COMPASSION CONSORTIUM UPDATES AND NEWS

We describe the Compassion Consortium as being “Interfaith, Interspiritual, and Interspecies.” Some of you may be wondering “what exactly does that mean?” In our May Essay, Rev. Sarah provides an explanation of why we describe ourselves this way, and how it relates to the mission of the Compassion Consortium. Defining Interfaith, Interspiritual, and Interspecies (and Why These Words Matter).

Our May newsletter includes:

• Information and registration details for our May 22 spiritual service, with special guest Lydia Huston, an ordained A Course in Miracles minister. Interfaith & Interspecies Sunday Services

• Information on our June spiritual service with special guest Nathaniel Altman, author and member of the Theosophical Society, and our July service with special guest Dr. Tushar Mehta, an active member and speaker in the Jain community.

• Information and registration details for our June 15 Compassionate Book Night, featuring author Jasmin Singer, co-founder of Our Hen House podcast. Upcoming Events & Replays

• Information regarding The Road to Eden, a Whole Planet spirituality Form and Retreat that the Compassion Consortium is co-hosting together with The Spiritual Forum at Unity Village on October 28-31.

• Information regarding the Compassion Consortium’s new Animal Chaplaincy Training program that will launch in September.

• Replays of our April 24 spiritual service and our April 12 Book Night featuring Rev. Sarah and her new book Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice for Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, and Healing the Planet.

• Our Compassionate Bits segment, which provides information and current news of interest to our community

Lastly, Rev. William serves his main course of compassion for all beings together with a side order of humor in Tales from the Mad Vegan Prophet. Hear his message here.

We hope to see you at our May 22 spiritual service.

Rev. William

MAY COMPASSION CONSORTIUM REFLECTIONS POSTED

This morning we posted on the Compassion Consortium website the new May Reflections. They are available at www.compassionconsortium.org/monthly-reflections in case you are interested in reading them. These reflections don't always reflect my personal belief system, or that of the other co-founders. They are just offered as something to think about. Several of this month's reflections were suggested by Compassion Consortium members. If you have a reflection or quotation that relates to the mission and Tenets of Agreement of the Compassion Consortium that you would like to send us, we would love to share it in one of our monthly Reflections pages.

Rev. William

Something to Reflect On

Each month, the Compassion Consortium presents 12 new Reflections, at www.compassionconsortium.org/monthly-reflections. These consist of quotations from a wide range of people, some recent and some from the past, that offer thoughts and reflections relating to the mission and Tenets of Agreement of the Consortium. Following is an additional Reflection that I would like to share with you:

No man is an island, entire of itself. Every man is a piece of the continent,

a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as any manner of thy friends or of thine own were.

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind.

And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee.

Until Victoria enlightened me this week, I thought that the phrase “No man is an island” came from Shakespeare, or maybe the Bible; and “For whom the bell tolls” originated with Hemingway. I had no idea that both of these iconic phrases were expressed in a sermon by John Donne, the Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1642. I feel so stupid.

Anyway, please share any reflections that are special for you, and we can include them in our monthly Reflections section on the Compassion Consortium website.

Lastly, at our April 24 spiritual service, not only will there be an important message from The Mad Vegan Prophet, but there will also be a visit by a Magic Dragon named Puff.

We hope to see you there.

Rev. William