Unity of Walnut Creek

2019-02-17 February 17, 2019 – Thriving Through Uncertainty Tama Kieves Tama Kieves shares her powerful journey from Harvard-trained lawyer to bestselling author, illustrating how following an inner voice - even without a clear plan - can lead to extraordinary outcomes we could never orchestrate on our own. Drawing from her personal story of self-publishing a book that eventually landed with a major publisher through an unexpected "fairy godmother," Tama Kieves reminds us that we cannot plan an inspired life but we can receive it moment by moment. She encourages listeners to stop looking at missed opportunities and instead face the stream of abundance that life continually offers, choosing love over fear at every new level of growth.

2019-02-10 February 10, 2019 – In the Unstoppable Flow of Love Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful and heartfelt message about the unstoppable nature of divine love, reminding us that our sole purpose on this earth is to be courageous embodiments of love in every interaction - whether at Safeway, on the road, or with those closest to us. Drawing from the Bhagavad Gita, the story of Dante and Beatrice at Ponte Vecchio, and Martin Luther King Jr.'s wisdom, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how love transcends war, grief, fear, and all the barriers we construct against it. She invites us to stop our "silly antics" of self-protection and instead open the doors of our hearts, trusting that love - like the ocean endlessly kissing the shore - will always replenish itself and heal whatever needs healing.

2019-02-03 February 3, 2019 – Always Do Your Best Rev. Kristin Powell

2019-01-27 January 27, 2019 – Don’t Make Assumptions Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers an engaging and practical exploration of the third agreement from Don Miguel Ruiz's The Four Agreements - don't make assumptions. Drawing on humorous stories and relatable examples, Rev. Kristin Powell illuminates how we create suffering by making things up, believing our fabrications, and operating from untested stories about others and ourselves. She invites the community to seek understanding over being understood, to practice direct communication, and to use tools like Byron Katie's four questions to shine the light of truth on our assumptions. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages listeners to find spiritual partners who can help call each other forward into greater authenticity and connection.

2019-01-20 January 20, 2019 – Don’t Take Anything Personally Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the second of Don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements - don't take anything personally - offering practical wisdom for releasing the emotional poison that comes from defining ourselves by others' opinions or our own limiting beliefs. Drawing on the story of Joseph from Hebrew scripture and the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to alchemize difficult experiences by taking them universally rather than personally, trusting that God means it for good. She encourages us to remember that neither blame nor praise defines us, and that our worth is intrinsic to our nature as spiritual beings.

2019-01-13 January 13, 2019 – Be Impeccable With Your Word Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell draws from the ancient Toltec wisdom tradition and Don Miguel Ruiz's beloved book "The Four Agreements" to explore the first agreement - be impeccable with your word. She illuminates how our words carry divine creative power, connecting the concept to the Gospel of John's declaration that "the word was God," and invites us to consider how every word we speak ushers either truth or limitation into the world. Through personal stories and the parable of the sower, Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to pause, speak from the heart, and break free from old agreements that keep us small.

2019-01-06 January 6, 2019 – Clear, Current, and Confident Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell guides the congregation through Unity's beloved White Stone Ceremony, a New Year tradition rooted in Revelation 2:17, where each person receives a white stone and a spirit-guided word to serve as their intention for the year ahead. Drawing on the metaphor of an immersive art exhibit activated by personal energy, Rev. Kristin Powell explores how we can point our intention toward what we wish to manifest - whether joy, love, purpose, or freedom - and allow spirit to reveal what is ready to emerge. She encourages listeners to get clear, get current, and step confidently into the fullness of who they came here to be.

2018-12-30 December 30, 2018 – The Long Bag We Drag – Letting Go of the Unnecessary Rev. Sheila Gautreaux Rev. Sheila Gautraux delivers a powerful end-of-year message about releasing the burdens we carry - the "long bag" of old beliefs, unforgiveness, and limiting consciousness that we drag into each new year. Drawing on the biblical metaphor of new wine in old wineskins, Rev. Sheila Gautraux invites us to expand our consciousness so it can hold our greater dreams and possibilities. She offers a practical step-by-step process for reviewing the year, releasing what no longer serves us, practicing deep forgiveness, and creating a bold vision for the future - reminding us that we are made in the image and likeness of God and capable of extraordinary transformation.

2018-12-24 December 23, 2018 – Joy to the World

2018-12-23 December 23, 2018 – Joy to the World Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartwarming message exploring joy as our natural state of being - not something dependent on circumstances, but a constant taproot of divine essence always available to us. Through delightful stories of children's innocence and presence, she reminds us that we can access joy by lightening up, laughing often, and being fully present to the good that surrounds us. Drawing on the Advent journey through faith, peace, love, and now joy, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to unbind the limitations of the mind and remember our true Christed nature, allowing the untrimmable light of the world to guide us home to who we really are.

2018-12-16 December 16, 2018 – Love Is My Decision Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt message exploring how love emerges most powerfully during life's most difficult moments, weaving together the story of Bob May - who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer out of grief and desperation - with the pivotal decisions made by characters in the Christmas story. She invites us to see ourselves in each character, from Herod's fear-based withholding to Mary's courageous willingness to make space for the divine, reminding us that we always have the choice to open our hearts. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to ask "what would love do now?" and to trust that when we say yes to love, healing, creativity, abundance, and liberation naturally follow.

2018-12-09 December 9, 2018 – Being the Presence of Peace Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell shares the transformative gifts of silence and stillness drawn from her retreat at the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, where time spent with monks, hawks, and the vast ocean renewed her spirit. She explores how befriending silence allows us to release tension, return to our true selves, and access the ever-present foundation of peace within. Through the beautiful story of a Japanese tea master who disarmed a mercenary warrior simply by embodying peaceful presence, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates that when we do what we naturally love with ease and skill, we become the living presence of peace in the world.

2018-12-02 December 2, 2018 – Faith Opens A Way Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of faith in this first Sunday of Advent message, inviting us to pull the thread of divine mystery into our everyday lives. Drawing on the healing journey of Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore and the story of a mother and daughter marveling at the space within solid matter, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we are made of spirit and that anything is possible when we align with that truth. She offers practical wisdom for conditioning our minds toward abundance - releasing thoughts of lack and opening the door to the divine presence that is always knocking from within our hearts.

2018-11-25 November 25, 2018 – A Native American Thanksgiving Rev. Kristin Powell and Mark Tourtillott Rev. Kristin Powell welcomes Mark Turtelette, a Menominee, Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk drummer and singer, back to Unity of Walnut Creek for a special Native American Heritage Month conversation exploring indigenous spirituality, prayer, and storytelling. Mark shares how Native prayer begins with gratitude rather than asking, how the Creator is understood as the great mystery, and how every person is born with all the gifts they need to succeed. Through the legend of Spirit Rock, sacred drumming, and reflections on forgiveness and warrior culture, this heartfelt dialogue reveals beautiful parallels between Native teachings and Unity principles while honoring the richness of indigenous traditions.

2018-11-18 November 18, 2018 – Grateful To Be Home Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell weaves together the beloved story of The Wizard of Oz with profound spiritual truths in this message about coming home to our authentic selves. She explores how our spiritual journey mirrors Dorothy's path - requiring brave companions, a willingness to walk into the unknown, and the courage to unmask what no longer serves us. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that the power we seek has been within us all along, and that dropping our pretenses allows our divine capacities to shine forth. She invites us to ask ourselves "Who are you?" with honesty and to gratefully return home to the truth of our being.

2018-11-11 November 11, 2018 – A Renaissance of Spirit Rev. Sonya Milton Rev. Sonya Milton draws on Jean Houston's "The Wizard of Us" to explore how Dorothy's hero journey mirrors our own spiritual transformation - from seeing oneness to learning to see from oneness. Weaving together the challenges of our times with Cynthia Bourgeault's concept of "unitive seeing," Rev. Sonya Milton invites us to move beyond fleeting mystical experiences into a permanent shift in perception that becomes our ordinary state of being. She reminds us that meditation and spiritual practice are the treasure and pearl of our time - the yellow brick road leading to a renaissance of spirit where we each become the hero in our own story.

2018-11-04 November 4, 2018 – Shadow Dancing with Wicked Witches, Flying Monkeys and Phony Wizards Rev. Kristin Powell

2018-10-28 October 28, 2018 – Falling Asleep and Waking Up Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell draws on the beloved story of The Wizard of Oz to illuminate how we fall asleep on our spiritual journeys - lured by seductive "poppies" like consumerism, technology, and numbing habits - especially when we are closest to realizing our dreams. She reminds us that the divine within never sleeps, and that grace, like Glinda's snow, is always available to reawaken us. Through humor, personal story, and the wisdom of Jean Houston's "The Wizard of Us," Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to stay alert, cultivate spiritual companionship, and cross the threshold into the vibrant, inclusive "Emerald City" of our highest consciousness.

2018-10-21 October 21, 2018 – A Lion’s Courage to Be Me Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers an inspiring message on spiritual courage through the lens of The Wizard of Oz, exploring how true bravery is not the absence of fear but the willingness to move through it. Drawing from the Latin root of courage - "core," meaning heart - she invites us to recognize that the most courageous acts of our time are not feats of bravado but vulnerable expressions like saying "I love you," asking for help, and showing up authentically. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we each signed a soul contract to be here now, and that simply being our fully original selves is the bravest thing we can do.

2018-10-14 October 14, 2018 – Tapping My Heart’s Capacity Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell draws on the beloved story of the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz to explore how we already possess the love we seek - we have simply forgotten or become "rusted" in old patterns that block its flow. She shares personal stories of childhood innocence and intimate connection to illustrate how we can feed our hearts through what she calls "CGE" - childlike innocence, gratitude, and empathy. Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to rediscover the open-hearted wonder of our inner child, speak to ourselves with kindness, and allow divine love to flow freely through us into a world hungry for healing.

Unity of Walnut Creek - Messages