Throughout human history there have been individuals striving to build a loving community. Recognizing the interdependence of all life, they have tried with love to bring together all souls as a family.

We know some of their names but most have been forgotten in the centuries of time. We honor Moses, Lao-Tzu, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad – Just to name a few.

The memory and teachings of these individuals are precious to us. Their testimony to the truth they knew has served to guide humanity through many ages. Many others have added to the growing treasure of scriptures and teachings that guide us each day.

As long as we remember and try to live in accord with their instructions, they will live on in the hearts and minds of future generations. As long as we strive to serve humanity we will continue to add to their legacy.

The Sages, Prophets, and Teachers of the past are joined by unnamed individuals in every village and town. The Spirit of Love and Service can be found in every corner of this world.

We too are part of a loving community striving to serve the One and the family of humanity. The Spirit of Love binds us together as we plant new seeds of love, justice, and wisdom. We will make our contribution to the future generations.

We will leave our gifts of love, justice, knowledge, wisdom, and devotion for the community. We will do our part to strengthen and uplift the future generations so they may dwell together in harmony and peace.

Every person has an appointed time to live and a time to die. Our time upon the earth is but a moment in the span of eternity. Death is not to be regarded with fear but as something good when it comes in due season.

There are many who try to use their power to change the course of life and death. In the end they fail for death comes to all. At death our body turns to dust and our soul returns to its home.

Nature will be kind if we follow her rules. We will grow and bear our fruit in the appropriate season. Our lives will be full and filled with wonder.

Many think extinction come with death and nothing remains. We live for a time but spiritual advancement serves no purpose. They approach both life and death with indifference.

To live our life in truth, with justice and charity, makes our being here meaningful. We plant the seeds of good knowledge and wisdom that will bear fruit for many generations.

We can live in a way that shows our reverence for God. We can strive to do what is good for all humanity. We can live in harmony with nature too.

If you can do these things – do not despise death when it comes. Death is merely a time of changing our form. Like other things in nature we will be reborn again. The cycle of life will go on.

Today is a new day. We will meet many different types of people. Some will personify all that is good – others will seem to be purely evil.

Each person we meet is our brother or sister. We should look for the beautiful and good in each one of them. But – How can this be done?

We can look at the nature of each individual. We can try to understand what made them the way they are. We can reflect on how we can work with the.

It is against our nature. It is not possible to work with those who mean to do us harm or injure us in some way. They do not share our values nor our goals and dreams.

Remember humanity is one family. We share the journey of life. We have one father and mother. We can be kind to our brothers and sisters even though they are different than us.

Let us begin today – to see all we meet as family. Let us be patient with others and be true to our word. We can show kindness and love in every situation we encounter today.

We are to work together as a community. We are to seek to do what is best for all humanity.

But – what of those who do us wrong, those who hate and are bad to the bone?

We can still show compassion. We can be kind and good natured to everyone. The hardest heart can be changed through the power of love. We must continue to live a noble and good life as a child of the One.

From the day of our birth we wander through life. We flow down the river of time. At times, we are filled with wonder and joy. We also experience hardship and pain.

Our thoughts take us on a wondrous ride. We see light and darkness, mountains and valleys. The river flows on one day at a time.

From birth to death this river flows on. Vainly do we try to stop its flow when we should be enjoying the trip and the experiences we get.

We look back to see what we have missed. We see the errors we have made but can do nothing to change what has been done.

Looking back consumes our mind. We miss the opportunities and wonders presented to us today. Gone are the dreams of yesterday.

We look forward to a bright future. We make plans and dream of what might be. We become confused not knowing how to change this river of time.

We become blind to what is happening around us now. We get caught in the rapids of life. Sometimes a whirlpool will trap us. We may enter brackish water where nothing seems to move or change. Still the river of time moves on.

What are we to do to end the confusion we face? The past cannot be changed and the future is uncertain.

We can use this moment in time. We can accept our place in the river of life. We can do our best with the opportunities presented to us. This moment on the river of time is all we truly have.

Honor the individuals who work for a living. Honor the women who care for our homes and children. Our mothers have a great task. They raise and train the children in a way no one else can.

We work and pray that we will be up to the task. We toil and work to have a positive impact. Our spiritual training and our ideals are given to us by our mothers when we are young.

Harmony and peace is maintained in the home. We are given the ability to think and dream. We learn to appreciate all that is good. Our mothers task is never done.

Our mothers must be creative and inspired thinkers. They make a little seem like a feast. They turn the little we have into great treasures. What they teach us guides us through life.

The light of knowledge inspires us to do good. Guidance and love is available at any hour of the day. We are given the freedom to explore and learn. What will be our basis for growth is given to us when we are young.

Honor and recognition is due to each mother. Many are not fully appreciated for what they do. Mothers are a miracle given to us by God. No one else can fill their shoes.

Spend time with the children. Teach them what you believe. Set an example through your actions of all that is good. Be willing to discuss and explain why you do what you do. Do not be afraid to share your love. Be willing to explore new beliefs and unfamiliar territory. It will take courage to go beyond your comfort zone. The time spent doing this will expand your knowledge and wisdom.

A full life cannot be lived unless you are willing to push back the boundaries established by man. The essence of life is change. Unless you are willing to explore no advancement can be made. Truly living involves taking risks. To grow we must be willing to change and expand our boundaries. Each step may cause us to reevaluate the truths we hold dear. At times will will find that our knowledge and experience is inadequate to accomplish the task we are asked to do. Our commitment to learning will be tested in many different ways.

We go through many transitions and stages in our life. We instinctively know that many of these changes are beyond our control. But to spiritually advance upon our path requires a choice made by each of us. We must make a commitment to spiritual growth. There are many points upon this journey. We must freely choose what to do. We must take new and unfamiliar paths that will change our world view.

There will be times when we choose to retreat into a more familiar pattern. For a time many will need the comfort of a more limited safe harbor where their views are not challenged. When we are unwilling to go forward, we begin to feel we are stuck in a rut with no way to advance again. We must ask ourselves if we are ready to love and commit to serving God and humanity in the best possible way. Are we willing to take our place as god's children and work to learn and grow?

Many individuals that we meet are only interested in their own benefit. They want everything to be furnished to them. They have no desire to learn and grow. They are not willing to make sacrifices nor make the effort to care for themselves or advance in life.

Other individuals love money and power but not the effort it takes to achieve their goals. They do not realize that the true use of money, power, and even of love is spiritual growth and human evolution. Everyone needs food and shelter and this cannot be ignored. Even our political power should be used for the betterment of the human race.

If we truly love, we will not just give people what they want. We will use our God given reason, knowledge, and wisdom to judge the circumstances and then to take the appropriate steps. The actions we take will often be painful but should always be in the interest of all humanity. We must be flexible and do what is best for all concerned.

Our motivation for any action taken must be carefully checked. We must take and accept responsibility for each word we share and the actions we take. Each is based upon a choice that we have made. We must have the commitment to be true to our word. What we do today will set the stage for many generations to come.

Look at your relationships with the people you meet each day. Are you willing to listen and be patient as they share their concerns and views? Each has a story and experiences that you can learn from. Each of these individuals can be part of your life in a mutually beneficial way. Each man and woman will have differing talents and abilities. When respected and loved they will be like part of your family. Each will have their role to play in the achievement of harmony and peace.

Are you willing to extend yourself or take that extra step in the journey of life? Will you have the courage to work with others to achieve spiritual growth? Sometimes all you have to do is listen to the ideals and ideas shared by others to get the answers you seek. Through listening and sharing we can all advance together upon the way. It does take a willingness from each individual to harmonize our efforts so that all may benefit and grow.

What we have been talking about will take tremendous effort. It will take total commitment and concentration. Each individual must be willing to use their talents in the best possible way. Each must feel their efforts are valued and they are loved.

When individuals share a goal they will rise and do what is expected of them. They will know they have an important role and part to play. They develop the ability to both teach and listen. They will know they are an important and unique person. They will be willing to do what needs to be done. They will become creative and contribute to the upward cycle of development and growth.

What we value creates value. Our love begets more love. We begin to communicate in ways that are easy to understand. Each person will grow in knowledge and wisdom as we walk this path together. The manifestation of our efforts will be visible to all. Our love will unify all who come to observe, learn, and grow. Our time and efforts will be appreciated by future generations.

Spiritual love is too great and too deep to be fully understood, measured, or described within the limitations of our words. But, there is value in attempting to define it in an appropriate way. Most of us have never arrived at a truly satisfactory definition.

Dr. Peck, in The Road Less Traveled, defined it as “the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth.

The behavior of love is defined in terms of the goal or the purpose it seems to serve – that of spiritual growth. It is a strangely circular process. It is evolutionary for when we have successfully extended our limits, we have then moved into a larger state of being. When we help others to grow we ourselves grow and evolve.

Love is unifying for the love of self and for the other come together in a harmonious way. To be dedicated to human spiritual development is to be dedicated to the whole of the human family of which we are a member. The growth and development of one member is never to be at the expense of another.

It takes self-discipline and strength of character to love in this way. It takes great effort and patience to show by example that this love is what motivates us. It takes desire and a willingness to work for the benefit of all humanity. We must not only have good intentions but must followup those intentions with appropriate actions.

As you can see this is not about falling in love, but being the love we claim to be. It is to have and share the love we have experienced. It is about truly living what you feel and believe.

It is not about protecting boundaries or finding a sense of safety and comfort, but expanding the boundaries. It is exploring and being open to growth and change. It is about becoming more inclusive and doing what is beneficial for all humanity. It is about embracing life and nurturing the spiritual growth of all. Real spiritual love is an experience that expands ourselves and all we come into contact with.

True acceptance of ourselves and each others individuality is the only foundation upon which Spiritual growth can be based and through which true love can grow. As we continue to stretch and expand our boundaries, the more we love and extend ourselves, the more blurred becomes the distinction between the self and the world. We become identified with all life and achieve a mystical union with the One.

Oneness with the universe, or mystical union, is sought by individuals in every region of the world. It is the essences of true spiritual love. This union can only by achieved by giving up our limiting boundaries that lead to separation and not unity.

There are no quick and easy short cuts. We must take this journey of love one step at a time. We must be persistent in our desire to go forward in our learning and growth. We must continually expand our ability to love.

We must take individual responsibility and seek to learn all we can. We must internalize the teachings and make them our own. We do not give up our freedom of choice or our freedom of action. We do not let others tell us what we must do or depend on them to continually feed us the information we seek. In becoming dependent on others we become a parasite instead of a seek of truth.

We must choose to live in love. We should not allow others to put us in bondage or make us dependent upon them for our spiritual survival. We would end up as mindless slaves with no hope of advancement or freedom. To live a life of love is our pathway to both freedom and union. To be worthy of this love we must be loving. Without this love, life becomes meaningless and harsh. Ultimately to be without love will destroy our spirit and soul. This will in turn destroy our relationships, our religions, and our cultures. To prevent this, we must continually strive to attain and maintain a state of spiritual love.

You will find that if there is growth in the AUC-- 

It will come from those who are former members of the UUA who do believe in God.

It will come from the Spiritual but not Religious folks. 

It will come from the Hebrew and Muslim believers who are not happy with the divisions and abuses of their faiths and want a viable organization to be active in.

It will come from the Christians who believe there is more than one acceptable way to worship God, there is more than one messenger, and have lost faith in the Christian doctrine and exclusive stance of their churches. 

It will come from the Buddhist who do believe in God. 

It will come from the independent new thought groups who are looking to affiliate with a national or international organization that can provide active guidance and support.

It will also come from many other groups like the native americans and Hindu who believe in God. 

None of these groups are looking to become part of just another Christian denomination that will become exclusive and tell them what they must do or believe.

They want no part of an organization that permits personal attacks on those who see things in different ways.

They will want to learn and grow in an atmosphere of trust and love where they can freely share their views and openly ask questions to expand their knowledge.

Spanish translations of the Lord's Prayer, change it from a way of begging God to come into a statement of affirmations of what God has already done and continues to do. It is an awareness and a confirmation of the meaning of living as a child of God. 

Now, as to the events this past week or so, I see them as an example of man's inhumanity to man brought about by those who preach, teach, and direct actions that are contrary to God's guidance and love. Those who preach anger, hate, and separation do great harm to themselves and the communities they serve. 

Until there is an awakening to God's presence within and all around us, there will be wars, rumors of war, destruction, and hate. The lessons to be learned are very difficult, but they are necessary at the same time. Mankind has been given free will to walk a path of its own choosing and this earth serves as our school house till we become aware and seek to return to the ways of the One. 

In the same events, we see those who put aside their differences and rush to help those who were injured. We see a community that comes together in unity to say enough is enough. They will not give in to the fear, anger, or hate that would control and limit the way they live their life. These individuals set a good example of the potential within each of us to do good, even when it places us in a dangerous situation.

I would say that it is mankind, in part, that is doing a very poor job in this school of life. We cannot blame God for our lack of learning and growth for we keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.