Universal Life Church

Online sermons, Sunday school and other interesting readings.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Spiritual Awareness

Spiritual Awareness
As a Reiki III Master I have practice positive healing energies on both myself and others for many year but the Spiritual awareness class had made me aware of other channels of energy as well and how to work with them.  Often what appeared at first to be heath issues has turned out to be negative energies draining the body that are being sent by others.

 Thus now I cleanse the negative energies before I even start to use healing energies, often this alone restores health to the body. When I find this the case then I teach the person to do this for themselves for if we have enemies they continue sending us these negative energies as long as they have them their selves and want to blame others for it. 

Using the system taught in this class I have coupled it with a positive energy of love to aid the negative person to gain healing too if they so choose.  I find seldom does the negative energy stop by just telling it to stop thus I send back what they have received and triple it if necessary so they feel the pain the are sending but then I place a crown of thorns around that individual where the thick energy is trapped from being sent out again but then I go a step forward and send an energy of white light and love through the thorns as love energy is light and can move easily and the negative is a heavy, thick energy and cannot pass through the thorns. 

Thus for a while the person sending out this negative energy is weakening themselves to the point they must stop sending it out, for it only rebounds and then in the weakened stage they become still and can finally feel the strength of the love energy I am sending to them and thus not only is the person I am working with finds healing the other person does too if they are willing to let go of their anger and do so. 

Often these are not bad, mean people but folks who feel trapped in life and cannot find a way out and  thus they find others to blame and send out this pain to them as a sub conscious call for help themselves.

This new Spiritual Awareness has served me well and hopefully will do so for the many I am called on to help, as well.


Rev. Linda Francis

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar



Christian Studies

Study of the Four Gospels
After studying the Bible for many years, I found this course and study material informative, concise and interesting.  I believe that the lessons offered through the Gospels can be found in all major Religions of the world today.  When read as stories, these 'nuggets of wisdom' gently slip through consciousness and into the deeper self.  It is my belief that Wisdom does not belong solely to Christianity or Buddhism or Islam.  When compared to other teachings, the Bible's encouragement towards gentleness and compassion speaks very clearly to our cultural and historic heritage, as many of us in North America were born into some expression of Christianity.  We grew up understanding 'God', 'Church', and 'Heaven'.  The Bible's four Gospels contain stories for children and adults, offering pause for reflection in almost any circumstance.
During my study of this course, 'The Four Gospels', I was struck with the unique nature of this Holy Book, and our western approach to Spirituality.  Unlike so many other spiritual disciplines, our brand of Christianity allows for interpretation. We can, with full measure, allow these stories and lessons to sink into our hearts and spirits, and then re-tell the story in our own words.  Anyone can do this!  And if by some miracle, others appreciate our way of writing and interpreting the word of God, we find that we have brought a small spark of vision to the world.
The interpretation of the Four Gospels, in my opinion, did away with the disputable verses, questionable translations, and went straight to the point of giving examples of lives well lived, lessons learned, and illustrations of "good and evil" actions.
I don't usually like 'Americanized' bible translations, because they often become too simplistic.  This book, while clearly not written for the Bible scholar, was 'juicy' and readable.
By Rev. Ann-Marie Blanchard
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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 
Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use. 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.   
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Friday, December 19, 2008

Universal Life Church


Breakfast at McDonald's
This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end!

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college  degree.


The last  class I had to take was Sociology.



The teacher  was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human  being had been graced with.

 

Her last  project of the term was called, 'Smile.'



The class was  asked to go out and smile at three people and document their  reactions.


  

I am a very  friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I  thought this would be a piece of cake,



Soon after we  were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to  McDonald's one crisp March morning.

 
It was just  our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

 



We were  standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone  around us began to back away, and then
  even my  husband did.

 



I did not  move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me  as I turned to see why they had moved.

 



As I turned  around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing  behind me were two poor homeless men.

 



As I looked  down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was  'smiling'

 



His beautiful  sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for  acceptance

 



He said,  'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been  clutching.

 



The second  man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the  second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his  salvation.

 



I held my tears as I stood there  with them.

 



The young lady at the counter  asked him what they wanted.

 



He said, 'Coffee is all Miss'  because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the  restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be  warm).

 



Then I really felt it - the  compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man  with the blue eyes.



That is when I noticed all eyes in the

restaurant were set on me, judging

my every action.

 



I smiled and asked the young lady  behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate  tray.

 



I then walked around the corner to  the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot I put the tray on  the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold  hand.

 



He looked up at me, with tears in  his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'

 



I leaned over, began to pat his  hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through  me to give you hope'

 



I started to cry as I walked away  to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and  said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me  hope..'

 



We held hands for a moment and at  that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given  were we able to give.

 



We are not church goers, but we  are believers.

 

That day showed me the pure Light  of God's sweet love.

 

I returned to college, on the last  evening of class, with this story in hand.



I turned in 'my project' and the  instructor read it.

 

Then she looked up at me and said,  'Can I share this?'

 
I slowly nodded as she got the  attention of the class.


She began to read and that is when  I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to  heal people and to be healed.


In my own way I had touched the  people at McDonald's, my son,the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a  college student.


I graduated with one of the  biggest lessons I would ever learn:


UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

 



Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to





LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS -

NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

 



There is an Angel sent to watch over you.



An Angel wrote:

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart

 



To handle yourself, use your head..

To handle others, use your heart.
 

         
God Gives every bird it's food, but He does not throw it into its nest.



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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Prayer

A Story of a Special Prayer
SPECIAL GROCERY LIST

Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face, walked into a grocery store.

She approached the owner of the store in a most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few groceries.

She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable to work, they had seven children and they needed food.

John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave his store at once..

Visualizing the family needs, she said: 'Please, sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can..'

John told her he could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at his store.

Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard the conversation between the two. The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very reluctant voice, 'Do you have a grocery list?'


Louise replied, 'Yes sir..' 'O.K.' he said, 'put your grocery list on the scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that
amount in groceries.'

Louise hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still bowed.

The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales went down and stayed down.

The grocer, staring at the scales, turned slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, 'I can't believe it.'

The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.


The grocer stood there in utter disgust.. Finally, he grabbed the piece of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement.

It was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said:

'Dear Father Mother God, Angels and Guides, you know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands.'

The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in stunned silence.

Louise thanked him and left the store. The other customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; 'It was worth every penny of it. Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs.'

THE POWER: When you receive this, say a prayer. That's all you have to do.

Just stop right now, and say a prayer of thanks for your own good fortune. Then please send this to all your friends and relatives.

I believe if you will send this testimony out with prayer in faith, you will receive what you need Universal God Source to do in your and your families' lives.


There is no cost but a lot of rewards.
May you always walk with Angels
Blessings and Peace!    And So It Is.
++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++ +++++


Three things will happen to you this coming week:

(1) You will find favor with someone you don't expect;

(2) You will be too relevant to be ignored;

(3) You will encounter Universal Source  and you will never remain the same, for you will have the "Knowing" that all is in divine right order no matter what that is.

My prayer for you today:

The eyes beholding this message shall not behold evil, the hands that will send this message t o others shall not labor in vain, the mouth saying Amen to this prayer shall laugh forever. Remain in God's love as you send this prayer to everybody on your list. Have a lovely journey of life! Trust in the Universe with all your heart and Source will never fail you because Source is  Awesome! 


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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Universal Life Church

TO ALL SANTA CLAUSES
I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!" 

My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted.... "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."

"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my Second World-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.  

As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's. 

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class.

Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.


"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.


That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.

Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.  

Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were, ridiculous.  Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.

I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.
May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care. And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!


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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.


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Friday, December 12, 2008

Universal Life Church


12 Days of Christmas
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. 
What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, 
swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out
of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
This week, I found out.

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were
not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone
during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.
It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning 
plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each
element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality
which the children could remember.

-The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.

-Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.


-Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
 

-The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
 

-The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
 

-The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
 

-Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching,
  Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy. 

-The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
 

-Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,
  Faithfulness,
 Gentleness, and Self Control. 

-The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
 

-The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
 

-The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.


So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.'


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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. 

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.We also offer many free wedding ceremonies for your use.

 
The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.  
 
Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar