Our Community 💗 June 5, 2025
- CSL Kelowna
- Jun 4
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 5
What's Happening This Week at CSL Kelowna
Sunday, June 8: Weird, Wise & Wonderfully Me, with Irene Kowalchuk, RScP
Last Sunday: Is Church Still a Little Too… Churchy? with Rev. John DePalma
NEW: Online Class with Rev. Cath DePalma
CSLK Volunteers Did us Proud at Pride
Did You Know? You can request a Prayer
World Religions: Spiritual Beliefs and Practices of The Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation
Multi-Faith Gathering: The Community of Islam, June 21
Science Corner: God and Dr. Einstein, by Ernest Holmes
What You Can Expect at SOAR?
Inspirational Song of the Week: If I Were Brave, by Jana Stanfield
Connect with Rev. John
Join us every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. at Studio 9, 1180 Houghton Road, Kelowna, BC. Doors open at 10:15 am. Please visit the event page for more details and a map. Everyone is welcome!
Or, WATCH US ON
Sunday, June 8
Weird, Wise & Wonderfully Me
With Irene Kowalchuk, RScP
Maybe your weirdness – your quirks, your sensitivity, your deep questions – aren’t your flaws.
If you’ve ever felt out of step with the world or wondered if your “weirdness” was something to hide, this talk is for you. Together, we’ll uncover how awakening the weird within isn’t just about accepting ourselves – it’s about stepping into a deeper truth and purpose. Come curious and leave ready to celebrate the sacred strange that makes you, you.
Join us at Studio 9 (1180 Houghton Rd, Kelowna, BC). Doors open at 10:15 am. Enter the property by the side entrance behind the staff parking lot. Look for our signs to guide you! Please use street parking or park at Ben Lee Park (1.5 blocks away).
Or you can always watch our live stream on Facebook Live via Centre for Spiritual Living Kelowna's Facebook page.
Last Sunday’s Service
Is Church Still a Little Too... Churchy?
With Rev. John DePalma
Last Sunday Rev. John DePalma explained how being weird might just invigorate our spiritual community. In this two-hour interactive workshop, Rev. John challenged the view that church must be so, well, churchy! We learned that God might show up at a Pub as well as a Pew – and the seats at the pub are much more comfortable!
If you missed this workshop, or want to see it again, click here
NEW ONLINE COURSE
Awaken Your Inner Power & Expand Your Creative Potential
Are you ready to strengthen your spiritual muscles, unlock your creative flow, and cultivate a deeper connection with your inner wisdom?
Join Rev. Cath DePalma for a 7-week transformational journey where you'll explore 7 powerful ways to build spiritual fitness and energize your creative superpowers!
Online, Thursday nights, starting June 12 - July 24 online. 4:30 - 6:00pm. PDT. Love offering.
Here is the link to the class registration page:
CSLK Volunteers Did us Proud at Pride
Downtown Kelowna was awash with rainbow colours last Saturday, during the annual Pride March and Festival. CSL Kelowna was pleased to have a booth at the center of at all, at City Park.
Special thanks to those Volunteers who staffed the booth or just showed up for support! It looks like the day had as many smiles as it did rainbows!
You Can Request a Prayer
If you're navigating a challenge, seeking clarity, or simply longing for a greater experience of peace, health, love, or abundance—we're here to support you.
You can submit a confidential prayer request any time through the CSL Kelowna website. Your request will be received by our team of licensed Spiritual Practitioners, who are dedicated to holding you in affirmative prayer, love, and deep spiritual truth.
Know this: the moment you reach out, the healing has already begun. We love to pray!
Spiritual Beliefs and Practices of The Syilx People of the Okanagan Nation
The Syilx (Okanagan) people of British Columbia and Washington have a rich spiritual tradition deeply connected to the land, water, animals, and ancestors. Their beliefs centre around the interconnectedness of all life, expressed through the concept of tmixʷ (that which gives us life) the living universe that includes humans, plants, animals, and spiritual beings.
At the heart of Syilx spirituality is the recognition of their responsibility to care for the land as sacred. Water, in particular, is revered as a living spirit, and ceremonies are held to honour and protect it. Traditional songs, dances, and prayers are not just rituals, but living expressions of relationship and gratitude.
Oral teachings—passed through generations—are foundational. The Captikʷł (traditional stories) are moral and spiritual lessons often told through animal characters, such as Coyote the trickster, who teaches through his mistakes. These stories guide the Syilx in living in balance with the world.
Sweat lodges, smudging with sage, and seasonal gatherings remain vital spiritual practices. The Syilx also believe in the importance of dreams and visions for personal and communal guidance.
Today, many Syilx people blend traditional practices with modern life, preserving their spiritual heritage while adapting to contemporary realities with strength and resilience.
Multi Faith Gathering:
The Islamic Community
Saturday, June 21
Our next Multi-Faith opportunity is a visit to the Islamic Community on Saturday, June 21st. Contact Rev. Corinne for details if you’d like to join in this visit (corinne_crockett@telus.net).
Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion founded in the 7th century CE by the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia. Muslims believe in one God (Allah) and follow the Quran, regarded as God's final revelation.
The core beliefs include the Five Pillars: faith, prayer, charity, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca. Islam emphasizes justice, compassion, and submission to God's will. It shares roots with Judaism and Christianity.
Followers aim to live a righteous life guided by the Quran and Hadith (sayings of the Prophet). Islam has over a billion adherents worldwide and encompasses diverse cultures and traditions
God and Dr. Albert Einstein, by Ernest Holmes
On Sunday, May 21, 1950, Ernest Holmes hosted a radio show titled, “This Thing Called Life.” Following is a partial transcript of what he said during that show:
"Here is another remarkable thing: Dr. Einstein has also said that time, space, and light curve back upon themselves. This means that everything moves in circles. It explains what Jesus meant when he said, “Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.
It also explains another saying of Jesus when he said that they that take up the sword shall perish by it. It really means that what goes out will again return; that the inner action of our minds decides what is going to happen to us, for “as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
I would like for us to consider one more of Dr. Einstein’s propositions, in which he states that energy, which is invisible, and mass, which means physical form, are equal, identical, and interchangeable.
Is this any different from one of the initial statements of the Bible where it says, “In the beginning was the Word,” and while it tells us that the thought of God becomes form, it also teaches us that what we see comes out of what we do not see.
The invisible becomes visible through a law of mind. This is what is back of psycho-somatic medicine. Thoughts are things in that mental states produce definite results. This is why we meditate, pray, and affirm the presence of good in our lives.
The cause of everything is hidden. What we experience outwardly is a result of silent but intelligent forces that operate on the invisible side of life. And, so you and I are concerned, our minds represent this invisible side of life.
Another great scientist, Dr. Gustof Stromberg, said in his book, “The Soul of the Universe,” that there is an invisible pattern for everything in the visible world. This is no different from the Bible statement that the invisible things of God are made manifest by the visible.
Everything, including our own being, is rooted in, and draws its life from, an invisible source. Is this any different from St. Paul’s statement that there are bodies celestial and bodies terrestrial; there is a spiritual body as well as a physical body?"
The entire transcript is available for $1.99 through the CSL Archives:
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT AT SOAR?
Centers for Spiritual Living Summer Conference
An Incredible Spiritual Opportunity Right in Our Own Back Yard
A Journey of Revelation, Restoration, and Grace
August 7–10, 2025
Banff, Alberta
An Incredible Spiritual Opportunity Right in Our Own Back Yard
SOAR 2025
A Journey of Revelation, Restoration, and Grace
August 7–10, 2025
Banff, Alberta
SOAR 2025 Summer Retreat: A Journey of Revelation, Restoration, and Grace is an opportunity to gather, connect, and be rejuvenated through inspiring speakers, musical performances, experiential workshops, spiritual practices, meditations, and communal meals.
This year our retreat will head to the heart of Canadian Rockies and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta.
Speakers include:
Rev. Dr. Andrea Asebedo
Rev. Dr. Pat Campbell
Rev. Dr. Soni Cantrell-Smith
Rev. Dr. Roger Teel
Musicians include:
Amy Bishop
Martin Kerr
Steph Chapman
This intimate retreat has limited space. Register early to secure your place.
Inspirational Song of the Week
If I Were Brave
Jana Stanfield
Humorist, songwriter, and educator Jana Stanfield combines laughter, wisdom, and her million-selling songs into an interactive experience that generates fun and positive action. Jana describes her music as “psychotherapy you can dance to.”, and her goal is to use her music to give people a “faith-lift.”
You’ve heard her music on 20/20, Entertainment Tonight, Oprah, the movie 8 Seconds, and radio stations nationwide. Her compositions are sung by Reba McEntire, Andy Williams and others, and Jana has shared stages with fellow performers ranging from Kenny Loggins to The Dixie Chicks.
Website: https://www.jana-stanfield.com/
LET’S CONNECT
Rev. John DePalma’s contact information
Contact Rev. John via email: jdepalma@cslkelowna.org
He is also available for one-on-one telephone conversations. To schedule a connection, visit his online calendar:
Fill out your membership here, https://www.cslkelowna.org/membership
Regular Events at CSLK
See Upcoming Events on our home page. Stay informed of all the latest news from CSLK! Subscribe now to receive notifications of future blog posts.
Sunday Celebrations start at 10:30am PT at Studio 9, 1180 Houghton Road, Kelowna. Please park on the street or at Ben Lee Park (1.5 blocks from the school). You can also watch us live on Facebook or watch the replay later on YouTube.
Our volunteers are immensely valuable to CSLK! If you can help out with making coffee, setting up and/or after-service taking down, please contact Rev. Corinne Crockett at 250-868-9090 or email corinne_crockett@telus.net.
Do you have an idea for CSLK community opportunities you’d like to experience? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Please contact Rev. Corinne Crockett at 250-868-9090 or email corinne_crockett@telus.net.
Practitioner Support
Our ministers and practitioners are in service to all of us. If you need help to see the Truth in a situation; if you are looking for clarity; if you are struggling; our ministers and practitioners are here to support you. You can contact them through the About page on our website, or you can submit a prayer request on the Contact page.
Bring Nature’s Fare Receipts to CSLK!
Nature’s Fare grocery store receipts are worth a pretty penny to us! Bring your shopping receipts to Sunday service and place them into the receipt box on the table in front of the stage in the Studio 9 auditorium. Nature’s Fare will donate 3% of the total of your purchases to CSL Kelowna! Every receipt helps! Thank you!
Your Support Means So Much to Our Community!
We’re grateful for the ways CSL Kelowna is able to accept donations:
Online via the Ways to Donate page of our website (PayPal or credit card).
Using the Donation Station (Debit or Credit Card) at our Sunday Service.
By Interac e-transfers sent to donate@cslkelowna.org.
Cheques can be mailed to: Suite 131, 101-1865 Dilworth Drive, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9T1.
For more information, please contact Rev. Melody Bailey.
MINDFUL MOMENT
"The best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment"
– Thich Nhat Hanh
Copyright © 2025, Centre for Spiritual Living Kelowna.
All rights reserved.
Vol. 2, Issue 21
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