Unity of Walnut Creek

2026-03-01 Peacebuilers, Part 5: “Peace in Motion” Rev. Kristin In this powerful conclusion to the Peacebuilders series, Rev. Kristin explores how authentic peace requires both acceptance of what we cannot change and the courage to transform what we can. Drawing from the Serenity Prayer and the wisdom of poets, prophets, and spiritual teachers, she reveals that true peace building often means challenging the status quo rather than simply keeping the peace. Through the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, she demonstrates how dropping into spiritual presence allows us to respond with wisdom rather than react from fear, speaking truth with both courage and compassion. Rev. Kristin calls the community to spiritual maturity, encouraging each person to identify their growing edge and take courageous action as peacebuilders in a world desperately needing transformation.

2026-02-22 Peacebuilders, Part 4: ; I Release Into Peace Rev. Kristin In this fourth installment of the Peacebuilders series, Rev. Kristin explores the season of Lent as an invitation not to give something up, but to give over whatever weighs us down - from worry and judgment to self-imposed timelines and limiting beliefs. Drawing on the wisdom of Jesus, Bob Marley, the Serenity Prayer, and a simple two-word philosophy of "let them," Rev. Kristin offers practical tools for releasing attachment and returning to the natural flow of peace. Central to the message is the practice of partnering with Spirit - trusting that when we shift the load and let go, peace is not something we create, but something we uncover. Rev. Kristin closes with a guided meditation, inviting each listener to hand their heaviest concerns into the light and walk freely forward.

2026-02-15 Peacebuilders, Part 3: Welcoming Unlikely Friends Rev. Kristin

2026-02-08 Peacebuilders, Part 2: “The Inner Architecture of Peace” Rev. Kristin In this second installment of the Peacebuilders series, Rev. Kristin explores how to cultivate an inner architecture of peace by addressing the reptilian brain's constant questioning of "Am I safe? Do I matter?" Drawing from insights shared by Rev. Rita Marie Johnson about the Connection Practice, she guides the community through transforming these fear-based thoughts into affirmations of truth: "I am safe. I do matter." Rev. Kristin demonstrates how building trust with our bodies, minds, and spirits creates an unshakable foundation of peace that allows us to navigate life's challenges with greater wisdom and calm. Through practical examples and spiritual principles, she shows how removing internal blocks - rather than adding anything new - reveals the peace and love that already exist within us.

2026-02-01 Peacebuilders series, Part 1: “Peace Collapse and Restoration” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin launches the powerful "Peacebuilders" series by exploring the profound journey between collapse and restoration that defines our spiritual path. Drawing parallels between the challenges faced by peace walkers who endure harsh conditions while carrying light to others, she illuminates how we too must navigate between difficult realities and spaces of healing transformation. Through personal stories and community examples, Rev. Kristin demonstrates that true peacebuilding requires us to visit the places of breakdown while remaining rooted in our spiritual practices of restoration, ultimately allowing our divine light to shine through even the darkest circumstances.

2026-01-25 The Connection Practice for Empathy and Insight Rita Marie Johnson - interview style w/ Kristin Rev. Kristin welcomes Rita Marie Johnson, a renowned peace educator and creator of the Connection Practice, who shares her profound journey from a childhood spiritual vision to developing practical tools for empathy and insight. Rita Marie recounts her transformative moment at age 10 when she received divine guidance to "work for peace," and later describes her breakthrough realization that empathy and insight are like soulmates that need each other for authentic connection. Through the beautiful Costa Rican legend of Razor and real-world applications in schools, she demonstrates how the Connection Practice combines heart coherence with nonviolent communication to create emotional safety and transform relationships, offering hope and practical wisdom for our divided world.

2026-01-18 Committed to the Dream Rev. Kristin

2026-01-11 My Sacred Covenant Rev. Kristin In this inspiring New Year message, Rev. Kristin explores the profound spiritual practice of creating a sacred covenant with Spirit, moving beyond simple resolutions to make solemn promises that can transform our lives. Drawing from the biblical story of Noah and the rainbow as God's covenant sign, she shares how Unity's co-founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore wrote their own covenant in 1892, dedicating everything to the Spirit of Truth - a commitment that birthed the entire Unity movement. Rev. Kristin guides the congregation through understanding that our bodies are the ark of the covenant, carrying within us the divine spark, and invites everyone to write their own sacred agreement with Spirit, claiming both what they will give and what they expect to receive in return.

2026-01-04 I Dwell in Possibilities (incl. White Stone ceremony) Rev. Kristin In this inspiring New Year message, Rev. Kristin explores Emily Dickinson's profound poem "I Dwell in Possibility," inviting the congregation to shift from merely visiting possibility to truly dwelling within it. She beautifully illustrates how dwelling in possibility means finding both deep rootedness and limitless openness - like a strong cedar house with windows to the infinite sky. Through the biblical story of Zacchaeus, Rev. Kristin demonstrates how a simple shift in perspective can create instant transformation, encouraging listeners to move beyond circumstantial thinking into consciousness-based living. The service culminates with Unity's traditional White Stone ceremony, where participants receive a sacred word from Spirit to guide their journey through 2026.

2025-12-28 The Power in a Word Karie Hillery Rev. Kristin explores the profound impact our words have on ourselves and others, drawing from personal experiences of how both encouraging and discouraging words from childhood can shape our self-perception for years to come. She emphasizes the importance of speaking with intention and compassion, particularly when communicating with artists and sensitive individuals who may carry the weight of past criticism. Through practical examples and heartfelt reflection, Rev. Kristin invites the congregation to consider how they can use their words as instruments of healing and encouragement rather than harm.

2025-12-25 December 28, 2025 The Power In A Word

2025-12-24 Christmas Eve Candlelighting Rev. Kristin

2025-12-21 December 21, 2025 – "Unbridled Joy" Rev. Kristin explores the profound difference between seeking joy externally and recognizing it as our innate, God-given birthright that cannot be taken away. Drawing inspiration from wild horses running free and the joyful embodiment of spiritual masters like the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, she invites us to examine how we "bridle" or constrain our natural joy through worry, seriousness, and fear of disappointment. Through gentle guidance and practical wisdom, Rev. Kristin encourages us to loosen those reins, return to childlike wonder, and remember that unbridled joy is simply self-remembrance - coming home to who we truly are as divine beings.

2025-12-14 Advent, Week 3: Love is Why We’re Here Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the profound role of love in the third week of Advent, acknowledging that love encompasses both joy and loss as interconnected expressions of our deepest connections. Through the beautiful story of Franz Kafka comforting a grieving child and the legend of the Black Madonna of Montserrat, she illustrates how divine love remains constant even as it transforms through different experiences and seasons of life. The message invites us to ground ourselves in immovable love, open our hearts as channels for giving and receiving, and recognize that love - in all its forms - is ultimately why we are here on this earthly journey toward the rebirth of Christ consciousness within us.

2025-12-07 December 7, 2025 – "Peace Begins In Us" In this second week of Advent, Rev. Kristin explores the profound truth that we are all called to be peacebuilders in our world. She reminds us that Christ consciousness - embodying divine peace, love, and abundance - is not something we wait for but something already present within us, waiting to be embraced and expressed. Drawing on Jesus's parable of the lamp, she emphasizes that when we recognize moments of peace in our hearts, we must not hide this light but allow it to shine forth, understanding it as connected to a vast divine peace beyond human comprehension. Through practices like Chi Gong and conscious alignment with our peaceful nature, we can expand this inner peace and share it generously with others, becoming active agents of healing and harmony in our communities.

2025-11-30 Advent Week 1: Finding Faith in Failure Melissa Phillippe & Z Egloff In this powerful Advent message, Rev. Melissa shares her deeply personal journey through what she calls the three phases of spiritual transformation - define, destroy, and deliverance. Through raw and honest storytelling, she reveals how her dreams of rock stardom led to addiction, betrayal, and ultimately a life-changing awakening to sobriety over 36 years ago. She continues with her experience of debilitating back pain that forced her to surrender everything she thought she knew about her path, leading to profound healing and her calling to spiritual ministry. Rev. Melissa demonstrates how our greatest failures and darkest moments can become doorways to divine grace, inviting us to trust that Spirit sees opportunity where we see chaos and pathways to deliverance where we see closed doors.

2025-11-26 Gratitude Service Rev. Kristin

2025-11-23 Inner Net of the Heart: Cosmic Science on Interbeing Will Keepin Rev. Kristin explores the profound intersection of quantum physics and spiritual wisdom, drawing from David Bohm's revolutionary work and the recent Nobel Prize-winning validation of quantum entanglement to reveal what she calls the "Internet of the Heart." Through the lens of fractal consciousness and the ancient principle of "as above, so below," she demonstrates how modern science validates the mystical truth that each individual contains the infinite cosmos within their own being. Using stunning examples from the Mandelbrot set to the heart-shaped Laniakea supercluster, Rev. Kristin shows how we are not merely drops from the infinite ocean, but rather the entire infinite ocean contained within a single drop, accessible through the sacred portal of our own hearts.

2025-11-16 November 16, 2025 – "Ordinary Mystics Unveiled" In this culminating message of the "Ordinary Mystics" series, Rev. Kristin explores the profound truth that spiritual awakening doesn't require mountaintop experiences or cave meditations - it unfolds in the sacred simplicity of folding laundry, smiling at strangers, and being fully present to everyday moments. She acknowledges that spiritual transformation, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, often involves grief for what we're leaving behind and the disorienting process of growing into our new selves. Drawing on Emily Cady's concept of "chemicalization," she offers compassionate guidance for navigating the sometimes challenging physical and emotional symptoms that can accompany spiritual growth, reminding us that we are explorers of the sacred ordinary and devotees of what is.

2025-11-15 November 16, 2025 – "Ordinary Mystics Unveiled"

Unity of Walnut Creek - Messages