciousness.
2023-07-1139 min