Why Interfaith?

Many people have asked me "Why did you decide to become an interfaith minister? I mean, when there are so many faiths available, why interfaith?"

It's a sort of "Wazzup with that?" question.

For me, the process of coming to an interfaith decision was a little like "The Long and Winding Road" song from the Beatles.

The long and winding road
That leads to your door,
Will never disappear,
I've seen that road before.
It always leads me here
Leads me to your door.

As a child, I was exposed to the Seventh-Day Adventist faith. Many of my family were very active in that religion, and I even attended private SDA schools, including four years of boarding school in my high school years.

Yet, for me, something was missing. What was it?

Oh, I know: freedom. Freedom to think for myself, freedom to ask questions, freedom to discover for myself my own truth.

Interestingly, I realized that many others didn't share this intense feeling, which was fine for them, but for me, I ached to discover my own truth.

So, once out of high school, I found myself feeling lost. I knew what I didn't want (religious structure), but I had no clue as to what I did want.

I tried lots of different things, and finally realized after about ten years that I was seeking spirituality, not religosity. I learned meditation and loved it. Finally, I was connecting to my deeper truth.

However, I still didn't trust my own intuition, because at that point in time, I had no clue as to how to distinguish intuition from ego or personality.

Then my daughter was born. My inner urge to find a spiritual fit became stronger. I attended a Methodist church for a while. It was nice, but still not "it." Then a friend introduced me to Unity Church.

I loved it! I resonated with the New Thought message of the Unity Church, with the concept of focusing on the positive, as well as the idea that we create our lives through our very thoughts and through our connection to Divinity. Our minister also introduced me to the Course in Miracles, an amazing and powerful teaching.

You would think I'd become a Unity minister, rather than an interfaith minister, wouldn't you?

Well, not so fast.

I then discovered (through a variety of moves to new locations) that I didn't resonate with all Unity churches. This was a bit of a shocker!

I then delved into Landmark Education (the Forum, for those of you who aren't familiar with LE), which is a sort of a religion (although many would argue that point). Meanwhile, I was still meditating (both Buddhist and Hindu influences). I was exposed to Sufiism (the mystical branch of Islam), and liked it, and was exposed to Judiaism, and also liked it very much.

In addition, friends of mine were Pagan and I discovered I resonated with their Goddess-oriented, earth-based faith.

Now in Richmond, VA, I tried out Presbyterianism. I liked it.

Another move to Charlottesville, VA, had me seeking a new church. This time Unity was a fit again - for a while.

Then I met and married my husband, who is Presbyterian. Again, I was attending Presbyterian churches - all of which I truly enjoyed.

Another move (whew!) - this time to Florida -and I realized I was ready to attend Seminary. I had been pondering this particular Seminary (The New Seminary, in New York City) for several years and now I felt I had the time and the energy I to devote to the studies and teachings.

I discovered I loved Interfaith. Rather than segmenting the Divine into separate religions, it honored the Divine in all faiths. Rather than focusing on what is different, it focused on what is similar. Rather than excluding, it included.

Even the teachings of Unity felt too constricting for me. I felt that the New Thought concepts were a religion. And they still weren't broad enough (although they are very broad).

For me, God or Allah or Jehovah or Universal Energy or Krishna or whatever you desire to call that incredible Divine creative power is greater than any religion we as humans can create. Interfaith simply holds the belief that each person decides for him or herself what their right connection to that Divine creative power is and it honors that decision. Interfaith honors that path.

Interfaith holds the space for all truths, all paths, all beliefs. It welcomes all and it honors all.

That is why interfaith is a fit for me.

The "Ain't It Awful!" Habit

Yesterday, I was out at a store and I heard one of the clerks talking with a customer.

Clerk: "People just don't care. They come in here and they leave stuff all over the place and then I have to go in and pick up after them."

Customer: "I know it! I can see that. They just don't care."

Clerk: "And I have to be here till closing at 8. Picking up stuff and picking up more stuff."

I drifted away from the conversation about that time, but not before I realized that this was another version of what I call the "Ain't It Awful!" conversation.

The "Ain't It Awful!" conversation usually goes something like this:

"Can you believe the economy? It's so awful. Everywhere I look I see troubles."

or

"Those kids! They are just so disrespectful. I don't know what's happening to society these days."

I used to be a member of the "Ain't It Awful!" club. Full-time and card-carrying, I'd join in when I heard those conversations, believing what they were saying. I thought that if I joined in the conversation, I'd be connected to the people - we'd share something in common.

Well, we did. But I discovered that I then had friends that I really didn't want to hang out with, because they loved talking about what was wrong with life.

Somewhere along the way, I discovered Unity church. Now there was a bunch of positive people! I realized that I didn't want to be a card-carrying member of the "Ain't It Awful!" club anymore. So, for the next 15 years, I worked on being more conscious of my thoughts and my conversations.

Then about three years ago, I discovered Abraham-Hicks's work, and decided I'd really up the ante. I'd seriously pay attention to what I was thinking because as I knew that as I paid attention to my thoughts and my vibration, my life would really change and become more and, better. I knew that I would seriously begin to consciously co-create my dreams and desires into being at an even greater level than I already had been doing.

And it happened. In the beginning, I realized how very, very much I liked to complain. About anything. That shocked me, because I thought I was already a pretty positive person. But the truth was, I had a major complaining habit. (This was a step up from the "Ain't It Awful!" habit I had had earlier in my life, but it was still not working for me.)

Slowly, I began to change. At first, I didn't want to hang out with people who complained. Then I realized that I would not be hanging out with anybody if I did that (not even myself!). So, I let that ideal go and just focused on my own responses and thoughts to a person or a situation.

It worked. I offered compassion instead of judgment (when I can) to those complaining around me. And when I'm complaining, I say to myself "Now, Anne, it's ok. You are just fine. Everything is just fine. Let it go." Usually, that works. Sometimes, however ... well, let's just say, I've either been triggered and I'm in an emotional reaction or I'm just not interested in changing my judgment in that moment.

This is a process. Let me repeat that. It is a P-R-O-C-E-S-S. This means that it takes time. It is a re-training of how to think, how to be.

And that's ok. You're just fine. Everything is fine. See if you can let go of any presumption that it has to be done right here, right now, in this red-hot minute. For indeed, all is well.

Thank You, God, for friends!

Last night, friends of ours, Dawn & Julio, came over for dinner and to play games. We decided around Thanksgiving of last year that we'd give game night a try and see how we liked it. We discovered we loved it!

Since then, when all four of us are available, we get together for dinner and games on a Saturday night. Dawn and I decide on the menu ahead of time, and then on Saturday, Francisco and I clean our house and I work on the appetizers and whatever our contributions are for dinner. Dawn and Julio come with their contributions and we have a lovely dinner.

Then we break out the games. After playing a number of different games, we've decided the Rummy Game is our favorite. It works like the card game, Rummy, but it's with tiles, and you can manipulate the runs (my favorite thing to lay down) and the 3-of-a-kinds (my husband's favorite thing to lay down) to create new runs or 3-of-a-kinds. It's a lot of fun, and uses left-brain thinking in order to play. Sometimes when someone goes out, they have just one tile left and they have to manipulate six or eight or even ten different groups in order to get rid of that one tile.

Last night, I won for the first time. In all the weeks we've been playing, I had not won. Not once! But last night, I had that one tile left and I had to manipulate a whole lot of things on the board to get rid of my tile. Even I was surprised! Actually, last night, everyone won. Francisco also won for the first time, and he won three times in a row! You can see that Dawn & Julio have been wiping up the floor with us, but we haven't cared. It's pretty terrific, and we all have a blast.

We met Dawn and Julio at Unity church about a year and a half ago. We instantly clicked. One reason is that both Dawn and Julio were raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist religion, as I was. We all went through the private schooling - including boarding schools (in high school), which is a pretty unique experience. There are things we share that is hard for others to understand unless they've experienced it, as well. Things like campmeeting. And vespers. And ingathering. Things like the Sabbath being Saturday, like the Jewish faith. See what I mean?

In addition, to find someone who had experienced the SDA world and was now at Unity was even more unusual. Because, like Seventh-Day Adventism, Unity is a unique faith. They're almost like the two opposite ends of the spectrum in the faith world. SDA on the right and Unity on the left. (Think conservative and liberal, and you've got it.)

As we got to know Dawn & Julio, we liked them more and more. Then Dawn asked me to officiate their wedding. I was honored. I wrote the service and they loved it. It was a beautiful service and I received some compliments on what I wrote. Dawn was a beautiful bride and Julio a handsome groom.

Dawn was working in New York at the time I was ordained, and she came to my ordination. She met my family and came to dinner with us afterward. I was incredibly grateful for her light-hearted, humorous stories after such an intense, powerful experience, and she made us all laugh.

I have been blessed with some wonderful friends throughout my life. People who have made a difference to me, who have helped me through some very dark times (thank you, Danielle! thank you, Kathleen! thank you, Betsy!). Friends who have talked with me on the phone for hours, sharing ideas and helping me move to a new place of understanding about a particular issue (again, thank you, all of you, and especially you, Danielle!).

This is the first time I've had a "couple" friend. When I was younger, I was busy raising my daughter, Christina, and so my friendships were friends I met being a parent. We shared ideas, and, since I homeschooled Christina for a number of years, we shared a common value. Then she grew up and my friends changed. Then we moved and again, my friends changed - although some remained very beautifully in place. But it is nice to have the physicality of friends to hang with and do things with.

Having a "couple" friend is different. The energy of all four needs to blend nicely, and everyone like everyone else. This does. The conversation needs to be interesting and fun. This is. The interests must be common. Ours are. Even our spiritual language is similar. This is pretty unusual, and I, for one, am grateful. It's a delightful experience having friends, and a new and fun experience for me having a "couple" friend. Both Francisco and I are pretty much home-bodies, so for the most part, we are very content to be together in our home.

It's nice to share ourselves with others. It's nice to welcome others in. Thank you, Dawn & Julio!

Oh, That Was Just Beautiful!

I sing. Some say I sing very well. Sometimes I think I sing very well. Sometimes I think I sound horrible. Some who have heard me sing might be surprised at this. But it's not because I always sing so beautifully, but rather because when they have heard me sing, I have practiced and practiced and my voice is warmed up and I am ready to actually perform the song, therefore my voice sounds good.

When I haven't sung for some time, however, I can hear how my breath is shorter than usual (meaning I can't hold the note as long as I can when my voice is more elastic and warmed up), how the note isn't quite on fully, especially in faster movements of the song, or how I just can't quite get that high note, and the notes themselves sometimes just don't have the purity of sound they have when my voice is warmer. And each time I get in that place, I have a little bit of panic inside. "Oh, no, what if this is all I can ever do from now on?" The anxious conversations begin to get activated inside. Beautiful? Not even close.

Then I practice and it begins to sound better. Whew.

Most times I sing, I sing at churches. Most recently, Francisco and I had been attending a Unity church in Hollywood, Florida, and for a little while, I sang somewhat frequently (about once every couple of months). Then it stretched to six months. Not enough for me. A singer needs someone to sing to, doncha know.

Odd, it seemed to me, that I wasn't doing more. Except that I understood the concept that diverse music is being offered to the church. I'm not terribly diverse; I have my style, my loves of form and method of singing, and I like to stick to it. I'm not a jazz singer, nor am I a gospel singer. I like slower, gentle, loving songs - songs with feeling and quiet, sacred heart. Songs like "The Lord's Prayer," and "Here I Am, Lord," and "You'll Never Walk Alone." And that can sound like one-note-Johnny after a while. I understand.

Before moving to Florida, Francisco and I lived in Charlottesville, Virginia. We were attending a lovely Presbyterian church, and both of us sang in the choir. I sang lots of solos there. People always were saying how wonderful it was; how beautifully I sang. (Sometimes I would wonder if they were just being nice, especially if I had heard some notes go flat or sharp.) Nonetheless, I love to sing and people kept encouraging me, so I kept singing.

Since moving here, we've been searching for a church. Like I said, for a while, we attended the Unity church. And it was lovely. The people are delightful. But we've been a little split between the Unity church and another lovely Presbyterian church we discovered, and so we are now connecting to the First Presbyterian Church in Hollywood.

It's nice to connect in different places.

This brings me back to singing. The Presbyterian church has more of the kinds of songs I like to sing. I love singing from a hymnal, and I love the types of solos I have heard. "Pie Jesu" was just beautiful, as was "He Shall Feed His Flock" from the Messiah at Christmas. The choir is lovely and active and sings beautiful classical songs. This gives me hope that I can sing frequently again and offer my voice, my heart, my soul. Musically, it feels like a fit.

And this brings me back to the other night. I was fixing dinner and decided to sing. It's one of my favorite times to sing, when I'm working in the kitchen. I was singing along with "Memories," from the Broadway play, "Cats," and as I finished the song, I could hear the ducks outside quacking.

Let me fill you in. We live on a lake. It is small and man-made, but it is a lake nonetheless. And at this lake live numerous fishing birds and ducks and turtles. Francisco and I delight in watching and feeding the ducks and the birds (not the fishing birds, other birds like Blue Jays, and the wonderful noisy Parrots) every day. Last year, one of the ducks had 10 ducklings, all of whom survived. As they grew, they got used to my voice, because I talk to them when I feed them. And they talk to me. So, imagine my surprise when I heard them quacking as I finished singing. (It's January, so my windows are open, wide open!)

I felt like St. Francis who gave his sermons to the birds!

It was the most delightful experience. I could almost hear them saying, "Oh, that was beautiful, do more!"

This makes me think that even though I didn't think it soundeds so great, maybe they heard something else. Maybe they heard the heart behind the song, the love and the passion. Maybe they heard me.

And maybe that's what people hear when I sing: my truth, my heart, my love, my connection to God. And maybe that's what they're talking about when they say "Oh, that was just beautiful!"

How is Your Ministry Going?

This morning, I received an email from a young woman who is finishing her second year of seminary. She will be ordained at St. John of the Divine church in New York City, on a beautiful June day this year. I was ordained at St. John of the Divine church in New York City, on a beautiful, very hot, June day last year, from the same seminary. She asked me: "how's your ministry going?"

Now this is a frequent question that I receive, and one that many of my fellow graduates have received since being ordained. And many of us have a similar answer: "Uh, well, good, and well, uh, hmmm..." The reason for this rather unclear answer is that most of us are still figuring out what the heck we're doing being ministers.

We felt called. We answered the call. We spent two years exploring the world's major religions, and learning how to create rituals, perform ceremonies, and give sermons. We learned how to experience the energies of celebrations and times of challenges, and how to become ministers. How to speak like a minister. How to be a minister.

The ordination was magical. After an intimate, and deeply moving, retreat, our tightly-knit group of eager seminarians met up with family members for a weekend in New York.

Sunday was our big day. My husband flew from Ft. Lauderdale to be with me. My mother flew in from Oregon to see me ordained. My daughter and her fiance rode the train from Baltimore to be there. My brother and nephew came from Pennsylvania. My dear friend came from Charlottesville. It was affirming, and rich and powerful.

Samora and I sang "The Prayer." Kate sang another beautiful song. Sharon gave the class a voice with her profound speech. We sweated. We celebrated. We cried. And we were ordained.

Then it was all over. We went our separate ways. My study group (nicknamed "The Fertile Ones") stayed together online. We are a diverse group: Jewish, Voodoo, Shaman, Buddhist, Pagan, and Christian - of several faiths including New Thought, Presbyterian and Catholic - and yet all Interfaith. The group continued to meet weekly. We discussed what this meant to be a minister.

One by one, we have found our way. One started Peace House, an interfaith meeting place dedicated to peace. One became an associate minister at her Unity Church. One was a pastor at his community church. One officiated weddings of gay and lesbian friends. One continued his training in his faith and became a priest. Others discovered their ministry is in the offering of themselves to those around them in whatever form is needed.

The question remains "How's your ministry going?"

For me, the answer has been muddled. My vision has been muddled. But it's clearing.

I had the opportunity to give the sermon at the Unity church I attend, and loved it. (Thank you, Rev. Frank!) I'm going to do more! I sing, and I also offer workshops on EFT (and have done a number of them also at Unity as well as other places). I am creating some amazing affirmation CDs, combining affirmations and EFT (a wonderful acupressure technique), and have discovered that this is part of my ministry. (Those who have test-driven my abundance CD have had some powerful financial breakthroughs as a result!) I tried out being a chaplain at a hospital and discovered I did not like that at all. And I officiated at some weddings and found I loved it.

So: how's my ministry going? "Well, uh, good. It's coming." (Basically, this means I'm figuring it out as I go along.) I do feel strongly that where I am right now is not where I'll be in 2 years, or 5 years. No question about that. And that's good news. Where I am is just fine. But where I'm going? Ooohhh, baby! Just you wait!