Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 1, 2012

PRAYER BREAKFAST (cont. from page 1)

He recalled a time when he was leaving a hospital, 
and he encountered a woman and he asked 
her “How are you doing today?” to which she 
responded “Better than I deserve.” He continued 
“I think I can say, and I hope you can too, 
better than I deserve.”

 

Pastor Beck was followed by Reverend Cadenbach. 
She discussed a recent meeting she attended 
at which there had been six faith traditions 
represented, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, 
Jewish, Hindu and Sikh, and that they all had 
the opportunity to present how they gave thanks 
in their faith. She observed that “I found a lot 
more similarities than I found differences – they 
were all appreciative of the earth that we have, 
and the importance of the need to serve each 
other and take care of it, and be thankful for 
the bounty we’ve been given. She mentioned 
a thirteenth century German theologian, philosopher 
and mystic named Meister Eckhart, 
to whom people went for advice on their spiritual 
journey, and that one person had said to 
him “You know, I don’t know how to pray, how 
should I begin?’ She continued that “Meister 
Eckhart said ‘Start with two words, Thank You,’ 
and that’s what we are doing today.”

 

Next up was Rev. Crisp, who wanted to say how 
grateful he is “for the workings of this community 
and all the different ways that all the 
departments seem to work together in various 
ways to help our community…I’m also grateful 
for the collegiality of my colleagues here at the 
table…most of all I’d like to say that I’m very 
thankful for the blessings of this earth and the 
bounty that comes from it and cares for us, not 
just one day a year when you fill our tables, but 
every day of the year when our tables are full 
with wonderful things…and I wish you all a 
happy Thanksgiving.

 

Judge Nelson was next, and discussed the arrival 
in America one hundred years ago Abdul Baha, 
and his message emphasizing the “oneness of 
religion and how the spiritual teachings of all 
religions are really the same – the fatherhood 
of God, the brotherhood of man, the power of 
prayer, the golden rule, and especially emphasizing 
the oneness of the whole of humanity. 
That the earth, as he said, is but one country, 
and mankind its citizens.” She said he brought 
the teachings of his father, Bahá’u'lláh, who told 
us how we should be really thankful for being 
here, when he said “Be generous in prosperity, 
thankful in adversity, be worthy of the trust of 
thy neighbor and look upon him with a bright 
and friendly face, be a treasure to the poor, an 
admonisher to the rich, and answerer to the cry 
of the needy. Be unjust to no man, and show all 
meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them 
that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, 
a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, 
an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. 
Let integrity and uprightness distinguish 
all thine acts.” She then offered a prayer 
originally written by Abdul Baha for America: 
“O Thou kind Lord! This gathering is turning 
to Thee. These hearts are radiant with Thy love. 
These minds and spirits are exhilarated by the 
message of Thy glad-tidings. O God! Let this 
American democracy become glorious in spiritual 
degrees even as it has aspired to material 
degrees, and render this just government victorious. 
Confirm this revered nation to upraise 
the standard of the oneness of humanity, to promulgate 
the Most Great Peace, to become thereby 
most glorious and praiseworthy among all 
the nations of the world. O God! This American 
nation is worthy of Thy favors and is deserving 
of Thy mercy. Make it precious and near to Thee 
through Thy bounty and bestowal.”

 

After breakfast was served , Deacon Valencia 
spoke, noting that Thanksgiving is a uniquely 
American holiday, and elaborated that in addition, 
“Thanksgiving is also unapologetically, 
unabashedly, inescapably, a religious holiday 
in which we thank God for all of our blessings. 
There is no one else we thank when we 
come together, except to thank God, and this 
is a uniquely American holiday.” He discussed 
the fact that the words company and companion 
come from the Latin “cum panis” meaning 
“with bread.” He observed that the words also 
carry with them a “profound theological and religious 
connotation, and that is when we come 
together to break bread as company, we are 
sharing bread, we are sharing with one another, 
and not only those with means, but most especially 
those who are most vulnerable, those who 
are poorest, those who are weakest, and those 
who need, if not food, companionship. That is 
what cum panis carries with it.” He continued 
that “We know that the only way any of us can 
ever, ever know and recognize the face of God 
in praise and thanksgiving…is in the breaking 
of the bread. Cum panis.”

 

Reverend Phillip gave the benediction, and the 
breakfast was over.

8

Holiday Happenings

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 1, 2012 

BETHANY’S LIONS CHOIR 

PERFORMING IN PASADENA


Bethany Christian School's Lions Choir is performing at One Colorado Courtyard, Pasadena 
(next to California Pizza Kitchen) Friday, Dec. 7th, at 5:00. In between the songs 
the children will be passing out candy canes. Come out and support the school's outreach 
to the community and get in the holiday spirit as the choir performs Christmas 
song selections.














gui