Wednesday Evening Service

Join us for our evening service This Wednesday, October 2, at Congregation Shomrei Torah (2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404) from 7:00 to 7:45 p.m .  New Location Our usual location at the Center is being used for the High Holy Days celebration, so we’re gathering at this new spot for one night only. The Cathars of France Dr. Edward Viljoen, who recently returned from a European vacation, will lead the evening with a fascinating discussion about how we form our personal beliefs about life. He’ll share stories from his travels through Southern France, including his time in the land of the Cathars—a Christian sect from the 12th to 14th century whose beliefs stood in stark contrast to the dominant church of their time. Their tragic history raises powerful questions about what happens when deeply held beliefs are challenged. How do you respond when your beliefs are questioned? In this casual, engaging setting, Dr. Edward will guide us in reflecting on how we came to our own be

  Peace is not passive. We have been learning this month that peace is experienced when we have done the necessary work to heal separation within ourselves. And when we heal our belief in separation, we open ourselves up to experiencing the kind of peace that is the very foundation of life itself.  It can take work to make this kind of change in our lives, though. Western society seems designed to promote conflict rather than curiosity, competitiveness rather than collaboration. And so we are often tasked with cleaning up the parts of our consciousness that continue to cling to the idea of separation. This is the active part of the peace process--cleaning up areas of our consciousness where we still feel separate.  Tonight in our Wednesday service, we will dive into spiritual practices that can actively help us find our way back to a feeling of oneness and peace. Once we have that peace, it can then be our source of energy and motivation as we move through the world.  See you soon! -Ru

  In a world that can feel overwhelming, the idea of finding inner peace might seem out of reach. But what if peace is something we can consciously cultivate within ourselves? How do we transform the mental noise into quiet, calm, and joy? Come explore the art and science of tapping into a deeper sense of oneness and wholeness. Together, we'll learn how aligning our thoughts with peace can shift us from feeling overwhelmed to feeling still and receptive. Inner peace isn't just a goal—it can be a new way of living. We’ll start the evening with a bit of music and a short meditation, followed by a talk and some easy spiritual practices to enhance your inner calm. Tea, cookies, and good company provided—seating is café style, so it’s a great way to meet new friends! See you soon, - Rev. Siota

  This Wednesday, Celeste Austin will lead us in a discussion about the second letter of D.E.I--Equity. Equity and equality can sometimes be misunderstood in the context of conversations about what it means for all to have the same opportunities in life. Celeste will lead us through the nuances of this conversation, sharing the differences between equity and equality, as well as suggestions on how we might better recognize the value of equity as we work toward building a world that works for everyone.  Join us at 6pm for a delicious potluck (and bring your own culinary creation to share), and at 7pm for our conversation with Celeste. We look forward to seeing you and continuing our exploration of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Much love, -Russ

  The Science of Mind teaches that the peace we often seek outside already exists within us. It is an attitude of the Spirit within us, the foundation of our being.  If that is true, then why don't we always feel peace? Well, we are also human, and that means that we sometimes experience challenges, that we sometimes experience chaos. The peace within us hasn't gone anywhere, but our focus has been called to the chaos before us, and the feelings of unease that often feel contrary to peace.  In this week's Wednesday Evening Service, we will learn a practical spiritual technique we can employ in any situation where we feel off balance, where we might feel as though the chaos of the world is overriding our natural sense of peace. We will also learn how we can use this practice daily to build up our "peace muscle" so that we have more access to peace when times get tough.  I look forward to sharing some Peace with you this Wednesday! Much love, -Russ

  Loneliness and a sense of disconnection can be a spiritual signal guiding us to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us. Othering--the practice of marginalizing and alienating individuals or groups because they are different from us--creates division and reinforces a sense of separation. Separating ourselves through differences deepens loneliness and hinders our ability to form meaningful connections with ourselves and others. This separation can make us feel as though we have approach life alone.  Join Rev Siota tonight in our Wednesday Evening Service to explore how healing our “lone wolf” and loneliness brings greater inclusion with all of life, deepening our experience of wholeness and oneness.