Unity of Walnut Creek

2024-05-12 May 12, 2024 – “Becoming Godmothers” Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin returns from sabbatical on Mother's Day to expand our understanding of motherhood into the powerful concept of becoming godmothers - spiritual nurturers who support the soul expression of children, each other, and all life. Drawing on the wisdom of King Solomon and the poetry of Chalene Harkin, Rev. Kristin invites us to restore the divine feminine energy within ourselves and our world, recognizing it not as something limited to gender but as an immense creative power available to all. She celebrates how community members embodied this godmother energy by holding space during her absence, proving that sacred presence and collective care can transform both our lives and the world.

2024-05-05 May 5, 2024 – The Beauty of Community Rev. Johanna van Gelder, Don Shaw, Felicia McBarton In this heartfelt message, Johanna van Gelder, Felicia McBarton, and Don Shaw reflect on what Unity of Walnut Creek experienced during Rev. Kristen's three-month sabbatical, celebrating the depth and resilience of their spiritual community. Johanna reminds us that Unity is far more than Sunday services - it is a living tapestry woven by every person who shows up, whether casually or in deep commitment. Don uses the beautiful metaphor of a community garden that thrives even when the gardener is away, while Felicia shares her personal treasure hunt of discovering growth, healing, and collaboration among the staff. Together, they affirm that this community is healthy, vibrant, and built on mutual love and support.

2024-04-28 April 28, 2024 – Love and Connection: Bringing Peace Into Our Relationships Rev. Bob Hardy Rev. Bob Hardy shares his personal journey from a rigid Catholic upbringing through the loss of his father at 17, a successful engineering career, and ultimately finding spiritual freedom in Unity - weaving humor and vulnerability throughout. Drawing on his experience as an ordained interfaith minister, artist, and engineer, Rev. Bob Hardy introduces a powerful practice called "Setting the Arena," developed by coach Maria Nemeth, which involves asking two transformative questions before any interaction to cultivate openness and connection. He invites the congregation to actively practice choosing qualities of being that produce extraordinary, delightful outcomes in every conversation and relationship.

2024-04-21 April 21, 2024 – Preserving Things in the Good Dr. Matthew Fox

2024-04-14 Rev. Darlene Strickland: "Treasures of Transformation" Rev. Darlene Strickland continues her "Treasures of Transformation" series by exploring the five keys to spiritual growth found in the parable of the hidden treasure from Matthew 13:44. Building on the first two keys - discovery and letting go - she illuminates the power of raising consciousness, stepping into divine ownership through the "I Am" presence, and ultimately living as an instrument of spirit without separation. Through inspiring stories of Myrtle Fillmore's healing journey, opera singer Enrico Caruso's triumph over fear, Rev. Mary Morrissey's personal transformation, and Michael Beckwith's teaching on gratitude and unlimited possibility, Rev. Darlene Strickland reminds us that something within each of us is actively reshaping our existence and realizing our highest potential.

2024-04-07 April 7, 2024 – Treasures of Transformation Rev. Darlene Strickland Rev. Darlene Strickland opens this two-part series "Treasures of Transformation" by exploring the profound discovery that the kingdom of God is not a tiny spark hidden within us but is our very nature - woven into the fabric of our being. Drawing from the parable in Matthew 13:44, Buddhist teachings, Rumi's poetry, and a moving story from her time studying Hawaiian culture in Maui, she invites us to ask life's most important question: who do you know yourself to be? Through the inspiring example of Unity co-founder Myrtle Fillmore's healing journey, Rev. Darlene Strickland reminds us that there is something within each of us actively releasing our limitations and realizing our potential.

2024-03-31 March 31, 2024 – The Emerging Brilliance of Now: Viewing the Easter Story Through the Mystical Lens TJ Woodward Rev. TJ Woodward offers a deeply personal and refreshing exploration of the Easter story through a mystical lens, inviting listeners to see it not as a distant religious narrative but as a profound remembrance of our true nature. Drawing from his own journey of growing up in Indiana and spending years trying to change his thinking, Rev. TJ Woodward shares how the resurrection is really about uncovering the wholeness we were born with - not achieving something new. He encourages us to move beyond core false beliefs, spend time in the "tomb" of stillness, and remember that we each came into this world as a spark of divinity that has never left us.

2024-03-29 March 31, 2024 – The Emerging Brilliance of Now: Viewing the Easter Story Through the Mystical Lens

2024-03-24 March 24, 2024 – The Real Meaning of Palm Sunday Guest Speaker: Christopher Brown Christopher Brown explores the deeper significance of Palm Sunday as a pivotal turning point in spiritual consciousness - the moment when humanity began shifting from a paradigm of fear and obedience to one rooted in love, intimacy, and compassion. He illuminates how Jesus introduced a radically personal relationship with the Divine, using the Aramaic word "Abba" to convey closeness rather than distance. Through powerful stories - from a young girl sharing bread with her brother to the Peace Pilgrim's encounter with generous strangers - Christopher Brown reminds us that true spirituality lives not in right belief but in right action, kindness, and love with work boots on.

2024-03-17 March 17, 2024 – Dare To Be Great – You Already Are Ron Salazar, L.U.T. Ron Salazar, LUT delivers a heartfelt and humorous message reminding us that greatness is not reserved for world leaders or spiritual icons - it already lives within each of us. Drawing on Unity's teaching that God is 100% present in every person, Ron Salazar, LUT encourages us to embrace our inner critic not as an enemy but as a loving part of our wholeness, much like a security officer on a starship who simply needs to work alongside the rest of the crew. Through personal stories of sobriety, self-discovery, and pushing open doors that were never truly locked, he invites us to express our unique purpose - whether we are a rose, an oak tree, or seaweed - knowing that our greatness serves the world.

2024-03-10 March 10, 2024 – Embracing Change Rev. Kevin Kitrell Ross Rev. Kevin Ross delivers a heartfelt and powerful message on embracing change rather than resisting it, drawing from his personal experience of recently losing his beloved grandmother - the matriarch of his family. He shares practical spiritual pivots for navigating transitions with grace, including assessing our relationship to change, recognizing that life happens for us rather than to us, maintaining a beginner's mind as candidates for wisdom, and remembering our divine nature as a source of resilience. Rev. Kevin Ross reminds us that everything is working for our highest good and that we can choose to celebrate change rather than fear it.

2024-03-03 March 3, 2024 – Prayer From The Heart Rev. Dr. Johanna Van Gelder Rev. Dr. Johanna Van Gelder explores the transformative practice of affirmative prayer, explaining how this form of prayer used in the Unity and New Thought traditions is not about begging God to change circumstances but about shifting our consciousness to recognize the divine qualities already within us. She walks through the five steps of affirmative prayer - preparation, purpose, recognition, gratitude, and release - while emphasizing that authentic prayer comes from the heart and engages our feelings and senses rather than being merely a mental exercise. Through powerful stories, including a personal experience praying for her brother's wholeness and the inspiring work of an interfaith prayer group in Jerusalem, Rev. Dr. Johanna Van Gelder illustrates how prayer strengthens community, honors human dignity, and makes a difference whether we pray for ourselves, our loved ones, or the world.

2024-03-02 March 3, 2024 – Prayer From The Heart

2024-02-25 February 25, 2024 – You Are Enough Guest Speaker: Susan Angelos Susan Angelos delivers a powerful and heartfelt message exploring what it truly means to be enough - not perfect, not self-sufficient, not flawless, but simply fit for purpose exactly as we are. Drawing from scripture, personal stories, and nearly a decade of her own spiritual journey, she invites listeners into what she lovingly calls "the cult of enough," a radical embrace of our perfectly imperfect selves. Susan reminds us that enoughness is not earned or conditional - it is the spark of the divine already within each of us, waiting to be revealed rather than achieved.

2024-02-24 February 25, 2024 – You Are Enough

2024-02-18 February 18, 2024 – Can Your Love Ailerons Take The Pressure? Rev. Verona Garland Rev. Verona Garland draws on her years as an international flight attendant to offer a powerful aviation metaphor for navigating life's challenges, exploring how the three movements of an aircraft - pitch, yaw, and roll - correspond to spiritual stamina, tungsten tenacity, and remembrance resilience. She shares the inspiring story of Mildred and Richard Loving, whose interracial marriage in 1958 required all three qualities to overcome legal persecution, and reflects on her own experience presenting before an idol at a conference in Kenya. Rev. Verona Garland invites us to consider what pressures our "love ailerons" face and reminds us that spirit may be using that very pressure to shape us into magnificent expressions of the divine, with self-love lighting the way forward.

2024-02-11 February 11, 2024 – Cultivating Compassion Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin concludes the five-week "Jump Start Your Heart" series by exploring the transformative power of compassion through an ancient Jewish temple ritual where those walking in opposite directions would pause to ask one another, "What happened to you?" - a profound act of witnessing that reminds us grief does not heal in isolation. Drawing on the parable of the Good Samaritan, the story of Anthony Hinton on death row, and the Buddhist tale of Kiso Gotami, Rev. Kristin invites us to go to the edges of our circles of love, release tribal thinking, and embrace our shared humanity. She reminds us that compassion flows from an infinite spiritual source that energizes rather than depletes, and that by staying open-hearted - including toward ourselves - we participate in healing communities, nations, and our world.

2024-02-04 February 4, 2024 – Love and Leadership Rev. Kristin and Vicky Elder engage in a rich conversation about love, leadership, and purpose, exploring how true leadership is not confined to formal roles but lives within each of us as we navigate our daily lives. Vicky Elder shares how her journey from state government to ministry revealed that lasting change comes through shifting consciousness rather than top-down authority, and that spiritual leadership operates as "power under" rather than "power over" - lifting others up through love. Together they explore how life's difficulties arrive like personal letters addressed to us, offering opportunities for growth, and how surrendering to divine purpose allows us to lead with wholeness and authenticity.

2024-01-28 January 28, 2023 – Grounded In Stillness Rev. Kristin Powell In this contemplative message, Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of stillness as part three of the Jump Start Your Heart series, drawing inspiration from Pico Iyer's writings and Leonard Cohen's monastic journey to reveal how going nowhere can fill us with everything. Rev. Kristin weaves together wisdom from world scriptures, personal stories, and practical insights to show that stillness is not a retreat from life but a doorway to seeing the world more clearly and loving it more deeply. Through playful anecdotes - from meditating through a snoring dog to a football player finding empty spaces on the field - Rev. Kristin invites us to mind the gaps between thoughts, look for the empty spaces, and discover that it is in stillness where creativity, joy, and divine presence await us.

2024-01-21 January 21, 2024 – Creative Passion Rev. Kristin Powell

Unity of Walnut Creek - Messages