Center for Spiritual Living

Christmas approaches, and holiday times can be the loneliest and hungriest for food insecure neighbors. GGCSLers volunteer two hours each month at the San Rafael warehouse of the SF-Marin Food Bank. This is one way we help make the world a better place for our neighbors. The food packed during our service times will be delivered to local distributions centers closer to the homes of people needing it. You can participate! If you’d like to help, provide your name, email and phone number by email or text to Ellen Nicosia before December 3rd: ellennicosia@gmail.com or (415) 720-0225 to help on Tuesday, Dec. 10^th from Noon–2 pm. 

This is a great way to begin your Christmas Season!

This workshop by Dr. Wendy Lyon will be Sunday, December 8 from 1:00–3:30 pm at our Learning Center/Office, and will include a snacks break.

Dr. Wendy offered a well-received workshop for GGCSL previously and is delighted to return. This workshop will be educational, interactive and fun! Learn the skills needed to cultivate friendships—both old and new—in the third act of life. Close friendships make life richer for everyone involved, increasing health, happiness and longevity. $25 admission in advance. Registration will begin in November on our website. Sign up to indicate your intention to register at the Activity Table on Sundays.

For online registration: https://ggcsl.breezechms.com/form/DrWLyon2024

Shop quality arts and crafts on Sunday, December 15th after our Sunday Celebration service.

If you are a local artisan or crafter and wouldlike to participate as a seller, email Sophie Fleming at
sophoto10@gmail.com or catch her after Sunday service. Vendors are encouraged to donate 10% of
all sales to GGCSL at the end of the fair.

Please let Sophie know by Sunday, December 8th so we know how many tables to set up.

This year, Rev. Mary is going to do a special Thanksgiving Eve service on Wednesday, Nov. 27^th at 7:15 pm, instead of her usual Wednesday evening meditation service. This Celebration will be held at on Zoom and will be about an hour in length.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84023902214?pwd=R05VNjJTMmJlOWhCS3J2cmFsczZSZz09

Although you’ll be at home, you’ll be asked to prepare your space with a few sacred objects.

These are the things you’ll need to have with you for the service to create a welcoming and to be aware of the gifts you’ve received and what you want to invite into your life in 2025:

• a lit candle
• a rattle, bell or drum
• an object that represents something wonderful you received/experienced this year, and
• an object that represents something you want to invite and welcome into your life during 2025

You’ll place these in front of you where you can see and reach them.

Volunteering at the Marin Food Bank is a fun way to connect with others from Golden Gate Center for Spiritual Living (GGCSL) and give back to our greater Marin community. We have a shift coming up on January 14th  from noon to 2 pm.

This commitment is just two hours. Provide Ellen with your choice of date and your name, email and phone number. (The Food Bank requires notification of our team members from Ellen one week before the scheduled service.)

Location: 2550 Kerner Blvd. San Rafael, CA 94901

Please contact Ellen Nicosia by September 10th to sign up: text her at 415.720.0225 or email at ellennicosia@gmail.com

A group of our experienced teachers who are also licensed prayer practitioners at Golden Gate Center for Spiritual Living (GGCSL) meet regularly with Rev. Mary to plan classes, review those that have completed, discuss class policies, and consider new curricula and offerings. These two-hour team meetings  happen on alternate months and are specifically for this team.

A special presentation by two local authors is happening at our office/learning center on Sunday, October 27 from 1-3 pm. The presentation explores the stories of these women, and how the mystical entered their lives and changed everything. This is a Love Offering presentation that may lead to a practical workshop in the future. Sign up Sunday at the Activity Table to hold your spot!

Curran Galway holds degrees in Education and English, and a Masters of Divinity in Transformational Spirituality from Seattle University. Galway has published articles in Unity Magazine, and is the author of The Aquarians. She is a spiritual coach and an inspirational speaker, leading retreats and spiritual seminars, including Ordinary Mystic, and Raising Spiritual Children workshops in the Bay Area.

Sherry Brier is co-owner/director of Inner Rhythm Movement Arts Institute in Marin County, California. While undergoing a crisis of the heart and spirit, Sherry met a mysterious teacher of mystical movement who initiated her into Egyptian Temple Dance. Her teacher prepared Sherry for her Return to the Source, and introduced her to other masters of wisdom. From California to the sacred sites of Egypt, Doorway to Ecstasy follows Sherry’s spiritual journey interweaving her present life with her far distant past and revealing the blueprint of her destiny.

We call our Board of Trustees a Leadership Council, and it may be a perfect place for you to serve. Our Leadership Council is a loving , experienced group of leaders, committed to supporting GGCSL with their time, leadership, and expertise.

The Leadership Council oversees staffing, policies and procedures, bylaws, income / expenses, and carrying out GGCSL’s Mission.

We meet monthly on the third Wednesday afternoon on Zoom for about 90 minutes, and work on our share of LC projects between meetings, preparing updates in reports for the next meeting.

We love and support each other in prayer, humor, and collaboration. The Leadership Council commits to “speaking with one voice,” and maintains appropriate confidentiality on personnel issues and donor information.

Have you considered serving GGCSL in this way? If you’re an active Member who has completed Foundations, you’re eligible to serve. Applications and info are on the Sunday Activity Table, and can also be requested via email: ggcsl@ggcsl.org.

One of our beloved prayer practitioners, Sue Rouda, made her transition this year in June. Although her family had a private Memorial for her, they knew how important Golden Gate CSL was to Sue, and recognized our need to celebrate her life. Our Memorial for Sue will be held during our Sunday Celebration on September 29^th at the Corte Madera Community Center.

Sue’s daughters, Davia and Meika, will generously provide a light lunch for us following the service. So that we can give them an accurate count, please sign up so we can confirm the number of people we’re expecting that day.

We call our Board of Trustees a Leadership Council, and it may be a perfect place for you to serve. Our Leadership Council is a loving , experienced group of leaders, committed to supporting GGCSL with their time, leadership, and expertise.

The Leadership Council oversees staffing, policies and procedures, bylaws, income / expenses, and carrying out GGCSL’s Mission.

We meet monthly on the third Wednesday afternoon on Zoom for about 90 minutes, and work on our share of LC projects between meetings, preparing updates in reports for the next meeting.

We love and support each other in prayer, humor, and collaboration. The Leadership Council commits to “speaking with one voice,” and maintains appropriate confidentiality on personnel issues and donor information.

Have you considered serving GGCSL in this way? If you’re an active Member who has completed Foundations, you’re eligible to serve. Applications and info are on the Sunday Activity Table, and can also be requested via email: ggcsl@ggcsl.org.

Rev. Mary will be facilitating this certificated SOM course on Tuesday evenings beginning September 24, from 6:00–8:30 pm on Zoom. It is a 6-week course ending October 29.

Consciousness and The Creative Process, a certificated Center of Spiritual Living Science of Mind course, draws inspiration from Thomas Troward’s book, The Creative Process in the Individual. His ability to match our innermost thoughts with the physical universe is the foundation of this process. Troward’s approach is grounded in Universal principles, and logically shows us how these can be used to create our future. We’ll explore the intricacies of the Creative Process and give you the opportunity to expand your mind and heart, while improving your ability to consciously create.

Type: Certificated class/Prerequisite: Foundational Level Class
Tuition: $210 or special pricing of $180 with a non-refundable $50 deposit received by September 10th (balance of tuition mustbe paid in full by class 2).
Text: The Creative Process in the Individual, DeVorss Publications, by Thomas Troward, ISBN-13:9780875166407

Register Here starting this weekend or in person after Sunday Service or call the Office at 415.721.2492.

The welcome reception for those choosing to become GGCSL members will be Friday, Sept. 20th (location TBA), and Welcome Sunday will be September 22nd at the 10 AM Celebration service.