Week 1: Notes of Sunday Meetings

Date: March 21st, 2021

I am starting an (unlimited for now) series writing my observations/ insights from different churches I sit through every Sunday. I'm just showcasing that the Truth (that is God) can be found in any church if you are looking for it. Every Sunday, before engaging in Sunday meetings, I take a walk, I do yoga, I meditate, and I pray for God to enlighten my mind and illuminate my Spirit that I will be able to recognize the spiritual messages that He/She wants me to hear/understand. I encourage everyone to practice at least meditation and prayer before any service you attend. Get in touch with your inner You, the Divine You, your Spirit that you derive from God to be able to see Truth from lies spread by man. Do not be fully trusting to just accept anything you hear from the pulpit. Remember man is man, and God is God. I promise/testify to you that you will have a more fulfilling spiritual experience in ANY church that you attend if you start that practice every Sunday morning(or whatever your Sabbath/spiritual day happens to be).

I hope that at least one point of my notes will sing and resound within Your Spirit! XOXO

1. Triumph Church — 08:45 AM sermon

• Luke 1:46-48: "And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior: For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant' For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." (NKJV) => God is worthy to be praised DESPITE the shackles of mortality.

• "If God has blessed your neighbor, it means He is in the neighborhood." => Rejoice for your neighbor and rest knowing that your turn will come.

  • Psalm 46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God." (NKJV)

  • We have to have faith in the promises of God, even while waiting, because God IS a promise-keeper.

• God feels for the oppressed — women, people of color, etc.

• "If God has done it before, He can do it again."

• God uses our praise to set us free. When we seek and invite God into our lives, He is ready to work His influence and bless us (or at least to be with us all the way.)

2. Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington—10:15 AM service

• There is Light within every human heart: "May our individual sparks meet and merge, bringing both light and warmth to the world."

• The Spirit of Generosity includes donating what you have when you have the means to benefit those who have not.

3. Community of Christ — 11:05 AM service

• Stay true to honoring your word to God. Always remember God, and strive to be in tune with the Spirit of God.

• When we speak from the heart about things we know, we are able to claim it, and it brings our Spirit healing.

  • "All works of love are works of peace." — Mother Teresa

• A form of Denying the Spirit of God is using the word of God to achieve selfish/vain ambitions, esp. at the expense of others, or using your claimed/bestowed religious authority to teach hate, evil, etc. => People who see through the blasphemy can end up rejecting God altogether because of your example. This point made of Denying the Spirit of God is so because if you are continuing to teach hate (and things not of the fruit of the Spirit), you are ignoring the promptings of the Spirit, which would signal to you that what you are doing is wrong.

  • Note: Sin (in my opinion) is the state (not permanent) of being separate (or making yourself separate) from God. When you purposefully choose to become one with God — to actively illuminate the Divine DNA within you and recognizing that you are a Spiritual Being having a human experience, a unique demonstration of God — you will know for yourself when you are in a state of sin. You will be able to feel the Spirit within you withering or alarming you.

• CCS 304 hymn "Sometimes We Wait, Expecting God" => God has given us the tools to serve others, to take care of His Creation — we are all One. We do not need to wait for God to come down to relieve the suffering in the world when we are infused with qualities of God — God is within us (not to be confused with the idea that we and God are equal. Just like we have our parents within us as being a virtue of their procreation, we have God within us as a virtue of being His Divine Creation).

  • Jesus is in the beggars we ignore on the street, the homeless we don't shelter, the children with no food, etc.

  • Through charity (giving and serving in our daily lives), we are blessed.

• CCS 10 hymn "How Shall We Find You" => God is infinite, unimaginable, incomprehensible. God loves all the diverse forms of ALL LIFE on the planet (all the kinds of people, animals, plants, etc.) because the Divine created everything and saw that it was good (Genesis 1). God is infused within all of us! He loves us fully and unconditionally.

4. Mile Hi Church — 12:05 PM service: "Love Like That" sermon

• "Love is the sole impulse for creation... Love is the most creative power in the Universe." — Ernest Holmes

• It's easier to come back to a place of love from a place of fear/distrust if the hurt is not inflicted intentionally.

  • You should not withhold your love or practice passive-aggressiveness.

  • To really love someone is to risk breaking down, to risk the deepest form of rejection.

• Love is sacred — Love = self-sacrifice, putting others' needs/welfare above our own => You can tap into the power of love more easily when you learn to recognize the Divine within yourself and another person/people.

• Lust is putting our own needs above others. => In some cases, it can take the form of harmful and selfish actions against another person, e.g. rape.

• At any moment, you can choose to love.

  • "The moment you give love, you're in love." — key to self-fulfillment

• "Love never dies a natural death...it dies of weariness, of witherings...when we learn to practice it, [love] can replenish anything." — Anais Nin

• Love is timeless. The moments we create with loved ones live on in our hearts.

  • "Not even death can stop true love — it can only delay it." — The Princess Bride

• "Love has to be RECEIVED, not taken, in order to be given." => includes receiving self-love

  • How willing are you to love [my life, myself, my family, etc.] today?

  • How willing are you to BE loved today?

  • How can I best love [my life, myself, my family, etc.] today? <= Love like that.

• "Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them — we can only love others as much as we love ourselves." — Brené Brown

• "You must be fearless enough to give yourself the love you didn't receive." — Oprah Winfrey

• "The biggest life is the one that gives the most, loves the most, includes the most, has the greatest understanding and the greatest consciousness of Eternal Good, and redistributes this Good to the largest number of people." — Ernest Holmes

5. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) — 10:30AM PST ward/congregation

• Hearken unto God to enlighten you to the Truth.

• "Every member a missionary" => When you're enlightened or have gained spiritual insight, share that fruit of wisdom and love to others.

• Family is important — they teach to embody and practice love, which is of God.

• "Teach by wisdom, not commandment." — Spirit of the Law instead of Letter of the Law

• Growth comes through seeking and personal revelation.

• Go into every meeting, esp. General Conference with questions — AND an open mind and heart.

Much love and appreciation to everyone! You are loved Divine Beings, creations of God, unique representations on the Earth of the unconditional Love of God. Have a great day!