UPCOMING EVENTS

Monthly Sunday Services
Fourth Sunday of Every Month

 10/24/21, 11/28/21, 12/26/21, 01/23/22...

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Each service includes immersive spiritual practices—such as musical reflection, meditation, prayer, and loving-kindness—as well as a spiritual conversation with a special guest. The special guest for our October 24 service will be Rev. Dr. Russell Elleven, a Unitarian Universalist minister, grief recovery specialist, and animal chaplain. Rev. Russell currently serves as Chaplain to the Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry where he is engaged in the training of additional animal chaplains who will serve local congregations and communities across the country.

Compassionate Book Talk 12/7/21

Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers

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Compassion Consortium is proud to present Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers with our guests  Dr. Joanne Kong, Gene Baur, and Victoria Moran

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 A collection of informative, diverse, evocative, and inspiring essays from over 50 vegan activists, educators, artists, and changemakers on the whys and wherefores of the vegan diet and lifestyle.

FUTURE EVENTS

Sunday November 28 Spiritual Service with special guest Hereditary Chief Phil Lane, Jr., an enrolled member of the Ihanktonwan Dakota and Chickasaw Nations and an internationally recognized leader in human, community, and economic development.

Sunday December 26 Spiritual Service with special guest Keith Akers, author of Disciples: How Jewish Christianity Shaped Jesus and Shattered the Church and The Lost Religion of Jesus: Simple Living and Nonviolence in Early Christianity. Among other topics, Keith will discuss the early followers of Jesus such as the Essenes, Nazoreans and Ebionites, and also the question of whether Jesus was a vegetarian.

Sunday January 23 Spiritual Service with special guest Kathy Freston, a New York Times bestselling author of multiple health and wellness books, notably The Lean, Quantum Wellness, and Clean Protein. Her advocacy for a more healthy, sustainable, and just food system is inspired by her concern for human health as well as animal and environmental welfare.

Sunday February 27 Spiritual Services with special guest Dr. Milton Mills, critical care physician in the Washington, DC area. Dr. Mills has served previously as Associate Director of Preventive Medicine and as a member of the National Advisory Board, for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). He has been a major contributor to position papers presented by PCRM to the United States Department of Agriculture regarding Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Sunday March 27 Spiritual Service with special guest Kris Gurksnis, a vegan Wiccan living in Salem, Massachusetts who will help us celebrate Ostara/Spring Equinox.  
 

view our tenets of agreement

about us

The Compassion Consortium is a non-sectarian and interfaith religious center. We offer spiritual guidance, support, and fellowship to vegans, vegetarians, animal rights activists, animal lovers, and all humans who care about and advocate for animals and the planet. We recognize that many people do not see their deeply rooted compassion for all creatures reflected in houses of worship; some have even left faith traditions after seeing these innocent, loving beings excluded from the level of mercy they deserve; in many cases, they're even denied the possession of a soul.

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The Compassion Consortium is here to supplement this "missing piece" for persons who are part of another religious or spiritual community, and those who are not. We welcome participants of all faiths or none. Our regular monthly service takes place on Sunday afternoons, 4 pm U.S. Eastern Time, to avoid interference with most church, synagogue, temple, or mosque services. While we encourage Compassion Consortium membership for those so moved, this is not a "join up required" kind of organization: we're here to serve you, the companion animals you care about, as well as all exploited, abused, and endangered animals, and the fragile ecosystem of planet Earth.

Compassion Consortium is proud to present at 8:00 PM EDT on December 7 Vegan Voices: Essays by Inspiring Changemakers with our guests  Dr. Joanne Kong, Gene Baur, and Victoria Moran

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 A collection of informative, diverse, evocative, and inspiring essays from over 50 vegan activists, educators, artists, and changemakers on the whys and wherefores of the vegan diet and lifestyle.

by Rev. Sarah Bowen

As October rolls around, my social feed fills with announcements of animal blessings. The most well-known event is the Blessing of the Animals that evolved from the traditional feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi. Each year, in October, Christian liturgies highlight Creation, and priests, pastors, and ministers bless pets. Likewise, many synagogues read the story of Noah the same weekend. Other folks celebrate the anniversary of Gandhi’s birthday (October 2) or observing World Animal Day (October 4). Many Buddhist authors and teachers provide guidance for using animal-focused mantras and blessings to help liberate sentient beings. And one of my Muslim colleagues answers plentiful questions this time of year about “beloved cats vs. despicable dogs” for people digging into animal welfare through the words of the Quran.

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So, let's dig in to the history of animal blessings and some ideas for making blessing more useful for spreading compassion to the beings we share the planet with. 

"May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May the thoughts, words and actions of our day contribute to that happiness and freedom for all."

Ahimsa Prayer for All Beings