Connect. Transform. Inspire.

AGAPE BAY AREA: A CENTER FOR AWAKENED LIVING

AGAPE BAY AREA HAS A NEW HOME!

Agape Bay Area Ministers and Board of Trustees joyfully announce our new spiritual home, Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Avenue, Piedmont 94610. 10:30 AM meditation service, followed by our celebration service at 11 AM.

This move has been divinely guided in every way. For a few months, it has come up in vision. When it became apparent we needed to move by the end of the year, we found our new home within a couple of weeks, thanks to board members who searched and found. This is yet another example demonstrating that within the vision is its fulfillment.

Kehilla is an amazing community that serves the surrounding community in many ways. We are blessed by them and know they are blessed by our presence.

We affirm for all a New Year filled with love, joy, and the manifestation of unlimited possibilities!

Signing the Contract for our New Home

Kehilla Community Synagogue

As we settle into our wonderful new home at Kehilla Synagogue, there are bound to be changes, which is always an opportunity for growth and transformation. There are certain days, times, and spaces that are available. For this reason, we need to release our Wednesday evening service. Thank you, Robert Pomonis, for organizing it and practitioners for your inspiration and loving presence.

We will announce a winter class soon, and it will take place on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 9 since we need to be totally off the premises by 9:30 due to neighborhood restrictions. Stay tuned!

Kehilla is a wonderful community and location, which will serve us well. We are so grateful for their flexibility with us and for being able to continue Sunday services at the same time and in a convenient location. As we enthusiastically enter our year of Unlimited Possibilities, we are anchored in the consciousness of Oneness, Love, and Abundance. Vision has brought us to this place, and vision continues to flood us with amazing opportunities!

WHO WE ARE

Agape Bay Area is a Principle-centered, compassionate, inclusive community committed to being an expression of the power, presence, and substance of The Divine in every aspect of life.

We value and practice generosity and service to the local and global communities. We teach and model spiritual principles that stimulate self discovery, creativity, and awareness of the interconnectedness of all life. We are a safe, empowering environment that develops and supports awakened living for individuals, families, and communities.

We learn together. We love together.

We rise in consciousness together.

The essence of Agape is best described by its founder, Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith:

“When I founded the Agape International Spiritual Center and community in 1986, we 'visioned' it as a movement that would take a stand for love, for peace, for being a beneficial presence on the planet." That’s why it was named “Agape,” which in Greek means unconditional love. Agape’s vision is fueled by the love of the One indefinable yet unmistakable Presence whose vehicle on earth is the human heart and soul.

Our Board of Trustees

Virginia Chapman : President

Valerie Roberts: Vice President

Jenifer Quesada: Secretary

Jon Eccleston: Treasurer

Cindy Edelson, ALSP

Patty Castaneda-Davis

Alison Williams

Rev. Verona Garland

Rev. Joan Steadman

An AGAPE Community

Rev. Joan Steadman

Founding Minister

Rev. TJ Woodward is an Agape ordained minister, spiritual author, inspirational speaker, awakening coach and revolutionary recovery specialist who has helped countless people through his simple, yet powerful teachings.

He is the founding minister of Agape Bay Area and served as the senior minister for over a year. Previous to serving as the senior minister of Agape Bay Area, TJ served as the founding spiritual director of Awakened Living from 2012- 2017. He also served as the ministerial associate of Unity San Francisco from 2008-2011.

He is the graduate of both the Spiritual Development and Spiritual Leadership programs, at Unity Institute. Additionally, he is the creator of The Conscious Recovery Method which is a groundbreaking and effective approach to viewing and treating addiction.

TJ is also in private practice as a spiritual counselor and awakening coach, and the host of Conscious Being Radio on Unity Online Radio. TJ is the author of the books, Conscious Being: Awakening to Your True Nature and Conscious Recovery: A Fresh Perspective on Addiction.

www.tjwoodward.com

Rev. TJ Woodward

Rev. Dr. Joan Steadman

Senior Minister

Rev. Dr. Joan Steadman has been an ordained Agape and Centers for Spiritual Living minister for 19 years. She has served as the Senior Minister of our beloved community since January 2019. Prior to that, she served as the assistant minister and assistant spiritual director of Agape Bay Area starting in 2015. Our community is blessed to be guided by her consciousness and leadership.

A few years ago, she reFIRed, releasing her position as Spiritual Leader at the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living where she served for fifteen years. Previous to that, she was an assistant minister at the Agape International Spiritual Center for two years and a licensed spiritual practitioner for thirteen years.

In 1986, she joined Dr. Michael Beckwith and was a founding member of Agape where she served in many capacities. Rev. Joan was on the Vision Core and the original Board of Trustees.

She was the founder and director of One From the Heart, the pastoral care ministry at Agape. Under her leadership, that ministry grew and became one of the largest pastoral care ministries in the New Thought movement. While at Agape, she also facilitated accredited classes and many workshops centering in the mystical aspect of New Thought/Ancient Wisdom.

Rev Verona Garland is an Emerson Theological Credentialed Interfaith and Religious Science Minister.

She serves as the founding minister of Blossoming Truth Global Ministries-a ministry dedicated to joyously opening to Spirit's Invitation of Delight, Play, and Transformation and as Assistant Minister at Agape Bay Area.

Rev Verona's ministry encompasses classes, workshops, spiritual exploration, global cultural learning, prosperity mentoring, and spiritual counseling.

Her speaking includes: The Lighthouse Center for Spiritual Living ,The Gathering, Unity Center for Inspired Living-Brentwood , 1st Church of Religious Science Vallejo, Corinthian Baptist Church, Oakland Center for Spiritual Living, and Sacramento Center for Spiritual Living.

Rev Verona's effervescent enthusiasm is sourced in her desire to bud, blossom, and bloom in Spirit. She serves playfully, boldly, wondrously, and joyously opening to the Divine Potentiality within each and every Expression of the One.

www.VeronaGarland.com

Rev. Verona Garland

Assistant Minister

Upcoming Events

Sunday Celebration Service

February 16th

Rev. Verona Garland

Embodying Love's Blocks

Agape Bay Area Roots of Agape class flyer

Click Here To Register for Roots of Agape

“The Gandhi King Gyatso

Season for Nonviolence”
An educational, media and grassroots awareness campaign spanning
the January 30th and April 4th memorial anniversaries
of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr

The Gandhi King Season for Nonviolence (SNV) commences on January 30 in cities across the globe. The annual 64 day campaign, co-founded in 1998 by Dr. Arun Gandhi and The Association for Global New Thought (AGNT), is an educational, media and grassroots awareness campaign spanning the January 30th and April 4th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The purpose of the campaign is to focus educational and media attention on the philosophy of attaining peace through nonviolent action as demonstrated by legendary leaders Mohandas K. Gandhi, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar E. Chavez, and President Nelson Mandela, as well as living legends such as His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Season for Nonviolence Program: 64 WAYS IN 64 DAYS

Daily Comprehensive Reflections

Sunday Celebration Service February 16th

Rev. Verona Garland

Embodying Love's Blocks

Musicians

Helen Bernard Gray & Larry Steelman

Helen and Larry are both veterans in the entertainment world. They have worked together for the past 14 years at the various Spiritual Centers in the Bay Area, in the studio and on other musical projects.

Larry is a prolific song writer and has several songs on Watch Fire (Music). He composed 90% of the music sung by the Joy! Choir. He is an engineer/producer who has produced several CDs for local singers. Larry worked with Johnny Mathis, Carl Anderson and several other high-profile artists. Larry has studio recording, television and motion picture works to his credit.

Helen’s musical career started with a tour with Richard Penniman (Little Richard). toured Canada as part of the New Supremes and Switzerland, Germany, U.S. and Italy with her sister as the Duncan Sisters. While living in Memphis, TN, she worked at Ardent Studio with William Tanner Productions as a jingle singer and on-call session singer. She also worked at Shoe Productions as an on-call session singer and with Willie Mitchell and Al Green in the Studios. She opened the “new” Club Handy on Beal Street and Marmalade’s in Memphis, TN. She recorded 5 albums for Three Hats Production (THP) out of Toronto Canada when Disco was popular music. She did back-up on U2’s “ Rattle and Hum” album. She longs to sing for an appreciative audience.

Much could be said, but suffice it to say that Larry and Helen love to share their music to an appreciative audience.

2020 Unlimited Possibilities

SUNDAY MORNINGS

Morning Meditation

10:30 AM - 10:50 AM

Sunday Celebration Service

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Magnify Your Life

12:30 AM - 1:00 PM

“The purpose of the Magnify your Life Circle, which takes place post-Sunday-service for 30 minutes one the back of the sanctuary. It is an opportunity for individuals to share how the service impacted them and how they are going to apply the teachings in their lives.”

SUNDAY AFTERNOONS

Workshops

1:30 PM - 3:30 PM

CLICK HERE FOR FULL CALENDAR

THEME FOR FEBRUARY

LOVE UNLIMITED

Rev. TJ Woodward - February 2

The Limitless Power of Love

Rev. Joan Steadman - February 9

Get Out of the Way and Let Love Happen

Rev. Verona Garland - February 16

Embodying Love's Blocks

Rev. Joan Steadman - February 23

Love in the Marketplace

Sunday Mornings

PLEASE JOIN US every Sunday morning for our Sunday Celebration!

MEDITATION -10:30 AM - 10:50 AM

SERVICE - 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

MAGNIFY YOUR LIFE -12:30 -1:00 PM

Kehilla Community Synagogue

1300 Grand Ave. Piedmont, CA 94610

Theme for 2020:

Umlimited Possibilities

January - Welcoming the Vision

February - Love Unlimited

March - Planting Seeds of Possibilities

April - Rising to Your Unlimited Possibilities

May - Abundant Acceptance

June - Just Say Yes

July - Freedom As

August - Ego’s Blessings -

The Gifts of Imperfection

September - See It, Know It, Feel It

October - Reaping Our Harvest -

All Needs Met

November - Commitment to the Divine

December - Powerful Points of Light.

THEME FOR JANUARY:

WELCOMING THE VISION

Rev. TJ Woodward - January 5:

"Embodying Your Infinite Vision"

Rev. Joan Steadman -January 12:

"Opening to the Quantum Field"

Rev. Verona Garland -January 19:

"Hosting With Your Heart"

Rev. Joan Steadman -26:

"Manifesting From Vision -

The Way It Works"

Michael Allen

allenjmichaels@gmail.com

Beverly Green namasteyou57@gmail.com

Bonnie Sita

princesssita@aol.com

Christine Breit

breitchristine@yahoo.com

Robyn Rice Olmstead ALSP

rcrice1@aol.com

15741064_10211328266823838_5259856594086

OUR PRACTITIONERS.

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Spiritual Practitioners are available for prayer support and spiritual counseling sessions. (for a fee) Please contact them directly to set up an appointment.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PRACTITIONER?

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION

“A practitioner is not merely a body of knowledge, but rather a state of consciousness that realizes oneness with the Infinite. Dedicated to first demonstrating New Thought / Ancient Wisdom principles within their own life, a practitioner then serves as a spiritually therapeutic agent of the Spirit for the upliftment of every man, woman and child who requests healing of body, mind and spirit."

-Rev Michael Beckwith