skip to Main Content
Spirituality Beyond Religion

March 3

Philip Goldberg

“Staying Spiritually Sane in Crazy Times”

Link to Zoom Recording

Philip Goldberg has been studying the world’s spiritual traditions for more than 50 years, as a practitioner, teacher, and author. An Interfaith Minister, spiritual counselor, and public speaker, he has presented at major venues throughout the U.S. and has been featured in numerous publications. He has authored or coauthored more than 25 books, including Roadsigns on the Spiritual Path; American Veda: The Life of Yogananda; and Spiritual Practice for Crazy Times. 

Phil teaches courses on various online platforms, hosts the Spirit Matters podcast, and serves on the board of the Association for Spiritual Integrity. He also leads journeys to India through his company, American Veda Tours. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, lived in various places including many years in Los Angeles, and now lives with his wife in the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts. He has just completed his second novel. Learn more about him and his work at philipgoldberg.com.

At Morning Star, Mr. Goldberg will address a couple of questions:

  • How can we maintain our inner peace and remain spiritually grounded and emotionally centered in the midst of many dangers and uncertainties? and
  • How can we make the world a little more sane?

Mr. Goldberg’s presentation will point the way to a Spiritual Two-Step: enter the sanctuary of peace within, then step out as strong spiritual citizens.

Mar 10

David Lowry

“Quieting the Noise: Tuning into Your Heart for a Life of Inner Peace”

Zoom Recording

Dr. David Lowry is a professor of communication with a passion for fostering peace through leadership, ethical communication, and conflict resolution. He teaches courses on these topics and is the author of the textbook “Peacemaking 101: Interpersonal Approaches for Ending Drama and Conflict.” Dr. Lowry is also a dedicated student of the inner self and believes in the power of the heart to guide us towards wisdom and peace. He shares his insights through his website, peacemaking101.com, and his upcoming podcast, A Peaceful Life.

Today, Dr. Lowry combines his expertise in communication and his spiritual exploration to offer insights on finding inner peace through listening to the heart. He puts forward, “have you ever yearned for a truly peaceful life, one free from constant inner turmoil and conflict? While peace may seem elusive, it’s actually our natural state.” David will explore how we can tap into this inherent peace by learning to listen to the wisdom of our hearts.

Our lives are often filled with “noise” – external pressures, anxieties, and ego-driven thoughts that mask the deeper guidance of our hearts. Dr. Lowry will unveil the difference between the ego’s voice and the heart’s wisdom, and how confusing the two leads to a sense of disconnection and a struggle to find peace. His talk will offer practical tools and insights to help attendees:

  • Quiet the noise and reprogram negative conditioning
  • Discern the wisdom of your heart from the chatter of the ego
  • Connect with your inner guidance and access the Divine source of peace that resides within you

Dr. Lowry has lived in Oklahoma since 2005. He and his wife Cary Williams have three sons and four granddaughters.

March 17

Suzette Chang

“The Culture of Politeness in Inclusive and Equitable Spaces”

Zoom Recording

A staple within most cultures is politeness/manners. This choice is often due to our own experiences and social constructs/external factors. From the lens of anthropology, Suzette will briefly discuss the relationship between politeness, equity and inclusion in Oklahoma spaces. Attendees can expect role playing, discussion and tools for sustainable inclusion and equitable environments.

Suzette V. Chang, a Native Californian/adopted Oklahoman and official Okie, is drawn to humans and our experiences. She traces this passion to her family, who are members of the Great Black Migration. For over two decades she has attained histories and understandings of identity, social constructs, and how these influences impact their daily lives and are linked to humans and our different historical/cultural/biological/linguistic experiences. In 2008 she launched Thick Descriptions, which grew into a tax-exempt organization in 2016 with domestic and international networks.

Thick Descriptions’ mission is to disrupt traditional educational methods with anthropology, building stronger communities. Partnering with educational institutions and community organizations, Thick Descriptions executes s.t.e.A.m. (science, technology, engineering, Anthropology, and math) Learning Journeys; our Signature Event, the Crowns Tea; and Elephant in the Room – Unboxed. Each initiative, grounded in anthropology, teaches the skills necessary to build healthier and more sustainable communities for all. Find out more about the organization and its activities at thickdescriptions.org.

Suzette is the mother of two amazing new adults, a published author and holds a Masters in Cultural Anthropology and a Masters in Library and Information Studies from the University of Oklahoma.

March 24

Sara McFall

“The Journey Feels Like Home”

Attend via Zoom

Sara McFall has been lucky to enjoy some epic trips to far-away places the last few years, in a continuation of Morning Star members’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go Series,” she will draw on those recent, as well as past, experiences of travel to share a glimpse of her journey to her experiences of the sacred.

Sara starts her story while living in Hawai’i on the island of Oahu, then will skip forward in time to reflect on her recent experience in the Australian outback, of the monolith and dome formations of Uluru and Kata-Tjuta, where the creation stories, ceremonies, and rules for living of the Anangu-the traditional owners-converge. She will also share the experience of seeing Ubuntu – an African word meaning “humanity to others,” among its many other meanings – in action while in Kenya in 2023 when she and her travel partners visited a Maasai village project empowering women in this patriarchal culture, and Ubuntu Life Foundation, a school for kids with special needs alongside a training and job center for their parents.

Sara McFall is a longtime member of the Morning Star community. She recently retired from her law practice of 30 years, and launched a new life of discovery. Adjusting to minimal external structure has allowed luxurious encounters with spontaneity and stillness. She recently discovered tai chi and now is starting to train for a trip to the Camino later this year.

March 31

Cindy Merrick

“Rebirth, A Spiritual Awakening”

Attend via Zoom

Easter is a special event in our culture which honors the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Easter is also celebrated as the time of the spring equinox, when the sun and the moon are in balance. This time of the year offers us the valuable opportunity to become introspective and examine where we are in our spiritual path.

Cindy believes once we become open and aware of a need for change, our egos melt away and the universe will magically point us in the right direction. Coincidences and synchronicities guide us as we create a new and enriched sacred communion with God, one that fills our hearts with abundant joy and love.

Cindy is a longtime member of Morning star and still considers herself as a work in progress.

Recordings from previous gatherings:

January 7 – Morning Star Speaker Committee presentation, “Building a Blueprint For A Happier 2024”

Watch Zoom recording of service

January 14 – Carol Briskin, “Messages from Inner Space – A Body Based Approach to Finding your Spiritual Path”

Watch Zoom recording of service

January 21 – Lauree Dash, “Listening Deeply”

Watch Zoom recording of service

January 28 – Petros Zenieris, “Pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain”

Watch Zoom recording of service

February 4 – Jamie Della, “Tending the Sacred Flame in Midwinter”

Watch Zoom recording of service (NOTE: Audio and Video problems–inconsistent quality)
More about Jamie @ jamiedella.com

February 11 – Imam Jamal Rahman, “Practical Spirituality in Islam”

Watch Zoom recording of service
More about Imam Rahman @ http://www.jamalrahman.com/ and www.interfaithcommunitysanctuary.org

February 18 – Claudia Watts Edge, “Gifts from the Edge”

Watch Zoom recording of service
More about Claudia @ [email protected]

February 25 – Jeanne Fell, “In Search of Awe and Beauty”

Watch Zoom recording of service

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

HOW TO JOIN OUR VIRTUAL ZOOM OPTION

The virtual meeting room will be open at 10:00 a.m. for virtual visiting and the service will start at 10:15 a.m. If you have trouble connecting or have technical issues on your end, please don’t worry or concern yourself about it.  Just disconnect, go on about your Sunday, and wait for the recording to be posted on our public Facebook page (Morning Star Center for Spiritual Living) and on our website (www.morningstarcenter.org) under the Speaker’s tab. Instructions for you to download ZOOM and connect are included below.

You have 2 options.

  1. Attend by using the computer or laptop.
  2. Attend by using your mobile phone.

Choose the option that works best for you. Be sure to prepare and install ZOOM in advance. It takes a few minutes to set everything up.

Know that using ZOOM as an attendee is always free. You don’t need to buy an account.

Instructions for using ZOOM on the computer or laptop.

  1. Be sure that you have internet.
  2. Click on this link to download the software >> https://zoom.us/download
  3. Install ZOOM.
  4. Accept all the features and questions (don’t worry. It’s safe!)
  5. On Sunday morning, click on this link around 9:30 to join the meeting. We want to be sure everything is working. Be on time so we can help you out! https://us04web.zoom.us/j/441871663
  6. Turn up your sound so you can hear us.

Instructions for using ZOOM on your phone:

  1. Be sure that you have internet.
  2. Go to the app store on your phone and download the ZOOM app.
  3. Accept all the features and questions (don’t worry. It’s safe!)
  4. On Sunday morning around 9:30, open the app on your phone and click on ‘ join meeting’.
  5. Fill in the following meeting id number: 441-871-663.
  6. Accept using camera and phone (otherwise you can’t hear us).
Back To Top