Volunteers needed and there is a place for YOU!

Our Youth and Family Ministry is run on volunteer-teacher-power, volunteer-assistants-power and volunteer nursery staff! In other words, we run on the power provided by people like you.  Our Ministry is growing and we are seeking more volunteers to help support our youth. We provide the training by inviting you to assist in a class taught by an experienced teacher. Once you are comfortable you can either choose to remain a class assistant or join our teaching team, or both!

Youth Director, Susan Robinson RScP, is available to work on a one-on-one basis with each volunteer before their services begins, providing a youth orientation and to answer any questions about the duties and responsibilities involved, as well as ongoing support along the way. We are blessed to have some very long time volunteers in our Nursery who love working with our infants.  New volunteers get to work with directly with our senior volunteers benefiting from their experience and training.  And we have fun too!

What is needed to enjoy this activity at the Center?  You need to complete Beyond Limits and be willing to complete a security background check ($10.00 processing fee). The other thing you need is a desire to love and support the spiritual growth of our young people.

Please contact Susan Robinson at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more details about our Youth and Family Ministry program.

Youth and Family Ministry upcoming events:

Holiday Gift Wrapping: Beginning on Nov. 27 through the month of December our Young Adults will be offering gift-wrapping for your Stepping Stones bookstore purchases for a love offering.

Teen Fundraising: Hand made lavender sachets – Nov. 27 & Dec. 4^th and Holiday Wreath sales Dec. 11^th & 18^th. (All proceeds go to support CSL Teen Camp)

Be Love Awakening Workshop: Nov. 27

Special guest Chris Yamas will lead a Be LOVE workshop from 11:00-2:00, hosted by Teen Coordinator Bill Frater in room 11. The workshop is open to all youth, young adults and anyone wanting to deepen into the power of Love within us. 

Teen Lock In: Dec. 16: Members of our Teen group and advisors will come together for a pot-luck dinner and evening workshop, then spend the night at the Center. 

Holiday Drop and Shop: Dec. 17^th 12:30-4:40

Parents bring us your children (ages 4-12) for 4 hours of fun holiday games, crafts and activities while you go off and enjoy your time however you would like. Please sign up early so we can plan a safe fun filled afternoon for everyone! 

Christmas Sunday!!! – All youth and families will join together for a special 10:00 service in our Main Sanctuary. 

Dec. 31^st: Last day to register for Winter Teen Camp! 

For information about any of these events or how you can get involved to support our Youth Ministry please contact Youth Director Susan Robinson, RScP @ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

There are many ways in which we all experience Family. From birth families to adopted families, foster families to families of friends. While attending the Young Adult Retreat over the Labor Day weekend I became a member of a new family. One that was formed with new acquaintances, who while sitting by a camp fire found their way to be in each other’s company. In the course of just a few days, hours really a bond was formed, a safe place was established where deep sharing was expressed, tears could fall, be witnessed and held without fixing, laughter and celebration was experienced and a soul level of love was both given and received. And it was effortless

It was a reminder for me to look at how I interact with my own family. Where do I make the time to really listen without trying to fix something that looks or feels broken, where do I short cut spending time with them because I think I am too busy?

For me the invitation is to take what I experienced in just a few days and bring it into my daily life. To share Love with all members of my family and extended family in a way that is effortless, that lets them know they matter and are loved beyond measure.

Facility Manager is only one role that what Evan Dow-Williamson plays in supporting the Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa.  He is a frequent advisor/facilitator for our teen group and is currently serving a 3 year term as Co-Director of the Young Adult Retreat planning team for our integrated ICSL/UCSL young adult community.  This year Evan will be serving as the Director and MC for the Young Adult Retreat to be held in September 2011.

Evan grew up in this teaching and credits it to giving him a solid foundation from which to draw upon as he experienced the various aspects of being a youth, teen and now young adult.  In April Evan will be traveling to Denver CO. for a 3 day planning meeting with his colleagues and is looking forward to the collaborative process that will build this year’s Young Adult Retreat experience.  

If you would like to learn more about how you can support our young adult community or would like to get involved as a young adult here at the Center for Spiritual Living Santa Rosa, please contact our Young Adult Group leader Ian Arnold at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Seva (selfless service) opportunities are also available to support the maintenance of our facility, please contact Evan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you have a skill or service you would like to offer.

Did you know that we have a nursery program available for children ages 0-3?  In the nursery the children primarily enjoy play time and are introduced to an action prayer and our Centers Candle Lighting Ceremony using felt candles.  They learn about seven qualities of God, identifying each quality with a color and an affirmation.  Children are invited to participate by choosing a felt candle or felt flame that are placed on a felt board which encourages them to become part of the group ceremony.  The seven qualities and color identifications are as follows:

White = Life, Yellow = Light, Orange = Joy, Red = Love, Blue = Peace, Green = Beauty and Purple = Power.
 
This ceremony is often followed by storytelling and more play time.  The nursery is staffed by a crew of at least 16 to 20 volunteers, some of which are Prayer Practitioners, some are retired teachers and most of them are or have been parents.  

The Nursery is available at least 10 minutes prior to the 10 and 11:30 service.  We ask parents to put their cell phone on vibrate and leave it on so that we can contact you during service if necessary, and to pick up the children directly following service.  Parents are also encourage to stay with their child the first time in nursery so that they become comfortable with the environment. 

Love and Blessings, Susan Robinson

To facilitate harmony and cooperation within our classrooms we honor the following five class agreements:
 
Mutual Respect
No Put Downs
The Right to Pass
Attentive Listening
Appreciation
 
We review these agreements in the class periodically and each child that is new to the program is introduced to them.  Occasionally with gentle reminders we discuss their meaning so that there is a shared understanding in the classroom which allows the weekly lessons to be presented in an environment that works for everybody.  
 
Parents are encouraged to support to these agreements with their children.  In doing so you may see them honoring these agreements at home, in school and in every day activities.  

With Love,

Susan Robinson, RScP

When a child starts attending Youth and Family program this is what I see happening.  They start to open up.  They start to see themselves in others and they share with each other.  They talk about anything and everything. They express love.  They start having wishes of peace for the world.  They start to see beyond their family.  They get involved.  They get creative.  The step outside their comfort zones.  They learn about boundaries.
 
My invitation to parents with children is to bring them to us to enjoy.  If you do bring them already, ask them what they learned at the Center.  Ask them to teach you the candle lighting ceremony.  Pray with them.  Ask them what they think about God, you'll be surprised by how beautifully they express themselves.
 
With love,
 
Susan Robinson, RScP.
Youth and Family Ministry, Director.