Inner Peace-World Peace Services

Seraphim Center and Chapel Sunday Services

Rev. Dr. Robert S. Estling, Senior Minister
Seraphim Center and Chapel
Alliance of Divine Love Chapel # 392
1234 NW 14th Ave, Gainesville, Florida, 32601
Mail: SERAPHIM CENTER, 3311 NW 37th St.  Gainesville, FL  32605
352/339-5946 cell  

SUNDAY - 11:00 AM AT SERAPHIM CENTER

Three quotes, when taken together, describe our Sunday Morning Services. One quote comes from the mystical Sufi tradition and goes something like this, "THERE ARE AS MANY PATHS TO GOD AS THERE ARE PEOPLE." The second quote comes from a well known church peace hymn that says, "LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH, AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME." And the third, "WHEN TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF LOVE, THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THERE ALSO." (paraphrased)

We feel this presence at these services. Our Sunday Services are a mixture of inspiration, fellowship, meditation, prayer, music, fun, bonding, human kindness love, and creation of spiritual community. We are open to all Truth knowing "There is no spot where God is not", we acknowledge all Teachers of God, and we bless the indwelling Divinity that is in each person. We are inter-faith and inter-denominational and accept that each person must find his or her own Truth, and only then will the Truth set us free. We have experienced when we come together in Love, we are greater than the sum of our parts. This has resulted in amazing transformations and healing of body, mind and spirit.

Our Service is a showcase to allow visiting speakers and musicians to inspire us as they demonstrate their talents, messages and truth. It is a practice field for our up and coming ministerial candidates and newly ordained spiritual ministers to practice and share their stories and their wisdom, in an environment of unconditional love and support.

Dale Carnegie once said, "The best public speaker is someone who has something to say." Our speakers are all folks that have a fire in their belly, a love in their heart, and some unique ideas about our relationship to ourselves, our brothers and sisters, our world, and the Universe that can be beneficial to each of us. Each service is unique and different. Each is a "Path to God". Each hopes to assist us in finding inner peace, and add our significant contribution to the movement to world peace. The time for this is now!

The following blessing we start out every Sunday service. It was adapted from "A Blessing of a Church" by James Dillet Freeman: SERAPHIM CENTER BLESSING This is God's house. May we who come here not only find out about God, but find God. May there be beauty in this place, but especially may is be a place, where men and women, become aware of, the beauty within themselves. May this be a place of worship. May this be a place of instruction. May this be a place of singing and celebration. May this be a place of prayer and meditation. And, May this be a place of loving service. But for us who worship and take instruction and sing and celebrate and pray and meditate, and joyfully offer our loving service, May this be a place of inner stillness, where we may listen and hear when God speaks. May everyone here feel the Joy of Oneness. May whoever ministers here minister in Love. May whoever teaches here teach Truth. And, May whoever serves here serve pleasantly. May everyone come into this house in expectation and go with thanksgiving, And may anyone who comes needing help, go feeling blest. May this be such a house that if any of God's Great Teachers, Even the Rabbi Jesus, or Buddha, or Krishna, or Moses, or Mohammed, or Mother Teresa, or Mother Mary, or Chief Crazy Horse, or any of our Ministers, or any of the Great Teachers we have each known, who have held a spiritual door open so we can pass through to the Light, or any friend or relative, or any stranger, or even one of the lest of these…….. Would feel that he or she was with friends. In the Greatest Degree of love, Amen!

We have been inspired by a piece written about the Dali Lama. Our Services are about "Deep caring for one another", in the Greatest Degree of Love. THE DALAI LAMA AND CARING FOR ONE ANOTHER…… The Dalai Lama has asked that the following practice be shared with as many people as possible) A group recently spent days visiting with the Dalai Lama focusing upon what they believe the five most important questions to be considered moving into the new millennium.

The five questions were: 1. How do we address the widening gap between rich and poor? 2. How do we protect the earth? 3. How do we educate our children? 4. How do we help Tibet and other oppressed countries and peoples of the world? 5. How do we bring spirituality (deep caring for one another) through all disciplines of life?

The Dalai Lama said all five questions fall under the last one. If we have true compassion in our hearts, our children will be educated wisely, we will care for the earth, those who "have not" will be cared for. The group asked the Dalai Lama, "Do you think loving on the planet is increasing or staying the same?" His response: "My experience leads me to believe that LOVE IS INCREASING."

He shared a simple practice that will increase loving and compassion in the world. He asked everyone in the group to share it with as many people as they can. The Practice:

• 1. Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of each day remembering we all want the same things (to be happy and be loved) and we are all connected to one another.
• 2. Spend 5 minutes -- breathing in - cherishing yourself; and, breathing out - cherishing others. If you think about people you have difficulty cherishing, extend your cherishing to them anyway.
• 3. During the day extend that attitude to everyone you meet. Practice cherishing the "simplest" person (clerks, attendants, etc.), as well as the "important" people in your life; cherish the people you love and the people you dislike.
• 4. Continue this practice no matter what happens or what anyone does to you. These thoughts are very simple, inspiring and helpful.

The practice of cherishing can be taken very deep if done wordlessly, allowing yourself to feel the love and appreciation that already exists in your heart.

MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH. Love on this planet is increasing. Once we have experienced moments of inner peace, oneness, and reawakening, and we learn to reach out with loving hands to our brothers and sisters, assisting and cherishing each other as we sojourn this life, we naturally recognize our commitment and responsibility to our planet, our Mother Earth. Seraphim Center folks are sensitive to global issues, participate in world prayer and meditation events, and are deeply committed to preserving our planet.

This gives you some idea about our Inner Peace - World Peace services. Come and join us every Sunday morning at 11:00 AM. We will be blessed by your presence as we know you will be blessed by the experience. Always in the Greatest Degree of Love, Rev. Dr. Bob E. and all your friends and family at Seraphim Center