Here's a summary of how community members are practicing our Community Value of JOY:



• I'm experiencing joy after the death of my brother because I'm feeling joyful for him that he's no longer suffering..

• I spent some time in the ER this week and I was in the waiting room for many, many hours and I observed people. I could say that there was joy that A) there was a facility that I could go to and B) That I really wasn't as bad off as I thought I was.

• My joy has been to celebrate this gorgeous weather we've been gifted for a surprising week in the month of August. I just sat on my patio and listened to the chimes and felt the breeze and just lived in gratitude that brought me great joy.

• I'm just glad to be here. I don't think I've been here like since May. It may have been May.  I'm very, very happy to be in this community today.

• Well, I experienced joy actually going to visit my cousin who's in her mid-80s at a rehab facility. I brought her some really good chocolate chip cookies. And I think she found joy in my presence and in that chocolate chip cookie.

• I felt joy just walking in the door here. There’s just so much joy and so much love and so much the presence of spirit every time I walk here. This is such a loving, kind, fabulous place and I'm just very grateful to be here.

• Caring for our two very elderly dogs as they teach me is to reframe this whole human idea of illness. Their essence is 100% present as it’s always been, and they are not bothered by or complaining about by how their bodies are changing. They are teaching me that just maybe, we humans can be joyful just in the physical, scientific process of what our bodies do naturally by choosing to be fully present while going with the flow.

• I'm experiencing joy attending service outside on my patio while listening to the birds and enjoying this beautiful weather. 

From our community members online:

• Seeing the Fruits of my labor building community. 

• I'm experiencing joy being with the community of Columbia CSL

• "By affirming my connection to spirit as it led me to a lost contact at the bottom of a trash can." Yay!

The weekly study guide is an additional spiritual practice tool. Click on the green button below to access this week's guide.

If you're unable to access the study guides in a way that works for you, send an email to info@columbiacsl.com requesting which weeks you want and they will be emailed to you as Word Doc and PDF attachments.

A few points of clarification.

• We ask everyone to renew their membership and giving pledge so:
• you have an opportunity to recommit, and
• we know you're choosing to continue as a member of the Columbia CSL Community.
• If you already have a recurring giving set up in Breeze and you're choosing to continue it into 2025, you only need to complete the 2025 Pledge Form.
• If you have ANY additional questions, please reach out to me directly.

Much love,

Rev. Rafe

Becoming Willing ~ Pt. 1

August 3, 2025

Becoming Willing ~ Pt. 2

August 10, 2025

Quote of the Week

“What I know is that I am proud of you, for the depth of work you are doing, for the layers you are uncovering, for the changes you made when you learned that what you thought was rock bottom was just a reflection of a sound you were making called need. … How diligent your breath for staying deep. And all the noise that bounces off our lives. How powerful we are when we’re together. … We could change the entire story with what we know. That this is not the bottom, this is life. This is not the floor, this is not even a wall, this is our air.”  

― Alexis Pauline Gumbs, "Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons

From Marine Mammals," page 130