1.Why did you get involved with CtH?

I met Thomas and Gabrielle while visiting another UCC Church in Portland, looking for a new church home. They loved a story I shared with the church, and they reached out to me directly after the service. Thomas in particular made some observations that led to a discussion about healing. I participated in a healing exercise, and noticed immediate improvement. My first experience was in 2000, and I have been a member since that time. 

2. What does CtH mean to you?

Christ the Healer is a welcome and nurturing voice on my journey to grow myself – which for me seems to be two steps forward, one step back. I have always experienced unconditional love, and I have shared deep wisdom and knowledge with a diverse clan. I am always learning in wide variety of topics – spirituality, meditation, healthy eating and living, steps to physical regeneration, leadership, and giving back. Now I’m learning about regenerative agriculture to feed communities.  I’m connected to a diverse and creative group of individuals who are dedicated to personal and planetary healing – we seek unified consciousness together which gives me great strength. I’m always encouraged through gentleness toward greater forgiveness and compassion. I have ample opportunities to practice embodied grace… even when my stubbornness gets in the way – I  stumble into perfect love, over and over again. What a gift!

3. As a covenanted member, would you mind telling us how this process has helped you grow spiritually? And, why do you feel it’s important to grow spiritually?

When creating a covenant, it is exclusively about your individual experience. There’s no comparing you to other or mandate per se. Your individuality is respected, therefore there are no wrong answers to how you communicate your goals toward spiritual growth. Some years show greater enthusiasm and focus than others, and all of it is OK. There are no wrong answers, only my dedication to spiritual  growth – however that may look! If If you don’t know how to grow, well, you have a wide group of people here who are glad to share their inspiration with you, on how they intend to grow. It’s very personal. If you don’t know where your blind spots are, I start with a very specific ask (of myself): ‘May I see what I must see, may I hear what I must hear, may I feel what I must feel.’ When I receive insights within, I take it a step further to become what I have seen. Next I say ‘May I be what I must be, may I do what I must do, may I love what I must love.’ If we can seek to better understand ourselves, love ourselves, forgive ourselves, this pours out of us into the world. It’s certainly an improvement over “self protection” where other is “wrong”, I have to be “right”, and everyone suffers. Together, we share our solo journeys and continue to become more. Here you can grow and you will surely find answers without judgment. Where are you feeling stagnant? Are there patterns you repeat that you wish to change? Are there ways you want to deepen your connection to God and other? Perhaps you just want to understand yourself better? Whatever it is, if you set a spiritual goal, you are more likely to achieve a desired outcome.

4. Is there anything specific you wish to offer new community members who want to grow with us?

If you are looking for a new spiritual community, I would suggest finding an upcoming event of interest to you and see how that feels! This is not a traditional church where we show up to hear teachings every week. We have plenty of opportunities to deepen our walk with God, ourselves and other, but our practices and projects are based on immersion and participation, not passive listening. We take responsibility for our own spiritual growth and we seek to become our own leaders. This is the MOST holistic approach to growth. CtH is continually changing because our founders love to experiment with new thought forms and thought leadership – we see what inspiration develops.

We had an A.R.T.S Group, and developed music together. I was asked by Hillsdale UCC to do a porch concert for neighbors in Multnomah Village. We we had a live Porch Concert. Ari, Jill and I were to play music, but Ari was inspired by climate devastation to read her new poem, “Venus by Tuesday”. Thomas and Gabrielle asked “What can we do about it?” and thus, the Climate Café was born. It’s an initiative to grow, organic food, prepare it and share it with community. It’s been operating since 2022. 

While we joke and call ourselves ‘ a merry band of misfits’, because our personalities are all very different, we are deeply loving, spiritually grounded individuals. Not sure which program or event is right for you, just reach out to me through the web form and we can talk about it!

5. How the Compass of Grace Teachings have helped you move into a state of grace with yourself, your relationships and/or the world around you?

The Compass of Grace teachings teach us how to move into and practice operating in states of grace at will. By learning and practicing in a group setting, we train ourselves to remove our resistance to ‘what is’ no matter the circumstance. It’s a challenge, but when I practice it, it’s better for me and those with whom I exercise grace. I fail often, and I get plenty of opportunities to practice.

6. How your life has improved or changed as a result of engaging with the CtH leaders and members, or engaging in spiritual and healthy living practices?

As a type A personality, I can be a whirlwind of energy, moving fast, and sometimes I miss important nuances within experiences. I continue to learn ways into stillness of being and internal listening, which has shifted an external focus and made room for reflection. It’s made a world of difference for me. The Body Electronics processes have resulted in miracles for body and heart. I’m also becoming a better leader, when most of my life I learned to be a follower. I am practicing being the change I want to become first, then inviting others to participate in the same. We call this waking up, cleaning up, growing up, and showing up.

7. Please tell us a little about yourself, personal interests, and how you serve the CtH Community?

I manage the communications for CtH, including websites and emails. I plan to take a more active leadership role as I make more room in my life for tending to the hearts of others. I enjoy the outdoors, love to hike and be in nature as often as possible. I enjoy playing guitar and creating music. In the spring of 2021 I created an A.R.T.S class, to share talents. We have a very diverse community of artists. What came out of it was a beautiful collaboration and song called Breathe On Me. Two of the artists/musicians joined me to perform music at Hillsdale UCC for a porch concert in September 2021.  We gave ourselves the name  ‘No Matter What’ – for justice, peace and equity. You never know what will emerge in CtH!

8. What is your leadership role in Christ the Healer?

I am on the Leadership Team, and manage all of the marketing, web, email marketing and communication for CtHUCC. I support others in their growth within our community.  We hope to see you soon!