The healing power of our emerging youth leaders

On April 4th our Wisdom Wednesday evening classes took a break. In its place we offered a Youth Service dedicated to healing our community with spoken word, readings, song, music and powerful statements from a few of the emerging leaders within our teen group.

Many of us have felt personal discomfort from local school lock downs and the impact it has had on our children, teens and families in Sonoma County. Week after week conversations in our youth and teen classrooms have included discussion of high anxiety levels and prayer requests for safety, comfort and peace while attending school.

April 4th also marked the close of the Season for Nonviolence. It was the perfect time to invite all of us to extend this 64 day practice of peace to an every day 365 practice. In addition, we wanted to give our community an opportunity to re-commit and/or to deepen spiritual practices and to get very clear on what is personally important to each of us so that we can take action and get involved in a positive nonviolent way to bring about the changes we wish to see.

Our teen speakers, Alexander Dunlop, Kalyla Harper, and Dylan Jansen shared with us spiritual readings along with two spoken word pieces, written by teens Estrella Rose Pacheco and Kalyla Harper, along with a public statement that was released by the Centers for Spiritual Living International teen leadership team in the aftermath of the Parkland shooting. 

The service was interwoven with music provided by Christopher Fritzche and Rev. Joyce Duffala, a sound bowl meditation by Tami Gosnell, a short presentation by Susan Robinson, RScP, Director, Youth and Family Ministry, music created for the March 4 our Lives event and the "Om Mani Peme Hung" chant led by Tsunma Ani Samten Palmo. Our teens also shared six Interfaith prayers of Peace, with welcome and closing statements from Rev. Tara Steele. It was a powerful service that raised the vibration of peace and healing within our community.

If you were unable to attend but would like to have a copy of the service we will have CD's available for order in Stepping Stones Books and Gifts by April 15.

We are so very grateful to Rev. Tara Steele for inviting us to participate in and help create this healing service for our community.

Thank you to all who attended and took the time to leave us a 3x5 card with your comments, commitments and affirmative statements of encouragement. Your words of appreciation mean the world to us!
May you all feel the healing power of Peace.