Healing Light Spiritualist Church

Greetings Everyone, Well, here we are in October already. The days are warm and bright and there is a nip in the night air. Certainly, this is a most excellent time of year. And best of all, no bugs!!! Did you get to see the beautiful HUGE (Super) Harvest moon/Full Moon eclipse this past Sunday night? I sure hope so because if you missed it you will not have the opportunity to see it again until 2033! This is a rare event and you may or may not know that the last one occurred in 1982. You can read about this very rare event at: http://news.yahoo.com/supermoon-lunar-eclipse-2015-full-blood-moon-coverage-212938334.html;_ylt=A0LEVjcE1gpWilEAZzAPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw-- As we enjoy this time of year let us remember to be grateful for the harvest that will see us through the winter. So often we take for granted what our ancestors appreciated beyond words. Personally, I try not to take food and water for granted, but sometimes, I do forget to say a prayer of thanks before meals. When that happens, I say a prayer of thanks before falling asleep at night. I know that what we are grateful for we are always provided with, and, I am glad I know that. Pastor Laurie Xanthos certified 5 more people in Spiritual Healing on September 27th. I believe that brings the number of certified spiritual healers in our church to 15. OUTSTANDING! I look forward to getting a healing from each and every one of them. Wonderful news! Since the church moved to the Temple on the Camp Etna grounds on July 5th we have had 6 new members. We give a BIG WELCOME to: Rosy D'Elia, Josh Childers, Wayne and Heather Sanborn, and Janice and Ken Kroesser. We are happy you are now a part of our church family. There is a consensus among the pastors that we will see continued growth now that we are holding services in a sacred space. And honestly, it only makes sense.The vibration on the Camp Etna grounds is very high because these grounds have hosted spiritual events for 139 years. When a space is used for spiritual work for that many years it is definitely going to have a high vibration. It is this high vibration that will draw people and keep them coming back. We remain thankful for the gift of being able to gather together every week in the Temple on these sacred grounds. The Church also welcomes Rev. Shirley Boyens to the Pastoral Council. Shirley lives with her husband, Ken, in Florida and they call Camp Etna home June through September. We are thrilled to have Shirley's knowledge and wise council. WELCOME Shirley! Sometime in the spring of 2016 Pastors Dee Powers and Laurie Xanthos will be offering Spiritualism Philosophy classes. Article IX, Section 1 in the church by-laws and constitution states: Each new adult member shall agree to complete a basic three-part course in Philosophy if not done elsewhere within two (2) years of membership. Although the classes are geared to members who are new to Spiritualism, all are welcome to attend. Now that the church is located on the Camp Etna grounds we want to keep both our church and the camp in the forefront of everyone's mind by offering classes, workshops, and Gallery Readings, throughout the fall, winter, and spring. If there is something you would like to present please let us know. We will give it every consideration. Correction: The September newsletter incorrectly stated that there is a church members meeting in October. The members meeting is held the first Sunday of December, not October. I apologize for giving incorrect information. As stated previously, we are in need of board members. We need a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and one trustee. If you are willing to serve our church in this way it would be greatly appreciated. If you are currently serving in one of these positions and are willing to serve again we thank you with all our hearts. We do have several people who have stepped up to the plate and we are grateful. Still, we could use a few more nominees. You can see Pastor Dee Powers if you would like to be of service in this way. We still need a pianist for our Sunday services. Does anyone know a piano student who would like a part time job? This is a paid position so if you know someone who may be interested please refer them to one of the pastors. We are in the process of scheduling speakers and mediums for November through June. If you would like to serve in either, or both, of these capacities please see one of the pastors. Thank you! Serving the church in October: Facilitator – Pastor Donna Williams Speakers/Mediums October 4 - Graham Connelly October 11 - Pastor Dee Powers October 18 - Karlene Tanner October 25 - Pastor Chris Owen Reminder: The HLSC Online Ordination Program is now available for those who feel the calling to become an Ordained Independent Spiritualist Minister. At the completion of this course you will receive a certificate of Ordination as an Independent Spiritualist Minister with all the legal rights and responsibilities. The choice to become an ordained minister is one that is extremely personal. Many of us arrive at this juncture only after years of personal spiritual pursuit. We arrive here once we feel we know ourselves well enough to be able to say, “I want to serve spirit, and people, in a greater capacity than I currently am.” Not everyone receives this “calling”. There is great responsibility that goes along with becoming an ordained minister. You are choosing to be a spiritual guide to others on a more professional and learned level. To take this step is no small thing. That you have arrived at this place in your life speaks volumes. Not the least of which is, you have probably done this before in another, or many other, lifetime(s). This online course provides a foundation of spiritual knowledge for personal and professional growth and provides a platform for the exploration of consciousness. Also, on a more fundamental level it will guide you in the art of spiritual counseling and the ethical, moral and legal boundaries that you need to be aware of as an ordained minister who counsels others. You will also learn the basics necessary for any Spiritualist Minister such as: the history of spiritualism and how to create and lead a Spiritualist church service. This ordination course is a 9 week program and you can find the details and a link to purchase the course on our web site. Just click on the "Classes" tab. http://www.healinglightspiritualistchurch.org/ Reminder: You can now send us prayer requests and/or "suggestions" from our web site; http://www.healinglightspiritualistchurch.org/. You will find the form on the “Contact Us” page. Ongoing The first Sunday of every month is Pot Luck Sunday. Please come enjoy the service and bring a dish to share after. Pot Luck in October will be at the Inn. You can drop your food off there before coming to church. Feel free to use the refrigerator. The Mediumship Development group meets on Sundays, at 1:30 PM in the Temple. Anyone who is interested in developing or growing their mediumship and psychic skills are welcome to join us. And yes, beginners are certainly welcome as are the more advanced folks. Donations are gladly accepted :-) The Mid Maine homeless shelter is always in need of many things. If you have items you would like to donate just bring them to the church on any Sunday. (PLEASE, no unwashed clothing articles, no clothing with pet hair, and no clothing with holes in them. Thank you.) Here is a list of supplies they could use: Playground toys Diapers - all sizes Trash bags Toilet tissues, paper towels, and tissues All Purpose cleaner Paper plates, cups, and napkins (square) HE laundry detergent Ziploc bags and aluminum foil Food storage containers Grocery store gift certificates Soap, shampoo, and conditioner Feminine products (pads and tampons) Deodorant Toothpaste and toothbrushes Razors and shaving cream Coffee (regular; decaf) and creamer Sugar and drink mixes Canned and non-perishable foods Children's books Both Etna and Canaan Fire Departments need sweat pants and sweat shirts to give out to people who, during a fire, are forced to flee their homes with no more than the shirt on their backs. It is not necessary to buy new. Clean, used items in good condition are very welcome. Please bring them to the church on any Sunday. Children’s sweats are also needed. To all who have contributed in the past, or will contribute in the future, to any of the above causes, your gifts are truly a blessing. Thank you. If you know of anyone who would like to know more about our Healing Light Spiritualist Church and would enjoy reading our newsletter please, by all means, do this pass along. Thanks for reading and most of all, thanks for being part of our church. Bright Blessings to all, Rev. Janet Decker

Happy November, Everyone! I must say this has been a most spectacular fall season. The colors were over the top gorgeous, wouldn't you agree? On my drive to camp I always have the good fortune to observe one of the most beautiful mountain views anywhere. I frequently stop atop the mountain on route 7, right at the Penobscot County line, and just take it all in. We are fortunate here in Maine to have clear skies, as opposed to hazy smog filled skies. We are truly blessed to live in one of the most pristine states in the lower 48. Now the News! Here is a particularly wonderful piece of news. It gives me great pleasure to announce that Pastor Wachian Welch has successfully completed the Healing Light Spiritualist Church online course to become our first Ordained Independent Spiritualist Minister with all the legal rights and responsibilities that go along with it. Reverend Wachian Welch, we are proud of you... WooHoo!!! As I stated in last month's newsletter, answering the call to become an ordained minister is no small step. As a minister you will likely be called upon for spiritual counseling from time to time and the impact of your words will follow the people you counsel not only through this lifetime but also through every lifetime that follows. In essence you become a spiritual guide and this is no small thing. That being said, hats off to those who hear the calling and follow it. We have received word that our dear friend and church member, Janet Ciano, is quite ill and has been moved to hospice care. We will forever miss her beautiful piano playing that she shared with us for so many years. Please keep her and her husband, John, in your prayers. Here is her mailing address if you would like to send her a card. Janet Ciano 1343 Northgate Blvd. Fairborn, OH 45624 We have started our Thanksgiving food drive. Food and/or monetary donations are given to folks in Etna and Newport who are having a tough time of it, financially. You can place any donations you have in or around the donation basket on the table in the temple. Thank you for helping us make somebody's Thanksgiving a little brighter. Some people that cannot come to the Sunday afternoon Mediumship Development Circle have expressed interest in forming a week day evening circle. Most have stated that Monday nights would work best for them, Pastor Dee Powers has agreed to lead it. We need at least 4 committed people in order to get this group going. Please contact Dee if you would be interested in attending a Monday night circle. Her contact info is at the end of this newsletter and on the church web site. http://www.healinglightspiritualistchurch.org/ The camp has installed a new toilet in the temple. Hopefully this one will be more serviceable. It is a composting toilet and it does require water for flushing, which we will make available. Please take time to read the instructions about flushing it, the instructions are hanging on the wall. Thank you for making yourself knowledgeable about how the toilet works before using it. November 1st is Pot Luck Sunday. Please come, enjoy the service and bring a dish to share. You can bring the food into the Temple with you and place it on one of the tables on the left. There will be an electrical strip for you to plug crock pots into and a microwave is also available. If you have something that needs to be kept cold you may want to leave that in your vehicle until after the service. Serving the church in November: Facilitator – Pastor Janet Decker, Pastor Wachian Welch, and Karleen Tanner Speakers/Mediums November 1 - Pastor Wachian Welch/Heather Sanborn November 8 - Karleen Tanner/Kelly LaRochelle November 15 - Rev. Janet Decker/Pastor Dee Powers November 22 - Rev. Janet Decker/ Bethany Couture November 29 - Rev. Janet Decker/Karleen Tanner A friend of mine writes beautiful poetry and I would like to share this one with you. "RE-MEMBER".........................Remember this,, remember that,,,,this life,, that life,, aaaalll the way back.......Oneness with all,,, is what will be seen,,,,,before "the fall",,,,before the dream,,,,,,,,Yet not so far,,,this mystery of we......For in the moment it's found,,,,not in history.....Time and space,,,,an illusion to play.... Remembering love,,,, all else falls away.......Closer and closer,,to all that we are.....Feet on ground,,, head in the stars.......The heart is the center,, of all that we see,,,,Infinite wisdom,,,,love born free....... "Knowing Thyself",,,, is our mission at hand,,,,,Remembering oneness,,,,Remembering the plan........To experience,,to create,,,,All that we choose,,,,, While loving, and laughing,,,, we'll never lose..... The truth of the spark,,, that we all are from,,,, Only here in this moment,,,,, Thy kingdom come . Socrates O. Smith I hope you found this poem to be a reminder of "what is truly real" as much as I did. Reminders The members meeting is held the first Sunday of December right after pot luck. Please mark your calendars and join us. At this meeting we will elect new board members so we hope you will attend and cast your vote. We still need a pianist for our Sunday services. Does anyone know a piano student or pianist who would like a part time job? This is a paid position so if you know someone who may be interested please refer them to one of the pastors. If you have a class or workshop you would like to offer in the Temple during the fall, winter, or spring, please let us know. We will give it every consideration. You can now send prayer requests and/or "suggestions" from our web site; http://www.healinglightspiritualistchurch.org/. You will find the form on the “Contact Us” page. We are in the process of scheduling speakers and mediums for December through June. If you would like to serve in either, or both, of these capacities please see one of the pastors. Thank you! Ongoing The first Sunday of every month is Pot Luck Sunday. Come enjoy the service and bring a dish to share after. Pot Luck will be held in the Temple November - April. The Mediumship Development group meets on Sundays, at 1:30 PM in the Temple. Anyone who is interested in developing or growing their mediumship and psychic skills are welcome to join us. And yes, beginners are certainly welcome as are the more advanced folks. Donations are gladly accepted. Weather (Cancellation) Notification Yes, it is that time of year again. Winter always seems to come way too quickly! When the weather is bad church services and meetings are canceled. You can check on the local TV news stations for our cancellations. We will also put the notice out on Facebook and via email. Once in a while we cancel church and then the storm doesn't manifest. Ahhhhh, nature, you just cannot always predict her. Never the less, once church has been canceled we do not change it. Please make a note of this. With winter bearing down on us please be ever mindful of safety both in the home and in your comings and goings. Always think, Safety First! The Mid Maine homeless shelter is always in need of many things. If you have items you would like to donate just bring them to the church on any Sunday. (PLEASE, no unwashed clothing articles, no clothing with pet hair, and no clothing with holes in them. Thank you.) Here is a list of supplies they could use: Playground toys Diapers - all sizes Trash bags Toilet tissues, paper towels, and tissues All Purpose cleaner Paper plates, cups, and napkins (square) HE laundry detergent Ziploc bags and aluminum foil Food storage containers Grocery store gift certificates Soap, shampoo, and conditioner Feminine products (pads and tampons) Deodorant Toothpaste and toothbrushes Razors and shaving cream Coffee (regular; decaf) and creamer Sugar and drink mixes Canned and non-perishable foods Children's books Both Etna and Canaan Fire Departments need sweat pants and sweat shirts to give out to people who, during a fire, are forced to flee their homes with no more than the shirt on their backs. It is not necessary to buy new. Clean, used items in good condition are very welcome. Please bring them to the church on any Sunday. Children’s sweats are also needed. To all who have contributed in the past, or will contribute in the future, to any of the above causes, your gifts are truly a blessing. Thank you. If you know of anyone who would like to know more about our Healing Light Spiritualist Church and would enjoy reading our newsletter please, by all means, do pass this along. Thanks for reading and most of all, thanks for being part of our church! Bright Blessings to all and we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, Rev. Janet Decker

Happy December, Everyone! I'll begin this newsletter by wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Solstice! The beginning of winter is a wonderful time to reflect upon the year that is about to pass and to think about what is, and what is not, working for us in our lives. Winter is the time of year to ponder change. If something in your life is not working what are the alternatives? What are the steps you need to take to bring about the positive change(s) you are considering? Winter is the time of "going in". The work of spring, summer and fall, i.e., lawns, home improvements and/or repairs, tending gardens, harvest, putting up food, cutting and stacking wood, etc. is finished and now comes the quiet time. Winter is considered the creative time. Seeds that will bring forth new life next spring lie dormant in the ground and we can consider this a metaphor for the creative ideas within our minds that will bring us something new and wonderful next year. What idea(s) would you like to breathe life into next year? Remember, we are co-creators of our lives and our world so enjoy this time of rest and let your imagination flow. Now the News! On the first Sunday in December I will be presenting Rev. Wachian Welch with his Certificate of Ordination. As lead pastor of the Healing Light Spiritualist Church it gives me great pleasure to have helped a fellow traveler on the spiritual path to achieve his goals. Congratulations Wachian! We will hold the annual church members meeting on December 27th, the last Sunday of the month this year instead of the first Sunday which is when we usually hold it. We will be electing new officers at this meeting. We hope you will come enjoy the church service on the 27th and that you will stay after for the meeting. It will not take long. Please mark your calendars. Our church treasurer, Barbara Dolliver, will be having surgery on December 2nd. Please hold her in your thoughts and prayers. Rev. Wachian Welch will be holding a "Rejuvenation and New Energies" workshop at Forest Circles Spiritual Center in Topsham, ME on December 12th from 10AM to 1PM. This is the time of year where we need all the energetic help we can get. I can think of no better time than now for this offering. You can contact Wachian if you have questions or want to sign up. His contact information is below. Or you can contact Regina at Forest Circles: 207.776.3152 rstrongheart@gmail.com It is with a sad heart that I make this announcement. Our dear friend, church member, and former pianist, Janet Ciano, passed into spirit on November 22, 2015. The following is a copy of the email I received from her husband, John. "Today, November 22, 2015 at 1AM, Janet ( Lassen ) Ciano passed away. I thank you all for the prayers, good wishes, cards, letters, emails, phone calls and visits. Janet was well cared for here at Hospice of Dayton, and lived her last weeks in " The Four Radiant Abodes ": Loving Kindness, Compassion, Equanimity, and Joy. Yes, even Joy. She gave it to others as she passed her last three weeks in this good place. Although I grieve for Janet, I am grateful for the life we shared. Peace be with you, friends and relatives, John" If you would like to send John a card this is his address: John Ciano 1343 Northgate Blvd. Fairborn, OH 45624 The Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter is especially in need of toys this time of year. Can you play Santa for a child this year? Please bring new unwrapped toys to the church on any Sunday between now and Dec. 20th and Pastor Dee Powers will see that they get to the shelter. Serving the church in November: Facilitator – Rev. Wachian Welch Speakers/Mediums December 6 - Pat Heitman December - 13 - Alice King December 20 - Melissa Gabriel December 27 - Angie Butler/Rev. Wachian Welch Reminders December 6th is Pot Luck Sunday. Please come, enjoy the service and bring a dish to share afterwards. You can bring the food into the Temple with you and place it on one of the tables on the left. There will be an electrical strip for you to plug crock pots into and a microwave is also available. If you have something that needs to be kept cold you may want to leave that in your vehicle until after the service. See you there! We still need a pianist for our Sunday services. Does anyone know a piano student or pianist who would like a part time job? This is a paid position so if you know someone who may be interested please refer them to one of the pastors. If you have a class or workshop you would like to offer in the Temple during the fall, winter, or spring, please let us know. We will give it every consideration. You can send prayer requests and/or "suggestions" from our web site; http://www.healinglightspiritualistchurch.org/. You will find the form on the “Contact Us” page. We are in the process of scheduling speakers and mediums for February through June. If you would like to serve in either, or both, of these capacities please see one of the pastors. Thank you! To Say Thank You! A BIG THANK YOU to those who contributed to our Thanksgiving food drive. You made one family's day brighter. A BIG THANK YOU to the speakers and mediums who served our church in November. You are appreciated! A BIG THANK YOU to our church board members. We are very grateful for the time and effort you so lovingly give to our church. Ongoing The first Sunday of every month is Pot Luck Sunday. Pot Luck is held in the Temple November - April. Come enjoy the service and stay after for a nice meal and conversation. The Mediumship Development group meets on Sundays, at 1:30 PM in the Temple. Anyone who is interested in developing or growing their mediumship and psychic skills are welcome to join us. And yes, beginners are certainly welcome as are the more advanced folks. Donations are gladly accepted. Weather (Cancellation) Notification When the weather is bad church services and meetings are canceled. You can check on the local TV news stations for our cancellations. We will also put the notice out on Facebook and via email. Once in a while we cancel church and then the storm doesn't manifest. Ahhhhh, nature, you cannot always predict her. Never the less, once church has been canceled we do not change it. Please make a note of this. With winter bearing down on us please be ever mindful of safety both in the home and in your comings and goings. Always think, Safety First! The Mid Maine homeless shelter is always in need of many things. If you have items you would like to donate just bring them to the church on any Sunday. (PLEASE, no unwashed clothing articles, no clothing with pet hair, and no clothing with holes in them. Thank you.) Here is a list of supplies they could use: Playground toys Diapers - all sizes Trash bags Toilet tissues, paper towels, and tissues All Purpose cleaner Paper plates, cups, and napkins (square) HE laundry detergent Ziploc bags and aluminum foil Food storage containers Grocery store gift certificates Soap, shampoo, and conditioner Feminine products (pads and tampons) Deodorant Toothpaste and toothbrushes Razors and shaving cream Coffee (regular; decaf) and creamer Sugar and drink mixes Canned and non-perishable foods Children's books Both Etna and Canaan Fire Departments need sweat pants and sweat shirts to give out to people who, during a fire, are forced to flee their homes with no more than the shirt on their backs. It is not necessary to buy new. Clean, used items in good condition are very welcome. Please bring them to the church on any Sunday. Children’s sweats are also needed. To all who have contributed in the past, or will contribute in the future, to any of the above causes, your gifts are truly a blessing. Thank you. If you know of anyone who would like to know more about our Healing Light Spiritualist Church and would enjoy reading our newsletter please, by all means, do pass this along. Thanks for reading and most of all, thanks for being part of our church! Bright Blessings to all and I wish you a joyful holiday season! Rev. Janet Decker