Celebration of Spirit

Our celebration service acknowledges three different temperaments of spiritual seekers including devotion, intellect, and action. We weave together our hearts, minds, and hands to support an integrated and vibrant spiritual life. To create sacred space we draw elements from various traditions. A general format for a worship service may include the following elements and rituals: invocation, candle lighting, introduction to CGI Fellowship and the minister, opening affirmation, inspirational reading, music/chanting, brief meditation, introduction to a spiritual practice, facilitated focused discussion, and closing affirmation.

Celebration of Spirit Discussion Topics

We don’t like sermons! We don’t like the word “should!” Instead, we come together as spiritual seekers to dialogue around key questions. Examples include:

• What is one central teaching from your spiritual path that has impacted you in your life? How did you discover that teaching? What has it meant for you?
• What are some normal activities that you do in your life that have become spiritual practices for you? What makes them “spiritual?”
• How have you found ways to express your spiritual values through actions in the world? Where have you struggled to express your values in the world?
• What are the goals expressed by your spiritual path? What are your personal spiritual goals and longings?
• What do you understand about sin? How do you understand and practice forgiveness?
• What rituals from your spiritual path of origin are meaningful to you? What rituals give you a sense of the sacred? What rituals “turn you off?”
• What experiences have you had talking with people about religion / spirituality that have gone well… and not so well? What do you think made the difference?
• How do you feel about using the world “God?” Do you have other words that refer to a “universal source?”

Sacred text

We acknowledge and celebrate the wisdom contained in the many world scriptures including the Bible, the Torah, the Qur’an, the Dhammapada, the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching, and A Course in Miracles. We also acknowledge the continuing revelation of wisdom through individual insight, experience, and attunement.

Location

Astoria, OR
Sunday mornings 9:30 – 10:30am
Franklin Ave. & 11th St., Astoria, OR
Wesley Room of the First United Methodist Church (use building entrance on 11th Street)

To see a list of sample bulletins click here.

To see other “happenings” in Astoria, OR click here. For more information, contact us here.

Incorporation

On July 1, 2015 we became an Oregon nonprofit. Our Articles of Incorporation can be view here.