It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable.
– Maya Angelou
The Miracle Experiment
Find a family member, friend, acquaintance, or stranger who is in need. Connect that person with another person, place, situation, object of value, or a more profound, deeper version of yourself that will help to affirm the infinite, intrinsic human value of the recipient.
Watch for the miracle to grow in all people
Our lives are a living laboratory.
Let us all have a happier, more miraculous experiment for the rest of our lives!
Inspired by my relationship with Sharon White, who is the source for so much wisdom and compassion in my world.
On August 31, 2013, Sharon and I arranged for a Celebration of Life Ceremony for our dear friend, Michael Sutton, who was suffering from bladder cancer, which had terminal complications. In cooperation and coordination with his beautiful wife, Diane, we were able to have a celebration attended by over one hundred friends and family members, of which, of course, Michael was the star and center attraction.
Michael Sutton’s Community Gathering August 31, 2013
“I am the bread, the meat, the wine, and the water”
“But the water that I will give him, shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting”
“Where two or more are gathered together in my name, there I am, too”
You are invited to join with a community of friends and family who are coming together to offer love and support for Michael Sutton, as he continues his journey through life with a cancer process. This will be a spiritual “potluck”, whereby each one of us will be bringing our spiritual “presence” to share with the group, and with Michael. So bring yourself and your personal stories of love, healing, and connection, as we join with Michael and Diane Sutton at the Unity Church of Salem on August 31st.
Over the years, our paths have crossed many times, or we may have taken physically divergent paths, but the energy potential for reconnecting with each other will be enormous. We are to become co-creators of an energy convergence, whereby, together, we will create a unified field of healing potential for Michael, Diane, and for each and every one of us. This will be a truly leaderless experience. Sharon White and Bruce Paullin are bringing together friends and family, with the intention to honor the importance of love, hope, and healing in our individual and shared experience.
We will need your complete spiritual involvement leading any exercises that you might feel are appropriate to this occasion. There are few planned group exercises or activities. What we would envision is the experience of co-creation, where we would gather the community together at around 2:30pm, and have us all be quiet for a moment or two. As the spirit moves within us, and only as we are individually guided, we will each speak extemporaneously (or read from a written statement) about our personal experiences of hope, healing, and love, and also speak of our connection with Michael. And, one, two, or more of us can stand up, and facilitate an inspired group healing experience, if that is the direction that spirit happens to lead us at the time.
Schedule (flexible): 2:00-2:30 mingle, nibble and share 2:30-4:45 circle of healing, with stories of fun times, of love, and of healing
Attire: Casual
Food: Please bring finger food, nibbles
If you are unable to attend, please send your prayers. Also please forward video clips, words of love, stories of healing, and we will compile them into a memory book or Cd.
Please RSVP to sharinjoy2003@hotmail.com, or run4play@msn.com Please forward this message to those who know Michael, and who would like to attend.
A life raft will be placed outside of the door of the church, to symbolize Michael’s love of rafting and the outdoors. If you are so moved, please leave a love donation in the raft to help defray the costs for Michael’s next great “shooting of the rapids” adventure.
We wish to extend our gratitude to Georgie Richardson for her generous offering of the Salem Unity Church for this event. Please carpool, if possible. Unity of Salem Church 1777 Fabry Road PO Box 3518 Salem, Oregon 97302 (503) 364-0156
Email message of August 31, 2018, from Diane Sutton
Hi Sharon and Bruce, First of all, Happy Birthday Sharon! I hope that your day is filled with much love, just as you are! Today is the 5th anniversary of the party that you gave Michael (and me). It touched us both deeply. One of the greatest gifts that I got from that day is the attached picture of Michael that Janet just happened to catch. I look at it daily. While I know that he felt the way that this expression on his face expresses, it is SUCH a blessing to actually be able to see this reminder. I was very lucky to have such a deep love! I love you both! Diane
Diane, Thank you for your extremely sweet message! I have been so incredibly blessed by my relationship with you, and to Michael. I first met Michael in 1987, though he does not remember it, I remember it quite well. He was the man with the friendly glow who welcomed me to LEC for the first time that i ever attended there, at the Valley Plaza Theater(?). I had just attended the INTA conference, and heard a speaker named Mary Boggs there. I heard about LEC there for the first time. I was at the conference mainly for Jack Boland, who I adored because of his tape series Twelve Steps To A Spiritual Experience, that had been lent to me by a co-worker at Fred Meyer Warehouse. I had about four months of sobriety at the time of the INTA conference. There was too much hugging going on for me at the time, and it took another year of recovery before I could return to LEC. I thought that Michael represented all that was good with LEC, and with the human race in general. I loved that guy! (and, I still miss him) Here is a posting from my Facebook page today (among several others) The Miracle Experiment
Find a family member, friend, acquaintance, or stranger who is in need. Connect that person with another person, place, situation, object of value, or a more profound, deeper version of yourself that will help to affirm the infinite, intrinsic human value of the recipient.
Watch for the miracle to grow in all people
Our lives are a living laboratory.
Let us all have a happier, more miraculous experiment for the rest of our lives! Inspired by my relationship with Sharon White, who is the source for so much wisdom and compassion in my world. It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable. – Maya Angelou Our gift to Michael, and to you, was part of our participation in the Miracle Experiment. Our laboratory has created such rich rewards for all of us Your Miracle Experiments has blessed us all, and we are all better people because of you. With love, Bruce
The Empowerment Center/Community was a community begun by Michael and Diane Sutton in 1992. Both Sharon and I had not only received training in 1992 in the beginning of the Empowerment Center/Community, but we also volunteered several times to help with the training of new members in weekend workshops through the middle of 1993. I grew to love and appreciate Michael and Diane Sutton at the deepest possible level. Michael died early in 2014 of complications from bladder cancer, and I find myself still feeling grief over his death.
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