Bridges of Hope

This Sunday, May 26th at 9:15, Nancy Moreland and Valerie Holcombe with our local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Four Seasons) will present Bridges of Hope, a look at how NAMI is responding to the needs of persons with mental illness and their families, and what we can all do help.

Hope you all have a safe, happy Memorial Day.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

This Sunday, May 19th, our own Clay Eddelman, M.D., will help us take a look at the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  As a psychiatrist with the Veterans’ Administration, Clay has much experience in working with military personnel suffering from PTSD.  But did you know that persons don’t have to have experienced war to experience PTSD?  Come and learn more about this often overlooked mental health issue. 

“Transpersonal Psychology.”

On April 28,  Dr. Jim  Nourse, Ph.D., a local, practicing clinical psychologist at the Center for Integrated Health and Healing in Brevard, will discuss “Transpersonal Psychology.” This is a school of psychology which advocates that the spiritual component of life is a vital part of a person's well-being. Although the transpersonal psychologist does not advocate for any particular religion or denomination, he believes that individuals are helped by learning to discover within themselves sources of wisdom, inspiration and a deeper understanding of their relationship to the whole of life.

“Celebrating the Mystic Life... with Worms.”

This Sunday, April 21 at 9:15, our own Diane Rhoades will be “Celebrating the Mystic Life... with Worms.” Cultivate a more mindful, grateful, and sustainable life with the company of the unseen, underground alchemists of the soil.  Diane, a worm rancher of 24 years, will bring her worms to Forum and shed light on the surprising ways that these small, muscular friends give us vitamins, minerals, and a healthier life. Being connected to life, all life, and feeling the repercussions of our actions to support all of life is a mystical experience.  Let worms jump start us to understanding the beautiful and powerful interdependence all around us.

“The Legacy of Howard Thurman”

This Sunday, April 7 at 9:15, “The Legacy of Howard Thurman” will be Michael J. S. Carter’s topic. The Pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Black Mountain, Michael is well-versed on the life and writings of Howard Thurman, an African-American scholar and author who greatly influenced Martin Luther King, Jr.  Come and have a cross-cultural experience as we take a look at Thurman’s legacy and how it influences our society today.

“Open Heart Meditation.”

On March 24, Palm Sunday, our own Romella Hart O’Keefe and Joyce Burgess (who had to cancel last month) will explain “Open Heart Meditation.” Practiced by thousands of people around the world, Open Heart Meditation reminds us that the peace, calmness and happiness we so long for can be found within us.  In this beautiful 20 minute guided meditation, we can feel Love and Light pour into our spiritual heart so that it can cleanse, open and strengthen our heart and radiate freely from our heart. With practice, as our heart becomes stronger, we become more peaceful and more joyful and able to follow our heart's own inner guidance to be happier in our daily life. Our connection to the True Source of Love and Light is strengthened, which also makes this meditation a way of deepening any other spiritual practices we may already be following. 

On March 31, Easter Sunday there will be No Forum.

"The Puzzles and Power of Pesach."

This Sunday, March 17 at 9:15, our neighbor, Rabbi Phil Cohen of Agudas Israel Congregation will speak with us about the Passover Festival.  "Why IS this night different from all other nights? The texts, themes, and, above all, the puzzles and power of Pesach."