The Chrysalis Age

Interspiritual Ministry

An Interfaith Service

Theme of Service: Community

Walk-in Music

Compassion by Govinda from Entranced and Entwined

(During the walk-in, the Ministers (A&B) will ask several parishioners to help in the reading later in the service. As the walk-in music fades out, the Ministers assume the central position in the room and the congregation takes their seats).

Opening Prayer

Minister A:

“Welcome everyone. Let us close our eyes and join together in a brief prayer.

Divine Spirit,

May we learn to see the Divine wherever we look.

May we learn to see others, stranger and loved one alike,

as manifestations of the Divine.

May we learn to see ourselves as an expression of the Divine.

May we learn to embody the Divine with each thought and each action.

May we learn to cultivate universal love and compassion for ourselves and others.

May we learn to awaken to the Divine in each moment, to see that we are never separate from the Divine, never separate from each other, that we are now and always have been the Divine Spirit to which and through which we pray.

Amen.”

Minister B:

“Silence is the sound of inner listening, so let us take a moment and pray now, silently, each in our own way, as we are called to by the Divine.” (One to two minutes of silent prayer.)

Opening Song

Minister A:

“Now, please join us as we sing together the song Get It Together (by Seal from Seal IV – played from CD). You can follow along with the lyrics in your program.”

Now's the time for stepping out of place
Get up on your feet and give account of your faith
Pray to God or something or whatever you do
What I see can make me stop and stare
But who am I to judge the color of your hair
Surely you're all feeling much the same as I do

We got to keep this world together,
got to keep it moving straight
Love like we mean forever, so that people can relate
If you're rolling to your left, don't forget I'm on the right
Trust and forgive each other
A little love and we just might
Yeah, yeah

[We gotta do something, we gotta do something, we gotta do something]
Thinking of the troubles of today,
is it easier to put that gun away
Or is it difficult to stop the world and show that you care
Everything and everyone we know is beautiful
Surely you will be the guiding light to save us all
Maybe we can be the vision of a prophet man's dream

Because we got to keep this world together,
got to keep it moving straight
Love like we mean forever, so that people can relate
If you're rolling to your left, don't forget I'm on the right
Trust and forgive each other
A little love and we just might, just might

[I have something, do you have something
'cause I got something for you]
[I have something, do you have something
'cause I have something for you]

[I have something, do you have something
'cause I got something for you]
[I have something for you]

We got to keep this world together,
got to keep it moving straight
Love like we mean forever, so that people can relate
If you're rolling to your left, don't forget I'm on the right
Trust and forgive each other
A little love and we just might

'Cause we got to keep this world together,
got to keep it moving straight
Love like we need each other, so that people can relate
If you're rolling to your left now, don't forget I'm on the right
Trust and forgive each other
A little love and we just might, just might...

Recitation of the Central Tenants

Minister B:

“Faith is a guiding principle for our community But not a typical faith. It is a faith in all faiths. A faith in the idea that all forms of worship have their source in the same root, and all blossom upon the same tree. A faith in the idea that we are all free to worship as we choose, and a faith in the idea that worship together will only strengthen our understanding and experience of the Divine.”

Minister A:

“The central practice of our community has become the recitation of the Seven Tenants of Universal Faith, because it offers a way to bring the many forms of worship under the same roof and a way to allow worshippers of different paths to worship together. And so, I ask you to hold in your hearts and minds a blessing of thanks to our wise and long-toiling ancestors as we recite together the central tenets of our faith. Those of you who are new will find the words in your program. Let us speak the words together:” (The congregation recites aloud the Seven Tenets of Universal Faith.)

“Faith hides like the oak within the acorn

Waiting to blossom into maturity,

When it will see the sacred in all things,

The Divine as the Ground of all being and becoming.

All beings being blessed and holy,

Each deserves the love that is without fail,

The love that is without end,

The eternal and undying Universal Love.

All beings being Divine,

A manifestation of the Divine that is the Ground of Being,

All beings need the compassion that seeks to end all suffering.

The Universal Compassion that is without equal.

The actions of each affect the whole,

And for the whole being to be whole,

All actions must be guided by a holier hand,

A hand guided by Ethical Action.

As each one gives all receive,

When all give of themselves all blessing are received,

The highest blessing being given through service,

A Hand to Help those whose hands are weary.

Within the mind lies the heart,

Within the heart lies the soul,

A peaceful heart begets a peaceful life,

And Equanimity of Mind begets a life divine.

The Divine Life is a Path of Being,

And the Path of Being is wisdom,

And contemplation cultivates wisdom,

While Prayer and Meditation nourish the tree of being.”

Reading

Minister A:

“When we come together, we come together as one: one body, one heart, one mind, to embrace each other even as we embrace the Divine. And by coming together we create a community. Today we will be talking a good deal about community. So it is only appropriate that a few members of our community share some words with you about community from the different wisdom traditions. ”

Parishioner A:

‘Let your aims be common,

and your hearts be of one accord,

and all of you be of one mind

so you may live well together’

Hinduism, Rig Veda 10.191.2-4

Parishioner B:

‘Let all mankind be thy sect. “

Sikhism, Adi Granth, Japuji 28, M.1. p.6

Parishioner C:

‘Consider the family of mankind as one.’

Jainism, Jinasena, Adipurana

Parishioner D:

‘Separate not yourself from the community.’

Judaism, Mishnah, Abot 2.4

Opening Meditation

Minister A:

“Now, as we always do, we will take a few moments for meditation. In Mahayana Buddhism the desire to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all beings is known as bodhichitta. It is considered a prerequisite for beginning the spiritual journey that leads to liberation from suffering and delusion.”

Minister B:

“A Bodhisattva is one whose enlightenment is dedicated to the benefit of all beings. By generating the desire to attain spiritual transformation not only for the sake of ourselves, but for the sake of all living beings, we reinforce the very process of transformation itself. We create the opportunity for ourselves to become Bodhisattvas.”

Minister A:

“Spiritual transformation is at its heart a transcendence of our ego-self and as such the desire to do so must, at a higher level, be rooted in a desire to help other living beings, rather than to simply free ourselves. Otherwise, our desire to attain liberation for our own ego-self, will only serve to hold us fast to that ego-self, and thus hinder our spiritual advancement.”

Minister B:

“Embracing bodhichitta means we are embracing a commitment to our community. Not simply the community of our congregation, but the wider community of the city where we live, the nation where we reside, and the entire world which we all inhabit.”

Minister A:

“Take a moment to still your mind by watching your breath. Just become mindful of your breathing. Become aware of the air moving an out of your nose. If a thought captures your mind, allow it to fade away as you exhale.”

(The congregation is silent in meditation for one minute.)

“Now imagine breathing in a clear brilliant light that is the desire to achieve spiritual transformation for the benefit of all beings. As you exhale imagine that this light and this intent radiate throughout your being.”

(The congregation is silent in meditation for one minute.)

Minister B:

“Now that our minds are still, repeat silently in your mind these words as we recite them. Imagine breathing in a clear pure light with the first line, and your body filling with radiant light as you exhale with the second line.”

Minister A:

“May I achieve spiritual transformation

For the benefit of all living beings

May I act with compassion

For the benefit of all living beings”

Minster B:

“May I act with wisdom

For the benefit of all living beings

May all my actions bring joy and end suffering

For the benefit of all living beings”

Minister A:

“May my meditations being me insight

For the benefit of all living beings

May I achieve spiritual transformation

For the benefit of all living beings”

Minster B:

“Now take a moment and continue to breath in this pure clear light and allow it to radiate throughout your being as you exhale, all the while contemplating our commitment to transforming ourselves for the benefit of our community.”

Teaching/Sermon

(Introduction to sermon.)

Minster A:

“It is a joy to my heart to see you all here on this beautiful morning. As you know, today is the anniversary of the founding of our community. We can only treasure and respect our community by fully embracing it and immersing ourselves in it, for a community can only be as strong as its members intend it to be. Without our intention, without our contribution, without our dedication, it will rot and disintegrate like a fallen tree. But if we nurture it, if we nurture each other, its roots will become deeper, its flowers will bloom, and its branches will reach far into the future.”

Minister B:

“In the Koran it is written that: ‘The believers are indeed brothers; so set things right between your two brothers, and fear God; haply so you will find mercy.’

Minister A:

“And the Buddhist Dhammapada proclaims:

‘Happy is the unity of the Sanga.

Happy is the discipline of the united ones.’

Minister B:

“And, the Bible says:

‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.’

(SERMON GOES HERE)

Closing Meditation

Blessings for World Suffering

Minster A:

“Just as blessings can connect us more fully to our immediate world, they can help to connect us to the wider world as well. This blessing meditation will help us grasp and contemplate the suffering of people all over the world in every moment.”

Minister B:

“This meditation brings us closer to the community not just of our friends and family, but to the wider community of the whole world. Breathe in as I recite the first line and the exhale as I recite the second line. Imagine as you breathe in that you are being filled with a brilliant pure light and as you breathe out this light washes outward to encompass this room, this town, and everyone in the world.”

Minister A:

“May those who are suffering in poverty have love and peace.

May they be free from suffering and pain.

May those who suffer from hunger have love and peace.