CIC: Audio

Audio of Celebrations

Audio

December 1, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on listening to your dreams for the world, your self, and others and then asking what is next to honor and support that dream. This is another way of thinking about what is hope. On this first Sunday of Advent we welcome the ancient Pagan symbol of the Advent wreath and explore the first candle of the circle, Hope.
November 24, 2024 - Kathleen Peppard leads a celebration on Cultivating Gratitude During Hard Times. Difficult times may be personal or collective or both. As Francis Weller has written, "The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them."
November 17, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores the relationship between justice and joy. We look to insights from Dr. Kamiliah Majied who is a mental health therapist, clinical educator, and consultant on advancing equity and inclusion through contemplative practice. Her recent book is, "Joyfully Just: Black Wisdom and Buddhist Insights for Liberated Living" in which she draws on Black cultural traditions and Nichiren Buddhism to lay out a path of justice that is grounded in curiosity, courage, gratitude, and embodied joy.
November 10, 2024 - "We are not our circumstances" Corey Passons leads a celebration with facilitation of a Tonglen meditation by Karen Lohmann and a dance led by Jo Curtz. We focus on connection, following the intuition of our path despite circumstances, and focusing the merit of our spiritual practice beyond ourselves.
November 3, 2024 - Nancy Luenn visits CIC to tell of the origins of the annual Day of Remembrance celebration in CIC.
October 27, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that lifts up the energy of noticing life and taking in the beauty of the world and this life.
October 20, 2024 - The CIC Social Justice Committee hosts a celebration taking a look at the current situation for our homeless neighbors. Meg Martin, Director of Integrative Services at Interfaith Works, is the guest speaker. She shares of her story and gives a summary of the homelessness situation in our area along with services available and ways CICers can help.
October 6, 2024 - This is the music played by the CIC musicians (Penny Purkerson, Dick Hauser, Miriam Sterlin, Jo Curtz, Ryan Stephens, and Sarah Huntington) during our building of the healing altar.
September 29, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that continues to explore the theme of gratitude in reference with neuroscience and spiritual practice.
September 22, 2024 - Celebration leadership from Himayat Inayati. Himayat is a Murshid (senior leader) of the Sufi Ruhaniat International, the wisdom stream of Samuel Lewis (originator of Dances of Universal Peace) in the lineage of Hazrat Inayat Khan and the Chishti order of Sufism.
September 15, 2024 - Jamie Rainwood leads a celebration that explores our stories of gratitude and how it heals and impacts our lives.
September 8, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that introduces the theme of the gratitude as a focal point for our CIC year. Off we go!
June 9, 2024 - Transition Sunday! Corey Passons leads a celebration that takes in the harvest of the year and directs us toward the work of community beyond the circle and into the summer.
June 2, 2024 - Steve Gold leads a celebration entitled: "Torah-Veda Mysticism, Kabalah, Tree of Life, Meditation." This presentation weaves the spirituality found in Torah and related sources of Jewish Mysticism/Kabalah with connections found in Vedic spirituality and mysticism. Meditation and chanting are at the core of both of these paths.
May 26, 2024 - Corey Passons led a celebration about navigating the journey... which sometimes includes not having a clue and needing to wait out the storms.
April 21, 2024 - Sabra Hull, Alan Hardcastle, Sue Cummings and Bethanie Sand lead a celebration that holds space for Mother Earth. Through the lens of Joanna Macy's 3 stories or realities from her book Active Hope, we explored our concerns for our beloved earth, as well as ways we can stay centered and engaged in ways that call to us.
April 14, 2024 - The Spirituality of Letting Go - Corey Passons leads a celebration about the moments on the journey when something is set down or let go. Our bodies as they age, our identities, relationships, spiritual practices, habits, hopes, hang-ups....we are constantly acquiring attributes and concepts, and sometimes we reach a point where we know that something needs to be let go. How do you navigate letting go? What are the practices that help you do that? We explore options of this ongoing dynamic of the journey.
March 24, 2024 - Corey, Hugh, and others lead a celebration on the values embodied in the TUCO building and how the CIC community can help support those values.
March 17, 2024 - Corey Passons continues to share about what influenced his journey from "head to heart" as we hear from the mystics. We heard voices from mystics across diverse traditions and explored what is within and around us that invites us "into the mystic", as the song goes.
March 10, 2024 - Hilarie Hauptman leads a celebration entitled, "Let the Beauty of What You Love Be What You Do" and "Uplift From Darkness Through Inspiration". The celebration featured several individuals (including one duo) from our community sharing their passions. You will hear Pat Starzyk read an original children's story, Karen Ray spoke about growing vegetables/flowers, Hal and Miriam sang an original song, and Jo led us with a timeless beautiful chant. Hilarie shared what drew her to lead this service and hopes it nourishes you too.
March 3, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about the journey of contemplative practice. We heard poetry that opens the mind and heart to the way of contemplation and participated in various contemplative practices.
February 18, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the first Sunday of Lent. We explore the journey toward life and Spring as the days become longer. How are we making room for the journey of becoming? What is emerging that we celebrate?
February 4, 2024 - Corey Passons leads a celebration honoring the first Sunday in Black History Month. We reflect on insights of the Black experience of migration to Thurston County via Dr. Thelma Jackson's book, "Blacks in Thurston County, Washington 1950-1975: a community album."
January 21, 2024 - Members of the recent anti-racism study group facilitated by Leeann Tourttllott and Kristine Forbes lead a celebration in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Members of the study group share personal stories that reveal what they've learned about recognizing their own white privilege and how the new perspective is changing their choices and actions.
January 14, 2024 - Paul Rocks will lead a celebration titled, "St. Bridgid of Kildare: walking in liminal space"
December 17, 2023 - CIC Women's Spirit Circle leads our annual Solstice Celebration. Join us in welcoming the darkness and coming light with readings, chants, and poetry.
December 3, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that considers the Advent wreath as a circle of spiritual practice.
November 26, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration gathering in the wisdoms we have heard this last month from Vine Deloria Jr.'s book, "God is Red" and the visit from Squaxin Tribal member, Lisa Johns.
November 12, 2023 - Corey Passons welcomes Lisa Johns, Cultural Administrative Assistant at the Squaxin Island Museum, as a guest in this second of a two-part series in Native American Heritage Month.
November 5, 2023 - Corey Passons lead a celebration wherein we re-engage with Vine Deloria Jr.'s book, "God is Red," and consider the tribal/community social orientation vs. the myth (and costs) of rugged individualism.
October 15, 2023 - Penny Purkerson leads a celebration that lifts up the many ways we uphold and support our community. We sing and dance two different Dances of Universal Peace as we continue to process events in Israel and Gaza.
October 8, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the day before Indigenous Peoples' Day that explores the history of the day and reflections on Native American spirituality from Vine Deloria Jr.
October 1, 2023 - "There and back again" - Thad and Jo Curtz will tell a journey story about their sailboat accident on Lake Quinault.
September 24, 2023 - Corey Passons and Julie Waters lead a celebration in the spirit of Yom Kippur, the concluding day of the Days of Awe (which began on Rosh Hashanah) and our return home to our essential selves.
September 17, 2023 - Karen Lohmann leads the celebration for Jodi Kline (who was home sick) in a celebration in the spirit of Rosh Hashanah. Shanah Tovah! (May it be a good year!)
September 10, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores the theme of "journey".
June 11, 2023 - Corey Passons reflects on the closing of the seminary he attended as a reference for the changes in life we encounter at every turn.
June 4, 2023 - Jody Rush leads a service that explores our daily habits. "Our joy, peace, and happiness depend very much on our practice of recognizing and transforming habit energies." -Thich Nhat Hanh
May 28, 2023 - Kathleen Peppard leads a celebration featuring several members of CIC who will present about their practices: Bethanie Sand, Ryan Stephens, Carol and Jamie Rainwood.
May 14, 2023 - Mothers Day - Donna and Hal Spencer lead a celebration to explore grandmother energy and relationships.
May 7, 2023 - Corey Passons explores the work of Brian Swimme and the new cosmology as a way to deepen our relationship and connection with Earth.
April 30, 2023 - Hugh O'Neill will lead a celebration using grounding practices useful during times of change, stress, thresholds, or any old time.
April 23, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about a living relationship with Earth.
April 16, 2023 - Kathy Pruitt leads a celebration exploring the connection of poetry and meditation including a look at 8 tenents of Buddhist meditation.
April 9, 2023 - CIC Easter in a barn! This audio contains snippets of the songs we sang and the message offered by Corey Passons.
March 26, 2023 - Betty Hauser leads a celebration about her Tonglen practice of many years. The celebration includes meditation and a dance.
March 12, 2023 - Annie Hankins leads a celebration entitled: "Stories of survival: accessing our inner resources"
March 5, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that will explores the annual theme in reference to the importance of rest and renewal in the work of becoming.
February 26, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that welcomes the invitation of Lent as a spiritual practice of planting and pruning so that we can become more clear and for "the loveliness" (via Kenneth White) to shine through.
February 12, 2023 - What's in your name? Our names are rich with stories. Hilarie Hauptman will lead a celebration on this topic and will be joined by Lynn (formerly Finnie) Stephens, Meg O'Leary, and Katie Anderson. "Names can alter us, give us meaning, even erase us." -- Sara K. Ahmed
February 5, 2023 - World Interfaith Harmony Week 2023: CIC welcomed a guest, Rev. Terry Murray, from Unity of Olympia for our annual observation of World Interfaith Harmony Week. We remembered our commitment to interfaith learning and sharing and heard from Rev. Murray about her tradition and journey.
January 22, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores our deep conditioning from families, society, and the premise of white supremacy in our nation. We spend time with a wisdom story that reminds us we can interrupt our conditioning toward the vision of a better world.
January 15, 2023 - The CIC Social Justice Committee will lead the MLK celebration. Be ready to think about how far we have come, and how far we have to go - for racial equality. What has changed, and what needs to change.
January 8, 2023 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores allowing and receiving grace, freedom, and our innate being to come forth in the light of the moon! The community dances to the Hebrew of the first creation story in Genesis.
December 11, 2022 - Third Sunday of Advent. Corey Passons continues an exploration of the presence and power of the darkness as affirmed in the wisdom traditions of the world and from his own journey of embracing "lunar spirituality" as an alternative to "full solar spirituality."
December 4, 2022 - Ted Ryle leads a Sufi Sesshin. We alternate between zazen (Zen term for meditation) and Sufi Zikr dances (simple melodic chants and repetitive movements). These are practices from Buddhism and Sufism focused on being aware of and remembering the real nature of this reality and our being in it.
November 20, 2022 - "Return, Renew, Reflect" - Return again, return to the land of your soul... Karen Lohmann lead a celebration of resting in silence and song.
November 13, 2022 - "When Things Fall Apart" What happens when things fall apart? Paul Rocks and Meg O'Leary share their experience of a big fall and a long hike. They share how they drew on the ancient forest, the mighty river, their spiritual practices, and each other's vulnerability.
November 6, 2022 - Corey Passons and Penny Purkerson co-lead a celebration and service and self. We explore discernment about when, how, and where we give, including the moments when we are unable to give. Each of these is a part of the seasons of life. In all of this we recognize our community maintains itself through sharing and we will recognize and explore the spirituality of sharing and giving.
October 23, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that invites us into the spiritual awakening and development of John Muir. We inventory our own sense of connection with the natural world and ask what barriers there are in our own, ongoing development of remembrance and connection.
October 16, 2022 - Renewal of self: Exploring the brain and somatic experiences to recover connection and creativity. Kathy Pruitt leads a journey into current neurology theories of the brain and leads an exercises to reconnect our bodies to a centered, loved, and joyful sense of self.
October 9, 2022 - Kathleen Peppard and Jodi Kline lead a celebration in the spirit of the Jewish High Holiday, Yom Kippur. They explore the themes of atonement, forgiveness, and accountability through stories, poetry, and community practice.
October 2, 2022 - Corey Passons led a celebration that reflects on the spiritual wisdom from the "Days of Awe" as we continue to move through the season of the Jewish High Holidays. Hilarie Hauptman will lead a meditation and sound the shofar. We explore "yes" as a path of return.
September 25, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that celebrates the invitation of the Jewish High Holy days to return to awareness of our sacredness and the path we want to walk in this life.
September 18, 2022 - Tara Young-Brown shares aspects of her faith journey which have led to her upcoming ordination.
September 11, 2022 - Corey Passons opens the CIC year on Reunion Sunday with a reflection on the thread of life that runs through all being and a remembrance of Timothy Green (the 37 year old Black man recently slain by the police on August 22nd, 2022).
June 6, 2022 - Hugh O'Neil and Kathleen Peppard led a celebration on the Spiritual Challenge of Working with the Shadow.
May 29, 2022 - Corey Passons led a celebration about the True Self as an inherent, resident Essence within us all and how connection with this Essence is a bridge and a way of mutuality.
May 15, 2022 - "Celebrating the Life of Thich Nhat Hahn" - Judy Olmstead celebrates the gifts that Thich Nhat Hahn shared with us during his life.
May 1, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores the paradox of loss through the wisdom traditions and how those who hold privilege face a series of losses that lead toward liberation.
April 24, 2022 - The Racial Justice assessment subcommittee shared a summary of the racial justice practices survey results and lead a discussion tying this work to mutual belonging, spiritual pathways and our collective work through CIC.
April 10, 2022 - Jamie Rainwood leads a celebration on "Searching for the Sacred" structured around the first phrase of the CIC call, "We come together to celebrate the seasons of life."
April 3, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about the twin capacities of the human for good and evil. We journey with a sacred story and hear reflections that encourage us toward the hard work of compassion and stewardship.
March 20, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the spring equinox that explores the balance of good and evil through the telling of a sacred story.
March 13, 2022 - Julie Baker leads a celebration of our interrelatedness, gratitude for trees, the month of March and peace on earth. Can we sing peace on earth?
March 6, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the first Sunday of Lent that invites reflection on the "changing of heart and mind" that can occur during Lent. We hear from Choctaw elder and Episcopal Bishop, Steven Charleston, from his recent book, "Ladder to the Light: an indigenous elder's meditations on hope and courage." Hal Spencer leads a metta prayer practice and Jo Curtz instructs on movements for the dance.
February 27, 2022 - "Belonging to the Universe" - a celebration led by Michael Dempster with help from Jo Curtz, exploring some aspects and feelings of "mutual belonging" with our planet, solar system, and 13.7 billion-year-old ever-evolving cosmos. ... "...the Milky Way, in its later modes of being is capable of thinking and feeling and creating. ...To speak of a Milky Way that does not have the inherent powers to recombine into a form capable of inner feelings is to speak of an abstract Milky Way, one that has no existence in reality... If we can say with assurance that Emily Dickinson is composed of the stuff of the Milky Way, we need to say with equal assurance that Emily Dickinson in her person and in her poetry activates an inner dimension of the Milky Way." --- from The Universe Story, by Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry
February 20, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration remembering Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the spiritual work of healing through truth-telling. This celebration explores how we can participate in racial justice healing no matter who or where we are, sometimes even through the smallest and (seemingly) most inconsequential actions.
February 13, 2022 - The CIC Racial Justice and Equity Assessment Subcommittee (Patti Logan, Penny Purkerson, Ted Ryle, and Alan Hardcastle) led a Celebration to engage the community in dialogue about a survey of practices and actions individuals can take to support racial justice, equity and mutual belonging.
January 23, 2022 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores prayer as an impulse toward healing and mutuality. Guided by wisdom from Thich Nhat Hahn's work, "The Energy of Prayer," we practice in small groups creating connection between each other and offering compassion and positive regard. Hal Spencer and Jacob Skeers offer remembrances of Thich Nhat Hahn as we give thanks as a community for his life and work.
January 16, 2022 - The CIC Social Justice Committee welcomes Rev. Dr. John Casteele as he shares his perspective on the work he does with mental health and Black youth at risk in the juvenile detention system.
January 2, 2022 - Ted Ryle and Marti Dimock lead a Sufi sesshin based in the elements and the four directions.
December 19, 2021 - Kathy Pruitt and Megan Parke (with support from Karen Lohmann!) lead a solstice celebration which invites us to find the challenges and richness of darkness and exploring where we find light in our lives.
December 5, 2021 - Jo and Thad Curtz lead a celebration about the idea of the commons, or about the process of commoning, the ways in which some communities create and maintain decentralized, sustainable relations to the natural world.
November 28, 2021 - "Thy Light is in All Forms" - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the first night of Hanukkah and the first Sunday of Advent exploring how each of us are invited to give form to light in this time and through our own lives.
November 21, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores the lesser-told history of Thanksgiving of the experience of Indigenous people. Through song, poetry by Indigenous artists, and reflection, we "face the wound" as the requisite entry point on the path of healing and mutuality.
November 14, 2021 - Megan Parke and Kathy Pruitt lead us in an exploration about true belonging, learning to appreciate all of who we are, and the spiritual work of showing up for ourselves with bravery, mercy and awareness through both a Buddhist lens and western psychology wisdom.
October 10, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores the spiritual invitation and reward of deep listening. We examine sacred story and enter a time of practice attending to the "miracle" before us!
September 26, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the magical act of sharing as a radical act of justice.
June 13, 2021 - "Transition Sunday" - Corey Passons continues an exploration of the story of Moses at the burning bush as we consider where we are and going and how are we going to get there (spoiler alert.....we get there through community!).
June 6, 2021 - Kathleen Peppard leads an exploration of the curses and blessings of the pandemic year. What have we learned, what have we lost, what transformations have we undergone?
May 30, 2021 - Corey Passons continues the exploration of the story of Moses at the burning bush examining the white hand as a symbol of the spiritual work of seeing white supremacy and seeking to be healed of it.
May 23, 2021 - Bethanie Sand leads a celebration on Mindful Listening. Exploring listening to others, to the world around you, and listening deeply to yourself.
May 16, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores the story of Moses and the burning bush as a journey of remembering sacredness and finding the vitality in our resources when offered to the liberation of others.
May 9, 2021 - Karen Lohmann leads a Mother's Day celebration titled, "The Great Mother, Our Mothers, Mothering Ourselves-Empowerment with Self-Love!" People are invited to bring a flower and a bowl of water for use during the celebration.
May 2, 2021 - A celebration of Perspectives on Loneliness and Aloneness, shared by Jamie Rainwood, Pat Starzyk, Karen Tvedt, Annie Hankins, Sade Gilliom, Julie Waters, and Jan Vleck.
Apr. 25, 2021 - Meg O'Leary and Hugh O'Neill will lead a celebration... "A Little More Space." This Celebration will include an Emotion Story Mapping practice.
Apr. 18, 2021 - Corey Passons is joined by fellow CIC members who helped produced the Racial Justice Initiative draft statement as that statement is introduced to the community. The celebration explores what is most sacred within us and how knowing that leads to work beyond our sense of self.
Apr. 11, 2021 - "Remembering and Honoring Those Who Have Passed" - Jan Rocks leads a celebration that asks what kind of traditions do you, your family, or faith, have for the continued memory of a loved one.
Apr. 4, 2021 - Easter! Our second Easter service on Zoom as we remember our place in the mystery of the cycle of life, removing barriers within ourselves to love.
Mar. 28, 2021 - Ritual, altar making, and reflections on death, rebirth and 'the inevitable' - Leanne Tourtillott and Karen Lohmann leading.
Mar. 21, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration where in we reflect on being one year into Zoom celebrations by turning to the wisdom of change in the seasons.
Mar. 14, 2021 - Megan Parke leads a celebration reflecting on courage & what it means to invite, honor and welcome ALL parts of ourselves. Putting ourselves out there, stepping off the dock, daring to show up fully. What if we felt fear and did it anyway? What if we welcomed all of ourselves to be seen....the parts we like AND the parts we do not. Easier said than done - but daring to welcome all of ourselves and be truly seen in our fullness feels like an important step towards wholeness and ease... and a doorway to transformation. "Dare to declare who you are. It is not far from the shores of silence to the boundaries of speech. The path is not long, but the way is deep. You must not only walk there, you must be prepared to leap." - St. Hildegard of Bingen
Mar. 7, 2021 - March 7th - Corey Passons leads a celebration continuing a reflection on the twin implements of insight and compassion (via the Shambhala warrior parable) with a special emphasis and exploration on interconnection (insight). Using sacred stories and our imagination, we will explore insight as a guide and tool in the work of racial justice.
Feb. 28, 2021 - Jodi Kline leads a celebration exploring Creativity as a Portal for Transformation. We engaged in a very simple, super-fun, low stakes creative project, and then shared our experience in small groups.
Feb. 21, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that picks up where we left off with the celebration on anger last month. In this celebration we will look at the "two weapons" of compassion and insight via the Tibetan tale of the Shambhala warrior and ask how these twin implements are involved in our ongoing transformation.
Feb. 14, 2021 - "Connecting with the Heart." When people speak of doing their heart's work, or opening one's heart, or feeling it in our hearts, or following our hearts, we know what they mean as metaphoric. But knowledge of our physiological heart can inform and enrich what you may have thought of as just a metaphor. This celebration led by Karen Kirsch will explore how our head and heart and guts are connected and communicate in sensation and in imagination.
Feb. 7, 2021 - Peter Ilgenfritz is our guest on this annual recognition of World Interfaith Harmony Week. Peter is an ordained UCC pastor currently serving as the Interim Minister at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor, Maine who previously served on the leadership staff at University Congregational UCC in Seattle from 1994-2018. He has been a member of Cho Bo Ji, a Rinzai Zen Buddhist Community in Seattle since 2004.
Jan. 24, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores how anger contains the sacred energy of ch'i, and the various potentials of this emotion in our own transformation. Kathy Pruitt shares of her journey and Kathleen Peppard offers a teaching from Tara Brach called RAIN.
Jan. 17, 2021 - The CIC Social Justice Committee leads a celebration about becoming a non-racist society.
Jan. 10, 2021 - Al Gilliom leads a celebration about transforming fear.
Jan. 3, 2021 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the power of forgiveness to help us be available to transformation.
Dec. 20, 2020 - The Women's Spirit Circle led the annual Winter Solstice celebration with poetry, song, and reflection.
Dec. 13, 2020 - Corey Passons leads a celebration on the Third Sunday of Advent and the Fourth Day of Hanukkah, exploring the story of the miracle of light that did not go out and how we dedicate our lives to what is sacred. Special thanks to Hilarie Hauptman, Miriam Sterlin, Julie Waters, and Jodi Kline for their integral contributions.
Dec. 6, 2020 - Jamie Rainwood leads a celebration about transition and his journey.
Nov. 29, 2020 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about presence and "full consciousness" on the first Sunday of Advent. Ted Ryle leads an embodied spiritual practice.
Nov. 22, 2020 - Sabra Hull leads a celebration that helps us process our grief over the climate and move toward a place of active imagination and hope.
Nov. 15, 2020 - "Cultivate Joy, Integrating the Now." Karen Lohmann leads a celebration where we get in touch with our heart, name our joy, and do a dance.
Nov. 8, 2020 - Corey Passons lead a celebration about the creative energy available when things go sideways through an exploration of chaos. We looked to the wisdom of ancient creation stories and welcomed the insights of Pema Chodron. CIC's own Megan Parke lead a Tonglen practice.
Oct. 25, 2020 - Corey Passons journeys through three metaphors about rootedness and connection in three different traditions and explores the various spiritual practices they each exhibit.
Oct. 11, 2020 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that reflects on the natural world and the spiritual teachings of the leaves that teach to let go....
Oct. 4, 2020 - Jodi Kline leads a celebration in the spirit of Yom Kippur and how to say sorry.
Sept. 27, 2020 - Kathleen Peppard leads a celebration that asks about "where we are from" to get a sense of the history we bring along with our sense of self.
Sept. 20, 2020 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about t'shuvah and the invitation of returning to Source. Kathy Pruitt leads a guided meditation about (re)connection with Source.
Sept. 13, 2020 - Reunion Sunday - Corey Passons leads a celebration that begins our journey with the theme of Transformation.
August 16, 2020 - Ted Ryle leads a Sufi celebration of Universal Woship.
August 8, 2020 - Hilaried Hauptman leads a celebration about the sacred objects of our loved ones.
July 27, 2020 - Kathleen Peppard leads a celebration of poetry and reflection.
July 20, 2020 - Amy Alison-Taylor leads a celebration on energy healing.
June 7, 2020 - CIC Social Justice Committee welcomes Amy Heart for a celebration about people who are transgender.
May 31, 2020 - Corey Passons reflects on the parable of the Good Samaritan in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.
May 24, 2020 - CIC Connections Committee members Hugh O'Neill and Megan Parke lead a celebration about safety and inclusion in community.
May 17, 2020 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about the promise that can be hidden within despair.
March 1, 2020 - "The Body and Redemption" - Corey Passons led a celebration that recalls some of the negative teachings about the body he received in his earlier religious life and his own path of redemption toward naming and knowing the body as GOOD.
February 23, 2020 - Bethanie Sand led a celebration about anxiety and its effects on our system referencing wisdom and embodied practices from the yogic tradition.
February 16, 2020 - Corey Passons led a celebration that explored the "two rivers" of knowledge and wisdom and then led a guided meditation moving through the chakras.
February 2, 2020 - World Interfaith Harmony Week - CIC welcomed Dr. Erica Martin (Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, Instructor of Hebrew Scriptures at Seattle University's School of Theology and Ministry) who discussed the hidden expressions of embodiment and sexuality in the Hebrew Bible and how sacred texts contain and reveal wisdom on many levels.
January 19, 2020 - MLK celebration wherein a panel of CIC folks shared learnings from a six-month class they did together on white privilege.
January 12, 2020 - Hal Spencer led a celebration on the spirituality of aging.
December 15, 2019 - Corey Passons leads a guided meditation on an ancient Buddhist teaching tale as a means of expanding (and focusing!) the capacity of Advent.
December 8, 2019 - Sadie Gillom led a celebration to celebrate the animals in our lives and the impact they can have on our bodies.
December 1, 2019 - Corey Passons leads an interfaith exploration of the first day of Advent.
November 24, 2019 - Jodi Kline (AKA Bernstein) led a celebration about values and sexuality.
November 17, 2019 - Corey Passons led a celebration about rest and the mind/body need for rest.
November 17, 2019 - Cindy Guertin-Anderson led a Yoga Nidra practice in this celebration.
November 3, 2019 - Corey Passons leads a celebration which invites a home-coming to the body itself and the alivenesss which animates us.
October 20, 2019 - Gratitude and Resilience - Corey Passons lead a celebration about the surprising durability of gratitude as a response to life... and what that looks like even the hard times. Special contribution by Kathy Pruitt as she shared part of her journey of embodiment and a practice that has been beneficial to her.
October 6, 2019 - Yom Kippur 5779 - Corey Passons and Jodi Bernstein co-lead a celebration that explores the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and the rich connections possible from the central ideas of the holiday with our theme of embodiment.
September 29, 2019 - Kathleen Peppard hosts a community-supported celebration that enriches our journey into embodiment with voices and perspectives from CIC members.
September 22, 2019 - Corey Passons reflects on the different modes of gratitude with inspiration from texts of the Abrahamic faiths and a tribal statement from the Iroquois tribal confederation.
September 15, 2019 - Ted Ryle leads a Sufi Sesshin with song, dance, and time for contemplation and meditation.
September 8, 2019 - Corey Passons led Reunion Sunday and began to enter into the work of exploring the annual theme.
June 9, 2019 - Transition Sunday - Corey Passons recaps the theme of the year wherein we work to allow the dynamic of Life/God/Soul/Mind/Energy (many names!) to work through us for the sake of the whole world.
June 2, 2019 - Al and Sadie Gilliom lead a celebration about their story and the theme of hope.
May 26, 2019 - Kathleen Peppard leads a celebration about forgiveness through a story about her own family and an exploration of various wisdom teachers.
May 12, 2019 - Corey Passons leads a Mother's Day celebration by sharing a story from his recent trip to the Holy Land about openness and the radical "Yes!" which allows life to come into and through us all.
May 5, 2019 - Amy Alison-Taylor leads a celebration that explores some of the indigenous wisdom with spring rites and leads a May-pole dance.
April 21, 2019 - CIC Easter Celebration - Corey Passons leads a celebration that encounters the story of the resurrection through the wisdom teachings of Jesus.
April 14, 2019 - Thad Curtz shares aspects of Dante's comedy in relation to Easter and the shedding of attachments in a movement toward love.
April 7, 2019 - Corey Passons shares of his recent studies preparing for his upcoming Interfaith trip to the Holy Land. He shares about insights to the Lord's Prayer from a prominent Jewish, New Testament scholar, Amy Jill-Levine.
March 31, 2019 - Hilarie Hauptman leads the second of a two part series on end of life.
March 24, 2019 - Karen Lohmann leads a celebration on end of life.
March 17, 2019 - Corey Passons led a celebration that moved toward a shared space of naming our grief and pain in the light of the Christchurch mosque shootings. Through exploring the aspects of goodness through connection with Tao we can point to moments of disconnect.
March 3, 2019 - Corey Passons led a celebration that invited an invitation into Lent that welcomes accepting yourself even while moving into surrender to letting go of what is blocking the heart.
February 17, 2019 - Corey Passons led a celebration about the old idea of the "seeded soul" set against the production-minded, modern image of the human.
January 13, 2019 - Megan Parke led a Bodhi Day celebration.
January 6, 2019 - Corey Passons leads a celebration of reflection in three parts: Love, Serve, and Remember, which leads up to a dance via Ram Das of the same name.
December 24, 2018 - Some audio from the CIC Christmas Eve Celebration reflection at the Olympia Family Theater. Was such a fun night!!!
December 23, 2018 - Amy Taylor, Kathy Pruitt, Megan Parke, and Zoe Dailey lead a solstice celebration.
December 16, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about loving enemies, the circumference of love, and working with family during the holidays.
December 9, 2018 - Ted Ryle leads a celebration that explores the Aramaic beatitudes of Jesus.
November 25, 2018 - Dick Hauser and Joe Tougas lead a celebration about existentialism.
November 18, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores love as the ground of being through a sharing about one of his mentors and an ancient Jewish folktale.
November 11, 2018 - Karen Tvedt led a celebration about her experience attending to a loved one dealing with dementia and the spiritual work of looking to the realities of end of life care.
November 4, 2018 - Corey Passons led a celebration that "grounded" the metaphors of Soul, Energy, and Mind into Earth through various practices.
October 21, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration wherein we explore the question of interiority by doing work in small groups, finding our inner name and narrative through the meta categories of Soul, Mind, and Energy.
October 14, 2018 - Hilarie Hauptman and Jan Rocks lead a celebration about how community works with the ways we share of our time, talent, and treasure.
October 7, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about the blessing of animals and the nature of blessing itself.
September 23, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that begins to explore Inner Work through the story of two activists and his own encounter with grief.
September 16, 2018 - Jodi Bernstein leads a Yom Kippur celebration that features practices about self-compassion.
September 9, 2018 - Corey Passons and Miriam Sterlin lead a celebration on Reunion Sunday and Rosh Hashanah.
May 27, 2018 - Corey Passons led a celebration about being amazed and letting go (via Dorothee Soelle's schema in "The Silent Cry", Fortress Press 2001, p. 93) including aspects of his current Clinical Pastoral Education at Providence St. Peter's Hospital.
May 13, 2018 - Kathleen Peppard led a celebration about practical, everyday mysticism.
May 6, 2018 - Mandy Ryle and the CIC Youth led a celebration reflecting on what CIC has meant to them with input from the community.
April 29, 2018 - Corey Passons led a celebration about the spirituality of trees as a source of connection to self, others, and the Mystery.
April 22, 2018 - Penny Purkerson led a celebration of CIC favorite songs. Was a good 'ol time!
April 15, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about the sacred human body and the intangible experience of the essence us.
April 8, 2018 - Jamie Rainwood leads a celebration about ways of connecting with others--from asking and being asked to listening and sharing.
April 1, 2018 - Annual Easter Celebration focusing on themes of healing in the presence of wounds and embracing endings that are less than story-book in resolution.
March 25, 2018 - Guest speaker, Rev. Sarah Monroe shares of her ministry with drug addicted homeless youth in Grays Harbor county.
March 18, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about being available to connection by laying down conditions on life.
March 11, 2018 - Paul Rocks leads a celebration about the five lessons of initiation from a ritual he participated in last May.
March 4, 2018 - Corey Passons led a Celebration about connecting with the Mystery.
February 25, 2018 - Bethanie Sand led a Celebration on the three universal energies of Yoga.
February 18, 2018 - Corey Passon led a celebration about in-groups and out-groups and how practicing compassion can break down the veil between the two.
January 21, 2018 - Corey Passons led a celebration wherein we considered a name as a gateway into connection with others and self.
January 14, 2018 - The Social Justice Committee welcomed Phil Owens, Executive Director of SideWalk, to discuss housing issues in Olympia
January 7, 2018 - Corey Passons leads a celebration wherein an ancient story about the soul sheds light on the endless cycle of change and transformation.
December 24, 2017 - Corey Passons leads a Christmas Eve celebration in which we reflect on how each of our births is miraculous.
December 10, 2017 - Corey Passons led a celebration that featured spoken stories in the first person by Elijah, Mary, and Khadijah about spiritual revelations had in caves.
November 26, 2017 - Corey Passons leads a celebration about his recent trip to the Holy Land and shared space.
November 19, 2017 - Jody Rush leads a celebration on the presence and invitation of shame in the spiritual life.
October 22, 2017 - The Interpretive Life - In this celebration Corey Passons explores the call to stay open and alert in the ongoing quest to know and receive what life brings.
October 8, 2017 - Community Matters - In this celebration Corey Passons brings forth some of the processing, questions, and reflections of the new members who joined CIC this night and met in the months prior.
October 1, 2017 - Jodi Bernstein leads a Yom Kippur celebration.
September 18, 2017 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that reflects on the gifts of gathering in a circle and what is the fire around which CIC gathers.
September 10, 2017 - "Reunion Sunday 2017" - In this celebration Corey Passons begins reflection on the annual theme: Our Sense of Connection.
June 4, 2017 - "Making the Invisible, Visible" - Tammy Putvin led a celebration about how what we can't see still influences community and ourselves. Audio of that celebration can be found here.
May 28, 2017 - Corey Passons leads a celebration that explores vulnerability as a nutrient that enable depth in relationships and spirituality.
May 14, 2017 - In this celebration we honor our 2000 Mothers and the Great Mother which can open us to a generative spiritual experience of relationality.
May 7, 2017 - "Burnish and Brandish" - Ted Ryle led a celebration about overcoming the darkness toward a new way of life.
April 30, 2017 - Corey Passons led a celebration about his path of spiritual practice, reflecting on those practices that have endured as well as those that did not.
April 23, 2017 - Bethanie Sand led a celebration on the fifth limb of Yoga and how the senses can both drain and nurture us.
April 16, 2017 - In this celebration we ponder how Easter has a "surplus of meaning" and how death is not the end of love.
April 9, 2017 - CIC welcomed Jamal Rahman and two other members from Interfaith Community Sanctuary in Seattle. What a delight to meet with members of this community and begin to build a wider community!
April 2, 2017 - Corey Passons led a celebration where we broke into four groups tonight for twenty minutes of practice in distinct types of spiritual practice: chanting, meditation, Lectio Divina, and contemplative prayer. We practiced practice!
March 26, 2017 - A celebration on tears and a journey to understand and embrace them.
March 19, 2017 - In this celebration Corey Passons discusses two encounters with persons on the precipice of the final shift in life. From there we reflect on how to be available to shift and who am "I" in all this movement.
March 12, 2017 - End of Life Celebration
March 5, 2017 - What are you willing to die for?
February 26, 2017 - Hal Spencer lead a celebration about the perils and prevalence of "othering".
February 19, 2017 - World Interfaith Harmony Week
February 12, 2017 - Adversity & Meaning - Leeann Tourtillott led a celebration that asked us how we make/find meaning through adversity and tragedy.
January 22, 2017 - We start a series of celebrations on religious/spiritual identity with our entry being that identity is who we are on our path. From there we listen and respond to the energies of stability and renewal as we participate in the adventure of the spiritual life.
January 15, 2017 - Dr. King Celebration - we explore the widening of Dr. King's vision to include work against economic injustice and militarism and look at his thoughts on community as a source of purpose and renewal.
December 18, 2016 - What is the inner compass? Corey Passons offers a reflection on the inner compass and what we learn by listening to it.
December 11, 2016 - Jodi Bernstein leads a celebration around the potential in the darkness as we approach solstice.
November 27, 2016 - In this celebration Corey Passons explores some of the tricky texts associated with Advent and asks how sacred longing could be a path to connection.
November 13, 2016 - I can't believe it... This is the Sunday after the election and we dig into what it means to be in state of disbelief... and how we can't stay there forever. The way ahead is what is beloved. Be well!
November 13, 2016, Deep Peace - This is a Celtic blessing that we adapted and set to drums in our 11/13/16 celebration at Community for Interfaith Celebration. Enjoy and deep peace to you, to many, to all!
October 9, 2016 - This recording was taken during an interfaith Blessing of the Animals celebration. The talk explores the development of consciousness in the human animal as well as the lessons and blessings we experience from our partners-in-consciousness... non-human animals!