Millicent Holliday —I want to start by thanking David for the opportunity you afforded Terry and me to focus our service time today. In my preparation for today I had such a deep appreciation for the many, many hours of extemporaneous offerings that Uranda and Martin gave, and for all those who, in recent times, have offered to steward the Lord’s current. It is quite a responsibility, and I was reminded of a story that Bill Bahan, Jr. told me about his dad giving a service, with Martin, Lillian and Grace sitting in the front row. And stating how, if he was associated with his body, he’d feel somewhat inadequate, but given that he knew that he was not his body, inadequacy consequently carried no weight. I have to admit that over the past few weeks I felt some of those inadequate tendencies myself, but like Bill Sr. have chosen to give them no weight.
David posted the following words in the link he sent out for the Temple of Light service. This is just a portion of what he sent but I think it offers us a wonderful starting point. These are Martin’s words spoken in 1984, the year I entered this ministry.
“Be now. It is not just a statement for me to make, but for all of us in oneness to make. The clarity of consciousness in all concerned is therefore important if the statement is to be specific, clear and to the point. Each individual has a responsibility in this regard. Be here. Be now. The only positioning that is in focus is now. There is no way by which one may have clear vision and understanding except as one is present being now. Every time you are now, everything comes into focus. It’s clear. There is understanding. The experience of being now is the experience of spiritual expression. All we need to do is come into the present moment. In the present moment, in the actual experience of life itself, that is delightful, sometimes amusing, but always delightful, always characterized by joy.”
It is certainly a joy to share this time with all of you and Terry and my deep concern in preparing for this time was to offer our highest and finest to the Lord. We have known one another for going on 40 years and our friendship started with our very first meeting and has never diminished, but rather, has gone from glory to glory, and I am so deeply thankful for the sweetness of it, and for the spiritual agreement that we share. It is to me a precious treasure and in preparing for this time it gave me an opportunity to meditate a little more specifically on the wonder and joy of our angelic friendships. I’m sure many of you know this joy as well. It has a very specific quality to it, doesn’t it? A treasure indeed!
I would like to share a little story with you. It’s a Bible story but not a very well-known one at all, and reference is made to it in the book of 2 Kings. It occurred after the conquest of Israel, when the children of Israel had been taken into captivity and scattered throughout the whole region of Syria and Egypt. Elijah had already ascended in his fiery chariot, and Elisha his faithful follower, continued the work of magnifying the Lord in the most profound way. Anyway, this is a story about a little maid, who was taken into captivity in Syria and was handmaid to the wife of a captain of the king of Syria,his name was Naaman and he suffered from leprosy. This little maid knew of her master’s suffering and said to his wife:
“…would God my lord [Naaman] were with the prophet [Elisha], that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his leprosy. And one [of the servants] went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel… So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”
Well, Naaman was pretty upset that Elisha didn’t have the audacity to at least come out and see him because, after all, he was a very important captain of the King of Syria, and he stomped off in a huff saying (and I’m paraphrasing), what the heck! We have rivers in Syria that are just as good as the Jordan. Why don’t I just go and bath seven times in them? Anyway, one of his servants said (and I’m paraphrasing again) Hold on a minute my lord, what have you got to lose? You’ve already come all this way, with all your horses and servants and chariots, why not just give it a try? Naaman reluctantly acquiesced and went down and bathed seven times in the Jordan, and he was healed. And he was mightily impressed and wanted to pay Elisha, but Elisha refused his payment.
So Naaman returned to Syria and being captain of the king’s guard he moved in pretty high circles. A young Egyptian prince named Akhnaton would visit Syria and Naaman told him the story of his healing and Akhnaton went down to Samaria himself and met with Elisha, and they became very good friends. When Akhnaton became king of Egypt, Naaman became his right-hand man and both he and Akhnaton, and Akhnaton’s wife Nefertiti, (who came into complete agreement with her husband) converted to Elisha’s faith, as did the whole kingdom of Egypt at that time.
Grace Van Duzen, in her magnificent “The Book of Grace” says: “Akhnaton was a great and wise King, and he turned a mighty nation back to the Lord. The change was not in discarding worship of the sun, (as was their custom) but in accepting that high point in the heavens as representative of the shining of its light, in the individual. Akhnaton took as his personal agnomen the expression ‘Living in Truth’”.
Isn’t that a great story? I wanted to emphasize it because I think it gives such wonderful evidence of the significance of the present moment, and what wonders can materialize from the smallest acts of courage, or words spoken. None of what transpired would have happened if it wasn’t for that little maid had she not had the courage to speak up. She didn’t do it to gain anything, she obviously had love for her master and she knew and trusted that Elisha could heal him. The conversion of the Egyptian nation to the One Faith, at that time played a huge role in setting the stage for the Master’s incarnation centuries later. Egypt may not have been the safe place for Mary and Joseph to “go down into” at the time of the Master’s birth, without that little maid, Naaman, Arknaton and Nefertiti’s influence, to say nothing of Elisha himself.
Moving along somewhat in the One Story, I have over the past few months given thought, to the following words, purportedly spoken by Mary and recorded in the Book of Luke: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior”.
Mary spoke these words to Elizabeth her cousin, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, and I’m sure we all remember that the babe in Elizabeth’s womb leapt, when Mary told Elizabeth that she was pregnant as well. The spiritual agreement between these two women is so beautifully depicted in Luke and gives wonderful evidence of their character and spiritual awareness. Both women provided a field, a setting into which the positive creative expression of Jehovah could manifest, and their precious agreement afforded a foundation, a womb, that both their sons depended on during their upcoming years of ministry.
As I was saying, I’ve been giving thought to what it means to magnify the Lord, and what that would look like in my everyday living. What comes to mind are the words integrity, righteousness, authenticity, nobility, and we have to add humility, as well. If we are to magnify the Lord in our living, these beautiful attributes would need to be an integral aspect of our expression moment by moment. As we know we can’t give what we do not have, and we can’t fake it until we make it. The reality of what we express is what we magnify into our worlds, good, bad or indifferent. Terry and I over the last few weeks were recognizing that there is no room for “little irritations”, that’s a big one isn’t it. How often in a day, do we have to meet just this one little thing? I know I certainly do!
One way of looking at magnifying the Lord would be to allow that which is in miniature to be enlarged so that it can be seen more clearly by oneself or potentially others. (I remember my mother using a huge magnifying glass that hung from a string around her neck when she was doing very fine embroidery). I am always so aware that people long for evidence of integrity, righteousness, authenticity, nobility, etc. They long for the evidence of the Lord’s spirit. Just as Naaman longed for the evidence of the Lord’s spirit, which, when it was magnified through Elisha, he recognized it and responded to it and his life was transformed. People may at first be somewhat suspicious of it, but when it is consistently revealed, one senses a deep relaxation manifesting, a state of peace and trust. This precious letting go initiates all healing processes, and it is such a joy, to see people’s lives transform as they so yield. Sometimes it is conscious yielding, more often than not, it is subconscious. This certainly is a sacred trust that requires deep sensitivity and care, and I know that none of us would ever knowingly violate it in any way. No little irritations are allowed to enter in, and work abomination, in regard to anyone, or anything, ever. Is that a standard we can hold ourselves to?
Another way we could view magnifying the Lord is by letting things come to a sharp point of focus which allows something completely different to manifest, or be perceived. Both examples here are critical aspects of our everyday experience, but I particularly love this second example where we let something come to a clear point of focus, such as we’re doing in this hour, and let something completely different be born because of what comes to focus. In order for this to happen, however, something has to come to focus in our own consciousness first, and then it can be magnified, to make it possible for others to perceive. The Master did this when He spoke in parables, and, as I mentioned previously, Uranda and Martin exemplified it in the most profound way as well in all that they offered to us.
Did you ever play with a magnifying glass when you were a child? Both Terry and I did. Stretching my analogy a little, let’s consider what happens when you use a magnifying glass to make a fire. Did you ever do that? Do you remember how you had to angle the magnifying glass in such a way to catch the sun’s rays, moving it nearer or farther to allow the light to be concentrated to a small, fine point on the object you were seeking to ignite? In my case it was usually dry winter grass. And then having got the angle just perfect you had to hold it steady for quite some time, allowing the intensity of the sun’s rays to, seemingly out of nothing, produce first smoke and then magically—fire.
Now growing up on a farm in South Africa you had to be VERY careful at this point, because as we all know, fire out from under control is a very dangerous thing, and the world stage these days gives graphic evidence of that fact, doesn’t it? As we hold steady, however, and let the pressure build, fire does fall from heaven, and a whole new state can magically manifest, both individually and collectively. There is nothing happenstance about it. It doesn’t happen by wishful thinking, or even by the longing of our hearts. The truth must be allowed to come to a sharp point of focus within us, individually, before we can magnify it to our waiting worlds. We know the importance of holding steady, of allowing the refiner’s fire to burn the dross, leaving only gold tried in the fire. Nothing of significance in this process is ever lost, nothing of the unreal needs to be clung to. As we yield utterly, our souls, (our capacities of body, mind and heart), and give them willingly with every breath we breathe, to magnify our Lord, we find that our spirit rejoices!And in so doing our Lord’s kingdom is once again revealed on earth because His angels are on hand to magnify Him, and absolutely nothing else takes precedence. Terry, beloved friend, I’ll hand it over to you.
Terry Kauffman — Thank you, Milly! This is certainly a special delight for me this morning—to bring to focus and to magnify the meditations of my heart in worship to our King. As Milly mentioned, we have been friends, more like sisters, for almost 40 years and our friendship, our agreement in the Truth, the Truth of Love, has grown, matured and continues to be a blessing. You might say that the borders of, I guess I’d call it, our friendship “tent” keeps growing and is able to include more, the blessings just continue to increase. And isn’t that how friendship is meant to be experienced?
I absolutely loved Anne’s reference last month to being present together as angels in the Temple, an inviolate place where the seeds of Heaven are planted, a sanctuary. I loved this reference that Anne said that, she wanted her words “to ring out, through the windows and into the heavens, and deep into the earth.” I love that image and, as we all know, everything we do and say rings out into the heavens and deep into the earth—everything makes its impact. And here we are now, this is our specific opportunity to let a creative command be sounded, magnified and released because of our agreement together with the One Most High.
Thinking back again to the service last month, Gary mentioned what is abundantly clear in this day is we need not look far at all to know that the world that man has known and created is swiftly changing. There is a tension, a tightness that is intense, and yet you probably find this as well, in meeting and greeting many in my everyday circumstances our interactions are buoyant, uplifting and generative you might say, angel to angel, there’s a connecting spark—at that point “heaven” is felt. You know, even if it is just a look and a smile, it’s almost as if they can sense from me that—All is Well—Fear Not—Let Not Your Heart be Troubled. When any one of us has an experience such as this in the present moment, as we know, it happens because of our consistent generation of the fine substance in our living. I’m sure it’s clear to all of us that at this time, and I’ve been very aware of the time in the cycle where we are now, the tender touch, the healing balm of the spirit of God is more critical than ever in preserving some balance.
Haven’t we all had experiences of that connecting spark, the shining of the light? What a magical moment. I don’t think we can ever underestimate, ignore or overlook the seemingly I guess I’d call them “mundane” or everyday things we do where that magic appears. I shop at our DeKalb Farmers Market and I have for many, many years. The man who established it about 40+ years ago is a fine man who has a great deal of integrity. His intent is to offer the best fresh food that is available and charge a fair price. Well, not only is this a huge gift to Atlanta and the surrounding area but also to the workers that he has employed from the outset, I would say 90% are immigrants, many from Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, to name a few. My trips to the market are to buy food for the week however the main highlight is my interactions with those who serve the shoppers. I have made it a point to get to know many of the workers with their smiling faces beaming as we greet one another. I see them for who they are and their appreciation and gratitude for being “seen and acknowledged” is palpable. Years ago I remember meeting June Houlton for the first time and having the experience that she “saw” me, she knew me, she understood me and she beckoned me to “come up hither”. She freely offered me a generous invitation—clearly and cleanly. Well, I have to admit, it may have taken several meetings, several invitations, but eventually I accepted that invitation, I said “yes”, I agreed. And isn’t that the answer that the Lord has waited for? Isn’t that why we’re on earth at this time? We’re here to agree to magnify the spirits of love, truth and life, to extend the invitation to our worlds. Especially at this point in the cycle, those people we meet, (maybe I should say) those people I meet are looking for a stable point, a place of rest and safety, an opportunity, even for a moment, to come into agreement with something higher. When that is the factual experience we each one are functioning in brilliant representation as sons and daughters of God.
As we know, everything we do provides the opportunity to let love radiate, to let the light shine, to let the spark of life ignite. Bill Bahan, Sr. used to say, there are no “preview of coming attractions”. Each moment is a clean slate, a unique opportunity. It’s clear that it requires openness, stillness, alertness in the moment (and it does take alertness) to move, speak, be silent, observe, enfold, whatever is needed to bring healing. Healing and regeneration come in many, many forms—a kind word, a nod, a listening ear, maybe even a hug. There are countless ways to lift the atmosphere, to complement the spirit of the moment. Do you remember Martin’s poem—“Any Moment”—I would like to read this poem to you now.
Any Moment
Martin Cecil
Any moment of hating
Any moment of lying
Any moment of resentment
Is a moment of dying
Any moment of loving
Any moment of giving
Any moment of thankfulness
Is a moment of living
All our moments add together
Like the digits in a sum
And the answer tells us clearly
Whether life or death shall come
Isn’t that a simple, concise, and specific blueprint for creative living—practical guidelines for anyone to change the trajectory of his/her life. To my mind it couldn’t be any clearer.
In that poem, Martin mentions thankfulness and I’d add that in various places through the Bible that admonition is given in one way or another, “In every thing give thanks”, and I’d add not in some things, or when you feel like it, or when you feel it’s warranted, but it says “in EVERY thing give thanks.” Uranda often used that phrase “In ALL things, give thanks” If I’m remembering correctly, Bill Bahan, Sr. also had cards, business card size printed up with that saying “In ALL Things, Give Thanks” which he gave to countless people—those who were drawn to the truth, as he traveled around the world. It’s curious why people have a hard time being thankful—all sorts of reasons, justifications, judgments, I guess all the Yeah, buts. “Yeah, but, you don’t understand, MY circumstance is different.” “Yeah but, you have no idea what he did.” “Yeah, but, can’t you see, things are disintegrating all around.” And yet, it’s clearly in the Bible “In everything give thanks” It’s a simple, yet specific matter of giving thanks and letting go in the moment with respect to that circumstance, whatever it is, exactly as it is so that there is a clear connection between that circumstance and the substance of the spirit of God to impact that circumstance.
Well, some may think this is a little simplistic—maybe too elementary to bring to group of people who know these things, who have studied these things, who understand what it means to live and I’d agree that it is one of the first things I heard many, many years ago. And yet, if this little poem, the simple words that I read were lived 24/7 by each of us, what a release of creative power! I would say that these words and the spirit of them are right now, as I mentioned at the beginning of our time, ringing out through the windows into the heavens and deep into the earth so that those who are seeking some sanity, some clarity, a life raft maybe can sense these words of truth, the common sense and practicality that is the very essence of living. Too simple? Too fundamental? I think if there is one thing each one of us knows to the depths of our Being it is that the Truth is simple. The magnitude of the significance of our moments at this time in the history of the world cannot be underestimated or forgotten.
We each have vast worlds to encompass and especially at this time in the cycle, the Lord is counting on us all to magnify His spirit in all of our moments, to live and exemplify His spirit in the present moment so the world knows undeniably the resounding reality of the words “Fear Not—All is Well—Let Not Your Heart be Troubled”. I’d like to give opportunity any who would like to contribute anything to this time, the mic is open.
Larry Krantz — I very much appreciate the offering today. I felt a strong vibrational current move out from you two and from all of us in agreement with you. The world is filled with dishonesty and hypocrisy and at some level people see this; to be reminded that we don’t have to be that way, that there is indeed a different trajectory which is clean and honest where we can exemplify the love that is in our heart, and truth that we know is a powerful message and needs to be heard; and I felt that go out today in a very beautiful and powerful way. Thank you very much for the focus you both provided.
Maureen Waller — I agree with everything you just said and everything that Milly and Terry have said. What a breath of fresh air blowing, and it is recognizable in the freshness of what comes even though the words I may have heard before—it is recognizable. We’re not living in a hostile universe. This is about the truth and the soothing nature of what you both have brought into this service, and it’s going out from here, as was pointed out. The truth is being spoken and we have a part to play in that. I am thankful what has been spoken by these two women who I feel it’s easy to call friends.
David Barnes —I’d like to say a word of gratitude to you both for the beauty of this morning. The word “soothing” was just used, and it has implications of healing and deep relaxation—attunement. I remember the story of the young boy David who became king, another king in Israel who was called to play his harp to soothe the troubled mind and heart and soul of King Saul who, because of his transgression was cycling downward into madness. We see today that the troubled kings of this world are cycling down into madness, and the soothing tones of attunement, the voice of the Beloved that you two released in focus for all of us was like harp music. It does go out, as you emphasized—carried out and beyond, and down, and through the substance and the consciousness of troubled and longing hearts, the longing in mankind for the sound of that soothing voice, that friendly voice, that welcoming voice, and that smile that you spoke about when you go to farmer’s market, with the many, varied people there, who maybe don’t really know what to expect, but then they feel and hear the sound of the harp playing, because of the company of angels that is present, maybe unawares to many. There is so much beauty in what was brought, in what we’re sharing now, with a depth of meaning in it all.
Gary Courtland-Miles —As each of us has come into this world, we were given a golden harp to sound our delight; and so what touched me deeply this morning was the delight these two women have shared because they know it, they live it; they know the essences, and it is being experienced. I’m just so thankful for you two. Bless you all.
Anne Blaney —Me too, and further to what people have been speaking, I’m also aware that when we extend that radiance to people in the world—and I love the magnifying image—so that our words and our contact can really carry significance, in whatever way. When we connect with people, we also are offering them the opportunity to be drawn into the network of the connections between us. I can see, from my point of objectivity, how being in service like this, and generating this fine substance, we are connected up to one another and it holds; so people actually feel that connection between us, that friendship—like what Terry and Milly share. And that deepens and thickens as we become a more unified web of substance. So, the radiation goes out, and people feel that connected, unified way of being in the world. I see the importance of these connections that we have been nourishing, and it is real entity that has taken shape. Thank you for really expressing that in so many different ways. I really appreciate it.
Laura Fisher —I love that you shared the love that’s between you, Terry and Milly, so readily and so fully; and I was thinking while you were both speaking how the truth is so told in personal relationships. If you are with someone you can’t hide what the actual facts are, they have to be dealt with and they have to be loved into wholeness. The word “alchemy” has been with me recently and I certainly saw that in action this morning. We aren’t here just to survive and make the best of the horrible situation the world is in. That is, you could say, the least of our job. Our job is to create. How wonderful that we have close, in this case, women friendships in which to create together because it’s honest and it’s true and it’s clean and you can feel it. That is the turning point for what’s going on in the world. Our relationship with our higher reality allows the creation of our relationships with one another to be wholly creative and if there are bumps in it, then we use that, we correct that, we use that for more creation, and so the world feels that and thinks, “Maybe I could be a little friendlier”—or whatever is missing in a relationship. So, I’m thrilled to be friends with you both. But it was a real touching in, to feel your love to one another; and we can be assured that that love is real and true and goes out without question. So, thank you so much.
Yujin Pak —I, too, was aware of the intensity, the brilliance of your friendship and the radiant impact of that as the two of you shared this time together, and I want to place that in the context of a world that’s increasingly going into troubled times, and a particular phenomenon that is emerging because of that—a very good phenomenon. I think one of you spoke of it. As people sense the world more troubled, they are more intensely looking for a different beacon. I’m keenly aware of the increased searching in people’s hearts that is taking place; and all of us here, and what we have generated, in a way out of sight for many years, is becoming more and more important within that context. And you, Terry, mentioned about the magnitude of the significance of the moments in our lives when we are alone, when we notice any trace of resentment, and release that and let light be present instead of that. And I think of this also in light of what you said Milly, about the little maid’s courage that changed history. That all took place in a matter of moments, and probably she reflected on that for a time before speaking of it, but it was a simple, very small action that changed history. To me this is the significance of the moments that are coming in all our lives in the interaction we have with the world. I think there’s an opportunity opening now because people are troubled and because they are searching for what is the truth when they see so much that is false. So, I feel keenly the significance of the jewel of radiation that is contained in our sharing in an hour, as this and the opportunity to release that into the magnitude of our small moments, like the action of that little maid. Who knows what our action, the little maid’s actions of ours in the days to come, what changes they will bring.
Terry Kauffman — Milly, did you want to say anything in closing?
Millicent Holliday —Thank you, Terry. And thank you all for magnifying the Lord as you all have. It is so wonderful to share these times and I also want to express appreciation for the encouragement that both Terry and I received before we even started. It was quite precious the substance that came to us from so many people, wishing us well; you know, saying they were with us. And I sensed the buildup and want to express my deep appreciation and thankfulness for what we can offer to the Lord, and what we can offer to the body of humanity, in our living in these times together. Thank to you all.
Terry Kauffman —I want to say how much I appreciate this opportunity, really taking a deeper look at the significance of the present moment, and our responsibilities in these concentrated times. I would like to close with a transcript excerpt regarding the profoundness of the present moment, from a 1974 service by Martin Cecil, titled, “The Eternal Moment”.
“Nothing ever does happen in the future and nothing ever has happened in the past; the only happening is in the present moment. And yet people everywhere are so wrapped up in the past and future that the present moment tends to be overlooked. Yet this present moment is the only moment of reality; everything else is imagination. Now is the only time we can live. We can’t live in the past, although some attempt it, and we can’t live in the future. We live now or not at all.”
We all have so many precious moments ahead of us to live and to magnify the Lord—the Lord is counting on us all. I’m thrilled to have had this time with you to consider these things. Thank you. I will give it back to Steve.
Steve Ventola —Thank you Milly and Terry. You know my heart is stirred—I think all of our hearts are stirred to do what we need to do in terms of our expression; and the simplicity that you both emphasized, the simplicity of knowing what it is to keep and dress the garden, the garden of our heart and mind. That’s were our garden, our conscious garden lives, and to recognize when things don’t belong in that garden, to weed those out, and to acknowledge beauty of how we can dress it, dress it with those attitudes of nobility, majesty, of wonder. As we do that then we are adequate. I loved your story of what Bill Bahan Sr. had said about giving service in front of Martin, and to realize that he wasn’t his body; but to actually sense adequacy—that I am adequate, each of us saying that. And as we give service there is the returning cycle. Whether we offer a service, or if we said a word in a service, the returning cycle comes back. Wow, you’re not that. You’re not that! You know that’s not true. But to actually say “that’s not true”; but that, “I am adequate, I’m here, I’m here to be a conscious influence.” And for each of us to continue to move along, to let that be navigated in our lives, because we know that returning cycle comes to us, sometimes in each moment, and how do we handle that returning cycle? We upright ourselves, and we simply keep praise, the Garden of Praise in our heart. Let’s have a moment of devotion:
LORD and KING, as we still our hearts and minds and we remember Thy Garden, that Garden that is coming forth in each and every moment, as we are present and mindful to let it come. Each day we prepare our hearts and minds to let it come so we know it now, and in each and every moment the Glory of Thy Nature, the beauty of Thy Love, the Light of Thy Glow, as we feel this Presence as one, in Thy Name. It’s our most precious gift as a bride adorned for her husband here and now. Blessing, praises unto Thee, praises unto Thee, praise Thy Holy Name. In Thy Light and Thy Love we continue. Aum-en
