Newsletter
We now have an SEC clergy newsletter!
It is one of the steps the Clergy Council is using to improve
communication among SEC clergy members. I will email this first issue to our
clergy. Webmaster Larry Turner will put
all following Clergy Connection issues on our website (http://spiritualist-church.com).
The newsletter will cover updates of clergy committee meetings,
education material reviews, items of interest and other inspirational material. If you would like to submit an article,
quote or idea for publication, please email it to me. We all are interested in
hearing about classes and activities and happenings in your auxiliary. For those SEC clergy who live at a distance,
please let us know how and what you are doing.
Please feel free to share your newsletter with all SEC members.
Golden Rays
For upcoming Clergy Connection issues I will either retype or
scan an article from the Golden Rays (SEC newsletter of years ago). Our forefathers had some interesting
insights. I really would like to tap
into the thinking and wisdom of Clyde Chaney, Marie Chaney, John Bunker, as
well as others from our SEC past. Any copies of the Golden Rays you have
that you would be willing to share would be appreciated. I am keeping a file with names and issue
numbers, so you will be assured of getting your issues back. I did not put an
article this issue because of the education attachments I included in your
email. Larry Turner will be putting a
1956 Golden Rays tribute to Rev. John Bunker on the website for your
viewing in the very near future.
Education Committee
Rev. Audrey Charlton, Rev.
Jay Powell and I completed our research and review for the Clergy requirements
for each level of testing. (Rev. Loris Allen was unable to attend). Associate
Minister and Minister curriculums were drafted from the 2002 education
versions. Several other programs were
reviewed including: Chesterfield, Lilydale (Morris Pratt), Infinite Way, NASC
as well as those from past years of the SEC. I am sending a copy of the four
levels to each clergy and am asking that you review the requirements before the
Clergy Council meeting May 5th. If you have suggestions for classes
or books or comments on the content of the requirements, email them to me and I
will make sure they are addressed at the clergy council meeting. These programs will be presented for
acceptance at the May meeting so your input is necessary.
The Education Committee is also designing a Clergy
Sponsor Packet to assist with preparing clergy candidates for testing. We need sponsors…so… please raise your hand
and volunteer.
Minister’s Ritual Manual
At the fall conference each church was supplied with
a draft of the suggested ritual manual contents and was asked to have their
clergy each review the document, make suggestions or corrections and send that
information to me by
February 15th. I will make
the suggested changes and send a corrected version with a procedure section for
each ritual to each church and any other interested clergy by April 1st. The document will be presented to the clergy
at the May 5th meeting for acceptance. If approved it will be formatted into the size desired by the
clergy and sent to a printing company.
If it is not approved, another timeline will be formed. (Notify me if
you want me to email the 68-page document to you)
Clergy Testing
No one applied for January testing. If you want to test in August, NOW is the
time to get started. Let me know your
intent and I will send you the revised forms. We will be following the proposed
2007 curriculums provided by the education committee. Deadline for applying for
fall testing is May 5th.
Sanctions will be determined by individual case and
will depend on the issuing church organization, number and title of classes
taken, church service and other
pertinent information.
SEC Guides
The Education Committee has not completed the Spirit
Guides Course because we have not come across reference material that
specifically states the SEC position on which guides form the Inner Band. If you have any information from past
classes or written material that covers the inner band of spirit guides, please
let me or one of the other education committee members know.
Fundamental of Mystic Christianity
Rev. Jay Powell and Missionary Larry Turner are
putting the final touches on the revised document. They will be sending a final copy to each church in February.
Book Review/s:
I will include a book review with each edition of
the Clergy Connection. If you
read a good book, especially one that would fit nicely into our curriculums,
please send me a short review. We all
like our spiritual books. Let’s share
our ideas and suggestions!
The Seven Healing Chakras by Brenda Davies, M.D. (2002
Ulysses Press)
This book is “Required Reading” at the Healer level
(2007 curriculum). It is the most in-depth, yet understandable, book on the
chakras I have ever read. It is
excellent. I personally think it is a
must read for all metaphysicians.
Following is the write up from the back cover.
“Both practical and inspirational, this book is a
voyage of self-discovery and healing based on an ancient spiritual tradition.
Dr. Davies leads you in a step-by-step progression
through the seven chakras-our energy centers. At each stage she shows how to
unlock the physical and spiritual energy that can heal you and lead to a more
fulfilling life.
Through exercises and guided meditations, Dr. Davies
demonstrates how to remove blockages and clear the psychological, emotional and
spiritual debris that otherwise traps us in habits that have worn out their
usefulness. Here are the tools to take
charge of your own mental and physical well-being and more fully manifest your
life’s purpose.”
The Mystery of Death and Dying by Earlyne Chaney (1988 Samuel
Weiser, Inc.)
This book is “Required Reading” at the Minister
level (2007 curriculum). This book also is excellent. Earlyne Chaney’s wonderful insight to preparing for the death
experience can benefit every one of us.
It is an extremely spiritual book and I definitely recommend everyone
read it at least once. The following is an excerpt from the back cover of the
book.
“Learn what mystics and initiates of mystery schools
have long known: death is a part of life, that it is a moment of spiritual initiation.
Chaney encourages us to make this spiritual journey using whatever symbolism is
natural to us, be it teachings from East or West… Whatever your spiritual path,
once you learn that death is nothing to fear, your life will take on new
meaning. Death is a passage to prepare
for with joy and anticipation… All of us will experience death as part of our
lifetimes-either our own or the death of a loved one. Chaney prepares us for this passage by leading us through the
process of dying; the hormonal changes that begin the death process; the
release of kundalini; the creation of the astral body; seeing the Clear Light,
the Secondary light, and the journey of the soul through the Bardo. Chaney offers practical instructions so we
may know how to prepare for death; how to prepare for the baptism of the Holy
Spirit; how to purify our lives to become released from karmic bondage; how to
use prayer in the service of a joyful death; how to die a drugless death; how
to die at home among friends and loved ones.”
Oops
Someone picked up Rev. Audrey Charlton’s conference
booklet by mistake last fall. If you
attended conference, please check your booklet (purple cover) to make sure you
have your own. She would really like to get hers back as it has many of her
notes in it.
The next edition of The
Clergy Connection will be available in March. I will email the clergy as soon as it is
posted on the website. Please submit
any articles, announcements, etc. for next issue to me by March 10th.
Rev. Marilyn Brown mbrown@midmich.net
6805 Herron Drive 989-872-1898
Cass City, MI 48726