Acceptance of Call to Ministry-Linda Stern

This is what I shared at my acceptance to the Call of Ministry at Interfaith Community.

The Holy One, in all Her many faces, has always been my refuge. 

From a young age, I remember wanting to be a nun..... not that I even knew what a nun was.....I didn't even know a nun. I just knew I wanted to be one as I was unquestionably tied to God whose presence, I now humbly call the Holy One. And I am unquestionably tied to the Divine Feminine in all her many presentations. 

This is a cellular knowing.  

As a very quiet child, my mother would to say to me:  “A penny for your thoughts.” This would be when I was in communion with nature, my being feeling peacefully diffused into the light or a leaf or the lake or a cloud.  Another interesting “tell” at a young age was that I sang contemporary songs to the Holy One, ones that others might sing to a lover or a mate. I thought others were singing everyday songs to Holy One, as well.   As a young child, I thought that was who everyone was singing to; I now know differently. But then, as now, I continue to sing to the Holy One and my heart soars with Joy and Love and Holy connection.  Try it sometimes... it is glorious.  These are just examples of how, as a child, I experienced life. 

So I am saying that for my whole life, it has been my first nature to have experiential knowing of Holy One.  

To be close, 

to be a part of, 

to be held in the arms of, 

to be blessed by,  

as we all are blessed by the presence of Holy One.  

It is not a doctrine or a faith tradition or a culture or a set of rules or a set of doctrines or in writings from others.  

It is a my knowing in my being, deep within.  

It is what has led me on my path of with Interfaith. 

I see this underlying, collective experiential holy chord as a core part of my spiritual path. And also as a part of every leaf and every mountain and every cloud and every heart. This experiential path is sweet and whole and  full of Light and Love and has a million different faces.  This knowingness has been with me through joyful occurrences and through difficult passages. 

When I started my connection with the Circle of Love, which grew into Interfaith Community,  for some reason I felt I was always being asked to step outside my private introverted comfort zone.  Yes...I know it's hard to believe that I am an introvert, but I am.  I was asked to step into a place that I had to remember to surrender and trust in Holy One.... and that whatever was being asked of me at the time, was part of my path.  And being asked to be a Minister at Interfaith Community, is part of my path.  To also remember that there was a reason unknown to me and to others as to why I am walking this path.  I did not seek out these experiences, I surrendered to them.  I trust Holy One, the container of Holy Wisdom,  that we all are in this divine dance, in this divine moment with each other, in absolutely perfection. 

I know that we are in co-creation with the Holy One and that it is my path to be Joyful and Loving and in service.  And to continue to see the common chord that underlies all spiritual and faith traditions and to continue to restore the healthy balance between the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine. 

So today I joyously say-  Yes!!!  It is my honor and pleasure to be a Minister here at Interfaith and to co-create experiences of Divine Love and Joy here and in my life.  

Thank you. I am abundantly grateful!