ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THE PLEDGE OF LOVE IN ACTION AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD?
Asheville, April 25, 2017- In today’s world, have you asked yourself what can I do to make a difference? Rev. Darlene Strickland asked herself the same question.
As the senior minister at Unity of The Blue Ridge, a Spiritual Center, and community-based in Mills River, North Carolina, Rev. Darlene is using her ministerial experience and vision to create a global movement in consciousness, heart, and action – one that influences and guides individuals and communities. Unity honors the innate divinity within all Life, acknowledges the many paths that lead to God, and promotes the sanctity of all creation. According to Rev. Darlene, “We are here to be the Presence. We are here to gather the community around a common cause and higher purpose. Love connects us through our common spirit and emboldens us to actively live as a Beloved commUnity. Love unites us in Peace, Compassion, Generosity and Respect for the sanctity of humanity, Mother Earth, and all creation. Our Love is power and empowered love is greater than any authority or influence acting in service of prejudice, greed, divisiveness, hatred or violence.”
Scientific studies like the Global Consciousness Project directed by Princeton faculty, Dr. Roger Nelson, have shown that when groups of people focus their minds on the same thing they influence “the world at large”. (http://noosphere.princeton.edu/).
The goal of the Love in Action initiative is to inspire, connect, and equip people to “Stand Up, Speak Up and Show Up” as practitioners of the Golden Rule.
With that thought in mind, a pledge of Love in Action was created and the Our Love is Power Spiritual Summit came to life. The Summit will be held at the Crowne Plaza Resort Expo Center in Asheville NC on June 10, 2017, and will be headlined by Marianne Williamson, an internationally acclaimed best-selling author and lecturer. Marianne has been a popular guest on television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose & Bill Maher. Seven of her twelve published books have been New York Times Best Sellers. The mega bestseller A Return to Love is considered a must-read of The New Spirituality. A paragraph from that book, beginning “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers. At the Summit, she will discuss the power of love and its implications for both personal and global transformation and will end the Summit with a Q&A and book signing. Joining Marianne Williamson at the Summit will be several musicians and speakers including Rickie Byars Beckwith, a revered singer-songwriter and leader of Agape Center with Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith, whose transcendent music opens the heart, touches the sound and uplifts the spirit; Reverend Jack L. Bomar, founder of Blessing Hands USA, Inc., a nonprofit humanitarian organization established to revive, restructure and revitalize communities; and Lei’ohu Ryder along with her partner, Maydeen’lao, native wisdom keepers who travel the world sharing ancient Hawaiian teachings, songs and the practice of Ho’oponopono.
Local Asheville icon and Emmy award-winning vocalist, Kat Williams, and renowned composer and pianist, Richard Shulman will be among the creators of this full day of music, speakers and practical actions, resulting in inspiration, motivation, and collaboration. While affirming and honoring the common Spirit in all, the Summit will ignite Love in Action while building bridges, connections, and partnerships.
To take the pledge of Love in Action, learn more about the Our Love is Power Summit and purchase tickets, visit www.ourloveispower.org.
ABOUT UNITY OF THE BLUE RIDGE
Unity is an open-minded, accepting spiritual community that honors all paths to God and helps people discover and live their spiritual potential and purpose. A positive alternative to negative religion, Unity seeks to apply the teachings of Jesus as well as other spiritual masters. Unity affirms the power of prayer and helps people experience a stronger connection with God every day. The Unity movement was founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1889 as a healing ministry based on the power of prayer and the power of our thoughts to create our own reality. The Fillmore’s regarded Jesus as the great example rather than the great exception; interpreted the Bible metaphysically; and taught that God is present within all of us. Learn more at http://www.unityblueridgenc.org.
LOVE IN ACTION PLEDGE
I stand as an Ambassador, Advocate and Activist for the sanctity of all life.
I AM my brother’s keeper, I AM my sister’s keeper, I AM keeper of the Earth and all sentient beings.
I commit to TURN UP the volume of Love, Dignity and Respect for All.
I commit to STAND UP and TAKE LOVING ACTION as needed.
I will not become numb or disconnected… or pretend I don’t see the harm or wrongdoing.
I will not remain silent when Love needs a voice. Not only do I proclaim a belief in inclusivity and love, I AM now championing our emerging world of a Beloved commUnity.
I WILL STAND UP! SPEAK UP! SHOW UP! I Pledge MY Love – In Action!
ABOUT PRESENTERS
Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed spiritual author and lecturer. Marianne has been a popular guest on television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose & Bill Maher. Seven of her twelve published books have been New York Times Best Sellers. Four of these have been #1. The mega bestseller A Return to Love is considered a must-read of The New Spirituality. A paragraph from that book, beginning “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers.
Marianne’s other books include The Law of Divine Compensation, The Age of Miracles, Everyday Grace, A Woman’s Worth, Illuminata, Enchanted Love, Healing the Soul of America, A Course in Weight Loss, The Gift of Change, A Year of Miracles, and her newest book, Tears to Triumph: The Spiritual Journey from Suffering to Enlightenment, available now.
Marianne is a native of Houston, Texas. In 1989, she founded Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area. To date, Project Angel Food has served over 10 million meals. Marianne also co-founded the Peace Alliance. And she serves on the Board of Directors of the RESULTS organization, working to end the worst ravages of hunger and poverty throughout the world.
According to Time magazine, “Yoga, the Cabala and Marianne Williamson have been taken up by those seeking a relationship with God that is not strictly tethered to Christianity.” Learn more at http://marianne.com/
Rickie Byars Beckwith is the Music & Arts Director of the Agape International Spiritual Center where for 29 years she has directed the incomparable Agape International Choir. One of the 21st century’s most revered singer-songwriters, her transcendent music deeply touches the hearts of all she encounters through her solo concerts, women’s retreats, workshops, music festivals and appearances with Michael Bernard Beckwith.
She has produced nine solo albums, one of which accompanies a colorful mini-memoir, Let My Soul Surrender. Her medicine kit includes, In the Land of I AM, I Release and I Let Go, I Found a Deeper Love, From Within, The Love Project, Glorious Chant Collection and so many other beautiful works that emerge from the heart of her Creator God.
She is Founder and CEO of KUUMBA-In-Motion Expressing Transformation, a hands-on, on the road, interactive learning academy that nurtures the creative genius within children. KUUMBA enters its 6th year of Summer Camps with featured workshops that will include Guitar, Voice, Culinary, Photography, Writing, Dance and Sports. Rickie Byars Beckwith is also the founder of the Rhythm and Joy Music Festival, an eco-friendly, soulful celebration that for three years demonstrated the impact of music as a catalyst for changing lives.
In its 19th year, Dr. Rickie co-partners again with Rev. Greta Sesheta in the dynamic Soul Sisters Retreat that they create together. With a fantastic team of intergenerational women who also facilitate, it is hands down the most fun, out of the box, diverse and eclectic women’s retreat, ever!
Rickie is on the Board of Directors for Voices 4Freedom an abolitionist organization that empowers enslaved people to free themselves and offers the infrastructure that empowers children and their whole families to live productive lives through education, nutrition, and the creation of their own businesses.
But what is really shaking the place is Dr. Rickie’s latest achievement and participation as Founder of HUBCITY LIVE! A mix-use development that will include in its design the KUUMBA Center of Culture, SOKO Commercial Plaza, and NEMES X Technological Center. This amazing development, which has been described as the Jewel of Compton, will be built in Compton, CA – the original Hub City.
Last, Dr. Rickie is the mother of two, grandmother to three wonderful and almost mini-versions of herself, sister to 11 siblings and daughter to a ninety-one-year-old wonder, Mama Byars. Says Mama Byars of Rickie, “Many people long to live their dream, and have visions of how they would like to make the world a better place. Rickie is the kind of person that makes it happen right where she is, and that is a WONDERFUL thing.” Learn more at https://agapelive.com/
Reverend Jack L. Bomar is a native of Tennessee and founder of Blessing Hands USA, INC, a non-profit humanitarian organization established to revive, restructure and revitalize communities. He presently serves as Lead Pastor at United Church in Beaufort, South Carolina and provides spiritual leadership for Unity of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Rev. Jack was inducted into the Morehouse College, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers in 2008. He was a member of the USA delegation committee for the Parliament of World’s Religions 2009 Conference in Melbourne, Australia. He is an accomplished author of two works that reached number one on Amazon’s Best Sellers List, “Heaven Revealed: Discover The Truth About God, Heaven & You” and “God & Money: How to Manifest Your Divine Riches.”
Jack has traveled abroad providing pastoral and mission support to communities in the Dominican Republic; Haiti; Australia; Ghana, West Africa; Iloilo, Philippines; St. Lucia, West Indies; and Bangalore, India. He has led delegations of interfaith/intercultural leaders, community leaders, chiropractors, and volunteers on trips to Hermanas Mirabal Province, Dominican Republic, and Haiti to provide medical aid, food supply, resources, hope, blessings and prayers of healing to thousands of men, women and children.
He has served as Senior Minister for various communities around the country to include: Unity Church of Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii; the United Palace Cathedral in New York, New York; Unity Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee; Unity By The Sea in Santa Monica, California; South Side Unity Center of Christianity in Chicago, Illinois; as Senior Associate Minister at Hillside International Chapel & Truth Center located in Atlanta, Georgia; and as International Guest Minister at Unity of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia.
Rev. Jack received his Doctor of Ministry Degree with a concentration on Parish Revitalization & Building the Beloved Community from McCormick Theological Seminary, located in Chicago, Illinois. He received his Master of Divinity Degree from Chicago Theological Seminary; the Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lane College, located in Jackson, Tennessee; a ministerial ordination from the Barbara King School of Ministry, located in Atlanta, Georgia; and the ecclesiastical ministerial endorsement from the United Church of Religious Science.
His desire is to serve as a conduit that fosters a greater sense of self-awareness, spiritual enlightenment and God-consciousness with the communities in which he serves. His hope is to encourage people of diverse backgrounds to transcend differences, bridge communication, and build a coalition that leads to the achievement of a common purpose, a unified and loving community. Learn more at http://jackbomarministries.com/
Lei’ohu Ryder, and her partner Maydeen ‘Iao, are native emissaries of aloha and advocates for the indigenous soul in all people. Their love and knowledge of Na Mea Hawai’i, help us connect with our selves, with spirit, and be pono (balanced in right alignment). They are native wisdom keepers who travel the world sharing ancient Hawaiian teachings, songs, hula, and the practice of Ho’oponopono (a process to make things right and restore harmony).
Lei’ohu Ryder is a revered Hawaiian spiritual leader, visionary, healer, singer/songwriter, and educator. She has received the Gandhi-King Peace Hero Award, the Peace Educator Award from the United Nations, the Woman of Honor award from Women’s History Month, the Educator Award from the Peace Corps, and the Malama Ka’Aina Award from the Sierra Club. She has shared her gifts all around the world including the South Pacific, Japan, Israel, India, and most of Europe.
In 1995, Lei’ohu rediscovered a heiau (Hawaiian temple) in Kahakuloa, Maui. Under her guidance and inspiration, many hands have worked to reawaken the mana (divine power) of Kukuipuka heiau, and it is once again a place of healing, cultural sharing, and world prayers.
Learn more at www.leiohuryder.com
