CMC Active Ministers (180)

Sunday, 04 July 2021 00:36

07.04.21 Video "Dredging for Miracles"

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There are situations in our lives when the miracles seem to come to us easily and without much effort. Other times the pain and suffering that we experience takes a long time to process and the miracle can seem to take forever. At these times, we will be asked to have faith and be patient. The faith we need to have is in the eternal and not the ephemeral. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. 26 min. SUBSCRIBE & SHARE

Dear Miracle Workers,

I shared these thoughts with my Healing Team this morning and I’ve received the guidance that they deserve a large audience. I want to talk about sparrows and eagles. ACIM has two references to sparrows and eagles that are books apart – literally. One is in the Text and the other is in the Manual. However, they both illuminate the same teaching

In the Text we have this, "Ask not the sparrow how the eagle soars, for those with little wings have not accepted for themselves the power to share with you." (OrEd.Tx.20.31) This is an actual metaphor!! No one really believes that anyone is going up to birds and asking them for flying instruction (lol). Don't ask sparrows, those who fly low to the ground and in short bursts, how the eagle soars so high in the sky in long extended glides. The sparrow doesn't know. The sparrow will not be able to give you any important information about this.

What’s the practical application? Don't ask healing advice from those who have not manifested any healing. They don't know! The second sparrow / eagle teaching in the Manual says, "Who would attempt to fly with the tiny wings of a sparrow when the mighty power of an eagle has been given him?" (OrEd.Mn.4.4) Okay, so why be content with low to the ground short spurts of flying when you can ("Thank you" The Steve Miller Band) "Fly Like an Eagle?" (We need to sing that song at the Sunday Gathering!)

Healing is flying like an eagle. Accepting sickness and death as inevitable is flying like a sparrow. Really – is there truly any choice here?

"I want to fly like an eagle -
To the sea -
Fly like an eagle -
Let my spirit carry me."

(originally appeared in Miracles Weekly #292, Jun. 24 2021)

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For as long as I can remember there has been a discussion in the ACIM Community about how much, if any, we should involve the appearance of the body in our healing practice. For some any mention of the body, or any worldly form at all, brings up a “knee jerk” response about how ACIM isn’t being understood if the body or these forms enter in the discussion at all. Still we are left with many, many passages which actually do talk about body healing and to interpret all of these as literary metaphor doesn’t seem right either. Then there are passages like this too, "The happy dream about him (our brother) takes the form of the appearance of his perfect health, his perfect freedom from all forms of lack, and safety from disaster of all kinds." (OrEd.Tx.30.90) Manifesting the happy dream about our brothers, sisters, and others sure seems to mean that their bodies and the forms of their lives will appear to be healthy and abundant. If you complete the previous quotation the appearance of health and its association with a miracles is even more pronounced. "The miracle is proof he is not bound by loss or suffering in any form because it can so easily be changed." (OrEd.Tx.30.90) Are we denying miracles by moving our focus too far away from form? 31 min. SUBSCRIBE & SHARE

Wednesday, 16 June 2021 04:19

We're Unraveling Over Here

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Dear Miracle Workers

Always wanted to be special to momma. Wanted to make her smile. Wanted her to like my friends, my interests in life. I wanted her to fawn over me and lush, on and on, about how much she loves every little thing about me. Uhhh????? Duhhhh???? I’d say somebody who wants all that specialness from another has an itsy-bitsy problem with wanting to be extra special!

A Course of Love (ACOL) states, “All the maladies of the current time as well as those of history would give way to love without the interference of all that would make special.” (ACOL.C.15.1) ALL maladies are kept around because I want to be special to momma and to make her special to me?

It wasn’t just a special love affair with me and momma. There was a special hate affair, too. She was my reason for anything going wrong in my life. A Course in Miracles (ACIM) tells us, “Be not afraid to look upon the special hate relationship, for freedom lies in looking at it.” (OrEd.Tx.16.30) Life remained miserable with striving to keep up the barrier to love I wallowed in. I looked at this hate and found freedom therein. 

I have joy today. ACIM states, “Your task is not to seek for love but merely to seek and find all of the barriers within yourself which you have built against it.”(OrEd.Tx.16.35) I found a barrier against love within this special love and special hate relationship. I look at the hate and make no attempt to hide it. The barrier is down. Today I feel a connection with momma that is beyond words and explanation. The connection feels honest, humble, and satisfying. I am feeling love. Now, why was I brow-beating my own momma with a special hate relationship???

(originally appeared in Miracles Weekly #290, Jun. 8 2021) 

Sunday, 13 June 2021 06:42

06.13.21 Video "The Signs of Life"

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In the Workbook we are taught that miracles are like water that falls from Heaven transforming the dry and dusty world into a lush world of green vibrant life. "Now the world is green. And everywhere the signs of life spring up to show that what is born can never die, for what has life has immortality." (OrEd.WkBk.SpTp341.5) Signs of life are springing up in my home city of San Francisco too. Today I received a public service announcement saying that next Tuesday June 15 most of the pandemic restrictions on masks and social distancing will finally be lifted in San Francisco. "WooHoo!!" I am acknowledging this as miracle rain from Heaven bringing new life, energy, and abundance to the struggling hotel and restaurant business which employs so many. Maybe it’s finally time for the new Roaring 20’s! 25 min. SUBSCRIBE & SHARE

Tuesday, 08 June 2021 12:00

This Is the Day that WE Have Made

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Dear Miracle Workers,

There is a popular Psalm passage that reads, “This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Ps.118.24) Psalms is a book in the Old Testament. The psalms are not merely spiritual poems. They are the lyrics to ancient Jewish songs that were sung at sacred religious rites. They date between the 9th and 5th centuries BC. They have been around a long time. Now, in the 21st century AD, the musical background has been lost but the words remain in the Biblical book of Psalms.

ACIM would not teach that the Lord, or God, made time. Saying that the Lord made the day is not absolutely ACIM consistent. However the Course also teaches that the Holy Spirit has a better use for everything the ego made, which includes time – so in spirit the lyric above from Psalm 118 is still a great thing to align with. Plus it gives a bridge to connect ACIM students with our more traditional Christian friends.

This is the day that the Holy Spirit will use us to heal and to bring joy and celebration to all our sisters, brothers, and others. ACIM encourages us to meet every day in a pure energy of rejoicing and celebration. "Why are you not rejoicing? You are free of pain and sickness, misery and loss, and all effects of hatred and attack. No more is pain your friend and guilt your god, and you should welcome the effects of love." (OrEd.Tx.29.12) In order to truly rejoice as the Psalm passage tells us to do, we must also embrace the guarantee of healing that ACIM gives us. I have done that. Is this the day that you will also? Healing is that effect of Divine love in this world.

(originally appeared in Miracles Weekly #290, Jun. 8 2021)

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Sunday we will celebrate my physical birthday. Monday will be June 7 and the day that I (Rev. Tony) celebrate my birthday. It’s the date on my birth certificate! Have a piece of birthday cake ready (really) and we’ll all eat one together after the Gathering. A couple of years ago I stopped counting the years. I am an eternal, infinite creation of Spirit. At our wonderful live, virtual event last weekend I still heard some of our speakers talk about the inevitable debilitating aging and death process. I heard, "As I get older I find I can’t do what I used to be able to do anymore.” I heard, “Every body dies.” I reject these “mad" beliefs. I will not be “mad / crazy” this birthday. "Is it not madness to think of life as being born, aging, losing vitality, and dying in the end?" (OrEd.Mn.27.1) These are thoughts and thoughts can be changed. I like to say, “Every day I am getting younger, better looking and richer!” Get that piece of cake and join me. 26 min. SUBSCRIBE & SHARE

Dear Miracle Worker,

Last weekend 200 of us were together at the CMC’s first live virtual event Unblock! Unlock! & Rock! It was terrific. I believe most got a lot out of it. I was so glad to be standing (literally) in the middle of all that miracle energy. The new ability to reach people from all over the world was demonstrated.

Rev. Deb (my event co-chair) and I truly saw how much people appreciated the break-out groups when they got opportunities to share. People so want to participate. They like listening to the speakers but then they want to add their own thoughts too. People have important things to contribute. They don’t just want to be little sponges soaking up the miracle “juice.” They want to be giving back the juice as well. One never knows when what one shares is just what someone else needs to hear.

We are all in this together and we all have a part to play in the world’s salvation. I was especially moved by long time Course student and CMC Supporting Member Ron Zaleski (pictured below) when he shared about his work with vets who have PTSD. He walked across the country barefoot with a large sandwich board sign strapped to his shoulders to bring attention to the fact that, “18 Vets a Day Commit Suicide.” That is a message that only he can give and he gives it in such a unique way.

Today’s Workbook Lesson #154 says, ”The messages which they deliver are intended first for them. And it is only as they can accept them for themselves that they become able to bring them further and to give them everywhere that they were meant to be." (OrEd.WkBk.154.6) We all have something unique and wonderful to share and the message is intended first for ourselves.

(originally appeared in Miracles Weekly #289, Jun. 3 2021)

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When I think of aliens, I think about how they’re portrayed in Hollywood movies. In many movies they look like fearsome, enlarged, insect-like creatures with really scary faces. The thought of making love to this depiction of an alien would repulse most people. A Course in Miracles describes an equally unpleasant image of the ego. It describes the ego using the imagery of blood, skeletons and pigs to name a few; still we often make love to its beliefs and idols. My talk will be about how we can use this imagery as a way to expose the ego and make love to the beauty, innocence, and oneness of our true reality. 26 min. SUBSCRIBE & SHARE

Tuesday, 25 May 2021 12:00

Your Practice Is Important

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Dear Miracle Workers,

As I practice using the Course I sometimes forget why I’m doing it. Sometimes I get caught up in how often I have practiced and judge myself on whether or not I’ve had a miracle as often as I used to have them. All this is simply more madness from my ego. Recently, I was taking a walk and I was thinking again that I hadn’t had a miracle in a while. That’s when it popped into my head (thank you, Holy Spirit) that it was still important to practice the ideas. The ideas themselves are healing and upholding the One Mind. I had never realized that before. Simply repeating the ideas in my mind is helpful.

The miracle is always there, but I am still practicing whether I have a miracle or not. We are each here to help one another remember. My remembering is helping my brothers as well as myself. That thought has helped to release me from “trying” to have a miracle or judging myself about it. I know that’s my ego, but somehow I’ve been freed from all concern about it. Now I’m just willing to practice. “The overall aim of the exercises is to increase your ability to extend the ideas you will be practicing to include everything.” (FIP.WkBk.Intro.7) So, I am happy just to practice.

(originally appeared in Miracles Weekly #288, May 25, 2021)

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Select CMC Minister

  • Rev. Tony Ponticello is CMC Minister #20. He was ordained on Oct. 17, 1997. He is Executive Minister of Community…
  • Rev. Peter Graham is CMC Minister #40. He was ordained on Feb. 23, 2002. He serves on the CMC Board…
  • Deb Canja is a spiritual teacher dedicated to removing the obstacles that prevent us from experiencing self-love and inner peace.…
  • Rev. Joanie Schaeffer-Goss is CMC Minister #71. She was ordained on Feb. 16, 2014. She co-facilitates the "Southern Spirit Sisters"…
  • Rev. Paula Carpe is CMC minister #125. She was ordained Feb. 14, 2021. She teaches CMC's Wed. morning 9:00 a.m.…
  • Rev. Kim Wilson is CMC minister #85. She was ordained Mar. 15, 2015. She teaches CMC's Tue. evening A Course…
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