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Rev. Kristin Powell

371 messages

• 2026-10-18 Old Story, New Possibilities Rev. Kristin In this uplifting message, Rev. Kristin explores how the stories we tell ourselves can either keep us bound to old pain or open us to new possibility. Drawing on the healing journey of Unity co-founder Myrtle Fillmore, insights from Bruce Lipton's The Biology of Belief, and Lynn Twist's teachings on transformation, Rev. Kristin invites us to shift from believing life happened to us toward recognizing all that has happened for us. With warmth and gentle wisdom, she reminds us that we are each the architect of our own narrative and encourages us to lovingly revise the stories that no longer serve us. Through reflection and affirmation, Rev. Kristin guides us back to our source and the truth of who we are, affirming, "I transform my old story and live into new possibility." Series: Fall Book Series: "Living A Committed Life"
• 2026-10-11 “What We Stand For” Rev. Kristin In this inspiring message, Rev. Kristin invites us to discover what we stand for, drawing on the wisdom of Lynn Twist's book Living a Committed Life. Rather than adding more to our busy agendas, Rev. Kristin encourages us to focus our energy on a vision of wholeness that truly lights us up, taking a stand and letting committed action flow from there. Through the heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting story of Ethiopian and New York women who came together across difference, she illustrates how the two sides of hunger - physical need and the longing to contribute - can meet to transform lives. Rev. Kristin reminds us that we need not know the how; by taking one step at a time and trusting Spirit, we can move the earth together. Series: Fall Book Series: "Living A Committed Life"
• 2026-10-04 The Gateway of Commitment Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens a transformative seven-week journey inspired by Lynn Twist's book Living a Committed Life, inviting the community to discover freedom and fulfillment in a purpose larger than themselves. Through the stories of Buckminster Fuller, Greta Thunberg, Gandhi, Jane Goodall, and Moses at the burning bush, Rev. Kristin reveals how commitment is not a burden but a liberation that transforms, focuses, and connects us. She reminds us that we need not know how our path will unfold, for once we say yes, providence moves and all manner of support arrives. Rev. Kristin encourages each of us to make or renew a heartfelt commitment, speak it aloud, and take one simple action step, trusting that Spirit stands ready to ignite our life of purpose and possibility. Series: Fall Book Series: "Living A Committed Life"
• 2026-09-27 What If Wealth Is Something We Create Together? Rev. Kristin In this thought-provoking message, Rev. Kristin invites us to reimagine wealth not as something we accumulate alone, but as a commonwealth we create together. Drawing on the biblical story of the widow's oil, the wisdom of the natural world, and the generosity of children, Rev. Kristin reveals that we are not merely rational, self-interested beings but caring, generous spiritual beings wired for connection and reciprocity. She celebrates how Unity of Walnut Creek already thrives as a gift economy, where shared resources and open hearts create miracles. Rev. Kristin reminds us that all flourishing is mutual and encourages us to bring this spirit of stewardship and generosity into our neighborhoods and the wider world. Series: Our Common Wealth Series
• 2026-09-20 What if Nothing is Really Ours? Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens a two-part series called Our Common Wealth with a beautiful invitation to reconsider what it means to truly possess anything. Drawing on Robin Wall Kimmerer's writings and personal treasures like handmade and fair-trade hats, Rev. Kristin explores how everything we hold, consume, and experience is ultimately a gift, freely given through the generosity of the earth and one another. She weaves in unity teachings on forgiveness and the Jewish practice of atonement, or at-one-ment, guiding us to release what we carry and return to the remembrance of oneness. This gentle, gratitude-filled message reminds us that when we behold life as a gift, scarcity dissolves and a shared, enriching sense of wealth naturally emerges. Series: Our Common Wealth Series
• 2026-09-13 Community Interview David Brooks: “In This Very Room” Rev. Kristin In this heartfelt community interview, Rev. Kristin sits down with longtime Unity member David Brooks, who has served as organist since 1972, to explore his remarkable spiritual journey in a message he calls "In This Very Room." David shares extraordinary stories of divine guidance and intervention, from his mother's healing hands and empowering wisdom to mystical experiences of surrender, answered prayers, and profound meditations that transported him beyond ordinary awareness. Through it all, Rev. Kristin draws out the tender thread connecting each story: there is something greater always at work, inviting us into a constant flow between the transcendent and the embodied. David's living affirmation reminds us that divine guidance is everywhere, all the time - we need only go within.
• 2026-09-06 Where Prayer Begins Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to discover where prayer truly begins - not with closed eyes or spoken words, but with a turn toward something deeper. In honor of Unity's 33rd annual World Day of Prayer, she explores the practice of affirmative prayer, which does not deny our struggles or feelings but instead holds them within a greater truth: that divine presence, love, and possibility are always available to us. Drawing on the comforting ritual of steeping tea, Emmet Fox's Golden Key, and Joanna Macy's vision of the Great Turning, Rev. Kristin reminds us that a thousand small turns toward the divine can transform both our own consciousness and the world. Join us in affirming, "I turn to the divine in prayer, and my world turns toward the good."
• 2026-08-30 Interview w/ Lauren Artress: "The Labyrinth: A Sacred Pathway to The Divine" Rev. Kristin In this captivating conversation, Rev. Kristin sits down with Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress, founder of the modern-day labyrinth movement, to explore the labyrinth as a sacred pathway to the Divine. Together they trace Lauren's journey from her early work at Grace Cathedral during the AIDS crisis to rediscovering the ancient Chartres labyrinth in France, revealing how this timeless pattern supports healing, grief, creativity, and profound spiritual insight. Rev. Kristin and Lauren illuminate the labyrinth as a template for evolutionary spirituality and embodied practice, inviting all to connect intuition, body, and the unfolding consciousness of our world. Come discover the depth and mystery of the labyrinth just outside Unity of Walnut Creek's front door.
• 2026-08-23 What the Spiritual Path Has Taught Me Rev. Kristin In this reflective and heartfelt message, Rev. Kristin invites us to pause and consider what our spiritual journey has taught us along the way. Drawing from her own path, she shares how feeding the soul through art and nature, being fully present, and offering kindness have become her guiding lights, all rooted in the simple motto to love and be loved. Rev. Kristin weaves in wisdom from Mary Oliver, Charles Fillmore's teaching on zeal and faith, and Gandhi's reminder that "my life is my message," encouraging each of us to discover our own spiritual quality and live it authentically. This is a warm invitation to fall in love with life again and to recognize the unique soul imprint only you can leave upon the earth.
• 2026-08-16 Part 5 "Living from Overflow" Rev. Kristin In this fifth and final installment of the series, Rev. Kristin invites us to embrace spaciousness as a gateway to divine flow and abundant living. Moving away from the pressures of clock time and the anxiety of lack, she explores how creating pause, silence, and openness allows us to become empty vessels ready to be refilled with good. Rev. Kristin illustrates the overflow that emerges from this practice through three C's: creativity, connection, and clarity, reminding us that guidance often arrives in God's time rather than our own. With warmth and gentle humor, she encourages us to relax into the dance with Spirit, trusting that when we make room, divine ideas, deeper connection, and innate joy naturally bubble up so we can live not on empty, but in the overflow. Series: Spaciousness
• 2026-08-09 Part 4 "Sacred Attention" Rev. Kristin In the fourth part of her enriching series on spaciousness, Rev. Kristin explores the practice of sacred attention - the way that inner spaciousness opens the door for divine presence, joy, and deeper connection to flow into our lives. Through personal stories, from reading in her backyard hammock to being re-energized by a single song, Rev. Kristin illustrates how intention and attention work together as the twin powers of consciousness. She invites us to consider simple practices, including savoring a meal, pausing before we respond, seeing the face of God in one another, and feeling the healing energy in our own hands. Ultimately, Rev. Kristin reminds us that this journey is not about time management but soul management, allowing the ordinary to become translucent as we tap the bubbling spring of joy within. Series: Spaciousness
• 2026-07-26 Part 2: "Empty Cup, Open Mind" Rev. Kristin In this second installment of the Spaciousness Series, Rev. Kristin invites us to empty our cups and open our minds to the wisdom found in stillness and space. Drawing on the Tao Te Ching, the classic Zen parable of the overflowing teacup, and her own transformative experiences of spiritual emptiness, Rev. Kristin gently challenges our cultural tendency to fill every moment and avoid open space. She reminds us that emptiness is not something to fear but a doorway to liberation, prosperity, and renewal, holding infinite potential and possibility. This week, Rev. Kristin encourages us to befriend emptiness and allow infinite good to arrive in its own perfect time. Series: Spaciousness
• 2026-07-19 Part 1 of 5: "Making Room for The Divine" Rev. Kristin In this opening message of the four-part Spaciousness series, Rev. Kristin invites us to examine our relationship with time and discover that what our souls truly long for is not better time management but more space - space to breathe, listen, connect, and become aware of the divine presence already surrounding us. She explores how spaciousness in mind, heart, and body opens pathways to stillness where spirit can emerge, offering guidance, clarity, and peace. Using the beautiful metaphor of holding a balloon from a moving car, Rev. Kristin encourages us to never move faster than our ability to maintain conscious connection with the divine. Series: Spaciousness
• 2026-06-28 “God Smacked,” Jodi Duval’s Story of Inspiring Transformation Rev. Kristin, interviewing Jodi Duvall In this powerful and deeply personal message, Jodi shares her remarkable journey of transformation - from 50 years of survival marked by addiction, homelessness, loss, and unimaginable pain to a miraculous spiritual awakening that changed everything. Jodi describes how the death of her son, a desperate prayer of surrender, and a mysterious near-death experience freed her from decades of addiction to fentanyl, heroin, and other substances in a single moment. She recounts how discovering Unity of Walnut Creek through its labyrinth became a homecoming, where unconditional love from this community helped her believe she was worthy long before she could see it herself. Jodi now serves others in recovery, proving that our deepest wounds can become our greatest gifts when we surrender to love.
• 2026-06-21 The Father's Way of Integrity Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin offers a heartfelt Father's Day reflection that goes beyond honoring fathers to explore the deeper energy of steadfast love and integrity that every human heart longs for. Drawing from personal memories of her own father's reliable presence, the anchoring figures within the Unity community, and the teachings of Jesus, she illuminates how true integrity is not merely about ethics but about living in such alignment with love that others can rest in your presence. Rev. Kristin invites us to notice the steady, unshakable love already surrounding us - in people, in nature, and within ourselves - and to remember that we too are a refuge and guiding light for others.
• 2026-06-14 Freed to Be Me Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful and joyful message honoring both Pride Month and Juneteenth, weaving together their shared theme of longing for freedom - freedom to be our most authentic selves. Drawing from her own coming-out journey and the Hindu story of divine power hidden within us, Rev. Kristin reminds us that true power arises from within and cannot be corrupted like egoic power that accumulates outside ourselves. She encourages everyone to celebrate each breakthrough into authentic expression, recognizing that we were always free - born to release our inner power and fulfill our uniqueness in the world.
• 2026-05-31 part 2 of 2 "Deep Presence" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin continues her two-part series inspired by the novel "I Am Sophia" by J.F. Alexander, exploring "deep presence" as a fundamental trait of God that we can access within ourselves. Drawing from the classic Hindu story of divinity hidden within humanity, Rev. Kristin reminds us that the peace, love, and wisdom we seek is not found by grasping outward but by turning inward - a practice as simple as pausing to breathe and be still. She introduces the beautiful concept that God is "all vulnerable," feeling and moving with us through every emotion, ensuring we are truly never alone. Rev. Kristin invites us to dedicate more moments throughout our day to dropping into this deep inner presence, where perspective widens, connection deepens, and life is experienced through fresh, awakened eyes. Series: God Traits We Can Access
• 2026-05-17 part 1 of 2 "Vast Abundance" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin draws from the novel "I Am Sophia" to explore how vast abundance is not something we strive for but something we already belong to - inviting us to shift from scarcity consciousness into the recognition that we are unique, needed expressions of divine creativity. Using the metaphor of a diverse apple orchard, she reminds us that just as a farmer delights in every unusual variety, the divine celebrates our distinct qualities rather than asking us to conform. Rev. Kristin encourages us to count our daily ideas as proof of our inherent prosperity, affirming that we access God's vast abundance not by working harder but by relaxing, allowing, and participating in the ever-evolving creativity of life. Series: God Traits We Can Access
• 2026-05-10 Mother Divine, the Love That Gives Us Life Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin offers a heartfelt Mother's Day message exploring how divine mother love - whether expressed through biological mothers, mentors, or our own hearts - gives life through the simple yet powerful acts of listening, crossing boundaries, and giving freely without expectation. Drawing on a touching Mother Teresa story and a moving account of an elderly mother asking her daughter to "help me remember what I love," Rev. Kristin invites us to practice a one-way street of love that energizes rather than depletes, reminding us that this nurturing presence is accessible to everyone with a beating heart. She encourages us to let our attention rest on what and who we love as a pathway back to aliveness and connection.
• 2026-05-03 The Heart of a Volunteer Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin celebrates the heart of volunteerism by exploring how sacred service begins not with expertise or grand gestures, but with simple willingness - the very root of the word "volunteer." Drawing on the inspiring true story of Johnny the bagger and the biblical wedding at Cana, Rev. Kristin illuminates how selfless service is not about self-sacrifice but about self-alignment, allowing love to flow naturally into action. She reminds us that those who serve behind the scenes often receive the hidden gift of witnessing life's quiet miracles, and that the next willing "yes" is all it takes to become divine love in action.
• 2026-04-26 Where Soul Meets Soil Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us into a beautiful exploration of what happens when we bring spiritual awareness to our physical connection with the Earth, drawing from her own experience of digging in the dirt during Unity's Tending Our Sacred Grounds Day. Through the parable of the sower, she illuminates how the seeds of our thoughts and actions need fertile soil - cultivated through conscious presence and spiritual practice - to truly take root and flourish. Rev. Kristin reminds us that our bodies and the Earth are one, both temples of the divine, and that when we treat either with love, gratitude, and respect, we nurture all of life. This heartfelt message encourages us to think globally, act locally, and make conscious contact with the natural world as a pathway to deeper care and sacred remembrance.
• 2026-04-12 “Sacred Boundaries” Rev. Kristin In "Sacred Boundaries," Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of saying no as an essential complement to the Unity tradition's emphasis on yes - revealing how a clear no actually opens the way to a deeper, more purposeful yes. Drawing on Unity's 12 Powers teaching of renunciation, Rev. Kristin illustrates how sacred boundaries are not walls but loving lines of truth that, like the banks of a river, give direction and flow to our relationships and lives. Through the inspiring story of Kasturba Gandhi - whose quiet, steadfast boundaries helped transform her husband Mohandas into Mahatma Gandhi - Rev. Kristin shows how boundaries can be both powerful and playful, spoken and unspoken. This message invites us to shift from helplessness to responsibility, using our innate power of renunciation to say no to harm and yes to dignity, love, and our truest calling.
• 2026-04-05 Easter: "The Risen Consciousness: Don't Touch Me" Rev. Kristin In this Easter message, Rev. Kristin invites listeners into a tender and intimate exploration of the resurrection story, focusing on the profound moment when Mary Magdalene recognizes the risen Jesus - not by sight, but by the sound of her name spoken in a familiar voice. Rev. Kristin reflects on how Easter is not just about bodily resurrection, but about a rising consciousness in our relationships, our sense of self, and our connection to all of humanity. Drawing on personal experience and the wisdom of teachers like Adyashanti and Eckhart Tolle, she guides the congregation through a gentle inner practice of identifying what is ready to be released, so that the truth of who we truly are can be revealed. Easter, she reminds us, is an experience available to us at any time - a crossing out of limitation and a rising into the light of our most authentic selves.
• 2026-03-29 When the Soul Feels the Sacred Rumble Rev. Kristin In this Palm Sunday message, Rev. Kristin explores the profound spiritual concept of the "sacred rumble" - that deep, resonant feeling in our souls that signals impending transformation. Drawing from Jesus's triumphant yet knowing entry into Jerusalem, she illuminates how we can recognize and spiritually prepare for the changes calling us forward on our spiritual journey. Through powerful personal stories and practical wisdom, Rev. Kristin demonstrates that these soul rumbles, though sometimes uncomfortable, are invitations to breakthrough rather than breakdown. She encourages listeners to honor these sacred callings with presence, courage, and trust, knowing that our souls are always guiding us toward greater expression of our authentic selves.
• 2026-03-22 “Spiritual Ponderings on the Path” Rev. Kristin In this engaging message, Rev. Kristin explores a rich tapestry of spiritual questions from the Unity of Walnut Creek community, creating meaningful bridges between personal growth and universal wisdom. She thoughtfully addresses diverse topics ranging from cultivating spiritual peace and working with shame to navigating relationships with differing beliefs and setting healthy boundaries. Rev. Kristin emphasizes that spiritual peace transcends circumstances and can be accessed through conscious pausing and meditation, while encouraging shadow work as a path to dissolving shame through empathy and bringing hidden aspects into the light. Her responses weave together practical guidance with deeper spiritual principles, reminding listeners that curiosity and love are essential companions on the spiritual journey, and that each person carries the answers within themselves.
• 2026-03-15 “Sword of Truth, Shield of Love" Rev. Kristin In this powerful message, Rev. Kristin explores Jesus's surprising declaration that he came not to bring peace but a sword, revealing how spiritual awakening often requires disruption of comfortable patterns. She reframes this "sword" as a laser beam of truth that cuts through illusion, fear, and shame to reveal our divine essence and authentic purpose. Through practical wisdom about wielding words with integrity and bringing shadow aspects into the light of love, Rev. Kristin demonstrates how we can embrace both the sword of truth and the shield of divine love as we navigate our spiritual journey and service to the world.
• 2026-03-01 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. Series: Peacebuilders
• 2026-02-22 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. Series: Peacebuilders
• 2026-02-15 Part 3: "Welcoming Unlikely Friends" Rev. Kristin Series: Peacebuilders
• 2026-02-08 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. Series: Peacebuilders
• 2026-02-01 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. Series: Peacebuilders
• 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.
• 2025-12-24 Christmas Eve Candlelighting Rev. Kristin
• 2025-12-21 Unbridled Joy Rev. Kristin 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. Series: Advent
• 2025-12-14 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. Series: Advent
• 2025-11-26 Gratitude Service Rev. Kristin
• 2025-11-16 Part 7 "Ordinary Mystics Unveiled" Rev. Kristin 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. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-11-09 Part 6 "Let Your Heart Break Open" Rev. Kristin In this powerful message, Rev. Kristin explores the profound spiritual practice of allowing our hearts to break open rather than resisting life's inevitable heartbreaks and losses. She shares that while we often try to numb, resist, or quickly fix our pain, true healing comes when we embrace our feelings as pointers to wisdom and allow ourselves to move through grief with the support of loving witnesses. Through personal stories, including her friendship with Joni and the mysterious connections that emerged after loss, Rev. Kristin illustrates how heartbreak can lead us into greater love and the beautiful mystery of life itself. She offers practical tools for navigating difficult times - from staying present to beauty and using encouraging affirmations to creating meaningful rituals that bridge the spiritual and physical realms. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-11-02 Part 5 "Co-Creating Beloved Community" Rev. Kristin In this fifth installment of the Co-Creating Beloved Community series, Rev. Kristin explores the profound difference between being watched and being truly seen, drawing inspiration from the transformative work of Father Greg Boyle with former gang members. She emphasizes that authentic community is built not by trying to fit in or conform, but by courageously expressing our unique soul essence and honoring the beautiful diversity within our spiritual family. Through the wisdom of Rumi's poetry about soul friendship and the evolution from the Golden Rule to the Platinum Rule - treating others as they wish to be treated - Rev. Kristin invites us to create deeper connections that serve as both safety nets and springboards for our collective becoming. This message calls us to step boldly into our authentic selves as the foundation for building the beloved community we are all meant to co-create. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-10-26 Part 4 "Step into Your Sageness" Rev. Kristin In this fourth installment of the "Step into Your Sageness" series, Rev. Kristin explores the profound difference between spirit and soul, defining the soul as our unique spiritual imprint that yearns to be nurtured and expressed. She guides us through understanding how to tend our soul's garden - sometimes lush through nature, art, music, and community, and sometimes arid during necessary desert periods of spiritual growth. Drawing wisdom from mystics like St. John of the Cross and contemporary teacher Mirabai Starr, Rev. Kristin reminds us that as ordinary mystics, we are called not only to cultivate our souls but to transmit our authentic light into the world, recognizing that there is a void in the universe when we fail to share our unique soul expression. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-10-19 Part 3 "Surrender into Radical Amazement" Rev. Kristin In this transformative message, Rev. Kristin explores the profound spiritual practice of surrender as a pathway to radical amazement, drawing inspiration from Mirabai Starr's "Ordinary Mysticism." She illustrates how true surrender involves both releasing what no longer serves us and opening to the divine mystery that surrounds our everyday experiences, using touching examples from "Tuesdays with Morrie" and personal encounters with the sacred in ordinary moments. Rev. Kristin invites us to embrace our identity as "ordinary mystics," recognizing that when we peel back the layers of resistance and self-consciousness, we discover that our seemingly mundane lives are actually filled with magic, miracles, and divine presence. Through surrender, we can step into our magnificence and walk through life like the Roman goddess Flora, with flowers blooming beneath our feet. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-10-12 Part 2 "Loving Attention and Compost" Rev. Kristin In this second part of the series on everyday mysticism, the speaker explores how paying loving attention to our daily experiences can transform ordinary moments into sacred encounters. Drawing inspiration from nature's teachings and Brother Lawrence's kitchen monastery wisdom, the message invites us to move beyond constant judging and categorizing toward a deeper awareness that sees the divine in simple activities like cooking, commuting, or even scooping pumpkin seeds. Through contemplative practice and intentional attention, we can become "translucent love light" that serves not only our own spiritual growth but also illuminates the path for others in their darkness. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-10-05 Part 1 of 7 “The Intentional Everyday Mystic” Rev. Kristin In this opening message of Unity of Walnut Creek's fall series, Rev. Kristin explores the profound truth that we are all mystics living on sacred ground. Drawing inspiration from Jane Goodall's reverence for nature and a simple story of a woman experiencing the divine in a sunset at a traffic light, she invites us to recognize that mystical experiences are not reserved for saints or sages but are available to each of us in our everyday moments. Through setting clear intentions and crossing the thresholds of our daily lives with awareness, we can transform ordinary activities like washing dishes or commuting into sacred ceremonies. Rev. Kristin challenges us to claim our inherent mystical nature and discover the presence of the sacred hidden within the beautiful chaos of our regular lives. Series: Fall Series
• 2025-09-28 Part 3 of 3: "Let Go, Let God" Rev. Kristin In this powerful conclusion to Unity of Walnut Creek's prosperity series, Rev. Kristin explores the transformative practice of letting go as a pathway to abundance. Using the biblical story of Jacob and Esau, she demonstrates how surrender and forgiveness open our hearts to receive Spirit's gifts, while holding onto resentments and fears keeps us spiritually and emotionally clenched. Through a moving interactive demonstration with community member Scott, Rev. Kristin illustrates how releasing our burdens - whether past hurts, worries, or judgments - creates space for love, peace, and prosperity to flow into our lives. This message reminds us that true abundance comes not from grasping and controlling, but from opening our hands and hearts in trust. Series: How to Prosper
• 2025-09-21 Part 2 of 3: "You Cannot Outgive the Divine" Rev. Kristin In this inspiring message from Unity of Walnut Creek's Prosperity Series, Rev. Kristin explores the profound spiritual truth that "You Cannot Outgive the Divine" through the remarkable story of John D. Rockefeller, who transformed from a sick, miserable millionaire into a generous philanthropist and lived 45 additional years through the healing power of giving. She invites the community to understand prosperity as a flowing river that includes love, peace, creativity, and connection - not just money - emphasizing that generous giving keeps this river flowing while stagnation leads to spiritual and emotional blockages. Through practical examples and personal stories, Rev. Kristin demonstrates how the consciousness behind our giving matters more than the amount, encouraging everyone to stretch beyond their comfort zones in generosity while trusting in the infinite abundance of the Divine. Series: How to Prosper
• 2025-09-14 Wholly One: Integrating The Innate Masculine and Feminine Rev. Kristin & guests In this transformative message, Rev. Kristin explores the sacred integration of masculine and feminine energies within each person, drawing from the wisdom shared by guest speakers Cynthia and Ugo during Unity of Walnut Creek's gender reconciliation workshop. The conversation reveals how true wholeness emerges when these complementary forces flow together like a river - not in conflict, but in harmonious dance. Through personal stories, practical spiritual practices, and the vision of beloved community, they illuminate how balancing our inner masculine drive with feminine receptivity creates healing not only within ourselves but ripples outward to transform relationships, communities, and our connection to the earth itself.
• 2025-09-07 Part 1 of 3, "Bigger Picture Living" Rev. Kristin In the opening message of her "How to Prosper" series, Rev. Kristin invites the community to expand their understanding of prosperity beyond material wealth to encompass love, connection, creativity, and spiritual abundance. Drawing from Deepak Chopra's concept of pure potentiality and Carl Jung's wisdom about inner vision, she guides listeners through a powerful visualization exercise where they witness ships of good approaching the shore of their lives. Rev. Kristin emphasizes that true prosperity begins with inner awakening and spiritual alignment, encouraging the congregation to activate their "third eye" and look from the inside out rather than seeking fulfillment from external sources. Through practical examples ranging from Walt Disney's visionary success to Jesus's teachings about the lamp of the body, she demonstrates how widening our spiritual perspective allows divine light to illuminate our path and reveal the magnificent possibilities that await when we live from our field of pure potentiality. Series: How to Prosper
• 2025-08-24 Saint Honesty Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of honesty as a spiritual practice, introducing "Saint Honesty" as a holy companion who guides us toward freedom and authentic connection. Through the metaphor of cleansing rain and the parable of the cracked pot, she reveals how honest self-expression - both our human truths and divine nature - creates deeper relationships and inner peace. The message distinguishes between brutal honesty and sacred honesty, emphasizing the importance of speaking truth in love while maintaining compassion and skillfulness in our communications with ourselves, others, and the divine.
• 2025-08-17 Responses to Your Spiritual Questions Rev. Kristin In this heartfelt Q&A session, Rev. Kristin addresses deeply personal spiritual questions with compassion and wisdom, emphasizing that true answers come from within while offering loving guidance along the way. She explores themes of patience in prayer and manifestation, encouraging viewers to align with Spirit's constant movement rather than waiting for divine intervention, and advocates for feeling into desired outcomes rather than simply visualizing them. Throughout her responses on topics ranging from self-love and life purpose to pain and healing, Rev. Kristin consistently returns to the transformative power of kindness - both toward ourselves and others - as the foundation for spiritual growth and authentic living.
• 2025-08-10 “Take Right Action” Rev. Kristin In this inspiring message from Unity of Walnut Creek's Unity Basics Series, Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of taking divinely aligned action as the fifth Unity principle. Using the beloved parable of the man saving starfish one by one, she illustrates how individual actions create meaningful ripples of change, even when we cannot see the full impact. Rev. Kristin emphasizes that right action flows naturally from spiritual consciousness rather than obligation, encouraging listeners to move beyond thoughts and prayers into embodied service that brings our deepest spiritual principles to life in practical, everyday ways. Series: Unity Basic Principles
• 2025-08-03 “Release and Affirm” Rev. Kristin In this enlightening exploration of Unity's fourth principle, Rev. Kristin guides us through the transformative practice of prayer and meditation as tools for aligning our hearts and minds with Spirit. She reveals how these practices aren't about perfection or complex techniques, but rather the simple yet profound rhythm of release and affirmation - letting go of what blocks us and claiming the divine truth of who we are. Through personal stories and gentle wisdom, she demonstrates how we can shift from "have to" to "get to," transforming burdens into opportunities for deeper spiritual connection. This message reminds us that we don't need mountaintop retreats to access the sacred; we can practice this release and affirmation anywhere, showing up as the light the world needs right now. Series: Unity Basic Principles
• 2025-07-27 “Co-Creative Fun!” Rev. Kristin Series: Unity Basic Principles
• 2025-07-13 “Divine I AM” Rev. Kristin In this powerful exploration of Unity's second principle, Rev. Kristin shares the ancient parable of gods hiding divinity within humans, knowing we'd never think to look inside ourselves for what we seek. She guides the community through the transformative journey from initial resistance to embracing our inherent divine nature, drawing connections between Unity teachings and ancient Hindu wisdom about the Atman and Brahman. Through practical tools like conscious breathing, stillness, and joyful movement (including a delightful community bouncing session), Rev. Kristin demonstrates how simple practices can return us to the land of our soul and help us embody the Christ consciousness that Jesus modeled, reminding us that we are the light of the world. Series: Unity Basic Principles
• 2025-06-29 “Permeating Presence” Rev. Kristin In this opening message of Unity's Basic Principles Series, Rev. Kristin explores the profound truth of God's permeating presence, challenging the age-old myth that divinity exists somewhere "out there" beyond our reach. Using Michelangelo's famous "Creation of Adam" as a powerful metaphor, she reveals how centuries of religious imagery have reinforced the false belief in separation between humans and the Divine. Through Susan's moving testimony about finding God's presence during her cancer journey and the biblical story of Elijah discovering the Divine in "sheer silence," Rev. Kristin demonstrates that the sacred presence already dwells within and around us at every moment. She invites the congregation to practice recognizing this ever-present love through simple awareness, breathing, and opening to the Divine that cannot be escaped because it is our very essence. Series: Unity Basic Principles
• 2025-06-15 Father Really Does Know Best Rev. Kristin In this Father's Day message, Rev. Kristin explores the evolving nature of fatherhood and sacred masculine energy through the biblical story of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. She reveals how their names represent two essential spiritual principles - releasing what no longer serves us (Manasseh meaning "to forget") and embracing fruitfulness even in difficult times (Ephraim meaning "fruitful in the land of affliction"). Drawing connections between ancient blessings and modern challenges, Rev. Kristin calls the community to embody the prophet Micah's timeless guidance: to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with the divine, recognizing that true fruitfulness comes not from literal multiplication but from blessing others with our gifts and purpose.
• 2025-06-08 Many Colors of the One, part 2 Rev. Kristin In this inspiring continuation of "Many Colors of the One," the speaker explores the transformative power of imagination through Joseph's remarkable journey from rejected dreamer to nourisher of nations. Drawing parallels between Joseph's gift of dream interpretation and Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore's visionary dreams that guided the movement's founding, the message reveals how our imaginative capacity allows us to envision possibilities beyond current circumstances. The speaker emphasizes that true spiritual nourishment comes through three essential practices - engaging our imagination to see the bigger picture, embracing radical honesty in our relationships, and choosing forgiveness as a pathway to reconciliation and love. Series: Many Colors of the One
• 2025-06-01 Many Colors of the One, part 1 Rev. Kristin In this powerful opening to "Many Colors of the One," Rev. Kristin explores the biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors as a metaphor for celebrating our authentic selves and embracing diversity. Through Joseph's journey from being different and rejected by his brothers to ultimately thriving by remaining true to himself, she illuminates how our perceived differences are actually divine gifts meant to be celebrated rather than hidden. Rev. Kristin challenges the congregation to move beyond tolerance to true celebration of all people, particularly during Pride Month, emphasizing that authentic belonging comes not from conforming to others' expectations but from courageously being who we are meant to be. Series: Many Colors of the One
• 2025-05-25 Memorial Day: “From Ancestors, We Grow” Rev. Kristin In this meaningful Memorial Day message, Rev. Kristin explores how connecting with our ancestors can deepen our spiritual journey and expand our understanding of unity. She honors fallen soldiers while inviting the congregation to open their hearts to ancestral wisdom, sharing her own discoveries about family members who fought in the Civil War and demonstrating how genealogical exploration reveals both gifts and challenges within our lineages. Through practical guidance on communicating with ancestors and healing family patterns, she reveals how embracing our full heritage - including its complexities - allows us to break limiting cycles and hold high the torch of spiritual evolution for future generations.
• 2025-05-18 My Sacred Service Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin celebrates the joy of sacred service, exploring how giving is wired into our very nature and becomes most fulfilling when it flows from abundance rather than obligation. She introduces the concept of "the hum" - that satisfying feeling when we are in the flow of contributing to others - and guides the congregation through a Tai Chi energy exercise to illustrate how we gather, store, and share spiritual energy. Inspired by Jane Addams' philosophy of "peace weaving," Rev. Kristin invites the community to explore new ways of expanding their service beyond familiar boundaries, reminding us that we spiritually grow and find ourselves more fully through giving to others.
• 2025-05-11 Divine Mother Love Supports Me Rev. Kristin In this heartwarming Mother's Day message, Rev. Kristin explores the profound and accessible nature of Divine Mother Love, drawing from both personal experiences and universal spiritual truths. She invites listeners to recognize the many forms of nurturing support they've received - from biological mothers to caregivers, mentors, and the Divine Mother herself - encouraging gratitude for the "nest builders" who have shaped their lives. Through beautiful imagery of hummingbird mothers and ancient symbols like the Egyptian throne of Isis, she illustrates how this unconditional love manifests as both gentle compassion and powerful strength. Rev. Kristin offers practical spiritual tools for accessing this support, including finding one's personal "throne" or sacred space for renewal and learning to lean into the scaffolding of love that surrounds us always.
• 2025-04-27 “Earth Rise, We Rise” Rev. Kristin In this inspiring Earth Day and Easter message, Rev. Kristin explores the profound interconnection between our bodies and Mother Earth, drawing from the iconic "Earthrise" photograph that awakened humanity's environmental consciousness. She beautifully weaves together spiritual wisdom from mystics like Hildegard von Bingen with practical insights about living in harmony with nature's seasons and rhythms. Through personal stories and poetic reflections, Rev. Kristin invites us to shift from mindless consumption to mindful communion, recognizing that as we care for our body temple, we simultaneously nurture our sacred planet. This message calls us to embrace what deep ecologist Joanna Macy terms "the greening of self" - expanding our perspective to feel empathy for all creation and remembering that we are truly walking each other home in this beautiful dance of life.
• 2025-04-20 EASTER: “Rise and Shine” Rev. Kristin
• 2025-04-18 Communion Service Rev. Kristin
• 2025-04-13 Palm Sunday “Jesus Fears Too” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful Palm Sunday message exploring Jesus' full humanity during Holy Week, highlighting how even this master teacher experienced anger, sadness, disappointment, loneliness, and fear. She invites listeners into the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed "take this cup from me," showing that acknowledging fear is not weakness but a doorway to courage and deeper surrender to divine will. Rev. Kristin reminds us that fear need not paralyze us - instead, we can befriend it, give our burdens over to spirit, and rise to meet our circumstances with love and truth, just as Jesus modeled for us all.
• 2025-03-30 Yes, There is Peace, Part 3 “Peace Begins with Me” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a heartfelt exploration of how true peace starts within each of us and radiates outward into our relationships and the world. Drawing from her sabbatical experience in Egypt - where a diverse busload of strangers became friends on a pilgrimage to ancient monasteries - she illustrates how the same person can embody both division and connection, reminding us that every person we encounter is somebody's child, sibling, or parent. Rev. Kristin invites us to examine how we show up in our closest relationships, encouraging us to shift from judgment to compassion and to recommit to being the peace we wish to see in the world. Series: Yes, There is Peace
• 2025-03-23 Yes, There is Peace, Part 2 “Keep Calm & Carry On” Rev. Kristin In this uplifting message from the Peace Series, Rev. Kristin explores how we can find lasting calm by allowing our divine nature to take the lead rather than letting the ego run the show. Using a charming story about a dog named Chaos who transformed once his owners reclaimed their role at the front door, Rev. Kristin illustrates how our own lives shift when we let spirit guide us instead of reacting from fear or habit. Drawing on Charles Fillmore's teaching about the trinity of mind, Rev. Kristin offers practical wisdom about clearing mental clutter through meditation, consuming nourishing spiritual food, and deliberately impressing truth upon our subconscious - so we can truly keep calm and carry on. Series: Yes, There is Peace
• 2025-03-16 Series: Yes, There is Peace, part 1 of 3 “The Olive Branch” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens this powerful three-part series on peace by weaving together the ancient symbolism of the olive branch with the transformative practice of radical forgiveness. Drawing from her own pilgrimage to Assisi, the resilient olive trees of Athens, and Colin Tipping's five steps of radical forgiveness, she invites us to consider to whom we might extend an olive branch in our own lives. Rev. Kristin closes with the breathtaking true story of an unnamed South African woman at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission who embodied extraordinary forgiveness - reminding us that we too are capable of the profound, healing love that brings us home to peace. Series: Yes, There is Peace
• 2025-03-09 Part 3: “Stay Spiritually Current” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to stay spiritually current by exploring what it means to live fully in the present moment and flow with divine energy. Drawing on wisdom from Lao Tzu, John O'Donohue, and the contemplative traditions of Lent and Ramadan, she encourages us to release the mental blocks - worry, unfelt grief, and future-focused anxiety - that keep us from experiencing our true aliveness. Rev. Kristin reminds us that when we allow ourselves to be fully present in the now, we naturally move into the wow - that place of wonder, surprise, and deep connection with the divine flow that is always available to us. Series: How Now?
• 2025-03-02 Part 2: “Clear the Path” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful message about clearing the physical, mental, and emotional clutter that blocks our connection to the divine flow. Drawing on the KonMari method, train-of-thought metaphors, and chaos theory's butterfly effect, Rev. Kristin illustrates how releasing worry, fear, and limiting beliefs opens pathways to peace and prosperity. She reminds us that even small shifts in our thinking can create massive positive change in the world, encouraging us to trust divine order beneath apparent chaos. Rev. Kristin invites us to remember who we truly are - ambassadors of light whose cleared paths make way for fulfillment, freedom, and collective healing. Series: How Now?
• 2025-02-23 Part 1: “Come Closer” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens this three-part "How Now?" series with a tender invitation to come closer - closer to Spirit, closer to ourselves, and closer to one another. Drawing on the wisdom of Unity co-founder Myrtle Fillmore, the mystic Julian of Norwich, and the poet Hafiz, Rev. Kristin reminds us that love, peace, and comfort are always available when we simply pause, slow down, and open the door to what is already within us. She encourages us to lower our shields, build bridges of trust, and remember that drawing near to the Divine and to each other is how we heal, connect, and embody the unconditional love that is our true nature. Series: How Now?
• 2025-02-09 “Discover a Deeper Love” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to discover a deeper, more embodied love by exploring the surprising spiritual pathway of longing - that deep yearning within us that we so often suppress or run from. Drawing on the rich history of Saint Valentine, Rumi's poetry, and her own transformative experience on a recent retreat, Rev. Kristin reveals that our longing is not a sign of lack but is itself the return message from the Divine - the very connection we seek. She encourages us to welcome our longing, honor the sacredness of our bodies, and allow this reunion to lead us home to the everlasting pool of love that lives within each of us.
• 2025-01-26 “The Divine Gender Dance” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful and deeply personal exploration of the divine feminine and sacred masculine, tracing how patriarchy disrupted the original wholeness of creation and wounded humanity's collective spirit. Drawing from scripture, history, and her own childhood experience of being denied the role of acolyte simply for being a girl, she illuminates how the suppression of feminine energy has left us all feeling insecure and out of balance. Rev. Kristin calls us to welcome home the fragmented parts of ourselves, embrace both sacred masculine and divine feminine energies, and commit to healing through grace, compassion, and courageous truth-telling in community.
• 2025-01-19 Not My Probem. Or Is It? Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful message about the interconnectedness of all our actions, drawing from a Burmese folk tale about a king who dismisses a small drop of honey on a windowsill - only to watch it escalate into the destruction of his entire kingdom. Weaving in the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi, Rev. Kristin reminds us that no action is too small to matter, and that we are all caught in an "inescapable network of mutuality." She encourages us to ground ourselves in spiritual power, embrace right action, and recognize that our very presence - however we show up - has profound impact on the world around us.
• 2025-01-12 The Hidden Gifts We Exchange Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to discover the hidden gifts exchanged in every interaction - from a chance conversation with a young server in Costa Rica to a silent encounter with a great horned owl on a hike. Through the charming story of a boy who frees an owl and discovers he has already received the gift of animal communication, Rev. Kristin illuminates how presence, wonder, and openness reveal the magic woven through our daily exchanges. She encourages us to show up with full attention, listen with our hearts, and dwell in possibility - trusting that spirit reveals our hidden capabilities through the connections we share.
• 2025-01-05 Dissolving Drama and The White Stone Ceremony Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens the new year by sharing the delightful children's book "Jolly the Llama Who Helps Dissolve Drama" - the sequel to last year's beloved "Chip the Monk" - drawing out profound spiritual teachings about releasing drama through stillness, refusing to engage in gossip, and remembering that drama is simply "the great forgetting" of love. She then guides the congregation through Unity's traditional White Stone Ceremony, a ritual rooted in biblical history where each person receives a single guiding word from Spirit to carry as their north star throughout 2025. Rev. Kristin invites everyone to embrace both intentions - dissolving drama and evolving into their truest selves - as they step into the new year lighter, freer, and more connected to divine love.
• 2024-12-31 Burning Bowl Service Rev. Kristin & Bob Hardy
• 2024-12-24 Christmas Eve Candlelighting Service Rev. Kristin
• 2024-12-22 Advent: "Airy Fairy Joy!" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a delightful and thought-provoking Advent message on joy, weaving together childhood wonder, astrology, and spiritual transformation to illuminate how joy is not merely a fleeting emotion but a deep, ever-available truth accessible through faith. She explores how the magi - learned astrologers who followed a star - were overwhelmed with joy upon finding the Christ child, and draws parallels to our own spiritual breakthroughs and the dawning Age of Aquarius. In a magical surprise, the Grinch himself appears to share his testimony of transformation, reminding us that no one can steal our joy when it lives within our hearts.
• 2024-12-15 Peace Like Water Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the deep connection between water and peace during this Advent reflection, drawing on the imagery of desert wadis, the shepherds' starry night, and Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. She invites us to recognize that when fear or a sense of lack disrupts our inner calm, we can return again and again to the living water within - that deep well of Christ consciousness available to all. Through meditation and spiritual practice, Rev. Kristin reminds us, we become a peaceful presence that naturally flows outward, calming those around us and helping create the world we long to share. Series: Advent
• 2024-12-08 Fire Up Love Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the powerful connection between fire and love during this Advent message, drawing from ancient fire-gathering traditions, the Christmas story of Zachariah, and the poetry of Rumi to illuminate how divine love ignites and transforms us from within. She invites us to enter the center of love's fire - to be consumed by it and become it - sharing moving stories of how open-hearted love can heal even the most callous encounters. Rev. Kristin reminds us that our sacred hearts, like those of Mary and Jesus, are meant to blaze openly, shaped by both grief and joy, compelling us to spread revolutionary love far, wide, and deep. Series: Advent
• 2024-12-01 Grounded in Faith Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us into a richly embodied exploration of faith during this Advent season, weaving together the Christmas story characters of Mary, Elizabeth, and Zachariah to illuminate how faith is not merely a transcendent idea but something we feel, carry, and birth through our very bodies. Drawing on Unity teachings, ancient Egyptian mythology, and everyday moments of intuitive knowing, Rev. Kristin encourages us to welcome spiritual guidance with the same willingness Mary showed - accepting what wants to come through us and taking the next right step. This message reminds us that grounded faith moves like a strong, rooted tree - not easily shaken by life's winds - as we prepare to rebirth the Christ consciousness within. Series: Advent
• 2024-11-24 Workshop (Question & Response w/ Derek Rydell) Rev. Kristin Powell In this inspiring conclusion to the eight-week Abundance Project series, Rev. Kristin invites listeners to move from inspiration into action by designing a personal abundance blueprint rooted in the truth that everything we need already resides within us. Drawing on the stories of Unity co-founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore and activist Lynn Twist, Rev. Kristin illustrates how disciplined practice and committed action can transform dreams into reality. She introduces the LIFT practice - Living Into Feeling Tone - as a daily tool for expanding consciousness and encourages the community to embrace their visions with courage, reminding us that our greatest breakthroughs await just beyond the threshold of resistance.
• 2024-11-10 Part 6 of 8: "Many Channels, One Source" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the powerful concept of our co-creation covenant with Spirit, reminding us that we are each clear channels for divine good and that every person in our lives serves as a potential channel for our abundance. Drawing from the story of Jesus raising Lazarus, Rev. Kristin illustrates how we must first honor our human emotions - clearing grief, anger, and fear from our channels - before miracles can flow through us. She emphasizes that our perception of others directly determines how much good they can bring into our lives, inviting us to widen our perspectives and ask for help as we step fully into our sacred agreement to be embodied expressions of Spirit in the world. Series: Abundance Project
• 2024-11-03 Annual Meeting Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin explores the law of circulation through the powerful metaphor of the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee, illustrating how the flow of giving and receiving creates abundant life. Drawing from Derek Rydell's Abundance Project, she reveals three essential components - having, giving, and receiving - and shows how the simple practice of conscious breathing can reconnect us to our inherent wholeness. Rev. Kristin invites us to slow down, fill our own cups first, and recognize that everything we need already exists within us, reminding us that true abundance flows from an internal source rather than external circumstances.
• 2024-10-20 Part 3 of 8: "More Abundance Blind Spots & Truths" Rev. Kristin In this third installment of the Abundance Project series, Rev. Kristin explores two powerful abundance blind spots - the belief that you must believe before you can receive, and the tendency to shrink and adapt to challenging circumstances. Rev. Kristin shares her own journey from fearing public speaking to embracing ministry, illustrating that action precedes confidence rather than the other way around. Using the metaphor of a pedal-assist electric bike, Rev. Kristin reminds us that spirit engages when we start pedaling - we must act and ask rather than wait on the sidelines. Rev. Kristin invites us to expand rather than contract when life brings challenges, opening our channel of abundance through spiritual expansion and courageous action. Series: Abundance Project
• 2024-10-13 Part 2 of 8: "Reversing Abundance Blind Spots" Rev. Kristin In this powerful second installment of the Abundance Project series, Rev. Kristin explores the hidden blind spots that keep us from experiencing our true abundance - the unconscious beliefs that we are separate from our good, that wealth is purely material, and that money is somehow unspiritual. Through the parable of the prodigal son and practical one-minute mystic exercises, Rev. Kristin guides listeners back to the land of their soul, reminding us that real wealth is invisible, infinite, and already within us. She encourages us to be unapologetic about our divine birthright to have, give, and receive, recognizing that the creative power of the universe lives inside each of us. Series: Abundance Project
• 2024-10-06 Part 1 of 8: "The Real Source" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin launches the eight-part Abundance Project series by inviting listeners to look beyond material symbols of prosperity and reconnect with the real source of abundance - the divine intelligence that holds the pattern of all creation, including each of us. Drawing on Derek Rydall's work, the teachings of Jesus, and the Unity principles, Rev. Kristin reminds us that we are not lacking but simply forgetting who we truly are. She offers simple, powerful practices - shift to source and share - as the path to unlocking our natural abundance-creating capacity and living as generous channels of abundant life. Series: Abundance Project
• 2024-09-15 Part 6 "Law of Expression" Rev. Kristin In this powerful conclusion to the CREATE Laws series, Rev. Kristin explores the Law of Expression - the idea that when we open to spirit and authentically express from our souls, the divine is revealed on earth. Drawing on vivid examples from art, dance, the film Like Water for Chocolate, and the extraordinary story of Balinese high priestess Ida Risi Alit, Rev. Kristin reminds us that our unique creative expression is not meant to be arduous but joyful, and that the world is hungry for the spiritual gifts only each of us can give. She invites us all to say yes to courageous, vulnerable, soulful expression. Series: CREATE Laws
• 2024-09-01 Part 5 "Law of Truth" Rev. Kristin Series: CREATE Laws
• 2024-08-25 Part 4 "Laws of Attraction & Appreciation" Rev. Kristin In this inspiring message from the CREATE Laws Series, Rev. Kristin explores the Laws of Attraction and Appreciation - the double A in the series - sharing how thoughts and feelings attract like experiences and how what we praise increases. Rev. Kristin weaves in her personal story of moving from Missouri to California with no concrete plan, trusting that the "how" was none of her business, and watching as blessings unfolded in miraculous ways. She offers practical tools for resetting our minds - including dumping unhelpful thoughts and diverting attention to the divine - while reminding us that gratitude is the engine that moves us from despair toward joy. Rev. Kristin invites us to stay aware of our thoughts and feelings, bless others silently and openly, and trust that anything is possible when we align with our co-creative partnership with Spirit. Series: CREATE Laws
• 2024-08-18 Part 3 Law of "Expansion" Rev. Kristin In this inspiring continuation of the CREATE Laws Series, Rev. Kristin explores the Law of Expansion - the spiritual truth that creation by its very nature expands, and as we recognize our divine essence, it expands into lived experience. Drawing from her transformative sabbatical experiences, the story of the golden Buddha hidden beneath clay, and the example of a peaceful warrior navigating a difficult divorce, Rev. Kristin invites us to approach our spiritual journey with curiosity, desire, and motivation. She reminds us that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, and as we remember who we truly are, our expansion ripples outward in sacred service for all. Series: CREATE Laws
• 2024-08-11 Part 2 "Law of Resonance" Rev. Kristin In this inspiring message from the CREATE Laws series, Rev. Kristin explores the Law of Resonance - the principle that the resonance we keep with the divine determines the quality of reality we experience. Drawing from physics, personal stories from her ministerial journey, and the ancient wisdom of "know thyself," Rev. Kristin invites us to tune into what rings true and feels right in our hearts as a pathway to divine flow. She encourages us to ask soul-nourishing questions - what lights me up, what makes my heart sing - and to trust the answers that arise when we focus within, communicate with the divine presence, and simply relax into receiving. Series: CREATE Laws
• 2024-08-04 Part 1 "Law of Co-Creation" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin launches the CREATE Laws series with the Law of Co-Creation, using her exhilarating skydiving experience as a metaphor for trusting in divine partnership. Drawing from the story of Job, she explores how challenges invite us to release self-righteousness and spiritual complacency, returning to stillness where we can reconnect with the creative power within. Rev. Kristin illuminates how masculine and feminine energies dance together with spirit in the manifestation process, reminding us that our role is to follow spirit's lead. She affirms that conscious partnership with spirit co-creates boundless life possibilities when we remain open, humble, and teachable. Series: CREATE Laws
• 2024-07-28 Part 3: "Mind of Peace" Rev. Kristin In this third installment of the Humanity's Evolution series, Rev. Kristin explores how we can cultivate a mind of peace by understanding the three phases of mind - conscious, subconscious, and super conscious - and learning to let divine intelligence guide our thoughts rather than old reactive patterns. Rev. Kristin invites us to accept that life is change, to shine a light on false core beliefs that keep us stuck, and to return to the present moment where true power resides. Drawing on teachings from Charles Fillmore, Byron Katie, and Eckhart Tolle, Rev. Kristin reminds us that we are not our thoughts but the knowing consciousness itself - and from that place, we can shepherd our minds back to peace and create the world we long to live in. Series: Humanity’s Evolution
• 2024-07-21 Part 2: "Heart of Love" Rev. Kristin In this powerful second installment of the Humanity's Evolution series, Rev. Kristin explores the heart as our ultimate solution center and portal to divine love, drawing from First Corinthians 13 to illuminate how spiritual maturity moves us from ego consciousness to eco consciousness. Rev. Kristin reminds us that love is not something we need to figure out but rather something we are built to flow out - through patience, courage, vulnerability, and open-heartedness in every relationship and circumstance. With personal stories and profound wisdom, Rev. Kristin affirms that our lives are fail-safed in love and that we are here, together, to let divine love evolve our human family. Series: Humanity’s Evolution
• 2024-07-14 Part 1: "Body of Light" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin launches an inspiring new series on humanity's evolution by reminding us that we each hold a "golden ticket" - the gift of being embodied on earth during this extraordinary time of spiritual awakening. Drawing from the transfiguration story in the Gospels and the teachings of Charles Fillmore, Rev. Kristin illuminates the scientific and spiritual truth that our bodies are literally made of stardust and light. She invites us to stop diminishing ourselves through criticism and instead treat our bodies as sacred temples, practicing habitual uplift of life and thought as we participate in humanity's collective evolution. Series: Humanity’s Evolution
• 2024-06-30 NEW TITLE: How to Manifest Rev. Kristin
• 2024-06-16 Fatherly Care Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a heartfelt Father's Day message that goes beyond traditional notions of fatherhood to explore the deeper spiritual meanings of being a provider and protector. Drawing from a childhood memory of her father investigating imaginary monsters in the basement, she illustrates how true protection offers emotional anchoring and peace - qualities we can access through our own divine connection. Rev. Kristin encourages the community to begin relationships with trust, cultivate large ideas of prosperity as Charles Fillmore taught, and recognize that we each hold the power to contribute, protect, and provide for one another through spiritual strength and sacred masculine energy.
• 2024-06-02 Rainbow Sightings and Pots of Gold Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers an inspiring message weaving together the symbolism of rainbows, the courage of authenticity, and the celebration of diversity. Drawing from her own journey of coming out and the wisdom of teachers like Brene Brown and Audre Lorde, Rev. Kristin explores how shame thrives in secrecy and judgment - and how stepping into our wholeness frees us to truly see and celebrate others. She reminds us that just as a single color cannot make a rainbow, our differences are meant to enrich rather than divide us, and that the pots of gold we seek are found in personal wholeness and collective oneness.
• 2024-05-26 Death is a Doorway Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin offers a powerful and uplifting exploration of death - not as a finality, but as a doorway into deeper love, spiritual growth, and abundant new life. Drawing from diverse wisdom traditions including Buddhist impermanence teachings, ancient Egyptian spirituality, indigenous death lodge ceremonies, and the demonstrations of Jesus, she invites us to face our fears of endings with courage and even humor. Rev. Kristin reminds us that every ending - whether the loss of a loved one, a relationship, or even a beloved car - carries within it the seed of rebirth and new possibility, calling us to close our eyes, let the mind expand, and step through into the fullness of who we truly are.
• 2024-05-19 Soulful Service Rev. Kristin
• 2024-05-12 Becoming Godmothers Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin returns from sabbatical on Mother's Day to expand our understanding of motherhood into the powerful concept of becoming godmothers - spiritual nurturers who support the soul expression of children, each other, and all life. Drawing on the wisdom of King Solomon and the poetry of Chalene Harkin, Rev. Kristin invites us to restore the divine feminine energy within ourselves and our world, recognizing it not as something limited to gender but as an immense creative power available to all. She celebrates how community members embodied this godmother energy by holding space during her absence, proving that sacred presence and collective care can transform both our lives and the world.
• 2024-02-11 Pt 5: Cultivating Compassion Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin concludes the five-week "Jump Start Your Heart" series by exploring the transformative power of compassion through an ancient Jewish temple ritual where those walking in opposite directions would pause to ask one another, "What happened to you?" - a profound act of witnessing that reminds us grief does not heal in isolation. Drawing on the parable of the Good Samaritan, the story of Anthony Hinton on death row, and the Buddhist tale of Kiso Gotami, Rev. Kristin invites us to go to the edges of our circles of love, release tribal thinking, and embrace our shared humanity. She reminds us that compassion flows from an infinite spiritual source that energizes rather than depletes, and that by staying open-hearted - including toward ourselves - we participate in healing communities, nations, and our world. Series: Jump Start Your Heart
• 2024-02-04 Pt 4: Love & Leadership Rev. Kristin & Vicky Elder Rev. Kristin and Vicky Elder engage in a rich conversation about love, leadership, and purpose, exploring how true leadership is not confined to formal roles but lives within each of us as we navigate our daily lives. Vicky Elder shares how her journey from state government to ministry revealed that lasting change comes through shifting consciousness rather than top-down authority, and that spiritual leadership operates as "power under" rather than "power over" - lifting others up through love. Together they explore how life's difficulties arrive like personal letters addressed to us, offering opportunities for growth, and how surrendering to divine purpose allows us to lead with wholeness and authenticity. Series: Jump Start Your Heart
• 2024-01-28 Pt 3: Grounded in Stillness Rev. Kristin In this contemplative message, Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of stillness as part three of the Jump Start Your Heart series, drawing inspiration from Pico Iyer's writings and Leonard Cohen's monastic journey to reveal how going nowhere can fill us with everything. Rev. Kristin weaves together wisdom from world scriptures, personal stories, and practical insights to show that stillness is not a retreat from life but a doorway to seeing the world more clearly and loving it more deeply. Through playful anecdotes - from meditating through a snoring dog to a football player finding empty spaces on the field - Rev. Kristin invites us to mind the gaps between thoughts, look for the empty spaces, and discover that it is in stillness where creativity, joy, and divine presence await us. Series: Jump Start Your Heart
• 2024-01-21 Pt 2: Creative Passion Rev. Kristin Series: Jump Start Your Heart
• 2024-01-14 Pt 1: The Law of Circulation Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin launches a powerful new series on the Law of Circulation by weaving together the parable of the Good Samaritan with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s transformative insight - that the question "If I do not stop to help, what will happen to him?" is the catalyst for true change. She explores how giving from a pure heart initiates an infinite flow of abundance, much like blood circulating through the body, and challenges listeners to release contracted thinking about scarcity and fixed limitations. Rev. Kristin reminds us that we cannot outgive God, inviting us to bust open our limited thinking and trust the divine flow of generosity that makes us fully alive. Series: Jump Start Your Heart
• 2024-01-07 "Your Gift for 2024" (White Stone Ceremony) Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin leads Unity of Walnut Creek's traditional White Stone Ceremony for 2024, weaving together the charming story of "Chip the Monk" to illustrate our spiritual journey - from the great forgetting of our true nature, through our soul's arrival and training, to stepping boldly into our purpose. Through this delightful allegory and guided meditation, Rev. Kristin invites each person to receive a sacred word or quality from spirit, written on a white stone as a reminder of the fresh start and divine gift available to us in the new year.
• 2023-12-24 Christmas Eve Candlelighting Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a deeply moving Advent message on living joy, weaving together the dramatic first-person narrative of Mary's journey to Bethlehem with powerful modern parallels - from the Grinch's discovery that Christmas cannot be stolen, to the faithful young Christians gathering in Bethlehem this year despite canceled celebrations. Rev. Kristin reminds us that no outer circumstance can touch the sacred light within us, inviting us to follow our intuition like the wise men followed the star, trusting the promise of goodness even through fear and uncertainty. This message calls us to courageously birth forth the Christ consciousness within us, knowing that new life and joy await on the other side of our yes.
• 2023-12-17 Living Love Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a moving Advent message on the transformative power of love, using Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem as a lens for understanding how love dissolves anger, restores balance, and awakens us to our divine nature. She explores how anger signals a loss of light and how dropping into the heart reveals deeper feelings that open the door to healing. Rev. Kristin passionately speaks to the restoration of the divine feminine - our feeling nature and intuition - as essential for bringing balance to a world dominated by overt masculine energy, reminding us that love is both our origin and our pathway home. Series: Advent
• 2023-12-10 Living Peace Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the sacred gift of "light-minded soul companions" - those who walk beside us on our spiritual journey, helping us find peace even in dark and challenging times. Drawing from the story of Mary and Elizabeth finding reassurance together during Advent, Rev. Kristin distinguishes between "like-minded" and "light-minded" connections, encouraging us to seek companions who may come from diverse backgrounds yet share a commitment to spiritual growth. Through inspiring examples ranging from the Three Amigos interfaith clergy to Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, she invites us to open our hearts to prayer partnerships and soul friendships that stretch us toward our magnificence while helping us discover peace through both light and darkness. Series: Advent
• 2023-12-03 Living Faith Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful message about trusting our spiritual experiences rather than discounting them over time, sharing her own profound story of direct communication with her father after his passing. Through the metaphor of breaking through a board - where muscling through with bravado failed but softening into fear and opening to divine presence made it feel like butter - Rev. Kristin illustrates that faith is not about powering over fear but moving through it with compassion and surrender. She invites the community to lean into their inner knowing, honor their spiritual experiences, and live in constant connection with spirit, walking "right down the line" toward the ever-unfolding revelation of Christ consciousness within. Series: Advent
• 2023-11-26 Living the Questions Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin leads an engaging open forum where she responds to heartfelt spiritual questions from her community, exploring themes of forgiveness, Advent preparation, navigating the "middle muddle" of spiritual growth, finding hope during chronic challenges, and staying present to God amid worldly chaos. With warmth and wisdom, Rev. Kristin reminds us that the spiritual journey is not a solo endeavor - guiding the community through a powerful visualization of shared Christ light expanding outward to transform suffering into harmony. She encourages curiosity, self-compassion, and the courage to follow our hearts as we live into life's deepest questions together.
• 2023-11-22 Gratitude Service 7:00 p.m. Rev. Kristin
• 2023-11-19 Gratitude Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of gratitude through the parable of two sets of travelers encountering a shade tree - one pair longing for what they lack, the other overflowing with appreciation for what is present. Drawing on the wisdom of Brother Steindl-Rast's two branches of gratitude - gratefulness that fills us up and thanksgiving that flows outward to others - Rev. Kristin invites us to live within this beautiful cycle of receiving and giving. She also honors Native American Heritage Month with a call toward truth-telling and shares the inspiring story of the Pachamama Alliance as a modern Thanksgiving vision of shifting consciousness toward sufficiency and connection.
• 2023-11-12 Hope Rev. Kristin Series: Becoming Wise
• 2023-11-05 Community Meeting Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin explores the dynamic evolution of faith - both personal and collective - as part of the Becoming Wise series inspired by Krista Tippett's work. Drawing on the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, her own journey with a beloved dog named Chaos, and the inspiring example of intentional communities, Rev. Kristin illustrates how faith is not static certainty but a living, breathing courage to embrace mystery, cross boundaries, and remain curious about one another. She reminds us that as we say yes to our own spiritual evolution, we contribute powerfully to humanity's unfolding, worshiping together in spirit and truth across all traditions and differences.
• 2023-10-29 Love Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores love as the most challenging yet supreme calling of our spiritual lives, drawing from Krista Tippett's "Becoming Wise" series and the vision of the beloved community. She invites us to move beyond loving only when it is easy and instead embrace wholeheartedness - loving without exception, even those who perpetrate harm - recognizing that hurting people have lost sight of their divine nature and need our love most. Rev. Kristin reminds us that spiritual practice fortifies us to stay open and sensitive in a world that tries to desensitize, and that our wholehearted love serves as the "critical yeast" needed to co-create heaven on earth together. Series: Becoming Wise
• 2023-10-15 Words Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the sacred power of words as part of the Becoming Wise series, drawing from Krista Tippett's work to illuminate how our language shapes reality, heals wounds, and co-creates the world we long to inhabit. She invites us to discover words that "shimmer" - words spoken from the heart that stop people in their tracks and reverberate with truth and beauty. Acknowledging the heartbreak of global conflict, Rev. Kristin calls each person to embrace their inner poet and prophet, using the power of their word to honor the sacredness of all life and meet one another in Rumi's field beyond wrongdoing and rightdoing - a field of love. Series: Becoming Wise
• 2023-10-08 Listen Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens this inspiring message with a vivid personal story of visiting divided Berlin in 1986, using the contrast between East and West as a powerful metaphor for the walls we build - both collectively and individually - through ideology, fear, and limitation. She introduces Krista Tippett's book "Becoming Wise" as a guide for the community's fall study series, emphasizing that listening is the essential pathway to wisdom and the key ingredient within all peace work and productive conversation. Rev. Kristin invites us to recognize that we are living in a new "axial age" of spiritual awakening, encouraging generous listening as a practice that releases our spiritual genius and helps turn the world toward greater connection, compassion, and oneness. Series: Becoming Wise
• 2023-10-01 Love Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of love through a remarkable true story of a father and son separated by fear and reunited through prayer at the Wailing Wall, illustrating how we can touch with love what we have previously touched with fear. She guides us to recognize that love is both a personal portal and an expansive divine force - that through our passionate commitment to the well-being of others, we access a universal love where all spiritual powers become available to us. As the final teaching in the 12 Powers series, Rev. Kristin reminds us that love is the bridge that overcomes every obstacle, heals every relationship, and carries us through any challenge life presents. Series: 12 Powers
• 2023-09-24 Wisdom Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin guides the community through an experiential exploration of wisdom as one of the 12 Powers, located in the solar plexus and represented by the color yellow. Through storytelling, humor, and an interactive body-awareness exercise, Rev. Kristin invites listeners to discover how their bodies communicate yes and no - revealing the "second brain" of gut intuition that connects us to divine guidance. Drawing on the Sufi tale of Nasruddin, the story of King Solomon, and her own memorable life lessons, Rev. Kristin reminds us that true wisdom arises when we slow down, trust our inner knowing, and act from that grounded, spirit-led place rather than from fear or impulse. Series: 12 Powers
• 2023-09-17 Order Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of Order as part of the 12 Powers series, revealing how our very navels serve as reminders of our divine connection to source and our agreement to be born into this life. She weaves together chaos theory, sacred geometry, and personal stories to illustrate that beneath life's apparent messiness lies a divinely intelligent pattern moving all things toward ideal behavior. Rev. Kristin encourages us to remember that we chose to be here, that our contributions matter - even small butterfly-wing prayers can transform the world - and that ultimately, all is well within this beautifully orchestrated universe. Series: 12 Powers
• 2023-09-10 UWC 75th Anniversary Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin leads a heartfelt celebration of Unity of Walnut Creek's 75th anniversary, weaving together the community's rich history - from its humble beginnings as a study group in Alamo in 1948 to the vibrant, thriving spiritual home it is today. Through stories of founding minister Rev. Marie Giles, the transformative leadership of Rev. Carol Ruth Knox, and video messages from beloved former ministers, Rev. Kristin honors the roots that ground this community while casting a joyful vision for its future. She reminds us that this sacred space exists to rekindle faith, nurture purpose, and embody radical inclusivity, all anchored in the profound truth that "there's only one of us here."
• 2023-08-27 12 Powers Series: Release Rev. Kristin
• 2023-08-13 12 Powers Series: Power Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of finding and using our true voice as part of the 12 Powers series, drawing a rich parallel between Dorothy's journey in the Wizard of Oz and our own quest to overcome fear and step into spiritual authority. She distinguishes between worldly domination and divine dominion - a God-sized responsibility for all life rooted in love rather than control. Rev. Kristin reminds us that our words are living identities with creative power, and that when we ground ourselves in truth and speak from the sacred space between heart and mouth, we become co-creators of a more loving world.
• 2023-08-06 12 Powers Series: Zeal Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of zeal - that inward fire of the soul that propels us forward with purpose and enthusiasm. Drawing from Charles Fillmore's famous declaration at age 94 that he "fairly sizzled with zeal," she reveals how enthusiasm literally means "filled with God" and invites listeners to reconnect with what lights them up and brings them alive. Rev. Kristin also offers a thoughtful exploration of how zeal can either unite or divide, encouraging us to direct our passion toward what we are for rather than what we are against, seeking common ground even with those whose visions differ from our own.
• 2023-07-30 12 Powers Series: Will Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of will as part of Unity of Walnut Creek's 12 Powers summer series, illuminating the spectrum between willfulness and willingness. She explains how will serves as the executive faculty of the mind - our power to choose, commit, and follow through - while emphasizing that our deepest will aligns with divine will when we attune to our heart's true desires rather than surface-level impulses. Drawing from Charles Fillmore's teachings, scripture, and even the Barbie movie, Rev. Kristin shows how will works alongside understanding and imagination to help us become the light-filled creators we are meant to be.
• 2023-07-23 12 Powers Series: Understanding Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of understanding as part of the 12 Powers series, illuminating how true understanding encompasses both comprehension and compassion - moving beyond intellectual knowing into an embodied, full-being experience of truth. Through compelling stories and the examples of the disciples Mary of Bethany and Thomas, she invites us to cultivate curiosity as a spiritual practice, to listen deeply, and to digest truth into every cell of our being. Rev. Kristin reminds us that understanding flourishes when we remain teachable, open-hearted, and willing to release old assumptions that separate us from our divine connection.
• 2023-07-16 12 Powers Series: Imagination Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual power of imagination as part of the 12 Powers series, inviting listeners to activate their inner vision - the "single eye" that Jesus described in the Sermon on the Mount - as a tool for healing and prosperity. Drawing on the symbolism of the Eye of Providence on the dollar bill, she illustrates how shifting from limited physical perspective to higher spiritual seeing opens us to infinite possibility. Rev. Kristin offers practical ways to engage this power, from revisioning old memories to holding images of wholeness for loved ones, reminding us that imagination is a joyful, playful gift that can transform every area of our lives.
• 2023-07-09 12 Powers Series: Faith Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens this inspiring exploration of Faith - the first in a 12-week series on the spiritual powers of humankind - by drawing on the wisdom of Lewis Carroll's queen who practiced believing impossible things before breakfast. Using the biblical story of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' garment, Rev. Kristin illustrates how desire, belief, and reaching for Christ consciousness activate our innate healing power. She connects faith to its energy center in the mind, encouraging listeners to master their focus, feed their minds with spiritual food, and hold steady attention on what they wish to create - reminding us that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.
• 2023-06-25 Responses to Your Spiritual Questions Rev. Kristin In this engaging open forum, Rev. Kristin responds to heartfelt spiritual questions from the community, covering topics ranging from Unity's understanding of God as all-encompassing love to navigating spiritual dryness and staying informed without being overwhelmed by world events. Rev. Kristin offers practical wisdom on activating the feeling nature in prayer, embracing liminal spaces of stillness, and Unity's tradition of metaphysical Bible interpretation. With warmth and authenticity, Rev. Kristin reminds us that we already hold the answers within and encourages the power of breath, community, and trust as tools for staying aligned with spirit.
• 2023-06-18 Fathers: Foundations of Light Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the sacred masculine as a guiding light that creates safety, confronts injustice, and supports others on their journey. Through powerful stories - including two fathers whose friendship defied racism, the Pullman porters who stood for Emmett Till's family, and St. Ramold who chose compassion over violence - Rev. Kristin illustrates how divine father energy shows up as courageous action, validation, and loving presence. She invites us to recall those who helped us feel safe, recognize what made that possible, and become that illumined presence for others as we awaken together.
• 2023-06-11 Prosperity Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to explore a deeper understanding of prosperity - one that goes far beyond material wealth to encompass a rich consciousness rooted in being fully present. Drawing from her own journey of leaving a well-paying career for ministry and discovering profound abundance while making very little money, Rev. Kristin shares how true prosperity flows through us when we center ourselves in spirit and practice "be here now." She illuminates four pillars of prosperity - forgiveness, giving, gratitude, and vision - all built on a foundation of faith, encouraging us to open our hearts, clear old grudges, and trust in the infinite source that meets our every need.
• 2023-05-28 Memorial Day: "I AM Remembering" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin offers a powerful Memorial Day reflection that honors military veterans while inviting us to remember our deepest spiritual identity. Drawing on the story of Moses and the burning bush, she explores how the sacred "I AM" presence lives within each of us - not as beings born of original sin, but as original blessings made in the image of the divine. Rev. Kristin encourages us to move beyond ego-driven fear and reconnect with our true essence through stillness, authentic self-expression, and mindful use of our words, reminding us that the only difference between us and the spiritual masters is that they never forgot who they were.
• 2023-05-21 Your Service is Sacred Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the sacred nature of service through the ancient Hebrew story of Reb Nakem, whose smallest act of kindness - flicking mud from a farmer's shoulder - ultimately tipped the scales in his favor at life's review. She reminds us that service is a free and powerful antidote to isolation, depression, and low self-esteem, connecting us with the divine and with one another in ways both grand and simple. Drawing on scripture, Gandhi, and the random acts of kindness movement, Rev. Kristin invites everyone to recognize their unique gifts and share them generously, affirming that every act of service - no matter how small - creates ripples of goodness throughout the world.
• 2023-05-14 “Wholly Mother” Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a heartfelt Mother's Day message exploring the sacred and expansive nature of motherhood as spiritual practice. Through a touching story of two elephants embodying the cycle of giving and receiving - "first you, then me" - she illuminates how the love ethic of the mother lives within all of us, regardless of gender or parental status. Rev. Kristin weaves together wisdom from indigenous grandmothers, Myrtle Fillmore, and the divine feminine tradition to invite us into fierce, compassionate, wholesome love that can transform our relationships and our world. She encourages us to be mindful sowers of seeds - choosing words of kindness and compassion - and to recognize ourselves as holy mothers called to bring forth healing for each other and for Mother Earth.
• 2023-04-30 Community Gathering Rev. Kristin Powell In this first of a two-part series, Rev. Kristin explores the spiritual art of navigating life's inevitable changes through four phases - embracing, emoting, emptying, and envisioning. Rev. Kristin invites us to befriend the "nothingness" that lives between one door closing and another opening, reframing that uncomfortable hallway as one of life's richest spiritual spaces. Using the metaphor of surfing, Rev. Kristin reminds us that much of life is spent waiting and being rather than doing, and that standing at nil with patience allows spirit to reveal our next steps in perfect timing.
• 2023-04-23 Earth Dreaming and Waking Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a heartfelt Earth Day message exploring our sacred connection with the natural world, reminding us that just as gravity pulls us physically close to the earth, there is a spiritual pull inviting us to pay attention and reconnect with all life. Through stories of a boy's reverence for his ant farm and a Native American prayer practice of embodying rain rather than asking for it, Rev. Kristin illustrates how presence, compassion, and sensory awareness bridge the mystical and the physical. She invites us to uncover sacrilege wherever life has been dishonored and restore it to the sacred through embodied prayer, compassionate action, and conscious oneness with all living beings.
• 2023-04-16 Ascend to Heavenly Consciousness Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the beloved story of Jacob's Ladder from Genesis, revealing that the pathway to heaven is not about climbing or efforting but about recognizing that we are already home. She illuminates how Jacob's dream reveals three points of spiritual contact - rest, realize, and recommit - inviting us to discover that our bodies are the house of God and our hearts the gateway to heaven. Drawing on wisdom from St. Teresa of Avila and her own experience among ancient bristlecone pines, Rev. Kristin reminds us that divine abundance flows simultaneously and effortlessly when we simply open to love.
• 2023-04-09 April 9, 2023 – Come Alive in Truth! Rev. Kristin Powell In this inspiring Easter message, Rev. Kristin Powell explores the profound question Pontius Pilate posed to Jesus - "What is truth?" - and traces how truth moves through stages of ridicule, opposition, and finally self-evidence in our lives and world. Rev. Kristin Powell draws powerful parallels between the Easter story and our personal journeys of transformation, highlighting Mary Magdalene's shift from follower to teacher as a model for our own resurrection. She invites us to release old identities we cling to, embrace the Christ consciousness within, and become living testimonies to the absolute, unchangeable spiritual truth that sets us free.
• 2023-04-02 Palm Sunday: "Blessing Prepares the Way" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful Palm Sunday message exploring how the cry of "Hosanna" represents not a plea to be saved, but a practice of heaping blessings upon the divine Christ within each of us. She illuminates how blessing is a gift available to everyone - not reserved for the ordained - and how it serves as both preparation for spiritual growth and a transformative practice that ripples outward into the world. Drawing on stories from Suzuki Roshi to a husband's morning blessing ritual, Rev. Kristin invites us to become the blessing in every moment, recognizing that as we bless others, good multiplies in our lives and across the planet.
• 2023-03-26 Blessings Flow From Emptiness Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of spiritual emptiness through the parable of a desert monk whose sustained vision of the divine kept him on his path long after others fell away. Drawing on the wisdom of Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore's "Keep a True Lent," she invites us to release the unrealities - habits of negativity, distraction, and separation consciousness - that block our experience of the divine. Rev. Kristin shares her own profound wilderness fasting experience and reminds us that our work is simply to slow down and empty ourselves, trusting that Spirit fills us with overflowing light, love, and renewed life.
• 2023-03-12 Core Values Series, Part 4 "Soulful Service" Rev. Kristin In this inspiring fourth installment of the Core Values Series, Rev. Kristin explores soulful service as the action piece that brings love, connection, and wisdom to life. Rev. Kristin shares powerful stories of divine guidance unfolding through everyday moments - including her own journey into ministry - illustrating how following intuitive nudges leads to sacred purpose. She invites listeners to ask three guiding questions - What are my gifts? Who are my people? Where is home? - as a pathway to discovering what makes them come alive. Rev. Kristin reminds us that the world needs each person's unique contribution, and that when we say yes to spirit's call, we are fully supported.
• 2023-03-05 Core Values Series, Part 3 "Accessible Wisdom" Rev. Kristin In this third installment of the Core Values Series, Rev. Kristin explores the difference between knowledge and wisdom - reminding us that while knowledge comes from the outside in, wisdom is an innate inner knowing we all carry within us. Drawing from Proverbs, Unity teachings, Sufi stories, and personal experience, Rev. Kristin offers a simple yet powerful mantra for accessing divine guidance - listen, trust, and follow. Rev. Kristin encourages us to approach life with childlike openness and humility, trusting the wisdom of our solar plexus - our "second brain" - and allowing divine discernment to guide our choices toward the highest good.
• 2023-03-04 John Marsyla Memorial 1:00 - 2:30 pm Rev. Kristin
• 2023-02-26 Core Values Series, Part 2 "Divine Connection" Rev. Kristin In this heartfelt message on divine connection, Rev. Kristin explores how we bridge the distance between knowing and feeling God's love - drawing inspiration from Dr. Maya Angelou's powerful journey from reading "God loves me" to truly embodying that truth. Rev. Kristin invites us to ground our spiritual connection through physical practices like walking the labyrinth, movement, and everyday rituals that help us carry the divine presence in our bodies, minds, and spirits. Highlighting the unity of all beings, Rev. Kristin reminds us that when our cup is filled through connection with the divine within, we naturally connect with others in ways that smooth our rough edges and awaken remembrance of our shared oneness.
• 2023-02-19 Core Values Series, Part 1 "Neighborly Love" Rev. Kristin In this opening message of the Core Values Series, Rev. Kristin explores neighborly love as the foundational core value of Unity of Walnut Creek, drawing from the golden rule shared across the world's religions to illuminate our essential oneness. Rev. Kristin invites us to examine where we draw the boundaries of our hearts - who we might be leaving out of our circle of love - and challenges us to expand those edges with compassion, generosity, and celebration of diversity. Through stories of Mother Teresa and Harriet Jacobs, Rev. Kristin reminds us that love is not merely an intellectual concept but a lived practice of seeing every living being as our neighbor and treating them with the kindness that flows naturally from our shared divine source.
• 2023-01-29 Five Basics Series: Prayer & Meditation Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin closes out the Unity Big Five series with a heartfelt exploration of prayer and meditation, reminding us there is no wrong way to pray - whether conversational, surrendered, or structured through Unity's affirmative prayer method of acknowledging, claiming, and expecting. She explains how regular meditation practice helps us become the compassionate witness of our thoughts, giving us greater access to wisdom, peace, and confidence in daily life. Rev. Kristin encourages us to simply do it - pray and meditate - so we can live spiritually centered, joy-filled lives as instruments of divine peace.
• 2023-01-22 Five Basics Series: Co-Create Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the transformative power of co-creation in this inspiring message from the Five Basics Series, illuminating how our thoughts and feelings serve as fuel for manifesting the lives we truly desire. Drawing from stories ranging from Yoda's wisdom to the biblical account of the hemorrhaging woman, Rev. Kristin reminds us that desire is only the starting point - it is faith-filled believing and openness to receiving that complete the co-creative process. She encourages us to move beyond states of longing and wanting into the felt experience of our already-realized dreams, inviting us to perceive the divine presence, believe in our power to co-create, and joyfully receive the good that flows to us.
• 2023-01-15 Five Basics Series: I AM Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores Unity's second principle - "I am divine" - inviting listeners to discover the inherent goodness and divinity within themselves and all people. Drawing from a Hindu legend about hidden divinity, the Gnostic Gospels, and the teachings of Jesus, Rev. Kristin illuminates how we can awaken to our true nature by beholding the divine in all life, loving unconditionally, and serving others with open hearts. Weaving in the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., she reminds us that greatness is found not in fame but in simple, everyday acts of connection, kindness, and service that flow naturally from knowing our divine nature.
• 2023-01-08 Unity's Big 5 Series: God Is Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens the new year by inviting the community to revisit Unity's first principle - God Is - encouraging everyone to freshly examine their understanding of the divine as an all-pervading, self-existent presence from which all things spring forth. She explores how this infinite source is available to us in every moment, offering whatever we need - love, guidance, companionship, peace - when we actively engage with it through spiritual practice. Rev. Kristin offers practical ways to live this principle, including tithing and sacred service, as concrete actions that align us with divine energy and open the floodgates of blessing in our lives.
• 2023-01-01 White Stone Ceremony Rev. Kristin
• 2022-12-31 7pm Burning Bowl / NYE Rev. Kristin
• 2022-12-25 Interview with Santa Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin brings the spirit of Christmas to life in this delightful and heartwarming interview with Santa Claus himself, who visits Unity of Walnut Creek to share the story of his origins as a boy named Nicholas in the forests of Finland. Through this creative and touching conversation, Rev. Kristin draws out profound spiritual truths - that one gift given with love is more than enough, that kindness extended even to those who are unkind transforms hearts, and that magic becomes real when we truly believe. Santa reminds us that his bag of presents is really a bag of hope, magic, and love, and that the spirit of Christmas lives in our willingness to be generous givers and ambassadors of kindness every single day.
• 2022-12-24 8:00 pm Christmas Eve Rev. Kristin
• 2022-12-11 Advent Week 3: "Love Like An Ocean" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to experience divine love as vast, deep, and rhythmic as the ocean itself - a love that washes over us, surrenders us, and flows through us without limit. Drawing on the story of Mary's radical surrender throughout Jesus' life, Rev. Kristin reminds us that love requires openness, vulnerability, and a willingness to let our hearts break open so the divine can be birthed through us. She encourages us to ask where we might be withholding love and to practice giving it freely, trusting that grief is simply the price we pay for a love worth choosing a million times over.
• 2022-12-04 Advent Week 2: "Peace Like A River" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us into the sacred metaphor of the river during this second week of Advent, exploring how peace comes when we dare to let go of limiting beliefs, old patterns, and the need to control outcomes. Drawing from the story of a small creature who releases its grip on the river bottom in Richard Bach's "Illusions," as well as the courageous example of Mary saying yes to her divine appointment, Rev. Kristin reminds us that we are not meant to cling to stagnant ways of being but to flow with the current of Spirit. She encourages us to trust that when we release our grip, we will be lifted, guided, and carried by the surprise of our own divine unfolding.
• 2022-12-01 7pm Rememberance Service Rev. Kristin
• 2022-11-27 Advent Week 1: "Faith Like A Mountain" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens the first week of Advent by exploring faith as both a mountain to behold and a force powerful enough to move mountains, drawing on Jesus' teaching about mustard-seed faith and her own experience leading a group to summit a 14,000-foot peak in Colorado. She shares inspiring stories of people who overcame addiction, fear, and seemingly insurmountable challenges by activating their faith through spiritual practice, community support, and releasing limiting beliefs. Rev. Kristin encourages listeners to dream big this Advent season, reminding us that as we practice faith and weed out thoughts of limitation, we make space for grace to transform our lives.
• 2022-11-23 7pm Gratitude Service Rev. Kristin
• 2022-11-20 Part 7: "How to Make Peace" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin shares a powerful reflection on peacemaking inspired by her transformative experience at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, where she witnessed a sacred land acknowledgment ceremony and reconciliation process between the Institute and the Esalen tribal people. Drawing from Jesus's teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, she explores how we can settle conflicts quickly, look for the good in others, and practice daily reconciliation - highlighting Gary Simmons' 21-day practice of reviewing each day and reaching out to mend relationships. Rev. Kristin invites her community to consider what collective steps toward peace and unity they might take together, reminding us that when we stand centered in spirit, we have everything we need to become peacemakers in our world.
• 2022-11-13 Part 6: "Healing Defensiveness" Rev. Kristin
• 2022-11-06 Community Gathering Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin explores how competition in relationships stems from lack consciousness and creates disconnection, offering divine purpose as the healing path forward. Drawing from the story of a young horsewoman who prayed not to win but for her horse to do its best, and the Unity men's bocce team who won by embodying joy rather than rivalry, Rev. Kristin illustrates how shifting from competition to shared purpose transforms outcomes. She reminds us that our primary purpose is to express the divine - to be the way of God rather than in the way of God - and when we ground ourselves in this truth, collaboration replaces rivalry and everyone wins.
• 2022-10-30 Part 4: "Healing Misperception" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin uses the beloved fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood - brought to life through a playful skit on Halloween Sunday - to explore how misperceptions fuel conflict and how we can cultivate clearer spiritual seeing. Drawing from a lesser-known version of the story where Red Riding Hood trusts her intuition and creates space to respond wisely, Rev. Kristin guides the community through practical steps for expanding perception - including suspending our current viewpoint, getting curious about what we are making situations mean, and activating the innate power of imagination through the third eye center. This fourth installment of the Eye of the Storm series invites us to embrace childlike wonder and openness as tools for healing misunderstanding and responding to life's challenges from a higher, broader place of spiritual knowing.
• 2022-10-23 Part 3: "Healing Separation" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful exploration of separation consciousness - the deeply ingrained illusion that we are disconnected from Spirit, from each other, and from ourselves - and offers a path back to wholeness through communion with the divine. Drawing from Myrtle Fillmore's teachings and Gary Simmons' "The Eye of the Storm," Rev. Kristin reminds us that we are beings made of stardust who have simply forgotten our true nature, and that by returning to center through prayer, meditation, and presence, we can heal this fabricated reality of separation. She invites us to recognize our role as co-creators who can change the trajectory of humanity by remembering our oneness and mirroring divinity to one another and to future generations.
• 2022-10-16 Part 2: "Making Friends With Conflict" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the transformative practice of embracing conflict rather than avoiding it, drawing on martial arts wisdom, Chinese proverbs, and the teachings of Jesus to reveal that we have more options than simply fight or flight. She introduces the concept of "tend and befriend" as an alternative response and encourages listeners to love, bless, do good, and pray when facing their foes - whether external challenges or the inner critic. Rev. Kristin reminds us that true peace comes not from avoiding life's inevitable storms but from returning to our centered, connected selves where divine wisdom reveals creative solutions and deeper wholeness.
• 2022-10-09 Series, Part 1: "No One is Against You" Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens this fall series by drawing inspiration from the ancient bristlecone pine trees - beings that have thrived for nearly 5,000 years by embodying the truth that nothing is against them. Drawing from Rev. Dr. Gary Simmons' book "The Eye of the Storm," Rev. Kristin explores how our fear-based language and assumptions keep us feeling like victims, and invites us to shift from a mindset of fear into one of faith. Through personal stories from her early ministry journey and a guided visualization, she offers the acronym REST - Root in spiritual principles, Express gratitude, Surrender in prayer, and Trust divine timing - as a pathway to remembering that life's challenges are not working against us but are portals for spiritual awakening.
• 2022-10-02 In Praise of Sacred Service Rev. Kristin
• 2022-09-18 Stories of Triumph Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin presents the second week of "Stories of Triumph," featuring two powerful immigrant stories from Unity of Walnut Creek community members. Edna Castillo shares her journey from Guatemala - overcoming her father's chauvinism, bullying, and an unhappy marriage to become a certified life coach and author who now helps others heal. Dimitri Doronkin recounts his path from Uzbekistan, navigating the struggles of starting over and losing everything, only to discover that God was not distant but intimately present within him. Rev. Kristin celebrates how these stories reveal the spiritual ideals of inclusivity and equality, reminding us that diversity strengthens community.
• 2022-09-11 Realized Dreams Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens this powerful service by inviting two community members to share their personal stories of transformation and resilience. Scott Babcock recounts his recent heart attack and the profound spiritual deepening it sparked - renewing his trust in inner knowing and inspiring him to finally pursue his lifelong dream of walking the John Muir Trail. Delilah Brookstone vulnerably shares her journey through generational trauma, addiction, and multiple attempts to end her life, ultimately finding sobriety, purpose, and healing through following the quiet voice of spirit within. Rev. Kristin frames these testimonies as expressions of human oneness, reminding us that our stories of struggle and triumph are deeply interconnected.
• 2022-09-08 7pm - World Day of Prayer Rev. Kristin
• 2022-09-04 Affirming Life Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us to embrace the sacred practice of affirming life - seeing, appreciating, and calling forth the goodness that is already present all around us. Drawing on the Gospel of Thomas, Unity's 12 Powers teaching, and the story of a maiden who rejected every pearl in search of something better, she reminds us that the kingdom of God is spread upon the earth and our work is simply to notice it with soft focus, open hearts, and grateful words. Rev. Kristin encourages us to move through the world like Persephone returning in spring - wherever we walk, speaking truth and appreciation, life blossoms.
• 2022-08-28 Me & My Shadow Rev. Kristin In this powerful message, Rev. Kristin explores the concept of shadow work - the spiritual practice of acknowledging and integrating the hidden parts of ourselves that we have repressed, denied, or cast aside. Drawing from Carl Jung's psychology, the teachings of Jesus on projection, and her own personal stories of buried anger and reclaimed confidence, Rev. Kristin reminds us that the shadow is actually the source of our highest good. She invites us to courageously shine light into our inner darkness, recognizing that wholeness, authenticity, and deeper joy await when we welcome home every part of who we are with love and acceptance.
• 2022-08-14 August 14, 2022 – Providing Sanctuary Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the profound meaning of sanctuary - not merely as a physical space, but as something we embody and provide for one another. Drawing from the powerful story of two families connected across generations through acts of refuge during the Holocaust and the recent Ukraine crisis, Rev. Kristin invites the community to embrace their natural calling as a place of healing, love, and inclusivity. She encourages Unity of Walnut Creek to be a wide-open space where weary hearts find rest and full cups find purpose, reminding us that we are each called to become the sanctuary we have found.
• 2022-08-13 Charlene Balderston Celebration of Life Rev. Kristin
• 2022-08-07 Stories of Triumph Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin offers a beautiful exploration of Sabbath - the sacred practice of rest - reminding us that if the infinite source of the universe rested on the seventh day, we too are invited into that rhythm. Drawing from her transformative sabbatical in Africa, the wisdom of Jewish Shabbat rituals, Mary Oliver's poetry, and the simple elements of earth, water, fire, and air, Rev. Kristin illuminates how pausing - whether for one conscious breath or an entire afternoon in a hammock - reconnects us to the drumbeat of life and resurrects our sense of aliveness. She invites us to transform everyday acts like eating and washing into sacred communion, discovering that rest is not absence but the very portal through which we remember who we truly are.
• 2022-07-31 Four Agreements: Do Your Best Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin wraps up the Four Agreements series by exploring what it truly means to "always do your best" - not through overachieving or sacrifice, but by reconnecting with our authentic spiritual nature and letting it guide our lives. Using a childhood story of rebellion, the character of Forrest Gump, and a Buddhist teaching tale, Rev. Kristin illustrates that doing our best means saying no to old limiting agreements while saying yes to the freedom of spirit within us. She invites the community to consider how living these agreements - being impeccable with our word, not taking things personally, not making assumptions, and doing our best - can transform not only our individual lives but our relationships and shared spiritual journey together.
• 2022-07-24 Four Agreements: Don't Make Assumptions Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a lively and practical exploration of the third agreement from Don Miguel Ruiz's Toltec wisdom - don't make assumptions - showing how easily we fill in gaps of knowledge with made-up stories that we then treat as truth. Through humorous anecdotes and relatable examples, Rev. Kristin identifies three common habits that don't serve us - making stuff up, needing to be right, and expecting others to read our minds - and offers powerful antidotes including curiosity, generous interpretation, and Byron Katie's inquiry process. She reminds us that the ultimate key to breaking old assumptions lies in trusting our innate spiritual wisdom and seeking to understand rather than be understood.
• 2022-07-17 Four Agreements: Don’t Take Anything Personally Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin draws a beautiful connection between the awe-inspiring images from the James Webb Space Telescope and our daily spiritual practice, reminding us that as beings literally made of stardust, we can choose to live from a vaster perspective rather than getting caught up in life's small irritations. Exploring the second of Don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements - don't take anything personally - Rev. Kristin illustrates through relatable everyday scenarios how old limiting beliefs keep us trapped in cycles of seeking validation or swallowing emotional poison. She invites us to ground ourselves in our intrinsic divine worth, remembering that others are starring in their own movies, and encourages us to lighten up and shine our cosmic light into the world.
• 2022-07-10 Four Agreements: Be Impeccable Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the first of Don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements - being impeccable with your word - through personal stories of shedding old agreements that kept her small and stepping into her authentic calling. She illuminates how every word we speak carries the creative power of God, reminding us that "in the beginning was the word" and inviting us to consider how we use the sacred "I am" in our daily lives. Rev. Kristin offers practical wisdom on releasing gossip, speaking truth, and aligning our words with love, encouraging us to see this practice not as perfection but as a liberating journey toward our divine potential.
• 2022-07-03 Freedom Together Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful Independence Day message exploring the deeper meaning of freedom - not merely as carefree pleasure, but as a spiritual capacity we cultivate within and share outward. Drawing on Khalil Gibran, the symbolism of the Statue of Liberty and the bald eagle, and a touching parable about two brothers choosing a bridge over a fence, Rev. Kristin invites us to recognize that true liberty begins in the "land of the I Am" and flows into collaborative, compassionate action. She reminds us that we are all needed as bridge-builders - choosing freedom over fear in every thought, word, and encounter we have each day.
• 2022-06-26 Spiritual Questions and Responses Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin offers a dynamic and heartfelt message responding to spiritual questions submitted by members of the congregation, covering topics ranging from prayer and the divine masculine-feminine balance to trusting life's transitions, tithing, shadow work, and her vision for Unity's future. With warmth and authenticity, Rev. Kristin explores how prayer changes us rather than changing God, why restoring divine feminine energy is essential for healing our world, and how everyday challenges like gophers and clogged toilets become invitations for spiritual growth. She reminds everyone that the answers they seek already reside within them, encouraging deeper practice, presence, and trust in their own innate wisdom.
• 2022-06-19 June 19, 2022 – Manifested in His Eyes Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a heartfelt Father's Day message weaving together the stories of two remarkable fathers - Ray Kimbrell, a Marine who discovered his greatest mission in devoted fatherhood, and Bobby Flay's father, whose gentle nudging unlocked his son's hidden potential. Through these stories, Rev. Kristin reminds us that we all carry a divine inner father energy - a loving presence that sees our fullest potential already realized and loves us unconditionally beyond measure. She encourages us to trust that guiding wisdom within and offers this simple yet profound advice: show up, pay attention, and respond in love.
• 2022-06-12 June 12, 2022 – Forgiveness – The Fourth Pillar Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin concludes a five-week prosperity series by exploring forgiveness as the fourth and final pillar - alongside generosity, gratitude, and vision - that allows divine abundance to flow freely through our lives. She illuminates how unforgiveness imprisons us, sharing the powerful story of Stephanie Cassatley who forgave her mother's killer after 20 years and experienced profound release and healing. Rev. Kristin offers practical tools for forgiveness work, including end-of-day reflection and a writing exercise that separates facts from interpretation, reminding us that choosing happiness over being right opens the door to true prosperity and freedom.
• 2022-06-05 June 5, 2022 – Generosity – The Third Pillar Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores generosity as the third pillar of prosperity, using the vivid metaphor of fleas in a lidded pot to illustrate how self-imposed limitations block our natural flow of giving and receiving. She invites us to examine the subconscious beliefs about money and wealth formed in childhood - such as the notion that poverty is noble - and to release these "lids" so we can participate fully in the spiritual law of circulation. Through heartwarming stories of everyday kindness and unconditional giving, Rev. Kristin reminds us that generosity flows in countless forms and always returns multiplied, encouraging us to affirm together: "I am wealthy and generous."
• 2022-05-15 May 15, 2022 – Build on a Foundation of Faith Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell launches a new prosperity series by sharing her inspiring personal story of following divine guidance to move from the Midwest to California - a journey marked by synchronicities, trust, and spiritual flow. She explores how faith serves as the essential foundation upon which all prosperity is built, defining faith as a deep knowing in the heart that transcends proof or explanation. Drawing on the biblical teachings of "ask and it is given" and the mustard seed parable, Rev. Kristin Powell invites listeners to identify what they truly know, strengthen their connection with spirit, and release the mountains of doubt that block their good.
• 2022-04-24 April 24, 2022 – Sacred Heart, Sacred Home Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell draws a powerful parallel between the regeneration of Krakatoa after its catastrophic eruption and humanity's capacity for spiritual renewal, reminding us that what may appear to be breakdown is actually breakthrough. She invites us to uncover rather than recover - peeling back the layers of expectation and false narrative to reveal the sacred truth beneath, much like pulling back heavy ground cover to find fertile soil ready for new life. Through the Hawaiian practice of Ho'oponopono and the Celtic wisdom of expecting to find light in one another, Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to breathe, heal, and plant new life as we participate in the emergence of a new earth born from awakened consciousness.
• 2022-04-17 April 17, 2022 – Rise Up! Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful Easter message exploring how resurrection is not just a historical event but a daily spiritual practice available to each of us. Drawing from her own transformative experience on a vision fast in Death Valley and the inspiring story of a young woman who overcame crippling anxiety through changing her thoughts, Rev. Kristin Powell offers a practical acronym - RIGHT - standing for Resurrection, Inquiring and Investing in joy, Gratitude, Heart care, and True thoughts. She reminds us that the depth of Easter comes not from skipping over life's challenges but from rising through them, carrying our wisdom forward as we awaken each morning to the truth of who we are.
• 2022-04-10 April 10, 2022 – The Garden Path Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell weaves together the parable of a bird nesting peacefully beside a cascading waterfall with the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to explore what true peace means - not the absence of chaos, but an unshakable inner calm found through surrender and non-resistance. Drawing on the examples of Gandhi and Peace Pilgrim, she invites us to lay down our weapons of judgment, fear, and defensiveness, and instead lean into life's difficulties with faith and openness. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that a few souls in harmony with the divine will are more powerful than multitudes out of harmony, encouraging us all to be like that little bird - sitting in peace, singing our song of truth, and walking in the light.
• 2022-04-07 Taize for Peace Rev. Kristin
• 2022-04-03 Unity Community Gathering Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin explores the profound spiritual practice of atonement - understood as "at-one-ment" - through the remarkable story of the Amish community's immediate forgiveness following the 2006 Nickel Mines schoolhouse tragedy and the Dagari tribe's practice of uplifting those who have lost their way. She invites us to consider forgiveness not merely as a mental exercise but as an active movement toward reparation and reconciliation rooted in our fundamental oneness with all life and with the divine. Rev. Kristin offers practical steps for daily forgiveness practice and encourages us to take the first courageous action toward healing in our own lives and in the world.
• 2022-03-27 March 27, 2022 – Illumined Soul Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin draws from a breathtaking experience of paddling an outrigger canoe during a moon eclipse - where bioluminescence lit up the dark waters - to illuminate the path of the illumined soul. She explores how beauty and light emerge from darkness, reminding us that just as the yin-yang symbol teaches, there is always light within the dark and our inner lamp can never be extinguished. Rev. Kristin offers practical ways to walk this path - finding light in difficult times, unmasking our truest selves, experimenting with illuminating practices, and letting the ego bow in service to divine guidance. Using the metaphor of outrigger canoeing, she invites us to shine our individual lights while paddling together in the boat of humanity.
• 2022-03-13 March 13, 2022 – Holding Space Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin explores the sacred practice of holding space as a powerful healing tool rooted in Unity's founding legacy. Drawing on the example of co-founder Myrtle Fillmore's healing ministry, she presents a "Triple A" framework - Attend, Allow, and Attune - for becoming skilled spiritual space holders in a world that desperately needs compassionate witnesses. Rev. Kristin invites us to show up with open hearts, resist the urge to fix or bypass pain, and trust that the divine presence working through us can bring comfort and transformation to those who are hurting - whether a neighbor, a loved one, or an entire nation in crisis.
• 2022-03-06 March 6, 2022 – Peacin’ It Together Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin weaves together the Season for Nonviolence and the Lenten season, inviting us to fast from aggression, judgment, and negativity while feasting on prayer, vision, and silence. She reminds us that no person or nation can stand in the way of God's goodness for humanity, encouraging us to pray even for those who have lost their way rather than giving our power away to fear or rage. Drawing on wisdom from Pema Chodron, Valerie Kaur, and young Nicosi Johnson, Rev. Kristin calls us to do all we can with what we have, right where we are - holding visions of peace, shielding the world in love, and trusting that our inner work truly changes the tide.
• 2022-02-27 February 27, 2022 – Perfect Peace in Imperfect Conditions Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin delivers a powerful message on cultivating inner peace during turbulent times, drawing inspiration from Gandhi's lifelong practice of using a mantra to transform fear into fearlessness. She shares how Gandhi's childhood nanny taught him to steady his mind by repeating "Rama Rama" - comparing the restless mind to an elephant's trunk that calms when given something to hold - and invites the congregation to discover their own personal mantra through spirit. Rev. Kristin reminds us that we each have a responsibility to ground ourselves in peace through prayer, meditation, and mantra practice, so that we can be a steady hand for others rather than getting pulled into the quicksand of fear and drama surrounding us.
• 2022-02-20 February 20, 2022 – The Timely Metaphysics of Noah’s Ark Rev. Kristin
• 2022-02-13 February 13, 2022 – I’m Choosing Love Today Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin shares a powerful story of a Sikh woman named Avnit who, when confronted by a stranger's hateful outburst in a grocery store, stood her ground and simply repeated "I love you" until the aggressor broke down in tears - demonstrating what it looks like to respond from divine love rather than fear. Drawing on Unity's teaching of the 12 powers, the concept of oneness, and the wisdom of compassion, Rev. Kristin invites us to build a spiritual constitution strong enough to meet any adversity with love by breaking up with our inner judge and victim, recommitting to our true selves, and choosing love today.
• 2022-01-30 January 30, 2022 – Prepared by Faith Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin traces the inspiring history of Unity's founders, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, to illuminate how faith - not funds - has always been the foundation of true prosperity. Drawing from the Fillmores' remarkable journey of building a spiritual movement one faithful step at a time, Rev. Kristin reminds us that prosperity is an inside job rooted in divine essence rather than material possessions. She invites us to activate our innate power of faith, center in our source, and consider writing our own covenant with spirit - knowing that when we turn on this inner power, doors of unimagined possibility continue to open.
• 2022-01-23 January 23, 2022 – Healed by Love Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin takes us back to the roots of the Unity movement, sharing the powerful healing story of co-founder Myrtle Fillmore, who transformed her lifelong illness through the revolutionary understanding that as a child of God, she could not inherit disease. Drawing from Myrtle Fillmore's healing letters, Rev. Kristin guides the congregation through a spiritual health treatment and reminds us that our bodies are temples of divine love deserving reverence and care. She honors the recent passing of Thich Nhat Hanh, weaving his teaching on the illusion of separateness into a call for holistic healing - of body, mind, relationships, and world - through the ever-flowing tonic of divine love.
• 2022-01-09 January 9, 2022 – Aim Me, An Arrow for the Divine Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin invites us into the new year with the rich metaphor of spiritual archery, exploring how we can align our thoughts, feelings, words, actions, and body language as arrows aimed toward our highest divine potential. Drawing from Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet," Lakota wisdom, and the Japanese practice of kudo, Rev. Kristin encourages us to open ourselves like a bow - strong yet receptive - and surrender to spirit's guidance. She reminds us that "missing the mark" is simply an invitation to try again, and that by clarifying our spiritual goals and practicing with reverence, we become living arrows aimed toward our fullest awakening in 2022.
• 2022-01-02 January 2, 2022 – A Brilliant New 2022 & White Stone Ceremony Rev. Kristin Rev. Kristin opens 2022 with the powerful revelation that "abracadabra" is rooted in the Aramaic phrase meaning "I will create as I speak," inviting the community to recognize the sacred creative power of their words. She explores how our vocabulary shapes our reality - how limiting words compress possibility while expansive words like yes, love, and imagine open us to new creation. Rev. Kristin then guides the congregation through the beloved White Stone Ceremony, where each person receives a word from Spirit to serve as their guiding light for the year ahead - a hidden manna written on a stone symbolizing freedom and new beginnings.
• 2021-12-26 December 26, 2021 – Christmastide Giving Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the sacred season of Christmastide as a time of generous giving, weaving together the story of 13-year-old Abraham Olagbegi - who chose feeding the homeless as his Make-A-Wish gift - with the biblical gifts of the Magi to illuminate both social and spiritual dimensions of generosity. She invites us to release judgment, embrace curiosity, and see the divine wholeness in every person, recognizing that temporary circumstances never define someone's identity. Rev. Kristin Powell shares her own journey with tithing as a spiritual practice, encouraging us to step into the flow of giving and receiving that opens doors to epiphany, abundance, and deeper connection with the breath of life itself.
• 2021-12-19 December 19, 2021 – Abiding Joy Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a radiant message on the nature of abiding joy as an inherent, unshakeable quality of our divine nature during this Advent season. She reminds us that joy is not something external that can be taken from us, but rather a fixed and stable state of being that resides within - accessible whenever we release the ties that bind the mind and relax into the truth of who we are. Through stories of tap dancing in the park, the Dalai Lama's infectious laughter, and a neighborhood hokey pokey celebration, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how joy multiplies when shared and how opening ourselves to divine ideas naturally leads us into joyful expression. She invites us to embrace our Christ nature with zero tolerance for self-deception, unbinding our minds like unwrapping a gift to reveal the light and abiding joy within.
• 2021-12-12 December 12, 2021 – Infinite Love Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt message on the infinite, boundless nature of divine love and its power to transform even the darkest circumstances - from wartime enemies sparing the Ponte Vecchio bridge to Mother Teresa's lifelong devotion to loving Christ in "all his distressing disguises." She reminds us that fear is simply false evidence appearing real, and that love is always chasing us, waiting for us to surrender to its embrace. Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to ask one guiding question throughout our days - "Am I helping or hindering love right now?" - as a practical path toward mastering love and becoming courageous, vulnerable channels for its infinite flow.
• 2021-12-05 December 5, 2021 – Deep Peace Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the journey toward deep inner peace, sharing her personal experience of navigating uncertainty during a family health crisis as a doorway to spiritual surrender. Drawing from the Christmas story of Joseph, the legacy of Peace Pilgrim, and her own practice, Rev. Kristin Powell offers three transformative steps for cultivating peace - accepting circumstances as they are, aligning with the divine through prayer and trust, and then acting from that place of clarity. This heartfelt message reminds us that conflict is not the enemy but an invitation to remember our true nature as peacemakers in a world that deeply needs our light.
• 2021-11-28 November 28, 2021– Living Faith Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into the sacred season of Advent by exploring the theme of living faith - a force she distinguishes from hope as one that helps us not merely survive but truly thrive. Through the beautiful Hanukkah folktale of Hayim, a man whose unwavering faith brought abundance to his entire village, and through the story of Mary's courageous yes to divine calling, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how faith requires trust, risk, and a willingness to listen for the familiar voice of spirit. She encourages us to bring sacred consciousness into everyday acts - from lighting candles to decorating our homes - recognizing that each of us lights up the world with our faith.
• 2021-11-21 November 21, 2021 – The Future of Gratitude Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of gratitude not only as a present-moment practice but as a key to manifesting our future dreams and goals. Drawing on the research of David Desteno, she reveals that gratitude doubles our self-control, reduces stress, and connects us to what we truly value - making it far more effective than willpower alone. Rev. Kristin Powell shares the beloved Sufi story of Nazruddin and the strawberry to illustrate how presence and appreciation can arise even in life's most challenging moments. She invites us into a simple, expandable practice of giving thanks throughout each day, reminding us that this one act can uplift our relationships, inspire justice, and help co-create the thriving world we envision together.
• 2021-11-07 Board of Trustees Voting Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the rich symbolism of the Holy Grail, inviting us to consider what makes something sacred in our own lives - whether a symbol, spiritual practice, or activity that deepens our connection to the divine. Drawing on the legend of Parsifal and the archetype of the Holy Fool, she illuminates how our spiritual journeys are shifting from individual hero quests toward collaborative, compassionate service. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that the essential question - "Whom does the grail serve?" - calls us beyond personal transcendence into sacred service for all life, recognizing that we ourselves become holy grails when we live receptively and give life to others.
• 2021-10-31 October 31, 2021 – The Wounded Healer Unmasked Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful and vulnerable message exploring the intersection of the Holy Fool archetype and the wounded healer, using the thinning of the veil at Halloween as a gateway to deeper spiritual truth. Through a creative dialogue with Death personified, Rev. Kristin Powell courageously shares her own story of unmasking - coming out to her father and the healing that followed his transition - illustrating how facing our wounds frees us to live authentically. Drawing on wisdom from Khalil Gibran, Anaïs Nin, and a young blogger's reflection on Jesus as wounded healer, she invites us to embrace our full soul expression and extend compassion born from our own experiences of pain and healing.
• 2021-10-24 October 24, 2021 – Earthrise: Reclaiming the Web Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the vision of Earthrise - seeing our planet as one interconnected whole - and invites us to reclaim our role as weavers of the web of life. Drawing on the ancient wisdom of spider as creator, protector, and manifester, she reminds us that the web of interconnection is our natural state, and our spiritual work is to mend where it has been broken by separation and fear. Featuring a moving story from guest Cat Hill about the transformative power of "what if," Rev. Kristin Powell calls each of us to use our imagination, patience, and courage to weave a new Earth together.
• 2021-10-10 October 10, 2021 – Dreams In The Great Turning Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the power of dreams and imagination as gateways to spiritual guidance in this second week of "The Path of the Holy Fool" series. Drawing on the grail legend of Parsifal, the Fillmores' founding dream, and deep ecologist Joanna Macy's concept of "the great turning," Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to honor the liminal space we collectively inhabit during these transformative times. She encourages us to step into our imaginal realm with faith and curiosity - asking not what our dreams mean, but what they are asking of us - trusting that like Parsifal's horse, the ground will rise to meet each courageous step we take.
• 2021-10-03 Earth Care Session (1-3pm) Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to embrace the archetype of the holy fool - that playful, wise, and authentic part of ourselves that holds the golden key of imagination. Drawing from Sufi poetry, personal past life experiences, and the metaphor of the labyrinth, Rev. Kristin Powell explores how freeing our "beautiful, rowdy prisoners" within allows us to unlock hidden splendor and step into visionary lives of creative service. She reminds us that the keys we need - compassion, intuition, imagination - are already in our possession, waiting to open doors we may have assumed were locked, so we might joyfully co-create solutions to the pressing challenges of our world.
• 2021-09-26 Community Gathering (1pm-2pm) Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2021-09-19 September 19, 2021– Release Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of release - the eleventh of twelve powers - inviting us to let go of old labels, limiting beliefs, and attachments that no longer serve our highest good. Using the story of Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt as a vivid metaphor for being preserved in attachment to the past, Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to notice what holds us back, release it, accept what is, and bless the good that remains. She reminds us that saying no with inner knowing creates space for our truest yes, opening the way to infinite abundant good.
• 2021-09-12 September 12, 2021 – Zeal Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of zeal - the inward fire of the soul that urges us onward - drawing from the biblical story of Ruth's devoted love for Naomi and Charles Fillmore's famous declaration of sizzling enthusiasm. She reminds us that zeal expresses uniquely through each person, whether quietly or exuberantly, and can be reignited through divine discontent, heart's desire, or simply plugging back into our connection with Spirit. Using examples ranging from Van Gogh's unstoppable creative drive to the patient persistence of leafcutter ants, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to discover what makes us come alive and go forth with all our heart.
• 2021-09-05 September 5, 2021 – Order Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of divine order - one of the 12 powers of humankind - offering reassurance that beneath life's apparent chaos lies an unbreakable universal pattern moving us toward wholeness. Drawing from chaos theory's "strange attractor" concept, she illustrates how even turbulent times are guided by a greater design, and that our smallest spiritual actions - like the flutter of a butterfly's wings - can shift outcomes toward peace and love. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to establish daily spiritual routines, connect with our source, and trust that something bigger is unfolding in our world right now.
• 2021-08-29 August 29, 2021 – Will Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of Will as one of the 12 divine powers within us, drawing a meaningful distinction between willfulness and willingness. She illuminates how our deepest desires are naturally aligned with divine will when we look beneath surface actions to uncover what we truly seek - whether that is peace, stillness, or connection. Rev. Kristin Powell offers practical tools including self-compassion steps and a meditation activating both understanding and will, encouraging us to be coached by spirit rather than driven by stubbornness or immediate gratification. She reminds us that free will is our priceless gift, inviting us to choose divine right action in service of personal and collective awakening.
• 2021-08-15 August 15, 2021 – Imagination Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the sixth of Unity's 12 powers - imagination - drawing inspiration from Olympic divers who visualized their gold medal victory each night before bed. She invites us to activate our spiritual "single eye," referencing Jesus's teaching that when our eye is single, our whole body fills with light, and connects this to the symbol of the eye of providence on the dollar bill. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to rise above limited perspectives at the base of the pyramid to the pinnacle of divine vision, where we can truly co-create the world we envision - one where all life thrives in conscious oneness.
• 2021-08-01 August 1, 2021 – Wisdom Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of wisdom - that deep, gut-level knowing that differs from intellectual knowledge - as part of Unity's series on the 12 Powers. Beginning with a charming childhood story about a shoplifted pen and the visceral lesson it taught, Rev. Kristin Powell distinguishes wisdom from knowledge, showing how wisdom is honed through life experience, humility, and inner listening. She draws on Proverbs, Brene Brown's research on authentic connection, and the Sufi wise fool Nasruddin to illustrate how good judgment grows from experience - and how true community is built through patience, trust, and discernment rather than shortcuts.
• 2021-07-18 July 18, 2021 – Strength Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of strength as part of Unity's 12 Powers series, revealing how true strength goes far beyond the physical to encompass resilience, resourcefulness, and the courage to stay open-hearted. Through stories ranging from a mother lifting a car off her child through prayer to her own rescue dog Samson's remarkable transformation, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how strength and faith work together as spiritual brothers. She invites us to cultivate a "strong back, soft front" - building a flexible spiritual backbone through meditation, honest conversations, and community support while remaining vulnerably open to life's possibilities.
• 2021-07-11 July 11, 2021 – Faith Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell introduces the first in a series on Unity's 12 spiritual powers, beginning with faith - our innate capacity to trust in what we cannot yet see. Drawing on the story of Peter walking on water, her niece's volcano hike, and her own experience walking across hot coals, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how faith breaks the chain of routine and invites us to expand into new possibilities. She encourages us to embrace this unique time of transition - where the familiar and the new coexist - by activating our inner power of faith, stepping forward even when the ground feels shaky beneath our feet.
• 2021-07-04 July 4, 2021 – American Spiritual Journey: Voices of our Community Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell celebrates spiritual freedom on this Fourth of July by highlighting the deep connection between America's founding ideals and Unity's core beliefs - equality, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all. Rather than delivering a traditional message, Rev. Kristin Powell invites two beloved community members, Alexandra Diavalon and Dimitri Daronkin, to share their powerful spiritual journeys as immigrants who found home and purpose at Unity of Walnut Creek. Their stories weave together themes of divine guidance, service, tithing, and the transformative power of spiritual community through life's greatest challenges and celebrations.
• 2021-06-27 June 27, 2021 – All Our Needs Are Met Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the powerful truth that all our needs are met - not always in the ways we expect, but through divine timing and a plan greater than our own. Drawing on the parable of the rich fool, personal stories, and the charming tale of a message in a bottle found 95 years later, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to release our need to control outcomes and instead trust in spirit's unfolding. She encourages us to unclog the channels of heart, mind, and body so we can receive the abundant good already available, reminding us that true prosperity is not about possessions but about turning toward the divine in every moment.
• 2021-06-20 June 20, 2021 – Reuniting in Divine Light Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt and joyful message as Unity of Walnut Creek reunites in person for the first time after fifteen months apart. Using the powerful metaphor of metamorphosis, she invites the community to reflect on how they have transformed during their collective cocooning - what dissolved away and what new wings are forming as they emerge into fullness. Rev. Kristin Powell beautifully weaves together the imagery of butterflies clustering near their source of nectar with the human need for spiritual community, encouraging everyone to unmask their authentic divine selves and deepen their commitment to one another on this sacred journey of becoming.
• 2021-06-13 June 13, 2021 – With Spiritual Liberty and Divine Justice for All Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful message honoring both Pride Month and Juneteenth, weaving together themes of spiritual liberty, divine justice, and authentic self-expression. Drawing on the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre survivors, the teachings of Jesus, and the interconnected nature of liberation, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to consider where our own growing edges lie in acceptance and understanding. She offers practical ways to be allies - from sharing pronouns to focusing on impact over intent - reminding us that our liberation is bound up together. This warm and timely message calls us to pattern the divine and help manifest a world where truth, justice, and freedom belong to all.
• 2021-06-06 June 6, 2021 – Resilience Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the theme of resilience through the beloved story of Frog and Toad, drawing parallels between Toad's impatient garden-tending and our collective experience navigating the uncertainty of emerging from the pandemic. She shares Angela Duckworth's research on grit - the combination of passion and perseverance - alongside inspiring stories of Aretha Franklin and Vietnamese refugees to illustrate the power of a resilient heart. Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to build resilience through spiritual practice, particularly by learning to sit with uncomfortable feelings rather than pushing them away, discovering that emotions naturally rise and fall like clouds in the sky. This message encourages us to master the art of uncertainty with passionate resilience, trusting that like seeds in the dark, new growth is always possible.
• 2021-05-30 May 30, 2021 – Presence Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of living in the present moment through the parable of a young woman encountering a lion on her path - a metaphor for the unexpected events that shake us awake from our sleepwalking through life. Drawing on wisdom from Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rumi, and Pema Chodron, Rev. Kristin Powell offers practical tools like conscious breathing, observing nature, and simple affirmations to help us access the divine presence that is always available right now. She reminds us that when we drop into the now, anxiety melts away, problems dissolve, and we rediscover the childlike wonder found in life's simplest gifts - to touch, to taste, to laugh, and to love.
• 2021-05-23 May 23, 2021 – What Is Essential? Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores how times of uncertainty - from the pandemic to social upheaval - offer profound spiritual opportunities to awaken and discover what truly matters. Drawing on the metaphor of decluttering, the wisdom of Marie Kondo, and the teachings of Jesus about the lilies of the field, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to ask "What is essential?" as a tool for discernment, stripping away the excess in our minds, hearts, and lives so we can reconnect with our deepest values. She encourages us to embrace the "I don't know" as a doorway to spiritual growth, opening ourselves to new possibilities for joy, love, and connection.
• 2021-05-16 May 16, 2021 – Faith Rev. Kristin Powell In this opening message of her series "Mastering the Art of Uncertainty," Rev. Kristin Powell explores how the past 400 days of pandemic living have offered profound spiritual lessons about releasing our grip on certainty and embracing faith as a flotation device in the ever-changing sea of life. Rev. Kristin Powell draws on wisdom from Pema Chodron, Jesus, and the Tibetan story of the well frog to illustrate how fixed identities and false certainties keep us small, while openness and curiosity expand our dance floor. She invites us to find that underlying feeling of "all is well" - not by anchoring to rigid beliefs, but by relaxing into the spaciousness of spirit where true freedom and joy await.
• 2021-05-09 May 9, 2021 – Coming Home to Mother Rev. Kristin Powell In this heartfelt Mother's Day message, Rev. Kristin Powell explores the divine feminine as a homecoming - an invitation to return to the nurturing, unconditional love that resides within us all. Rev. Kristin Powell weaves together personal stories, the wisdom of children, and the sacred symbolism of Unity's labyrinth to illuminate how mother love transcends gender and form, offering rest, restoration, and joyous reunion. She invites us to consider how we can both receive and extend this embrace of ease and acceptance to ourselves and others, celebrating the divine Mother energy that welcomes us home exactly as we are.
• 2021-04-25 April 25, 2021 – Sustainable Abundance – (Part 2 of 2) Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the concept of sustainable abundance through the lens of indigenous wisdom, drawing from Robin Wall Kimmerer's retelling of the Sky Woman creation story and the interconnected root systems of trees and plants. Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to expand our understanding of prosperity beyond personal gain toward a collective, reciprocal relationship with all life and Mother Earth. She highlights how reciprocity - giving back as we receive - is the key to lasting abundance, offering practical examples from regenerative farming to community reuse to joyful gardening as ways we can root ourselves in gratitude and care for our shared home.
• 2021-04-18 April 18, 2021 – Our Original Instructions – (Part 1 of 2) Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell shares a heartfelt exploration of what Native Americans call our "original instructions" - the innate responsibility to care for and protect the Earth. Through personal stories of her evolving relationship with litter - from righteous anger to sacred service - Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how spiritual awareness transforms our actions and deepens our connection to all living beings. She invites us to become indigenous to place by developing intimate, heart-based relationships with the natural world around us, and features teachings from Chief Shukenwankasapa reminding us that as the youngest species on Earth, we have the most to learn from our elders in nature.
• 2021-04-11 April 11, 2021 – Why Ramadan Matters Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell welcomes Muslim imam and interfaith leader Fatih Atish for a rich dialogue exploring the significance of Ramadan as it begins during this holy season. Together they discuss the foundational beliefs and five pillars of Islam, the spiritual purposes of fasting - including cultivating empathy, self-discipline, and compassion - and how reading the Quran cover to cover each year offers fresh spiritual renewal. Rev. Kristin Powell creates a warm space for interfaith understanding, highlighting the shared Abrahamic roots that connect diverse faith traditions and inviting the Unity of Walnut Creek community to deepen relationships through an upcoming Ramadan interfaith gathering.
• 2021-04-04 April 4, 2021 – Crossing The Threshold Into Resurrected Life Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful Easter message exploring the resurrection as a profound spiritual invitation to cross the threshold from limitation into our fullest divine potential. Drawing from the story of Mary at the tomb, she illuminates how we often fail to recognize the brilliance calling us forward - not because it isn't there, but because we lack the context to perceive it. Through a vivid personal story of skydiving after graduate school, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates the exhilaration and surrender required when we say yes with our whole being to spiritual breakthrough. She reminds us that our liberation is bound together, and when one person steps into the light, everyone benefits from that courageous crossing.
• 2021-03-21 March 21, 2021 – Reimagine Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to reimagine humanity through the lens of spring - celebrating our beautiful diversity the way we celebrate nature's wildflowers swaying together in one field. Drawing from Valerie Kaur's "See No Stranger" and the powerful story of the Oak Creek Sikh community's response to tragedy with forgiveness and love, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that revolutionary love - wondering, grieving, listening, standing up, and reimagining - is our compass back to oneness. She encourages us to hold our spiritual vision while taking action, knowing that a thousand small acts of love can transform our collective consciousness into full bloom.
• 2021-03-14 March 14, 2021 – Stand Up Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual call to "stand up" as part of Unity of Walnut Creek's Season for Nonviolence series, drawing from Valerie Carr's revolutionary love framework and the courageous legacy of Harriet Tubman. She reminds us that true reconciliation requires truth-telling, and that faith without action remains incomplete - just as Jesus demonstrated by speaking spiritual truth to worldly power and standing up for the marginalized. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to integrate contemplation with activism, pausing before causing harm and finding the courage to speak up on behalf of others, knowing that our liberation is bound up together.
• 2021-03-07 March 7, 2021 – Listen Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative spiritual practice of deep listening - particularly listening to those whose views oppose our own - drawing from Valerie Kaur's revolutionary love compass and the ancient vision of unity found in Isaiah. She reminds us that listening to our opponents is not about persuading them to our viewpoint but about tending wounds, deepening understanding, and healing the collective false belief that we are separate from one another. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to pause, pray, and proceed with curiosity and compassion, using story rather than debate to open hearts and bridge divides. This essential spiritual work, she affirms, requires both action and community as we move toward wholeness together.
• 2021-02-28 February 28, 2021 – Grief Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores grief as a sacred pathway to joy and healing, drawing on Valerie Kaur's revolutionary love compass to illuminate how grieving with others is a profound act of love and solidarity. Through powerful stories - including the aftermath of 9-11 hate crimes and the healing that came when 3,000 people gathered at a Sikh man's memorial - Rev. Kristin Powell demonstrates that unresolved grief in a nation can be catastrophic, while shared grief can transform communities. She invites us to embrace the RAIN framework for compassion, release our pain in healthy ways, and remember that our liberation is bound together, making collective grieving an essential step toward wholeness and joy.
• 2021-02-21 February 21, 2021 – Wonder Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores wonder as the foundation of revolutionary love, drawing from Valerie Kaur's "See No Stranger" compass and her own dialogue with the divine feminine within. She invites us to consider how wonder - the simple act of being curious about others - can dissolve fear, rebuild broken relationships, and dismantle the institutional barriers that separate us. Through powerful stories, brain science, and the truth that we are all made of stardust, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that when we see no stranger, we return not only to one another but to our truest, most divine selves.
• 2021-02-07 February 7, 2021 – It’s All in the Follow Through Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell uses a Super Bowl Sunday sports metaphor to explore Unity's fifth principle - that knowing spiritual truths is not enough, we must live them through consistent follow-through. She walks through all five principles, showing how faith over fear, recognizing our innate divinity, co-creating through focused thoughts and feelings, and practicing prayer and meditation all come alive only when embodied in daily life. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that living these principles includes both doing and being - from acts of service to silently blessing others - and offers guiding questions to help us stay on track.
• 2021-01-31 January 31, 2021 – Accessing Deeper Realms Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into a deeper exploration of Unity's fourth principle - the transformative power of prayer and meditation. Drawing on the rich legacy of co-founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, she illuminates how these practices connect us to divine wisdom and guidance, while honestly addressing the common blocks of disbelief, perceived lack, and fear that keep us from consistent practice. Rev. Kristin Powell explores the four intuitive pathways - inner seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing - that become accessible when we commit to regular spiritual practice, encouraging us to simply begin and allow our lives to become a flowing dance with the divine.
• 2021-01-24 January 24, 2021 – Heart’s Desire and Pure Imagination Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of co-creation through Unity's third principle, showing how our thoughts and feelings work together to manifest our heart's desires into reality. Drawing on the wisdom of Unity co-founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, she illuminates how desire is not separate from God's will but rather the divine bubbling up from within us. Rev. Kristin Powell offers a memorable framework spelled LIFE - Longing, Imagination, Focus, and Engaging feelings - as a guide for conscious co-creation. Using the beloved story of The Little Engine That Could, she reminds us that our thoughts fuel our ability to climb any mountain and deliver good into the world.
• 2021-01-17 January 17, 2021 – Will The Real Self Stand? Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell draws inspiration from the classic game show "To Tell the Truth" to explore the spiritual journey of discovering our authentic divine nature. Using a Hindu legend about Brahma hiding divinity within humans and teachings from the Gospel of Thomas, she reminds us that our true essence - our inherent goodness and wholeness - has been within us all along, waiting to be uncovered. Rev. Kristin Powell guides listeners through self-inquiry to identify the "imposter selves" we create through societal expectations and self-protection, inviting us to let those masks fall away so our real divine self can finally stand.
• 2021-01-10 January 10, 2021 – The Maturation of God Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the evolution of our understanding of God, inviting listeners to examine whether their concept of the divine has matured alongside their spiritual growth. Drawing from the biblical narrative - from an absent, punishing God to the Ark of the Covenant carried alongside the Israelites to the indwelling presence of Christ - she traces humanity's deepening realization of oneness with the divine. Rev. Kristin Powell affirms that while God lives within us, we also live within a presence far greater than ourselves, offering comfort and grounding especially during turbulent times. She encourages each person to continually revisit and expand their understanding of God as presence, wisdom, and love.
• 2021-01-03 White Stone Ceremony Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell leads Unity of Walnut Creek's annual White Stone Ceremony, inviting the community to reflect on the unprecedented events of 2020 and carry forward its deepest lessons - greater compassion, enhanced connection, trust in the divine, and the embrace of uncertainty as a doorway to faith. She guides listeners through a contemplative ritual rooted in ancient tradition, where each person receives a white stone and listens in silence for a sacred word or quality to serve as their spiritual north star throughout 2021. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages everyone to share their unprecedented life in service of building a bright new normal grounded in love, wisdom, and wholeness.
• 2020-12-06 Advent, Week 2 - "Peace" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into the second week of Advent by exploring the theme of peace through the parable of the Chinese farmer, whose steady response of "maybe so, maybe not" teaches us to release judgment and trust the divine unfolding we cannot yet see. She draws a beautiful parallel between Mary's receptive surrender and the season of yin - the feminine, inward energy of winter - encouraging us to embrace stillness, silence, and going within rather than resisting what is. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that by dropping drama and resistance, we become "no drama teachers" who radiate peace into a world that deeply needs it.
• 2020-11-15 Fall Series, Part 7, Generosity Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores generosity as a pillar of enduring joy, drawing a powerful parallel between the life-giving Sea of Galilee - which both receives and gives back - and the stagnant Dead Sea, which has no outlet. She addresses how polarization and division close our hearts, offering Pema Chodron's "Just Like Me" practice as a way to bridge divides and reconnect with our shared humanity. Through touching stories of a child saving a spider, strangers helping a determined college student, and a comfort spaniel offering love, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that generosity can be beautifully simple - just an open heart following the divine flow of giving and receiving.
• 2020-11-08 Fall Series, Part 6, "Compassion" Rev. Kristin Powell In this sixth installment of the Eight Pillars of Enduring Joy series, Rev. Kristin Powell explores compassion as both a practice and a way of being, drawing from the wisdom of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama's Book of Joy. Rev. Kristin Powell highlights two transformative truths - that self-centered thinking is the source of suffering, while compassionate concern for others is the source of happiness - and shares the powerful story of Anthony Hinton, who found joy on death row through serving others. She invites us to reach across divides with grace, reminding us that compassion is contagious and ripples outward to heal our communities.
• 2020-11-01 Fall Series, Part 5 "Forgiveness" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt exploration of forgiveness as the fifth pillar of enduring joy, drawing from the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She shares the inspiring example of Nelson Mandela and South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission to illustrate how forgiveness can transform not only individual hearts but entire societies. Rev. Kristin Powell offers practical tools for the forgiveness journey, including Colin Tipping's Radical Forgiveness Steps, while reminding us that forgiveness is not weakness but a courageous act that frees our bodies, minds, and hearts to love more fully.
• 2020-10-25 Fall Series, Part 4 "Acceptance" Rev. Kristin Powell In this timely fourth installment of the Fall Series on the eight pillars of joy, Rev. Kristin Powell explores acceptance as a powerful spiritual practice - not as passive resignation, but as the essential starting point from which real change can begin. Drawing on the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how acceptance allows us to redirect energy from resistance toward co-creation with Spirit, making room for grace in our lives and relationships. She invites the community to cultivate acceptance through meditation, curious engagement with others, and collective action - including a pledge to hold no malice toward fellow citizens regardless of election outcomes - as we work together toward the beloved community.
• 2020-10-18 Fall Series, Part 3 "Humor" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores humor as one of the Eight Pillars of Joy, drawing from the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu to show how laughter connects us through our shared humanity. She reveals that humor, humility, and human all share the same Latin root - humus, meaning earth - reminding us that lightening up literally brings us back down to earth and closer to one another. Through personal stories, jokes, and heartfelt examples, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to embrace feeling ridiculous, find levity in our mistakes, and recognize humor as a spiritual quality that heals and connects. Her joyful message encourages us all to lighten up and spread laughter as a gift to the world.
• 2020-10-11 Fall Series, Part 2 "Humility" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores humility as the second pillar of enduring joy, drawing from the wisdom of the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu as shared in The Book of Joy. She illuminates how true humility is not timidity or false modesty, but a grounded recognition that we are all essential threads in one beautiful tapestry - interdependent, gifted, and called to serve. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that comparison is the thief of joy, and that when we release the ego's games of puffing up or diminishing ourselves, we return to our truest nature as divine beings walking one another home.
• 2020-10-04 Fall Series - Enduring Joy, Part 1 "Perspective" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell launches an inspiring eight-week fall series on the pillars of joy, drawing from the wisdom of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama as captured in their Book of Joy. She explores the first pillar - Perspective - inviting us to cultivate both an expansive view that goes wide and long, and a deeper view that finds wonder in life's details. Rev. Kristin Powell shares how shifting our perspective serves as a "skull key" that unlocks happiness, reminding us that whether we look through the poet's eye or the visionary's gaze, widening and deepening our view opens the window to greater joy.
• 2020-09-27 Prayer Series, Part 4 "The Grace Prayer" Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2020-09-20 Prayer Series, Part 3 "The Metta Prayer" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell introduces the ancient practice of metta - loving kindness meditation - as part of her Prayers of Perseverance series, tracing its origins from the Buddha's teaching to 500 monks who needed a "weapon of protection" against the disturbing forest devas. She guides listeners through the traditional stages of metta practice - blessing oneself, a loved one, a neutral person, a difficult person, and all beings - while encouraging flexibility in adapting the order to meet individual needs. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we were born to live in these transformative times and that our spiritual practice of offering kindness is both a gift to ourselves and a profound service to the world.
• 2020-09-13 Prayer Series, Part 2 "23rd Psalm" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell offers a timely and deeply comforting exploration of Psalm 23 as part of the Prayers of Perseverance series, reframing this beloved scripture as a guide for navigating our collective dark valley of pandemic, racial injustice, and environmental crisis. She reminds us that the valley is not a permanent dwelling place but a passage we walk through with divine guidance and protection, and she invites us to sit at the table with those who hold opposing views - sharing the powerful story of C.P. Ellis and Ann Atwater as proof that transformation happens when enemies meet face to face. Rev. Kristin Powell closes with a beautiful invitation to accept our anointing, trust the journey, and commit to building a world overflowing with goodness and mercy.
• 2020-09-06 Prayer Series, Part 1- "Serenity Prayer" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell opens a new sermon series called Prayers of Perseverance by exploring the timeless Serenity Prayer, unpacking its three essential elements - acceptance, courage, and wisdom - as gifts that support us through challenging times. Drawing from a recent backpacking trip in Yosemite, Rev. Kristin Powell shares stories of divine intervention and synchronicity that emerged when she set clear intentions and trusted the flow of life. She invites the community to practice the Serenity Prayer together daily at noon, building collective spiritual energy and deepening our relationship with the inner guidance system that leads us toward peace, right action, and divine timing.
• 2020-08-23 August 23, 2020 – How Will I Realize My Divine Potential? Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell concludes a powerful sermon series by exploring the question "How will I realize my divine potential?" - inviting listeners to recognize the unlimited brilliance already within them. Drawing on the metaphor of an acorn holding the majesty of a mighty oak tree, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that our greatest fear is not inadequacy but rather the fullness of our own light and power. She encourages us to shift from asking "what's wrong with me?" to "what's right with me?" - affirming that as we let our divine light shine, we give others permission to do the same.
• 2020-08-16 August 16, 2020 – What Serves The Best and Highest Good? Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the powerful question "What serves the highest and best good?" as part of her Four Questions series, offering two essential answers - our commitment to spiritual awakening and our commitment to kindness. She illuminates how surrender is the key to awakening, inviting us to build a trusting relationship with the divine through quiet listening, sacred spaces, and frequent communication. Drawing on the wisdom of St. Teresa of Avila and a touching story from Jack Kornfield about a difficult student named Shea, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that authentic kindness - deeper than mere niceness - is how our awakened selves serve the world.
• 2020-08-09 August 9, 2020 – From Which Fountain Shall I Drink? Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2020-08-02 August 2, 2020 – What If There Were Nothing To Defend? Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to imagine a world where there is nothing to defend - and explores how dropping our personal defenses can create profound freedom, deeper relationships, and meaningful social change. Drawing on the spiritual roots of nonviolence through Gandhi's satyagraha and John Lewis's faith-grounded civil rights work, Rev. Kristin Powell shares a powerful story of 16 months of prayerful resolve that dismantled barriers in India. She encourages us to breathe, listen from the heart, and practice defenselessness in our own lives - replacing shields with faith and weapons with tools of compassion and connection.
• 2020-07-19 July 19, 2020 – Imperative Community Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the imperative nature of spiritual community, drawing on the Zulu concept of Ubuntu - "I am because you are" - to illuminate how we are woven together in ways both visible and invisible. She shares how studies reveal that hearts and brainwaves literally harmonize when people come together, and offers inspiring examples of communities bridging divides through communication and collaboration. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to ask, seek, and knock - engaging fully in community both as recipients of support and as contributors - reminding us that especially during challenging times, we need each other to co-create the world we envision.
• 2020-07-12 July 12, 2020 – In The Flow of Contemplative Action Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the tension between spiritual resistance and divine calling, using the biblical story of Jonah alongside a powerful personal testimony from a community member who showed up for racial justice work even when exhausted and reluctant. Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to embrace both the mystic and the prophet within - first turning inward through contemplation, then allowing inspired action to flow outward into the world. Drawing on the fierce energy of Kali and the playful obstacle-removing spirit of Ganesh, she encourages us to say yes to spirit's guidance even when part of us resists, trusting that we walk this transformative path together.
• 2020-07-05 July 5, 2020 – Who You Gonna Call? Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell and her wife Melissa share a heartfelt exploration of the "I-Thou" relationship with Spirit - that intimate, personal connection with the Divine that goes beyond intellectual understanding. Through powerful personal stories, including Melissa's journey from childhood religious trauma to discovering an unconditionally loving God, and Rev. Kristin's memorable download about surrendering ministry plans through a parable about cats, they invite us to consciously cultivate a deeper, more intimate walk with Spirit. Their message reminds us that when we surrender to Divine timing rather than pushing our own agenda, life unfolds more beautifully than we could ever imagine.
• 2020-06-28 "Naivete No More" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to remove the tinted glasses of naivety and see our world with clearer, more honest eyes - especially as we approach celebrations of freedom that have not yet fully included everyone. Drawing on the biblical stories of Eve reaching for knowledge and Paul's scales falling from his eyes, Rev. Kristin Powell explores how spiritual maturation requires us to hold both the absolute vision of oneness and the courage to confront painful realities of systemic injustice. She encourages this community of seekers to keep learning, keep opening their eyes, and walk together toward a world where liberty and justice truly belong to all.
• 2020-06-21 Father's Day - “Holding Space for Real Evolution” FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell weaves together the convergence of Juneteenth, summer solstice, Father's Day, and a new moon to explore what it means to hold sacred space for real evolution - both personally and collectively. Drawing on the story of Saint Remald, the writings of Paul, and a powerful viral video of a young father patiently holding space for his toddler's 45-minute tantrum, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to embrace a deeper expression of sacred masculinity rooted in vulnerability, compassion, and inner strength rather than domination and control. She calls us to become loving witnesses for one another - listening deeply, withholding judgment, and allowing authentic expression to emerge - so that true transformation and freedom can unfold in our lives and world.
• 2020-06-14 “Activating the Power of Understanding” FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores understanding as both a spiritual power and a call to action, inviting listeners to cultivate what King Solomon prayed for - an understanding heart. Through powerful stories, including a moving account of two strangers digging soil together at a lynching site to honor a lost life, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how true understanding requires willingness to listen, learn, grieve, and heal alongside one another. She encourages approaching this deep spiritual work with curiosity, courage, and a beginner's mind, reminding us that understanding lives not only in our intellect but beneath our feet - in how we stand together for truth, justice, and lasting change.
• 2020-06-07 "Let's Ground Together in Love" FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2020-05-31 Series, Part 3: "Fear to Love" FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful and heartfelt message on transforming prejudice into freedom as part of her series on turning vices into virtues. Through the parable of a king who ignores a drop of honey - leading to the destruction of an entire village - she illustrates how silence and inaction make us complicit in systems of harm, challenging listeners to embrace the spiritual truth of oneness not as a platitude but as a lived practice. Rev. Kristin Powell invites her community to do the courageous inner work of examining implicit biases, acknowledging privilege, and breaking complicit silence, reminding us that divine love moves toward pain rather than away from it. She encourages seekers to walk through the narrow gate of genuine spiritual transformation so that all people may inherit a freer, more equitable world.
• 2020-05-24 Series, Part 2 "Anger to Peace" FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell In this powerful message on transforming anger into peace, Rev. Kristin Powell explores how anger - often labeled as "bad" - actually serves as a sacred call toward greater self-clarity. Drawing from the Buddhist story of The Angry Buddha, brain research by Rick Hansen, and the biblical account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego walking unharmed through flames, Rev. Kristin Powell offers practical wisdom for working skillfully with anger rather than suppressing or exploding with it. She invites us to become "fire walkers" - centered in spirit, using anger's illuminating flame to reveal our deepest needs and values while discovering the transformative peace that awaits within.
• 2020-05-17 Series: Transforming The 7 Vices to Virtues PART 1 "Greed to Generosity" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell launches a transformative series on turning the seven vices into virtues, beginning with the powerful shift from greed to generosity. Drawing on the Ojibwa concept of the Wendigo - a being whose selfishness can never be satisfied - she illuminates how our culture often celebrates endless accumulation while inviting us to examine where we cling, hoard, or grasp from a false belief in scarcity. Through inspiring stories including the Pachamama Alliance's work to protect the Amazon rainforest and a child's extraordinary willingness to give, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that generosity is our true nature and that through conscious choices in how we think, shop, and act, we can dream a new world into being.
• 2020-05-10 Mother's Day "The Great Mother's Embrace" FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell offers a tender and timely Mother's Day message inviting us to surrender into the nurturing embrace of the Divine Mother - that ever-present, unconditional love that holds us exactly as we are. Drawing on imagery from the Egyptian goddess ISIS, Michelangelo's Pieta, and the Hebrew name El Shaddai, Rev. Kristin Powell illuminates the feminine face of God that cradles, comforts, and accepts us without condition. She encourages us to release our need to control, to make peace with not knowing, and to simply receive - allowing ourselves to rest in the lap of the Great Mother and know that we are enough.
• 2020-05-03 "Questions on the Path" Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell offers a thoughtful and practical exploration of the spiritual questions arising during uncertain times, responding directly to questions submitted by her community. She shares the FACE framework - Focus, Acknowledge, Connect, and Engage - as a grounding tool for processing anxiety, and offers creative approaches to overcoming negative self-talk, walking through grief, and discerning what is truly essential in our lives. With warmth and wisdom, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into compassionate abiding - gently living in life's unanswered questions while staying present, connected to spirit, and tender with ourselves and one another.
• 2020-04-26 Praise For Those Who Serve FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell offers an uplifting message celebrating the spirit of service during the pandemic, sharing inspiring stories of everyday people making a difference - from a 13-year-old boy 3D-printing ear guards for healthcare workers to restaurant owners lifting up their new competitors and strangers building trust in grocery store parking lots. She reframes service not as sacrifice but as honor, encouraging us to keep our own buckets full so that giving flows from an overflowing heart. Drawing on the image of the phoenix rising with powerful wings yet a light footprint, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that when we serve genuinely, we grow our capacity to love and build trust across the human family.
• 2020-04-19 Earth Day FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell offers a powerful Earth Day message honoring the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, weaving together indigenous wisdom shared by guest speaker Chief Phillip (Black Horse) with Unity teachings to invite a deeper remembering of our original instructions as stewards of the Earth. Rev. Kristin Powell explores how this time of collective pause presents a profound opportunity for spiritual awakening - to reconnect with nature, reconsider what is truly essential, and resist the forces that would lull us back to sleep. Drawing on the words of Unity co-founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore alongside indigenous prophecy, Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to plant seeds of conscious living, stay grounded in our values, and carry forward the clarity gained during this transformative season.
• 2020-04-12 Easter (STREAMING ONLY) Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a deeply resonant Easter message during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing a powerful parallel between the risen Jesus telling Mary Magdalene "don't touch me" and our own collective experience of physical distancing and spiritual transformation. She explores Michael Beckwith's four stages of consciousness - from victim to manifester to vessel to oneness - suggesting that this unprecedented time is calling humanity to shift from forcing life to happen by us toward allowing life to happen through us. Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to embrace patience and presence as the tools of resurrection, trusting that when a critical mass awakens, the whole world can transform into something kinder, more compassionate, and more connected.
• 2020-04-05 Palm Sunday (STREAMING ONLY) Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful Palm Sunday message exploring our relationship with death - both physical and ego death - during what she calls "the Lentiest Lent ever." Drawing from the symbolism of Jesus riding humbly into Jerusalem, her own transformative experiences facing death in Peru and Death Valley, and the graceful passing of her friend Royda, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to stop resisting death and instead let it teach us to savor life more fully. She encourages us to embrace the ancient cry of "Hosanna" - save now - as a call back to presence, reminding us that when the ego takes its rightful place as servant to the divine, we cross the threshold into true aliveness.
• 2020-03-29 Lent: "Empty Your Cup" STREAMING ONLY Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell offers a beautiful Lenten reflection on the spiritual gift of emptiness, drawing from the Hawaiian children's story of the "bowl of light" to illustrate how releasing false beliefs and limited thinking allows our true radiance to shine through. She invites us to embrace this season of stripping away - much like the desert that produces stunning flowers from barren ground - trusting that the resurrection and joy of Easter will come in its own time. Through the prayer "empty my cup," Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to find openness, receptivity, and freedom as we release what is non-essential and return to what truly matters.
• 2020-03-22 Series Part 10 "Let Go & Let God Flow" STREAMING ONLY Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the ancient wisdom of Taoism and its profound relevance during times of global pause, drawing on the concept of Wu Wei - the art of effortless action that springs from being rather than forcing. Using the charming metaphor of Winnie the Pooh as the perfect embodiment of the Tao, along with the imagery of water as both flexible and powerful, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to consider what life might look like if we stopped pushing against the current and instead allowed ourselves to flow. She encourages us to embrace this sacred opportunity to let go and let God flow, trusting that when we release control and listen deeply, transformation naturally unfolds.
• 2020-03-15 Series Part 9 "Prophets of Justice and Mercy" FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell hosts an illuminating interfaith dialogue with Jewish musician and leader Joel as part of the Many Paths to the One series. Together they explore the rich physical and spiritual practices of Judaism - from the prayer shawl and tefillin to the joyous harvest festival of Sukkot and the restorative weekly practice of Shabbat. Joel shares how Judaism weaves holiness and justice together through embodied ritual, mindful eating, communal prayer, and a deep commitment to joy even amid historical sorrow. Rev. Kristin draws out the universal wisdom in these practices, inviting all to consider how intentional rest and sacred rhythm might nourish their own spiritual lives.
• 2020-01-05 White Stone Ceremony FINAL Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell leads Unity of Walnut Creek's annual White Stone Ceremony, weaving together the powerful story of Thailand's golden Buddha - hidden beneath layers of clay for centuries - with our own tendency to cover up our divine splendor with shame, self-judgment, and fear. She invites us to shift our perspective from New Year's resolutions focused on fixing ourselves to setting loving intentions that reveal more of our true nature. Through the four S's - shift, see, subtract, and shine - Rev. Kristin Powell guides the community in claiming their birthright of worthiness and receiving a sacred word for the year ahead.
• 2019-12-22 Christmas Eve 2019 Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt Christmas Eve message exploring how joy - the final theme of the Advent season - lives within each of us and is awakened through wonder, laughter, and surrender. Drawing from a stunning nativity scene at Grace Cathedral, a Sufi saying, and a powerful story about a man who discovers that light resides within him rather than outside, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that joy comes not from forcing or seeking externally but from becoming receptive and open. She invites the congregation to embrace childlike wonder, make space for fun, and spread joy generously - because sharing it multiplies it within and all around us.
• 2019-12-15 December 15, 2019 – Agape Love Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the concept of agape love - the unconditional, infinite love of the Divine that is always available to us without condition or limit. Drawing on Greek definitions of love, the mystical experiences of St. Teresa of Avila, C.S. Lewis's writings, and the touching story of a woman named Marla who adopted children with profound needs, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to receive divine love deeply and allow it to cast out fear. She reminds us that healing happens when we touch with love that which was previously touched with fear, transforming our lives from the inside out.
• 2019-12-08 December 8, 2019 – Peace: Rest Here Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into the second week of Advent by exploring peace as a practice of resting in the present moment. Drawing from Mary's inward turning during her pregnancy and Joseph's dream-given clarity, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how stillness opens us to spirit's guidance and life's enchantment. She shares the story of Joshua Bell playing unnoticed in a subway station to reveal how much beauty we miss when rushing through life, and encourages us to find still points in our breath, release multitasking and "no pain, no gain" thinking, and move toward the empty spaces where spirit flows freely.
• 2019-12-01 December 1, 2019 – Faith Unblinded Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of humble doubt as a gateway to a deeper, wiser faith - one that moves beyond blind belief into genuine spiritual knowing. Drawing on the story of Casey Gerald's childhood disillusionment, the biblical account of Doubting Thomas, and her own experience in Death Valley, Rev. Kristin Powell illuminates how doubt and belief are twin aspects of faith that work together to awaken us. She invites us to shed our spiritual blinders, trust our inner wisdom, and step into the fullness of a faith that is not merely received but actively lived and shared with the world.
• 2019-11-24 November 24, 2019 – Thanksgiving Gratitude Rev. Kristin Powell In this heartfelt Thanksgiving message, Rev. Kristin Powell explores gratitude as the simplest and most powerful fast track to happiness, sharing how shifting our inner stories and looking for the good can raise our energy and transform our experience of life. Rev. Kristin Powell discusses common blocks to expressing gratitude - including vulnerability, the fear of owing others, and resistance to interdependence - while offering practical ways to deepen our practice, from journaling to anonymous giving to expressing appreciation with strangers. With warmth and humor, including a tender story about a foster dog who embodies pure receiving, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to give thanks as a joyful gift to ourselves and the world.
• 2019-11-10 November 10, 2019 – Finding Common Groundedness Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2019-11-03 November 3, 2019 – How We Meet Adversity Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores how we meet adversity by drawing on the Hawaiian story of a grandmother who discovers her grandson simply needed to be lifted up to see the beauty she was pointing to - a powerful metaphor for shifting our vantage point. She examines common responses to challenge - compliance, striking back, and fleeing - and how each can lead to disconnection and even dehumanization when left unchecked. Using the inspiring example of Harriet Tubman, Rev. Kristin Powell offers three essential steps for navigating adversity: pray first, speak truth freely, and act with courage. She reminds us that adversity is always temporary and that we can choose to be the light that overcomes darkness.
• 2019-10-27 October 27, 2019 – With Spiritual Community Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the ancient story of the Tower of Babel as a metaphor for what happens when we try to reach the divine through outer means rather than inner connection. Drawing from Charles Fillmore's teachings and Mark Nepo's book "More Together Than Alone," she illuminates how true community is built through bonding before building - connecting heart to heart and spirit to spirit before embarking on shared projects. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that like birds singing their unique soul songs at dawn, we each have something beautiful to contribute, and our diversity becomes strength when grounded in spiritual connection and conscious oneness.
• 2019-10-20 October 20, 2019 – Centers of Light Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the vital importance of finding and nurturing our "centers of light" - those sacred gathering places where we recharge, connect, and remember who we truly are. Drawing from the wisdom of Mark Nepo's "More Together Than Alone," she reminds us that we are wired for community, much like ancient peoples who gathered around fire for song, ritual, and connection. Rev. Kristin Powell also embraces the wholeness of light and dark, sharing the Haida creation story of Raven helping humans emerge from darkness, teaching us that moving toward - not away from - the dark allows us to bring forth even greater light into the world.
• 2019-10-13 October 13, 2019 – Two Tribes in Islands of Time Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the theme of community through Mark Nepo's book "More Together Than Alone," inviting us to choose the mindset of "you're different - come teach me" rather than separation and fear. Drawing on Unity of Walnut Creek's core values of love, wisdom, connection, and service, she shares stories of hospitality from her travels in India and reflects on how genuine human connection naturally emerges when we trust ourselves and one another. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to redefine wealth not by what we accumulate but by what we generously give away, becoming spiritual citizens for the world.
• 2019-10-06 October 6, 2019 – We Are They Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of recognizing that "we are they" - that the separation we create between ourselves and others is an illusion obscuring our fundamental oneness. Drawing inspiration from Oriah Mountain Dreamer's post-9/11 retreat exercise and the remarkable Pando aspen grove in Utah - 47,000 trees sharing one root system - Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how community thrives when we care for all parts of the whole rather than otherizing those we perceive as different. She invites us to release the myth of the lone wolf, remember each other's divine nature even in difficult moments, and commit to building authentic community rooted in our shared source.
• 2019-09-22 September 22, 2019 – A Watering Hole for the Spirit Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell shares the fascinating story of how she brought the labyrinth to Grace Cathedral in San Francisco and explores why this ancient walking meditation serves as a profound watering hole for the spirit. Drawing from her personal journey through the AIDS crisis, burnout, and a transformative encounter with a taped-floor labyrinth, Rev. Kristin Powell reveals how this 4,000-year-old tool orders chaos, quiets the monkey mind, and mirrors the soul's deepest longings. She invites us to consider that as we move into a new era of divine oneness and connection, the labyrinth intensifies the quantum field where our open hearts become magnets for our next step.
• 2019-09-15 September 15, 2019 – Living Abundant Truth Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the fifth Unity principle - living our spiritual truth through action - using the beautiful metaphor of a river flowing with surprise at its own unfolding. Drawing on the poetry of John O'Donohue and the flow research of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how we move from knowing spiritual principles to embodying them in every thought, word, and deed. She reminds us that true prosperity is not something we have but something we are, expressed through sacred service, spontaneous joy, and creative engagement with life. This inspiring message invites us to live as the river flows - always receiving from Source and giving back in an endless current of abundance.
• 2019-09-08 September 8, 2019 – Drawing from the Well of Abundant Good Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores Unity's fourth principle - prayer and meditation - through the lens of prosperity, using the biblical story of the Samaritan woman at the well to illustrate how we can quench our deepest spiritual thirst. She draws a beautiful parallel between our physical need for water and our soul's longing for connection with the divine, reminding us that everything can become a prayer when approached with mindfulness and intention. Rev. Kristin Powell also shares the inspiring story of tennis champion Bianca Andreescu, whose daily meditation and visualization practice helped manifest her U.S. Open victory, demonstrating that when we consistently visit the well of prayer, abundant good flows forth into every area of our lives.
• 2019-09-01 September 1, 2019 – Co-Create Positive Flow Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to embrace our identity as co-creators, drawing on Unity's third principle to challenge the scarcity myths that limit our lives - especially the dangerous belief that "that's just the way it is." Through inspiring examples like young climate activist Greta Thunberg and tennis champion Naomi Osaka's gracious sportsmanship, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how we can co-create with intention, inspiration, and kindness. She reminds us that our thoughts are seeds and our feelings water them, encouraging us to dream boldly and step into our divine power to shape a more beautiful world together.
• 2019-08-18 August 18, 2019 – God is My Source Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2019-08-11 August 11, 2019 – I Love You Rev. Kristin Powell with Louise de Leeuw, Elise & Kaleo Ching
• 2019-08-04 August 4, 2019 – Thank You Rev. Kristin Powell with Carol Kuhn & Brenlee Reida Rev. Kristin Powell continues her series on Self-Identity Ho'oponopono, exploring how the simple phrases - I'm sorry, please forgive me, I love you, thank you - bring us home to the divine within. Carol Kuhn and Brenlee Reida share personal testimonies of how this Native Hawaiian practice has brought them greater calm, better sleep, and a grounded sense of peace in everyday moments. Rev. Kristin Powell emphasizes that by clearing old programs and memories through this practice, we not only heal ourselves but contribute to healing our world, inviting the community to join together in practicing Ho'oponopono as a collective act of love and restoration.
• 2019-07-28 July 28, 2019 – I Apologize, Please Forgive Me Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative Hawaiian practice of Ho'oponopono - using the four simple phrases "I apologize, please forgive me, thank you, I love you" - as a pathway to releasing judgment, healing old wounds, and reconnecting with our divine nature. Through humorous personal stories about swimming laps and crumbs on countertops, she illustrates how we project our subconscious memories onto others and how this practice frees us from self-made prisons. Rev. Kristin Powell also welcomes guest Julie Kohn, who shares her powerful testimony of healing from cancer through Ho'oponopono forgiveness work, reminding us that taking 100% responsibility for what enters our awareness opens the door to profound personal and collective transformation.
• 2019-07-21 July 21, 2019 – Aloha and Ho’oponopono Rev. Kristin Powell with Elise & Kaleo Ching Rev. Kristin Powell shares the deep spiritual wisdom of aloha and ho'oponopono following her trip to Hawaii, exploring how aloha means far more than a greeting - it is the breath of life, unconditional love, and a recognition of God within us all. Joined by Elise and Kaleo Ching, who offer a beautiful Hawaiian chant and meditation, Rev. Kristin Powell introduces the modernized self-identity ho'oponopono practice of four simple phrases - I apologize, please forgive me, I love you, thank you - as a powerful tool for cleaning the subconscious mind and taking 100% responsibility for healing ourselves and the world around us.
• 2019-07-07 July 7, 2019 – The Wow Factor Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into the simple yet profound prayer of "wow" - that spontaneous expression of awe and gratitude that connects us to the divine presence in everyday moments. Drawing from Anne Lamott's three essential prayers of "help, thanks, and wow," Rev. Kristin Powell explores how wonder and gratitude naturally intertwine, whether we're marveling at breaching whales, the miracle of our own bodies, or the innocent wisdom of a child pointing us toward a beautiful bug. She reminds us that staying open, paying attention, and expressing our amazement are keys to living in joyful connection with the sacred unfolding of life all around us.
• 2019-06-30 June 30, 2019 – Claiming Truth Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of affirmative prayer - the foundational spiritual practice upon which Unity was built. Drawing from scripture, personal stories, and practical wisdom, she reminds us that affirmative prayer is not about pleading or bargaining with God, but about aligning ourselves with the divine truth already within us. Rev. Kristin Powell shares how she and her partner moved to California on nothing but a prayer and watched their blessings multiply beyond imagination, illustrating how claiming our good in the present tense activates spiritual principle. She invites us to remember our wholeness, speak our word with faith, and watch as life unfolds in ways greater than we could have asked.
• 2019-06-23 June 23, 2019 – Reaching Out and Giving Over Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the transformative power of the simplest prayer - "help" - drawing inspiration from Anne Lamott's three essential prayers: help, thanks, and wow. Through vivid stories from the Unity Convention, including the remarkable journey of Maggie Cook Garcia from orphan to millionaire, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how asking for help opens us to divine connection and strengthens our relationships with one another. She reminds us that answered prayers often arrive in mundane, everyday ways rather than dramatic revelations, and that surrendering - giving over rather than giving up - allows miracles to unfold in our interconnected lives.
• 2019-06-16 June 16, 2019 – Holders of Sacred Space Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful Father's Day message exploring how false definitions of masculinity have harmed men, women, and the planet itself. Drawing from the book Becoming Nicole, the example of Jesus as a whole and balanced being, and her own tender memories of her father's struggle to express emotion, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to reclaim the sacred masculine - one that is emotionally strong, spiritually surrendered, and unafraid to embrace the divine feminine within. She calls on this community to free themselves from limiting beliefs and become mentors, advocates, and living examples of wholeness for the next generation.
• 2019-06-09 June 9, 2019 – Solidifying Trust Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the essential elements of solidifying trust through Brene Brown's BRAVING inventory - boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity, non-judgment, and generosity - weaving each element into our spiritual journey. Using the beautiful story of a calm little girl on a turbulent plane who trusts because the pilot is her father taking her home, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that when we know who is guiding our lives, we can release fear and anxiety. She invites us to become trustworthy spiritual leaders by aligning our actions with our values, following our inner guidance, and extending generous interpretations to others - all grounded in the knowing that we are always being piloted safely home.
• 2019-06-02 June 2, 2019 – Rumbling with Vulnerability Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell shares a powerful and personal exploration of vulnerability as a pathway to spiritual growth, drawing from Brene Brown's "Dare to Lead" to debunk six common myths that keep us armored and disconnected. Through stories from her own journey - from a terrifying early career presentation to breaking through a board in her kitchen - Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how embracing vulnerability rather than resisting it opens the door to divine magnificence already within us. She reminds us that courage and vulnerability are inseparable companions, and offers practical tools including prayer, meditation, and creating a "square squad" of trusted supporters to help us lead with open hearts in every area of life.
• 2019-05-26 May 26, 2019 – Youth of Unity Graduation Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt commencement-style address to the Youth of Unity graduates and the entire community, centering her message on three essential truths - love, contribution, and connection. She encourages everyone to stop comparing themselves to others, to tell themselves true stories of courage and beauty, and to follow what makes their hearts sing as a path to purposeful contribution. Drawing on wisdom from Brene Brown and her own spiritual experiences, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we don't need to have it all figured out - not quite knowing what we're doing is just about right on the spiritual journey. She closes by celebrating community as a forever touchstone of love and home.
• 2019-05-12 Mother of the Guardrails Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt Mother's Day message exploring how divine mother energy can guide our leadership in every area of life. Drawing from Sarah Kay's poem about being "Point B" - a constant place of return and restoration - Rev. Kristin Powell weaves together stories of Mother Mary, Kuan Yin, Amma the hugging saint, and her own mother's patient listening to illustrate the nurturing qualities leaders can embody. She encourages us to provide TLC - teaching by living example, loving unconditionally, and calling forth the best in others - reminding us that true leadership means knowing people by name and helping them discover the potential already within them.
• 2019-05-05 May 5, 2019 – Bringing Your Whole Heart Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2019-04-28 I Am the Body of Earth Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us into a profound exploration of the sacred unity between our bodies and the earth, weaving together personal stories from her transformative journey in Africa with reflections on embodied spirituality. Drawing on the Resurrecting the Cosmic Christ series, she illuminates how every act of eating, every encounter with nature, and every moment of presence becomes a communion when we recognize the divine intelligence flowing through all living things. Through stories of interspecies connection and childlike wonder, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that honoring the body of earth and the body of self is one sacred practice - awakening us to the glory already present in every breath.
• 2019-04-21 Easter Sunday (I am the Open Gateway) Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful Easter message exploring the unique mystical teaching of resurrection - not as transcendence away from the body, but as full spiritual awakening within our embodied lives. She guides the community through the journey from crucifixion to tomb to resurrection, reminding us that this cycle happens continually in our lives as we are invited through what Jesus called "the narrow gate." Using the story of Temple Grandin and the metaphor of unpacking a camel to pass through the eye of the needle, Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to release attachments to identity and step boldly into the light, trusting that everything is waiting for us on the other side.
• 2019-04-14 I am Transfigured and Ready Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual concept of transfiguration - the process of allowing divine radiance to shine through us - drawing from the story of Jesus on the mountaintop and weaving in personal mystical experiences and wisdom from nature. She reminds us that we are far more than our solid, physical appearances, inviting us to release the ego's need for control and allow a shift from being a "person" to being a "presence." Through the metaphors of the snake shedding its skin and the caterpillar becoming a butterfly, Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to surrender into the luminous light of the cosmic Christ that lives within each of us, transforming ourselves and our world one radiant face at a time.
• 2019-04-07 Here I Am Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2019-03-31 Ressurecting the Cosmic Christ Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us on a breathtaking journey into the cosmos - and into ourselves - as she launches the series "Resurrecting the Cosmic Christ." Drawing on scientific discoveries that 97% of the atoms in our bodies match those found in the stars of our galaxy, she beautifully weaves together indigenous origin stories, scripture, and the teachings of Charles Fillmore to remind us that we are literally made of stardust and divine love. Rev. Kristin Powell encourages us to cultivate spacious practices - leaving behind time pieces and words - to enter the expansive awareness where we remember our true nature as expressions of the cosmic Christ, bound together in wonder and love.
• 2019-03-17 From Breaker to Mender Consciousness Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell concludes her illumined shadow series by exploring three types of consciousness from Sharif Abdullah's work - keeper, breaker, and mender - inviting us to recognize where we stand at the precipice of transformation. She weaves together the story of Casa de Maria, the biblical tale of Jacob and Esau, and the Israelites' journey to the promised land to illustrate how breaker consciousness must break down so mender consciousness can be born. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we are here by divine appointment, called to move beyond division and into compassion, creating a world that works for all.
• 2019-03-10 From Other to One Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt message on dissolving the shadow of "other" and returning to the spiritual truth of oneness. Drawing from her experiences in the interfaith movement, her own journey navigating difference in intimate relationships, and the wisdom of inclusivity teacher Dr. Sharif Abdullah, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to remember what it feels like to be othered - and to let that remembrance fuel compassion rather than division. She offers three transformative practices: befriend what and who we don't know, recognize our privilege, and remember what it feels like to be the other. With vulnerability and humor, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we are not just our neighbors' keepers - we are our neighbors.
• 2019-03-03 Lack to Abundance Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to examine the hidden beliefs of lack and limitation that keep us playing small, using the memorable image of fleas trained to stop jumping even after the lid is removed from their jar. Drawing on Lynn Twist's "toxic scarcity myths" - that there's not enough, more is better, and that's just the way it is - Rev. Kristin Powell illuminates how these shadows prevent us from embracing our true magnificence and sufficiency. She offers two practical spiritual tools for shifting from lack to abundance - meditation and tithing - reminding us that when we prioritize our spiritual connection, everything else flows naturally from that grounded place.
• 2019-02-24 Anxiety to Peace Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell opens a new series on shadow work by exploring the shadow of anxiety - a feeling she was surprised to discover in herself during an emotional intelligence practice, and one she recognizes many are experiencing in today's uncertain world. Through the charming story of young Travis conquering his fear to climb a lighthouse and Sharif Abdullah's tale of venturing into unfamiliar Pennsylvania Dutch country, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how naming our anxiety brings it into the light where healing can begin. She shares practical steps for moving from anxiety to peace - breathing, speaking words of truth, trusting our faith, and taking persistent action - reminding us that we are built for triumph and that divine order is always at work.
• 2019-02-10 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 Always Do Your Best Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2019-01-27 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 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 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 The White Stone Ceremony 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.
• 2018-12-23 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 Love is My Choice 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 Bring 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 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 Native American Thanksgiving Rev. Kristin Powell 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 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.
• 2018-11-04 Shadow Dancing with Wicked Witches Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-10-28 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 A Lion's Courage 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.
• 2018-10-07 October 7, 2018 – My Magnificent Mind Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-09-30 Answering the Call Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell launches a seven-week fall series based on Jean Houston's "The Wizard of Us," using the beloved Wizard of Oz myth as a map for spiritual self-realization. Through a personal story of walking a labyrinth and suddenly seeing the world shift into breathtaking beauty, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how the realm of spirit is always just a breath away - waiting for us to say yes. She explores why we refuse the soul's call - fear, false ideas about selfishness, comfort with familiar pain - and passionately urges listeners to embrace the technicolor life that emerges when we courageously follow our inner guidance toward transformation.
• 2018-09-23 September 23, 2018 – Prayer Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the ancient prayer of Jabez - a hidden gem tucked within the genealogies of Chronicles - revealing how this simple yet powerful prayer can transform our understanding of blessing, divine guidance, and our true purpose. She invites us to flip the traditional direction of prayer, imagining Spirit praying through us, calling us to enlarge the territory of the divine on earth by releasing scarcity myths and the ways we keep ourselves small. Through inspiring stories of everyday people choosing integrity and kindness, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that we are not bringers of pain but bringers of joy - born of original blessing and meant to let Spirit flow freely through our lives.
• 2018-09-09 September 9, 2018 – Roots and Wings - Connecting Our History & Future Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a joyful celebration honoring Unity of Walnut Creek's 70th anniversary and 50 years on their sacred property, weaving together the theme of "roots and wings." Drawing from a powerful spiritual experience among the redwoods and the symbolism of the goat farm that once occupied their land, Rev. Kristin Powell traces the community's rich lineage from founder Marie Giles through beloved ministers who shaped its growth. She reminds the congregation that each person is a spiritual leader, encouraging them to honor their deep roots of connection and healing while spreading their wings into an exciting new era of expansion and awakening.
• 2018-09-02 Getting into Labor with Joy Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a heartfelt Labor Day message exploring how our deepest callings and creative gifts are sacred channels through which Spirit becomes visible in the world. Drawing on the story of her Aunt Leola baking pies at age 101, the beautiful metaphor of pregnancy and birth, and her own journey of discovering ministry, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to open ourselves to divine ideas and trust the process of bringing them into form. She reminds us that work is not merely a task but a sacred privilege - a place where our higher self meets the world - and encourages us to create with ease and serve with joy.
• 2018-08-19 Activating the Power of Release Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell delivers a powerful message on the spiritual power of release, using the biblical story of Lot's wife as a vivid reminder of what happens when we remain preserved in attachment to the past. Through the inspiring story of a woman named Sarah who transformed her life by peeling off old labels of unworthiness, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates how renouncing limiting beliefs and saying a strong "no" to what no longer serves us creates space for abundant good to flow. She offers practical tools for letting go - from core beliefs and habits to others' opinions - reminding us that like pulling a stubborn weed, releasing what blocks our light can be deeply satisfying and transformative.
• 2018-08-12 Activating the Power of Zeal Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of zeal - that deep, sustaining passion and vitality that propels us forward in life. Drawing from Unity's 12 Powers tradition and co-founder Charles Fillmore's declaration that he "sizzled with zeal" at age 94, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that zeal is not a fleeting burst of excitement but a slow-burning fire fueled by our connection to Spirit. She invites us to discover what makes us come alive, honoring even our divine discontent as a pathway back to passion, and encourages us to take one step toward activating the dreams and desires that light our fire.
• 2018-08-05 Activating the Power of Order Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of order as part of the 12 powers series, inviting us to recognize the divine patterning that underlies all of life - from the rhythms of nature to the routines that ground our daily existence. She beautifully illustrates how activating this power requires both surrender and intentional practice, much like learning a dance where we allow the divine to lead while we follow with wisdom and grace. Through vivid stories - from whirling dervishes to neural pathways to her mother dancing with her uncle - Rev. Kristin Powell shows how we can reset old patterns, declutter what no longer serves us, and create new grooves aligned with spirit. This message reminds us that when we rest in the knowing that all is well and partner with the divine, our lives flow with a natural, graceful order.
• 2018-07-29 Activating the Power of Will Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of will as both a deep willingness to surrender to the divine and the willpower to put feet to our prayers. Drawing from Kelly McGonigal's research on willpower, the story of Joseph Goldstein's vulnerable encounter with his Zen master, and her own personal journey of releasing unhealthy habits through meditation, Rev. Kristin Powell illuminates how God's will and our deepest heart's desire are one and the same. She invites us to move beyond self-judgment when we falter, instead dropping into stillness to ask "what serves?" - discovering that when the will is truly ready, the feet are light and action becomes a joy.
• 2018-07-22 Activting the Power of Understanding Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of understanding as more than intellectual comprehension - it is a golden gift that dawns through desire, curiosity, and living our deepest questions. Drawing on the stories of Mary of Bethany and Doubting Thomas, she reveals how understanding activates not only in the mind but in the heart and body, inviting us to embody our realizations fully. Rev. Kristin Powell shares her own journey of following a spiritual call and encourages us to hold our questions with open hands, trust the seeking that meets us from within, and allow insight to transform how we walk through the world.
• 2018-07-15 Activating the Power of Imagination Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to activate the power of imagination - the sixth of the twelve spiritual powers - drawing from her transformative backpacking experience in the Trinity Alps to illustrate how we can see beyond physical reality with our spiritual eye. She explores how Jesus taught about the "single eye" that fills the body with light, and how the apostle Paul's dramatic transformation from persecutor to messenger of love demonstrates imagination's power to create instant change. Rev. Kristin Powell guides listeners through a vivid vision of a spiritually awakened world - one without borders, greed, or separation - encouraging us to conceive divine ideas, feel into them fully, and embody them as co-creators with Spirit.
• 2018-07-08 Activating the Power of Power Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the fifth power in the 12 Powers series - the power of Power - inviting us to reclaim our spiritual authority and stand in the truth of who we really are. Through the vivid biblical story of the hemorrhaging woman who reached out to touch Jesus, Rev. Kristin Powell illustrates that true healing and vitality come not from reaching outward but from igniting the divine Christ within. She reminds us that spiritual power is not about status or control but about aligning our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions in integrity - speaking truth with love and stepping fully into the unique expression we came here to be.
• 2018-07-01 Activating the Power of Love Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores love as one of the twelve spiritual powers, revealing how it serves as both the binding force that connects all life and the liberating wisdom that sets us free. Drawing on the Eastern teaching that love is a bird with two wings - compassion and wisdom - she illustrates how these qualities work together to create divine love that is both grounded and expansive. Through heartfelt stories, including Maya Angelou's powerful account of her mother seeing her divine potential, Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to liberate love by acknowledging one another, appreciating our differences, and choosing to see the good in all people.
• 2018-06-24 Activating the Power of Wisdom Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the power of wisdom as one of the twelve spiritual powers, located in the solar plexus, inviting us to trust our innate divine knowing rather than relying solely on mental processes. She shares stories and practical exercises to help us recognize what "yes" and "no" feel like in our bodies, encouraging us to slow down, listen deeply, and follow the guidance of spirit in every decision - from the smallest daily choices to the larger questions of our lives. Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that wisdom is already within us, waiting to be activated through practice, presence, and trust.
• 2018-06-17 Activating the Power of Strength Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell explores the spiritual power of strength as the second in Unity's twelve powers series, drawing from the story of David and Goliath to illustrate how true strength combines perseverance with flexibility. She teaches that spiritual strength is not rigidity but rather a rooted yet supple quality - like a redwood tree that stands tall while swaying with the wind. Rev. Kristin Powell weaves together examples from Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Pope Francis to show how non-resistant strength creates lasting transformation. She invites listeners to activate this power in their own lives, affirming that we are each strong beyond measure when grounded in faith and open to spirit's movement.
• 2018-06-10 Activating the Power of Faith Rev. Kristin Powell Rev. Kristin Powell invites us to activate the power of faith - not as something we must develop from scratch, but as an innate spiritual capacity waiting to be unveiled. Drawing on Unity's teaching of the 12 powers, she explores how faith, represented by the disciple Peter and the color royal blue, serves as the foundational power that undergirds all others. Through the story of Peter walking on water and Nelson Mandela's extraordinary journey, Rev. Kristin Powell reminds us that faith is a deep knowing in the heart - an unshakable conviction that anything is possible when we refuse to look down into doubt and instead keep our eyes lifted toward our divine potential.
• 2018-05-27 Life Breathing Ritual Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-05-20 Elixer of Power, Nectar of Love Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-04-29 Four Shields - Arise in the East Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-04-22 Four Shields - Serve In The North Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-04-15 Four Shields - Curl up in the West Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-04-08 Four Shields - Play in the South Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-04-01 Risen - Easter Celebration Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-03-25 One Passionate Week to Live Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-03-11 Facing Down Temptation Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-03-04 Spiritual Substraction Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-02-25 Strong Back, Soft Front, Wild Heart Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-02-11 Hold Hands With Strangers Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-02-04 Speak Truth to Hooey Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-01-28 Lean In, Listen Up Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-01-21 Sovereign Belonging Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2018-01-07 New Year's Evolution Rev. Kristin Powell
• 2002-04-09 Easter: "Come Alive in Truth!" Rev. Kristin