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July-September, 2013

My Experience of the “Gift of Lilies” Conference

by Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C.

I have attended several ACIM conferences over the past 5 years since my retirement from teaching high school history classes. This recent conference in Chicago, however, was a particularly special treat for me. I felt honored to be a presenter with Myron Jones representing Pathways of Light.

Myron and I split the two 75 minute presentations, telling our stories of how turning to Holy Spirit has affected our experiences in life. I spoke for the first half of the presentation followed by Myron. We had not coordinated our presentations in any way ahead of time — but somehow our message seemed unified. Our connection to Holy Spirit has given us strength to handle tragedy with love and forgiveness (the Gift of Lilies) — instead of fear and guilt (the crown of thorns). We both put Spirit in charge and then talked from the heart. And it felt good.

Primarily because I was a speaker at the conference, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with many more people than I did in previous conferences. I felt a special charge going through me throughout the entire weekend in Chicago. The Congress Plaza Hotel, built in 1893, was impressive and its location on Michigan Ave. put much of the city’s highlights and beauty right on our doorstep. I felt excited by everything inside and outside the hotel.

The biggest impression that remains with me, however, was the love I felt from the people in attendance. The people who study ACIM are certainly not cut from one mold. The more time I spent getting to know a person, the more interesting and unique each one became. They all seemed very different from each other. But as we have learned, we all are the same. We all share the same Mind, the same Source. That concept was in my mind more that weekend than, perhaps, ever before.

The style of the presenters was certainly not the same but the core message always was. In different ways the speakers encouraged their listeners to trust that their Inner Teacher was always there for guidance. The personalities were very different from each other. For example, Pathways’ own Mary Gerard Lenihan may have a totally different approach to reaching her audience than does, let’s say, Earl Purdy. Despite this difference in style, the message remained consistent: We are focused on attaching to the Love of which we are all a part.

It seems natural that we might resonate with one approach better than another. Certainly my ego personality starts to judge and become a critic. My heart might be wide open to one speaker while struggling to stay focused with another. In speaking with others later about the presentations, I was often surprised to hear that their favorite was not mine at all. It made me remember that there are many ways to extend Love. Only the Truth is true — but the presentation of the Truth comes in a variety of ways.

My lasting impression was of the gratitude I felt for having A Course in Miracles in my life. There was a joy that came from seeing the Love in my brothers and joining with them. There was an increase in the trust that I am gaining in this process of handing my thoughts to Spirit for purification.

Through the leadership of Rev. Tony Ponticello and the staff from the San Francisco based Community Miracles Center, the ACIM community joined together and put out a quality product — three powerful days of ACIM spirituality. It charged up my battery and further developed my trust in the process of joining with my brothers to receive and extend Love. I made some new friends and I am grateful for such an experience.

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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