Pantheism

## ✨ KISMETRIX \| True Connection [Ticked Event](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/all-events/?event=26306) ### The Valhalla \| Elegant Singles Night Hosted by **KISMETRIX \| True Connection** 📍 **Valhalla Bar (Basement, Olderfleet Building)** 477 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 📅 **Saturday, 14 March** 🕖 **7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Hosted)** (Venue open late) ### AN ELEGANT SATURDAY NIGHT FOR THOSE WHO PREFER DEPTH OVER NOISE Hidden beneath the iconic Olderfleet Building lies **Valhalla** — a Scandinavian-inspired underground bar where atmosphere, design and conversation take centre stage. This is our **Elegant Singles Night** — a refined Saturday social for those who want real conversation, good energy, and connection that unfolds naturally. No swiping. No forced rotations. No loud, chaotic party crowd. Just confident adults showing up — in real life. ### 👥 AGE GROUPS [(TICKETED)](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/all-events/?event=26306) To create a balanced, comfortable room, tickets are released across two overlapping age groups: • **30–48** • **38–60** Guests receive coloured name tags on arrival to help our hosts support thoughtful introductions early in the evening. As the night progresses, the room naturally opens into relaxed, free-flowing mingling. This structure keeps the atmosphere elegant, social and effortless — without pressure. ### 💫 ABOUT THE EVENT Tired of dating apps that go nowhere? Over speed dating that feels like an interview? So were we. KISMETRIX \| True Connection was created for singles who want something more human — real presence\, real conversation\, and genuine chemistry\. You’ll walk into a room full of people who: * Are done with endless chatting and ghosting * Want to meet face-to-face, not behind a screen * Value depth, respect and good energy * Care about how they show up — socially and emotionally Come for a drink. Stay for the conversation. Leave glad you came. ### 🎯 WHO THIS NIGHT IS FOR This event is for singles who: * Prefer substance over surface * Enjoy meaningful conversation and elegant social settings * Are emotionally mature and socially aware * Want a great Saturday night — regardless of outcomes Come solo or with friends — many do. ### 🍷 THE VIBE Expect: * A moody, intimate underground bar setting * Nordic-inspired design and refined ambience * Hosted support early, free flow later * An elegant, socially aware crowd * **Happy Hour drink specials available at the bar** Think less “dating event” — more **a Collins Street Saturday night done properly**. ### 🎟 TICKETS & INCLUSIONS Get your ticket [HERE](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/all-events/?event=26306) Your ticket includes: * Entry to the curated **KISMETRIX Elegant Singles Night** * Hosted support throughout the evening * A thoughtfully balanced social experience Drinks and small plates are available for purchase directly from Valhalla, with **Happy Hour specials** offered during the event. 🎫 Tickets are limited to maintain quality, balance and atmosphere. Early booking is strongly recommended. ### ✅ WHY PEOPLE LOVE KISMETRIX EVENTS * No apps. No swiping. Just real people * No scripts or awkward structures * Thoughtful curation without rigidity * A genuinely enjoyable night — even if you attend solo * Many guests come “just for a drink” … and end up staying all night ### 🔔 [BOOK NOW](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/all-events/?event=26306) Spaces are limited to maintain the energy and quality of the room. **Refund Policy:** Tickets are non-refundable. If you can no longer attend, you’re welcome to transfer your ticket to someone else in the same age group. ## **🔗 Stay Connected with Kismetrix \| True Connection** Love this event? We run a variety of experiences to help people meet and connect in meaningful ways. 📧 **social@kismetrix.com.au** 🌐 **[www.kismetrix.com.au](http://www.kismetrix.com.au "http://www.kismetrix.com.au")** 📱 Follow us on **[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/kismetrix_/ "https://www.instagram.com/kismetrix_/"), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559826808523 "https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559826808523") & [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/kismetrix-singles-events-84848288353 "https://www.eventbrite.com.au/o/kismetrix-singles-events-84848288353")** 📄 \*\*Important Notice:\*\*By registering for this event\, you confirm that you have read and agree to Kismetrix \| True Connection’s[ Terms & Conditions](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/terms-and-conditions-2/ "https://www.kismetrix.com.au/terms-and-conditions-2/"),[ Privacy Policy](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/privacy-policy/ "https://www.kismetrix.com.au/privacy-policy/"),[ Disclaimer](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/disclaimer/ "https://www.kismetrix.com.au/disclaimer/") and [Code of Conduct](https://www.kismetrix.com.au/code-of-conduct/ "https://www.kismetrix.com.au/code-of-conduct/").Some events may be non-refundable as stated in their individual descriptions.🤝 Collaborations: **collabs@kismetrix.com.au**

Namaste, healer. It's time to light up the third chakra. It's our energetic engine room — the place where confidence, willpower, and personal strength all come together. And when it's humming, life just flows better. Hence, our Reiki Solar Plexus Chakra Healing Night. Come along and we'll do powerful meditations and group healing to strengthen it. Among other things, the solar plexus chakra is essential for: * Confidence (so you can back yourself and step into your power) * Willpower (so you can follow through on what matters to you) * Healthy self-esteem (so you value yourself without needing outside validation) * Good digestion — both physical and emotional (so you can process life's experiences more easily) * A strong sense of identity (so you know who you are and can stand firm in it) So come and join us for a powerful practice night and leave feeling energetically fired up and emotionally centred. Hope to see you there! Jeremy ## Time to Expand Your Reiki with Pellowah Healing? Pellowah is the **yin to Reiki's yang.** High-vibrational healing energy. Incredible symbols. Potent chakra meditations. Expanded consciousness. You'll be surprised by how much it expands your healing abilities. To find out more about our upcoming March 27-28 **Pellowah healing** course, [click here](http://www.pellowah.net.au/pellowah-courses.html).

Meditation practicing

**CERES Community Park – Merri River Trail** It’s time we explored a new trail! So this week we are heading over to Brunswick and will walk the Merri River Trail. The **CERES Community and Environmental Park** is on the banks of the Merri River and the trail runs alongside the Merri River. We walk as far as Bell Street, then back for coffee at the Merri Café. **Start:** CERES Park, corner of **Roberts and Stewart Streets**, Brunswick East. Meet just inside the gate. Look for the red umbrella! **Start time:** 9.00 AM **Parking:** There is parking at the CERES Park. But if it is crowded, park anywhere in the surrounding streets. Allow 10 minutes to walk back to the START. **The Walk**: The walk follows the Merri Creek north to Bell Street, Brunswick then back the same trail to the start. **Total distance**: 5.0 km. (approx.) **Time:** Allow 2.0 hours for the walk, plus half hour for coffee. Total 2.5 hours. **Difficulty:** Easy **Toilets:** At the start. **Coffee:** Merri Café located adjacent to the visitor centre.

Join us for a friendly and relaxed English meetup in South Melbourne! This gathering is perfect for anyone who wants to practise English, meet new friends, and feel part of a welcoming community. Whether you’re an international student, new to Melbourne, or simply looking to connect with others, you’ll find a supportive space to learn and grow. Each week, we run **two simple sessions**: **Daily English**, where you learn useful everyday vocabulary, and **Learning English from the Bible**, where we explore short passages in clear, beginner-friendly English. You’ll also meet people from different cultures and enjoy meaningful conversations in a warm, inclusive environment. Come along, make new friends, and enjoy learning English in a place where everyone is welcome. We’d love to meet you!

We'll meet at the spot where Fed Square meets the Princes Bridge over the Yarra (near the pedestrian crossing closest to the river from Flinders St, on the Fed Square side). We'll walk for about 6km along the Yarra River, through the Botanic Gardens and back along the river to Federation Square for a coffee after the walk. This month, we're reading and talking about 'The Emperor of Gladness' by Ocean Vuong The blurb: "**Ocean Vuong returns with an achingly beautiful novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.** One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, nineteen-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning, and heartbreak, with the power to alter Hai’s relationship to himself, his family, and a community at the brink. Following the cycles of history, memory, and time, *The Emperor of Gladness* shows the profound ways in which love, labor, and loneliness form the bedrock of American life. At its heart is a brave epic about what it means to exist on the fringes of society and to reckon with the wounds that haunt our collective soul. Hallmarks of Vuong’s writing – formal innovation, syntactic dexterity, and the ability to twin grit with grace through tenderness – are on full display in this story of loss, hope, and how far we would go to possess one of life’s most fleeting mercies: a second chance." Goodreads rating: 3.93 How does a walking bookclub work? Like a normal bookclub, we talk about the book, what else we're reading, have read, or want to read (as well as a few tangents into life outside literature!) but we do it while walking around Melbourne and then over a coffee. We often split into smaller groups as we walk, but we also regroup through the walk. Should I read the book beforehand? The conversation will be more interesting if you do, but you can still come along if you haven't finished it yet! Do I need to bring anything? **Comfy** walking shoes, drinking water, some money for coffee or a bite to eat after if you wish. No need to bring the book unless you want to. No shows No shows (RSVPing yes and not attending) mean the group waits unnecessarily for those who are not coming, thinking you are running a little late. It’s absolutely fine to change your rsvp for any reason up until the walk begins, and you don’t need to leave a comment, send a message or give a reason, but if you don't click that 'change rsvp' button, you may be removed from the group. Membership Fee Did you know that while it is free to attend most events, Meetup charges organisers about $600 a year to organise a group? Members of the Walking Book Club are asked to pay a membership fee of $10 per year (not per event) to help cover this cost. When you join the group, you'll be automatically given a three month trial so you can see what the group is like, without needing to make any payment. If you would like to continue attending events after this, please follow Meetup's instructions to pay the $6.50US/approx $10AUD fee once per year (or contact group organisers if you would prefer to make payment using paypal, payID, cash or bank transfer).

**The Telepathy Tapes podcast** brought the ESP abilities of autistic children to the world’s attention, with several studies exploring this association more closely. However, the neurological effects of autism can affect other abilities as well – like present-life memory and even past-life memories. **Jim Matlock and his team are pioneers** in this new cutting-edge field of study - now exploring it more systematically than ever before, with new findings still coming to light. **Some autistic people have outstanding memory** capabilities, while also struggling in other areas. But other autistic people are unable to form the basic episodic memories that underlie autobiographical recall. And research is revealing that the same factors impacting present-life memory can impact past-life memory as well. **In this session, Jim Matlock will discuss** several case studies of autistic children and adults to describe how autobiographical past-life memories can either be suppressed or enhanced under autism. **About Jim Matlock PhD:** * Anthropologist and world-class reincarnation researcher * Creator of the 'Processual Soul Theory' through his comprehensive, multicultural and interdisciplinary approach * 45+ years involvement in parapsychology and reincarnation studies * Editorial Board member of the *Journal of Scientific Exploration* * Editorial Board member of the Journal of Near-Death Studies * Research Fellow with the Parapsychology Foundation, Inc. * Winner of 2021 Parapsychological Association Book Award for Signs of Reincarnation: Exploring Beliefs, Cases, and Theory (2019) * Author of a multitude of academic publications on reincarnation * Curator of top-notch FB group "Signs of Reincarnation" * **Online Option:** While this is billed as an in-person event, there will be online access as well. Just reach out to me via Meetup or [russ.parapsych@gmail.com](mailto:russ.parapsych@gmail.com) **Post-Event Social Lunch Hangout (12.45 - 1.45pm)** Afterwards, you are invited to lunch with everyone at Flora Restaurant (5min walk from the venue) **PLEASE NOTE:** * **11AM Start -** Please be considerate and arrive early. * **$10 Cover Charge:** Room hire, facilities, and running costs.

Book via link [https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1511253](https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1511253?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBEyaDQ3YWN0YXJ0R3g5bnVTV3NydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR40Ybnft6YhKsuMipBE-n93Q79GR9KtfmQjcYh4Ov_oaOZsbCCLD35tMS0KTQ_aem_J3WHuUnXdwxffxjzNaePdQ) Experience this original dramatic musical based on the life and biblical figure of Mary Magdalene. It is a bold human story of rebellion, ruin and resurrection. Mary Magdalene finds her life forever changed through a life- altering encounter that leads to profound spiritual awakening. The musical was written by John Lee and features an original score by Antonio Rullez, Keith Ng and Beth "Betchay" Mondragon Williams. This production, directed by Beth "Betchay" Mondragon Williams, reimagines Mary Magdalene with depth, dignity and resonance, employing poetic license for artistic purposes. Join us as we stir the spirit through theatre and song. TRAILER below https://youtu.be/a1lwDG8nocw?si=LDDaIAP24p1zW73t Other musicals that have been produced by COG Theatre Group and written by multi award winning playwright, John Lee, include Call of Guadalupe, Saul Saul Paul Paul, Francis of Assisi, Amazing Augustine and John Paul II. “ [http://cogtheatre.org](http://cogtheatre.org/) ## Dates Friday 13 March 2026 - Sunday 15 March 2026 (UTC+11) Fri 13 March, 7pm Sat 14 March, 1pm and 7pm Sun 15 March, 1pm Renaissance Theatre 826 High Street, Kew East VIC 3102

\*\*\*\*\*THIS IS A PAID TICKETED EVENT; you can only attend by buying you ticket through the Eventbrite link here: [get your tickets here](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/authentic-relating-games-night-tickets-633255352807?aff=oddtdtcreator)[!](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/authentic-relating-games-night-tickets-1383610449099?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl)\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Also, please read all details, in this page and eventbrite page Hello everyone, You are warmly invited to this immersive afternoon of Authentic Relating. This event will involve fun and interactive exercises based around exploring the theme, "What is like to be in connection with myself and others?" This is a space for exploring feelings, sensations, boundaries, and self-expression through immersive exercises. This is about empathic collaboration and learning the art of expressing what is present in the moment. These beautiful practices really encourage an experience of increased depth and awareness, in a way that is sometimes not available in our everyday lives. The exercises work by creating a framework to explore communication in a non-scripted, in the moment way, which edges away from habitual patterns of relating and welcomes in more life, more breath, and more empathy. One of the benefits of practices, is that it helps with learning to become more aware of ourselves and others and how do we inter-relate. \*\*\*NOTE: It is recommended that participants have some experience introspection and shadow work, through participating in counselling, sharing circles, meditation, contemplation, yoga, or any modality that is designed to bring people into contact with their unconscious. This is stated as a duty of care, as the practices in authentic relating revolve around meeting ourselves deeply and coming into contact with how we are occurring the world. This process can be beautifully enlivening, and at times confronting, but the space is guided in such a way that it brings as much holding, and gentleness to the process as to make those courageous steps to share deeply, easier. If you are new to Authentic Relating or "AR" (as people in the community refer to it) and you have any questions or curiosities, please feel free to contact me via messenger for a chat. Also, there is a plenty of YouTube results for Authentic Relating practices. \*\*\* \*If you are experiencing financial hardship and wish to attend, please reach out and we can arrange something. \*\*please read Eventbrite details to. \*\*you cannot attend without pre-purchasing a ticket through the Eventbrite link. \*\*The doors for the event close 15 minuets after the start time, meaning, no entry is allowed once we have set the container, and spoken about the agreements, so please make the appropriate arrangements to arrive on time. About me. I've had a long history of interest in understanding my mind through various means of enquiry from Meditation, Yoga, Transpersonal Counselling, Sound Healing and Neurofeedback. In the last 8 years I have been deeply involved in the Authentic Relating movement immersing myself in practices and deriving tremendous insight into myself a growth within my own personal relationships as a result of this work. I have been facilitating groups to journey deeply into this work for the last 4 years and I am continually on a journey of getting to know myself deeper and bring artistry and humility to facilitating. The event will finish at 5 PM with a 10-minuet buffer at the end in case we go over, there will be spare time to hang around and chat after. There will also be a 15-minute break in the middle of the event, with some small snacks provided.

Please join us this Sunday as we discuss if a secular society can replace the functions of religion (or spirituality), and what this may mean for our lives. We will look at this at both the social and individual level. **We will meet at the Queensberry Hotel, 593 Swanston Street, Carlton (100m north of previous location) at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp.** **We kindly ask attendees to pay $5 to attend to help with MeetUp costs & venue costs. This is not mandatory, but if you are a regular member it would be appreciated. Any extra moneys will go towards buying food and drinks for the table. The venue also expects us to spend money as a group, so grateful if everyone could buy a drink from the venue.** There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. Find below some questions to consider, however these are free-ranging events and the below serve as a springboard for the discussion: **What might religion offer?** \- Meaning and existential orientation \- Moral formation \- Community and belonging \- Ritual and shared identity \- Authority and moral limits **Is religion needed?** \- Are some countries \(perhaps Australia\, perhaps the Nordic countries\) doing well with a secular society? \- Are they living off the moral inheritance of Christianity? If so\, how long will it last? \- Do we create quasi\-religions instead\, such as nationalism? \- If religion provides useful functions\, can we just replace them with something else? \- Does this question look different elsewhere\, such as in East Asian societies\. **Philosophers to draw upon** \- religion as social glue \(Durkheim\, Tocqueville\, Haidt\) \- religion as psychological response \(Hume\, James\) \- religion as declining foundation of morality \(Nietzsche\, MacIntrye\, Dostoevsky\) \- religion as historical force shaping society \(Weber\, Marx\) \- religion as replaceable or reformable \(Mill\, Comte\, Kant\) Hope to see you there!

✨ **Do you want to...** * 🫶🏽 Connect with like-minded people in your local community? * 🏋🏽‍♂️ Meet others who are passionate about growing, uplifting themselves, and supporting others? * 🌈 Share insights from your personal journey (or simply listen and learn)? * 🧘🏼‍♂️ Experience a simple yet powerful meditation practice to find calm and clarity? Or maybe you just want to... ☮️💟☯️ **Spend your Sunday evening in a peaceful, zen space and meet some amazing new people?** *** ### **Join us on Sundays!** Let’s come together, share positive energy, and build a warm, supportive local community. **Bring a friend (or two!) and let’s connect.** *** ### **What’s on the evening’s flow?** * **Open meet & greet** – connect and settle in * **Sharing circle** (totally optional!) – share your thoughts or simply listen * **20-30 min guided meditation** – for relaxation and deeper connection *** ### **Everyone is welcome!** All ages (with guardians for under 18), backgrounds, genders, and experiences – no meditation experience needed. The event runs for about **2.5 hours**, but you’re free to come and go as you need. *** ### **What to bring?** * **Donation:** A contribution of **$10 or more is recommended**. Your donations directly help us cover venue costs, provide resources, and keep this meditation community alive and growing. * **Warm jumper/jacket** (just in case!) * **Water** * **Any books/resources/inspiration you’d love to share** *** ### **Where?** 📍 **250 George St, Fitzroy VIC 3065** Enter through the church gates. You’ll see a small garden on the left and stairs on the right leading up to the **Dance of Life Yoga Studio (first door on your right upstairs).** *** ### **Important Notes:** * Spaces are **limited**, so if you can’t make it, please update your RSVP to “Not going” or send us a quick message. * **No-show policy:** To keep it fair for everyone, repeat no-shows without notice may not be able to RSVP in the future. * Attendees under 18 must have a guardian present.

Ayya Yeshe is a visiting nun from the Buddhist tradition. From the Open Sangha website - “Ayya Yeshe Bodhicitta is a Buddhist nun of 21 years, a teacher, contemplative and feminist activist. Ayya is the founder and director of Bodhicitta Foundation, a socially engaged Buddhist charity and girl’s home working to empower ex “untouchable” Ambedkarite people and poor women and children in Central India. Ayya teaches internationally and is the Abbess of Bodhicitta Dakini Buddhist Monastery, Tasmania, Australia. Ayya is the author of “Everyday Enlightenment” published by Harper Collins and has 100k hits on youtube as a sacred chants artist on the album “Dakini.” Ayya trained mainly in Tibetan Buddhism, but was fully ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh and stayed in Theravada monasteries for many years. Ayyas teachers are the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and Bhante Sujato. She practices a fusion of Tibetan Buddhism and early Buddhism called the Mahayana Forest Tradition.” [www.bodhicitta-monastery.com](http://www.bodhicitta-monastery.com/) (Australia) [www.ayyayeshe.wordpress.com](http://www.ayyayeshe.wordpress.com/) [www.bodhicitta-vihara.com](http://www.bodhicitta-vihara.com/) (India) The discussion will be in Meeting Room 3 at the Kathleen Syme Library, Stefan - 0437777522

Jimmy V's Grill & Pub in Grandview Heights. You are responsible for your own meal/drinks. We usually don't have any agenda other than eat, drink and talk. :) If the weather is nice we will be on the back patio, otherwise we are in the cigar room. This group has been meeting every Tuesday evening for over a decade. Many attendees do not RSVP on meetup. Please don't let the small number here discourage you. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come. We'd love to have you join us. COTA bus #5 comes to W. 5th and Wyandotte Rd. And it's a minute walk to the restaurant.

Jimmy V's Grill & Pub in Grandview Heights. We meet in the bar in the room on the right (the cigar shop). You are responsible for your own meal/drinks. We usually don't have any agenda other than eat, drink and talk. :) If the weather is nice we will be on the back patio, otherwise we are in the cigar room. This group has been meeting every Tuesday evening for over a decade. Many attendees do not RSVP on meetup. Please don't let the small number here discourage you. Anyone/everyone is welcome to come. We'd love to have you join us. COTA bus #5 comes to W. 5th and Wyandotte Rd. And it's a minute walk to the restaurant. *** Did you know that there are atheists everywhere?!?! You may not know it, but we are! We're in your schools, diners, police force, military, government, and some are even still in your churches! So come and join us and meet other local atheists, along with agnostics, heathens, humanists, skeptics, and anyone else who's 'hell bound'! Vision: a Central Ohio that accepts atheism as a viable alternative in all areas of public and private life. Mission: grow, support, and provide community for atheists in Central Ohio. Social meetings held most Tuesdays at a local pub/restaurant at 7:00 PM (and often into the wee hours). Attendees call themselves agnostics, skeptics, humanists, non-theists, deists or even theists. All attendees are welcome but should support our vision. Atheists of Columbus (AoC) is part of Omnipresent Atheists (OA). AoC members are invited to join this OA meetup and/or OA Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/omnipresentatheists/ ) but are free to continue conversations on the AoC Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/columbusatheists/ ). AoC was founded in 2012 as a networking, social group for Central Ohio area humanists, skeptics, atheists, agnostics, nonbelievers, freethinkers, and the curious. It was a member of Columbus CoR and held weekly meetings, mostly on Fridays, for several years but then operated as an online only group for some time. In November 2018, Omnipresent Atheists (OA), a group that routinely meets on Tuesdays, invited AoC to merge. Omnipresent Atheists is a member of the Columbus Coalition of Reason (ColumbusCoR.org). Omnipresent Atheists is a member of the Columbus Coalition of Reason ( http://www.ColumbusCoR.org ). Omnipresent Atheists endorses the mission of the Secular Coalition for America ( http://secular.org ).

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

Come join us for coffee at Matari Coffee to discuss our March book, "The Enchanted Greenhouse"! Book description: Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium. This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home. But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again. This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Rev. Steven Clevenger is an ordained spiritualist minister with over 40 years experience as a Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant and Spiritual Teacher, educated and trained at the White Lily Chapel. Rev. Siobhan Wolf Shaffer is an ordained spiritualist minister and certified medium and healer with over 20 years experience. She began her development in 1988 in Pennsylvania and continued when she moved to Ohio in 1998 where she studied at Rays of Lights Church with Rev. Steven Clevenger. Our full worship services consist of an inspirational lecture, healing meditation, and messages from the spirit world that serve to demonstrate evidence of eternal life. Please visit our Official Church Website (http://raysoflightchurch.com) for more information.