MAY  2017
VOLUME 13, ISSUE 5
 
Common Ground 
19211 Dodge Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92705

Mailing Address: Administrative Office
18282 East Santa Clara Avenue
Santa Ana, CA 92705

SPIRITUALITY WITHOUT BORDERS FOR SPIRITUALLY INDEPENDENT PEOPLE

OPEN, INCLUSIVE, ACCEPTING

info@embracehumanity.com
714-836-5880



EMBRACE HUMANITY EXPRESS DIVINITY
EXPERIENCING LIFE'S JOURNEY AT ITS BEST
SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS
Mother's Day Outreach Project
Sunday, May 7
12:30 to 1:30 pm  

Please join us on the patio immediately following our Sunday gathering.  

Help create simple Mother's Day gifts and write 'love notes' to ladies who are residents of an assisted living facility.

Share your kindness and love with those who might otherwise not be remembered on Mother's Day.

Everyone is invited to participate.
Laura's House Outreach Project

Donation Drive for Laura's House Resale Stores

May 1 through May 31

Common Ground is pleased to support  Laura's House, whose purpose is ending the silence of Domestic Violence and creating a safe place in which to empower individuals and families affected by abuse.  

During the month of May, high-quality resale items will be collected, including designer and brand name clothing for men, women and children, jewelry, handbags, shoes, artwork, antiques, collectibles and gently used books and home furnishings in sell-able condition.

Donations support Laura's House Resale Stores.  Please make sure apparel items are donated ready to wear (clean, pressed, and in excellent condition).
 
Donations will be accepted on Sundays or by appointment.

Please contact us at info@embracehumanity.com to make arrangements.  
National Day of Prayer


Evening Prayer 
Thursday, May 4
6:00 to 8:00 pm

In recognition of the   National Day of Prayer, Common Ground invites you to set aside some quiet time at the end of the day for reflection, gratitude and grace.  

Set an intention to call forth the power of prayer by joining with people of various faith traditions: Protestants, Catholics, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and Jews to pray for our nation and its leaders.
 
Today, the state of our nation, the world, and human condition is very complex. 
Quiet prayer reminds us that the light, love, power and presence of the Divine are within and through every experience.  

Replace worry and fear with prayer. 

Common Ground will be open for contemplation and prayer.

Have a cup of tea. Light a candle of hope, healing and blessing.  Listen to the soft sounds of Taize.  Come apart for a while.  Stay as long as you like.  

Everyone is welcome and included.  
CHECK OUT OUR CURRENT CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Sherman Library & Gardens Field Trip
Celebrate May Day
Monday, May 1
Meet at Common Ground at 10:00 am          Carpool to Corona Del Mar

T he Sherman Library & Gardens located in a quaint and cozy adobe building on Coast Highway in Corona Del Mar is the perfect place to spend May Day.  
 
Join Glenda and Judy for this springtime outing.  Enjoy the tranquil environment and simply enjoy the beauty of the season.  
 
The Gardens provide a museum of living plants, displayed amidst a setting of immaculate gardens, patios and conservatories linked together by wide brick walkways, beds blooming with seasonal flowers, and bubbling tile fountains.
 
Admission is free on the first Monday of the month.

The Gardens are open from 10:30 am to 4 :00 pm daily.

Sunday Gatherings on Common Ground
Weekly 11:00 am to 12:00 pm



The Lotus Effect

Join us at Common Ground this month as we visit the many lessons we can learn from the simplicity of the lotus flower.  

The lotus is a symbol of spiritual awakening, purity and potential.  It reminds us to stay hopeful in a hard world and to keep reaching for the light.

We will be invited to remember that in order to blossom, the lotus flower must grow through mud, dirty pond water, and difficult conditions, yet it blooms anyway. 

Like the lotus, we can cultivate the capacity to grow through dark times and challenges and rise again and again to shine from a pure place within.

The lotus effect reminds us that in a word riddled with fear,  we can stay loving inside and, one by one, open our petals to bloom as we spread love and peace into the world.

Through the lessons of the lotus flower, Judy and Glenda will help us remember that no matter how muddy our surroundings may be, we are budding with potential.

They will invite us to k eep smiling and keep growing toward the warmth and light of truth, love, compassion, and joy.

They will help us see that the conditions that produce life are not always beautiful, but through it all, hope and beauty rise, blooming into the light.

Masaru Emoto, 
 author of The Hidden Messages in Water, says: 
"If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong." 

Please join us. Everyone is welcome, invited and included.  

Come as you are.  As you are is perfect.
 
In addition to Sunday Gatherings, there are many opportunities  each week   to grow in awareness  at Common Ground.  Be sure to check out our busy calendar for the most up-to-date listing.
Common Ground is founded on the idea of embracing humanity ~ our own and that of others. We endeavor to  serve and empower the local and global community,  to actively support efforts toward creating a  sustainable planet, and to grow as individuals toward a healthy lifestyle ~  body, mind and spirit

We are creative, innovative, and contemporary in our approach to learning and demonstrating practices to support us in navigating through the complexities of day-to-day life; including meditation, personal growth, and exploration of wisdom traditions

Please check us out to see if we are a fit for your spiritual journey.


WEDDINGS, MEMORIALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AT THE CHAPEL ON COMMON GROUND
 
The Chapel on Common Ground is one of Southern California's newest and most desirable niche wedding and special occasion venues. It  is a picture-perfect turn-key setting in today's budget-conscious economy.   Our tasteful styling offers a glowing backdrop and gives a refined and intimate sense of quiet elegance.  


Please join us on Mother's Day
Sunday, May 14th


View our videos on YouTube
Have you been searching for an expansive, innovative and contemporary place to nurture your body, mind and spirit?  If so, you've found an answer right here at Common Ground. 

Visit us at every Sunday at 11:00 am.  Also, check our calendar for current classes and workshops and be sure to contact us if you have any questions.

Blessings,

Glenda & Judy 
Common Ground
info@embracehumanity.com
714-836-5880 
 




Common Ground 
714-836-5880