Rev. Steve blogs on "International Sunday"

The venerated Tibetan Buddhist monk, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen Labzang Tsetan, head abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in Exile visited Unity Church of the Hills on Sunday, June 14. It was a day we had designated as “International Sunday.” We focused on our international outreach programs including formally introducing Maggie Miller to the congregation as our Team Leader of the International Outreach. And Maura Rehfuss who will soon leave for South Africa for several weeks of service to children orphaned by aids. In the second service that morning, the Rinpoche blessed some three hundred bracelets that Maura will take to give to these precious children.

The evening before that Sunday morning, Mary and I had been invited to a reception at the home of Gaea Logan, the host of Khen Rinpoche. His beautiful heart was instantly apparent as was his ease with being with a variety of personalities and backgrounds. After a time, we all gathered into Gaea’s living room to listen to Rinpoche and watch brief DVDs on the monastery and the Siddhartha School that he has been a part of since founding it in the 90s.

What was apparent to us is his deep love for those children and for the monks in training in the monastery and their love and respect for him. We saw and felt that on Sunday at the church as well. And now we are, as a congregation in that circle of love and kindness and compassion. And he is in ours along with the new friends that Mary and I made, some of whom have blessed us with their presence at the church. To know that his love accompanies Maura on her way to South Africa, that it blesses Maggie in her work and that it is active in our hearts is a true gift from Spirit.

In Love and Peace,
Rev. Steve Bolen

Blessed With Love on the way to South Africa

Hundreds of people came together during the UCOH services on Sunday, June 14th to infuse 250 hand-woven friendship bracelets with the healing vibration of love.

Rev. Steve Bolen bestowed a special blessing on the bracelets during the first service, and reminded us of the global responsibility we all have for loving one another. We were treated to an absolutely amazing moment in the second service when the bracelets were blessed by our beautiful visitor, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen Lobzang Tseta, the head Abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in exile in southern India. Khen was appointed to this position by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Khen’s and Steve’s blessings wrapped light into every thread of the bracelets!

These friendship bracelets will be distributed to some of the precious AIDS orphans in South Africa connected to the LoveLight project we seek to lift with our hands and our hearts. UCOH member, Maura Rehfuss, pictured here holding these blessed symbols of our connection, will visit South Africa in July with Robin Goff, Executive Director of the project. The bracelets indeed will serve as a reminder to these beautiful children of the light that surrounds them, the love that enfolds them, the power that protects them, and the presence that watches over them. As these youth find ways to express their specific gifts and talents, the world will be transformed as they are aligned with that power and presence which invites each of us to be a fuller, freer expression of the miraculous...