Transcript for November 13, 2011 by Bob Kleinheksel We’ve been exploring justice and activism over the past weeks. Coming out, the spark of revolutions, making the most of our lives in this world of change, taking stands and seeking greater ...
Transcript for July 3, 2011 by Bob Kleinheksel Think with me of an astronaut’s perspective from high above the earth. Imagine the majesty, the interconnectedness of all things, the amazing web of life. It would be quite easy to affirm ...
Transcript for June 19, 2011 by Ian Lawton During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Kenyan long-distance runner Kip Lagat was asked why her country produced so many great runners. “It’s the road signs,” she replied with a cheeky smile. “‘Beware of lions’!” ...
Transcript for June 12, 2011 by Ian Lawton What is the difference between a prayer and an intention? Depending on how you think about prayer, probably nothing. They are both proactive and powerful. If you take a passive approach to prayer, ...
Transcript for May 29, 2011 by Ian Lawton Two very elderly ladies were enjoying the sunshine on a park bench. They had been meeting at that park every sunny day for over 12 years... chatting, and enjoying each other’s company. One day, ...
Sermon Transcript for May 22, 2011 by Ian Lawton May your mind transcend limitations. May your consciousness expand in every direction. May you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. These words are ...
(Video Only) The Rev. Michael Dowd, a big integrity / big history / epic of evolution enthusiast, is one of the most inspiring speakers in America today. He is the author of Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science ...
Transcript for May 8, 2011 by Ian Lawton There is a fanciful story of a yogi who died and was taken to yogi’s hell because he had broken his vows. In yogi’s hell he was shown three rooms and given the ...
Transcript for May 1, 2011 by Ian Lawton A milk man in a small town goes door to door each morning with a large jug of milk. At midday he sets his jug on a rock while he unpacks his humble ...
Transcript for April 24, 2011 by Ian Lawton During the week several people commented to me that I must be busy, being Easter week. I explained that I am busy but it has nothing to do with Easter. In the past ...
Transcript for April 17, 2010 by Ian Lawton Oscar Wilde once said, “In the wild struggle for existence, we want to have something that endures.” It’s a common aspect of the human journey, inside and outside of religion, that we seek ...
Transcript for March 27, 2011 by Ian Lawton Barbara Kingsolver’s book “Small Wonder” opens with an amazing, true story about a missing child in the forest in Iran. The parents frantically search for 3 days to find their 16 month old ...
Transcript for March 2, 2011 by Ian Lawton I figure I’ve married about a thousand people in my life. I don’t mean that in a Charlie Sheen “winning at home with my two and a half goddesses” type of way. Do ...
Transcript for March 13, 2011 by Ian Lawton A woman was in the hospital, near death. The family called their pastor to be with her. As the pastor stood next to the bed, the woman’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Gasping ...
Transcript for March 6, 2011 by Ian Lawton So many of the problems we experience in life are due to the illusion of separateness. We imagine that we are alone and isolated. The answer is to wake up to the oneness ...
Transcript for February 27, 2011 by Ian Lawton How is your relationship with your emotions? Are you in charge of your emotions, or do your emotions run your life? Would you like to feel better, more in control of the things ...
Transcript for February 20, 2011 by Ian Lawton The story appeared on the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle several years ago. A female humpback whale had become entangled in a maze of crab traps and lines, including a line ...
Transcript for February 13, 2011 by Harry T. Cook On February 13, 1809 – exactly 202 years ago – two male infants were spending their first full day of life outside the womb. One was undoubtedly in the care of his ...
Transcript for February 6, 2011 by Ian Lawton The Eighteenth Century Jewish master, Tzemech Tzedek, was once asked to pray for a seriously ill child. He said to the family, “Tracht gut vet zain gut,” a Yiddish phrase which means “Think ...
Transcript for January 30, 2011 by Ian Lawton Last year President Obama was at a Town Hall meeting in DC. A woman asked him a question. She said she was a big fan of President Obama’s and had enthusiastically voted for ...
Transcript for January 23, 2011 by Ian Lawton Do you sometimes feel like you are holding on for dear life? Holding on to people and places, perspectives and plans, as if you’re holding a baby in a shower. You imagine that ...
Transcript for January 16, 2011 by Ian Lawton The 2004 movie Crash begins with the sound of two cars colliding and a voice-over. Horns are blaring, tires are screeching, metal is crunching, and then with the distant image of out of ...
Transcript for January 9, 2011 by Ian Lawton This is my annual jetlag talk given around 24 hours after arriving back from Australia. It’s said that jetlag lasts one day for every time zone you cross. In that case I should ...
Transcript for January 2, 2011 by Dan Gleason I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak here this morning and for all your support in this endeavor. I have spoken to many of you about this talk and ...
Transcript for December 19, 2010 by Ian Lawton Merry Christmas… or Happy Holidays? Which do you say? Do you think it matters? How do you celebrate Christmas in an inclusive way? You may have seen the Ben Stein piece on Christmas ...
Transcript for December 12, 2010 by Ian Lawton Picture the scene. Mary and Joseph are huddled together in a manger surrounded by farm animals. Joseph is drifting in and out of various dreams. Angels fly in and out of the manger ...
Transcript for December 5, 2010 by Ian Lawton A young kid was in big trouble with his Dad. He was sent to his room, where he stayed for an hour. His Dad came in and found him packing some of his ...
Transcript for November 28, 2010 by Bill Freeman Election Day 2008: I’m standing at the corner of one of the busiest intersections in downtown Holland, holding a sign with the name of the presidential candidate I support on it. (You’ll probably ...
Transcript for November 21, 2010 by Ian Lawton Did you play “catch” or “tag” as a child? Those were the days my friends. In Australia there was a safe space called “BAR”. If you were touching BAR, you couldn’t be caught. ...
Transcript for November 14, 2010 by Ian Lawton Do you think the problems of the world will ever be fully solved? How would you even know if this was the case? Won’t there always be more to do? How do you ...
Transcript for November 7, 2010 by Ian Lawton Let me begin by poking a little fun at our judicial system. After all, the system is based on putting the fate of the accused in the hands of a jury of 12 ...
Transcript for October 31, 2010 by Ian Lawton Let me start by asking you a question. Which is better -- heads or tails? Of course it’s a nonsense question. You could tell me that you prefer tails because it has a ...
Transcript for October 24, 2010 by Ian Lawton We lost our friend Red Bird last Friday. Red was an exceptional human being. He exuded the peace of a man who knew he had lived a full life and left this world ...
Transcript for October 17, 2010 by Ian Lawton A verse in the Jewish text called the Talmud says, “Every blade of grass has its angel that bends over it and whispers, “Grow, Grow.” What a beautiful image! I like to think that ...
Transcript for October 10, 2010 by Ian Lawton Wayne Dyer said, “Judgment prevents us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.” Things aren’t always as they seem. Incomplete information and assumptions often color our thoughts and conclusions. These assumptions sometimes ...
Transcript for October 3, 2010 by Ian Lawton In the British comedy series The Vicar of Dibley, the 102 year old vicar dies in the middle of a service. They begin looking for a new vicar. They call Geraldine, one of ...
Transcript for September 26, 2010 by Ian Lawton The 90’s cult movie Trainspotting opens with a famous scene called “Choose Life.” As Ewen McGregor is chased through the streets of Edinburgh Scotland, the following voice over is heard, (minus the ...
Transcript for September 19, 2010 by Ian Lawton How much time did you put into deciding what to wear today? Did you feel free to wear something summery even just as an act of defiance against the changing seasons? Did you ...
Transcript for September 12, 2010 by Ian Lawton In 2002 the pastor of a Christian church in New Mexico denounced Harry Potter as “the devil” and called on his congregation to join him in a Harry Potter book burning ceremony. The ...
Sunday, September 5, 2010 by Bob Kleinheksel and Connie Farell On Labor Day weekend, we celebrated our annual Blessing of the Pets Gathering. The sermon was a dialogue between Bob and Connie. There is no transcript, but the video and audio ...
Transcript for August 29, 2010 by Ian Lawton When I woke up this morning, I had an incredible vision of multitudes of people finding strength of spirit that overcomes obstacles and transcends pain and suffering. I imagined people finding the liberating ...
Transcript for August 22, 2010 by Bob Kleinheksel Oscar Wilde said, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much!” We hear a lot about forgiveness, the need for forgiveness. Many of us have been instructed, or indoctrinated by models of ...
Transcript for August 8, 2010 by Ian Lawton Two men shared a hospital room, both very sick. One man was near the window and the other man had to stay flat on his back in his bed away from the window. ...
Transcript for August 1, 2010 by Ian Lawton I grew up an Anglican, aka Episcopalian in the United States, where the service has a regular pattern and ritual. The style of service is sometimes referred to as “bells and smells” which ...
Transcript for July 25, 2010 by Ian Lawton The love letters keep arriving, correspondence from evangelical Christians who seem very anxious about our community’s name change and cross removal. Some of them just can’t let it go. It’s not enough that ...
Transcript for July 18, 2010 by Ian Lawton We just celebrated the birthday of the woman who caught my eye and stole my heart 22 years ago. From the minute I saw her, I knew that this was meant to be ...
Transcript for July 11, 2010 by Ian Lawton "Each friend represents a world in us, a world not possibly born until they arrive." ~ Anais Nin My hope is to open you to the possibility that your life expands and deepens with ...
Transcript for July 4, 2010 by Ian Lawton On September 18, 1793, George Washington laid the corner stone for the United States Capitol building in Washington D.C. It was a grand occasion, and many portrayals of the event show Washington dressed ...
Transcript for June 27, 2010 by Bob Kleinheksel Again, I extend a warm welcome to all of you – whether you have been here for years or if this is your first Sunday here. To you who have been here ...
Transcript for June 20, 2010 by Ian Lawton Happy Father’s Day. Here’s to all fathers and the fatherly heart in all – fathers, grandfathers, uncles, coaches, big brother mentors and all those in the village, men and women, who take seriously ...
June 13, 2010, by Michael Dowd Rev. Dowd delivered his sermon extemporaneously. The following material reflects the content of his talk but is not an actual transcript. See the following websites for more on Rev. Dowd and his and his wife ...
Transcript for June 6, 2010 by Ian Lawton Are you going through the motions, or are you giddy with excitement to be part of a world changing, inclusive spiritual community? If you’re looking for giddy excitement, then you’ve come to the ...
Memory and Gratitude, May 30, 2010 Michael Dowd graciously joined us on Memorial Day Sunday at C3 to share with us his four essential components to deep-time grace and deep-time peace. He spoke of integrating a "deep-time awareness; not simply what ...
Transcript for May 23, 2010 by Ian Lawton I made some New Year’s resolutions this year- 1. Find inner peace 2. Tidy my home office 3. Finish my book I arranged them in that order of importance, but it seemed like I couldn’t find any ...
Transcript for May 16, 2010 by Ian Lawton Naming someone or something is a powerful experience. We go to great trouble to select names for babies, hoping to choose something that a child can feel proud of throughout their life. There ...
Transcript for May 9, 2010 by Ian Lawton It was a simple human interest story in the back pages of a New York newspaper, but it really captured my imagination. A train pulls up at a subway platform at New York’s ...
Transcript for May 2, 2010 by Ian Lawton I recently bought a new pair of running shoes. I decided to buy top of the range shoes to save my back and knees some wear and tear. These things have so much ...
Transcript for April 25, 2010 by Ian Lawton I’m going to ask you to do something, and for the sake of the exercise I want to ask you to follow your first instinct. Don’t think about it. Just do it. Don’t ...
Transcript for April 18, 2010 by Ian Lawton Three cheers for bald and balding people. You are true eco-warriors- without plastic combs or electricity for hair dryers. Comedian Larry David said, “Come on. We have got to go bald - all ...
Transcript for April 4, 2010 by Ian Lawton Jesus was at the Last Supper with his disciples. He looked around the table. In one direction he saw Judas Iscariot, and recognized betrayal in his eyes. He then looked the other way ...
Transcript for March 28, 2010 by Earle Canfield Families, Families, Families. Johnny’s grades are dropping. Jen is going to get a tattoo regardless of what we say. I don’t know what we’re going to do about your mother. And don’t you ...
Transcript for March 21, 2010 by Ian Lawton It’s a little eerie to hear my son read a harsh Bible passage (Matthew 10; 33) about sons being divided against their fathers. It makes me wonder if I should have come better ...
Transcript for March 7, 2010 by Ian Lawton Do you come here for your own spiritual growth, or do you come here to find your place in a world that is crying out for some healing love? Do you feel that ...
Transcript for February 28, 2010 by Ian Lawton Why do you come to this progressive spiritual community on a Sunday morning? Some of you have traveled distances, past many mainstream churches, to be here. So what is the draw? You have ...
Transcript for February 21, 2010 by Ian Lawton A pregnant woman boards a bus. After taking a seat, she notices a man smiling at her. She feels self-conscious and changes her seat. His eyes follow her and he seems even more ...
Transcript for February 14, 2010 by Ian Lawton A chicken and an egg are lying in bed. The chicken is smoking a cigarette with a satisfied smile on its face and the egg is frowning and looking defeated. The egg mutters, ...
Transcript for February 7, 2010 by Ian Lawton With Darwin’s birthday coming up, we again honor his groundbreaking work with our own celebration of Evolution Sunday. Surprisingly, the world is still divided on the question of whether the Genesis creation story ...
Transcript for January 31, 2010 by Ian Lawton There is a billboard on an Interstate Highway that says, “Does your wife have too many shoes?” Apart from the sexist overtones of addressing the man of the house, you might hope it ...
Transcript for January 24, 2010 by Ian Lawton We have some visitors here this morning, particularly with the newcomer brunch. Maybe some of you are wondering what this place is all about? How do you know if you are going to ...
Transcript for January 17, 2010 by Ian Lawton There is a website called Reincarnation Station where you fill in a survey and it tells you what you will reincarnate as in your next life. The site tells you that if you ...
Transcript for January 10, 2010 by Ian Lawton I’m just back from 2 wonderful weeks in Sydney with family. The 32 hour commute is so fresh that my cankles haven’t yet subsided from their puffy, Mrs. Doubtfire-esque glory. Under the circumstances, ...
Transcript for December 24, 2009 by Ian Lawton My oldest son is currently learning to drive. This is a new experience for all of us. It’s an anxious time for a parent, a liberating time for a kid. It’s amazing ...
Transcript for December 20, 2009 By Ian Lawton A woman takes her 16-year-old daughter to the doctor. The doctor says, "Okay, Mrs. Jones, what's the problem?" The mother says, "It's my daughter. She keeps getting these cravings, she's putting on weight ...
Transcript for December 13, 2009 By Ian Lawton During the week a massive light show lit up the sky over Norway. It was a giant spiral of light with a blue tail. It could be seen all across Norway, suggesting that ...
Transcript for November 29, 2009 By Ian Lawton Do you want to survive life; or do you want to thrive? Do you want to go through the motions and fly under the radar; or do you want to become a better ...
Transcript for Thursday, November 26 By Ian Lawton Some students came to their Rabbi and said, “Rebbe, we are puzzled. It says in the Talmud that we must thank God as much for the bad days as for the good. How ...
Transcript for November 15, 2009 By Ian Lawton An Illinois man left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and planned to meet him there the next day. When he reached ...
Transcript for November 8, 2009 By Ian Lawton There was once a very stingy man with a terminal illness. He was determined to prove wrong the old saying, “You can’t take it with you.” After much thought he finally figured out ...
Transcript for November 1, 2009 by Ian Lawton Johnny Lee Clary was the Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan’s White Knights. After spending his twenties terrorizing black people in his home town in Oklahoma, he had a religious experience that ...
Transcript for October 25, 2009 by Ian Lawton Because the One I love lives inside of you, I lean as close to you as I can. Because God has pitched tent inside your humanity, I set up camp in your courage ...
Transcript for October 18, 2009 by Ian Lawton To paraphrase a famous Jewish proverb, when you reach the next world, God will not ask you, “Why were you not like Moses?” Instead the question will be, “Why were you not more ...
Transcript for October 11, 2009 by Ian Lawton Bluegrass is a musical genre that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Take for example some of the great song titles: Barefoot boy with boots on I kissed her on the left cheek, I kissed her ...
Transcript for October 4, 2009 by Ian Lawton Couples learn a lot about each other on trips. Take for example the couple on a road trip that stopped at a diner for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant ...
Transcript for September 20, 2009 by Ian Lawton Great Radiance! Big Bang! Holy Mystery! A wondrous web of cosmic alchemy swirls within and around you. Above you are stars, hydrogen cocktails fusing into helium. At the right time, the energy of ...
Transcript for September 13, 2009 by Ian Lawton A dog had gone missing for a couple of days. Before he was eventually found, his owner posted a sign on every tree and telephone pole she could find within 20 miles of ...
Transcript for September 6, 2009 by Ian Lawton On the first day, God created the dog and said: “Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will ...
Transcript for August 30, 2009 by Ian Lawton “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and the daughters of life longing for itself. They come through you, but come not from you. Though they are with you they ...
Transcript for August 23, 2009 by Ian Lawton Rabbi Bunam said: “Seek peace in your own place. You cannot find peace anywhere save in your own self. When you have made peace within yourself, you will be able to make peace ...
Transcript for August 16, 2009 by Ian Lawton We just arrived back from a family vacation. It was a classic road trip. The kids used all the same lines that I remember using when I was a kid on a road ...
Transcript for July 27, 2008 By Ian Lawton He always wanted to explain things. But no one cared. So he drew. Sometimes he would draw and it was anything. He wanted to carve it in stone or write it in the sky. And it ...
Transcript for July 26, 2009 by Ian Lawton The practice of being spiritual is not exactly a precise science, is it? Spirituality dwells in the realm of mystery, metaphor and inner growth which are all so hard to measure. I equate ...
Transcript for July 20, 2008 By Ian Lawton Namaste. Divine passion in me honors divine passion in you. From this space of universal compassion, we are one. All is related. So may it be. When I first read Eckhart Tolle’s The ...
Transcript for July 19, 2009 by Ian Lawton A police officer pulls over a guy who had been weaving in and out of the lanes. He goes up to the guy's window and says "Sir, I need you to blow into ...
Transcript for July 12, 2009 by Ian Lawton Traditional Russian nested dolls stack doll inside doll inside doll. Now you can get Democratic nested dolls. Obama on the outside, then Clinton inside him, then Carter, Johnson and Kennedy in the centre. I ...
Transcript for July 5, 2009 by Ian Lawton Independence Weekend is a great time to reflect on national affairs (excuse the pun), what your expectations of national leaders and your own role in building a stronger nation. I want to approach ...
Transcript for June 21, 2009 by Ian Lawton Happy Father’s Day to all. I celebrate fathers, grandfathers, uncles and all those in the village who take seriously your role in mentoring and nurturing young people. I acknowledge those who have intimate ...
Namaste. Abundant trust in me greets the same in you. When we meet in trust, the world becomes an open, inviting and friendly place. Maybe you doubt me because you have trusted before and been hurt too many times. Maybe ...
Transcript for June 7, 2009 by Ian Lawton The relationship of trust between parents and children is a delicate one. Families are often on edge, a little like the parents who walked past their son’s bedroom and were astonished to see ...
Transcript for May 31, 2009 by Ian Lawton To be or not to be is NOT the question. Becoming is the issue. Life that is always becoming, unfolding, evolving in me greets the same in you. If you pay attention, you ...
Transcript for May 24, 2009 by Ian Lawton There is a Cherokee saying, "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." Pause to honor the dear ...
Transcript for May 17, 2009 by Ian Lawton Namaste. I honor generosity and acceptance within you. When one person greets another from this space of wide open acceptance, the relationship becomes a beacon of forgiveness and grace. When a group of ...
Transcript for May 10, 2009 by Ian Lawton A pregnant woman boards a bus. After taking a seat, she notices a man smiling at her. She feels self-conscious and changes her seat, but he seems even more amused. She moves a third ...
Transcript for May 3, 2009 by Ian Lawton I read about a competition where people sent in witty analogies for how big their house is. Third place was awarded to this one- My house is so big, there are two toll booths ...
Transcript for April 26, 2009 by Ian Lawton "The ecological crisis is doing what no other crisis in history has ever done -- challenging us to a realization of a new humanity." Jean Houston I have been thinking a lot about the ...
Transcript for April 19, 2009 by Ian Lawton The White House has gone a deeper shade of green. It has a new organic herb and veggie patch, and an eco-friendly swing set for the first kids. There are also some undocumented ...
Transcript for April 12, 2009 by Ian Lawton For those in the Christian tradition, Easter relates to the story of Jesus’ death and rebirth. So in a spirit of fun, let’s consider some of the different ways to understand Jesus. There are ...
Transcript for April 5, 2009 by Ian Lawton It was Palm Sunday but because of a sore throat, 5-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter. When the family returned home, they were carrying several palm fronds. Johnny asked them ...
Transcript for March 29, 2009 by Ian Lawton It’s very good to be back with you this morning. While I was in England, you were treated to three incredible Sunday mornings. I followed closely from afar and wished I could be ...
The sound of the organ trails off into the hollow spaces of the church. The preacher trudges to the pulpit as if he is walking down death row. He cut himself shaving that morning, and his throat is so dry ...
Transcript for February 22, 2009 by Ian Lawton Namaste. Sensual humanity in me greets sensual humanity in you. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, together we will create a massive simultaneous ...
Sermon Transcript for February 15, 2009 by Ian Lawton Namaste. Evolving life in me greets evolving life in you. Together we are an evolving community, intimately related to an evolving humanity. This evolving humanity is part of, but not central to, ...
Sermon Transcript for February 8, 2009 by Ian Lawton Namaste. My eyes soak in the wonder that surrounds me. I look and all I see is beauty. If God is love, then all I see is God and all I feel ...
Transcript for February 1, 2009 by Ian Lawton Namaste. Wonder in me greets wonder in you. Georgia O'Keefe says, “no one ever sees a flower, really. It's so small it takes time. We don't have time. To see takes time, like to ...
Transcript for January 25, 2009 by Ian Lawton Namaste. I honor the universal wisdom of unity that resides within every person. The lamps are different, but the Light is the same. So many garish lamps in the dying brain’s lamp-shop, Forget about them. Concentrate on ...
Transcript for January 18, 2009 By Ian Lawton Namaste. Action hero in me greets action hero in you. I honor the instinct in you to seize the moment with passion and conviction. I honor the courage in you to act decisively ...
Transcript for January 11, 2009 By Ian Lawton Namaste. Faith in me greets faith in you. It’s not an irrational faith in unbelievable gods and miracles. The faith I greet has little to do with belief. It’s not a superstitious faith ...
Transcript for December 28, 2008 By Bob Kleinheksel I am a work in progress and I am increasingly aware of my foibles and personality style. I work on not being annoyed by small things….and work on being more patient. I was ...
Transcript for December 24, 2008 By Ian Lawton I set myself the challenge of giving a Christmas “elevator talk” this evening. That is, I want to say something meaningful in the time it would take to ride an elevator, let’s say ...
Transcript for December 21, 2008 By Ian Lawton Namaste. Genius in me greets genius in you. I honor the part of you that is pure genius. It is your birthright. You can do nothing to earn it, and no one ...
Transcript for December 14, 2008, By Ian Lawton Namaste. Christmas wonder in me greets Christmas wonder in you. Something precious and wondrous is waiting to be born in your life and in the world. It may require labor pains as ...
Transcript for December 7, 2008 By Ian Lawton The Monty Python movie, The Life of Brian, begins with a familiar nativity scene. It’s a still winter’s night. Three wise men finish a long journey to visit the new born baby ...
Transcript for November 30, 2008 By Ian Lawton Namaste. The Christ in me greets the Christ in you. I honor the part of you that gives birth to God. You are the way that God is you in the world, ...