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 New York, NY | West Palm Beach, FL | Chicago, IL | Detroit, MI | New York, NY Phoenix, AZ | Newburyport, MA | Atlanta, GA The Unmistakable Touch of Grace is a spiritual memoir that speaks to the importance of honoring our spiritual well-being. In keeping with the theme, I made a decision to visit spiritual centers around the country. I also wanted to give back. I knew that many of the people I'd be seeing give tirelessly of their time and energy to support the spiritual health of others. All proceeds from each event stay with the spiritual community. Let's see where the journey takes us. . . Newburyport, MA - 2/4/05 I kicked off my book tour at The Old South Presbyterian Church with more than 500 friends, family, and community members joining me for this special event. The church, founded in 1756, has welcomed parishioners such as George Washington and Paul Revere. The church bell (cast by Paul Revere), called to service sermons by Rev. George Whitefield — a famous evangelist of his time. Rev. Whitefield's final resting place lies beneath the pulpit of this church. Now that's an interesting platform to speak from :-) At the end of the event, I signed books and visited with members of our community. Pictured here is the "Goal Group" — a bunch of fun women who have been having a great time supporting one another.  Click for larger image Off to Kansas City . . . Back to Top Kansas City, MO - 2/6/05 The next stop on my tour was The Unity Temple on the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. Unity Temple is a beautiful community where diverse spiritual traditions are embraced with open arms. Reverend Duke Tufty has a wonderful sense of humor that came in handy when I was asked to deliver the sermon on Sunday morning. Feeling a bit scared (okay, terrified), I was able to relax once I experienced his down-to-earth style from the pulpit. Christine Garvey, hostess extraordinaire, has a smile that lights up a room. She's the kind of person who makes you feel like you have family on the road. Monday night's event went without a hitch thanks to Christine and the great volunteers at the church. Here's Christine (in front), with me and Nancy (my tour manager), and the wonderful volunteers from the church.  Click for larger image Off to Houston . . . Back to Top Houston, TX On the flight to Houston from Kansas City, it felt like the pilots were aiming for every bump. Nancy, who is fearless when it comes to flying, was the perfect companion for handling so much turbulence! While in Houston I spoke at the Unity Church where they've just completed the construction of a huge, new sanctuary. The space is bright, inviting, and absolutely beautiful. Reverend Howard Caeser, the spiritual leader of the church, has been at the helm for more than twenty years (and he still looks like he's thirty years old!). His vision and spiritual fortitude has created an outstanding community. During the VIP reception before the event, I had a chance to visit with a lively group of women from American Express. These gals were part of a 30 person group of women at Amex who have formed a Life Makeover Group. Here they are . . .  Click for larger image Off to Denver. . . Back to Top
Denver, CO We arrived in Denver safe and sound (a much better flight), and I had the opportunity to speak at the Mile High Church of Religious Science. This is the church where I recorded my "Finding Your Passion" program and it was wonderful to see so many familiar faces. Stay tuned for pictures . . . Back home for Valentine's Day and then off to New York for Good Morning America. Stay tuned . . . Back to Top Boston, MA Yeah! I'm home for a few days to spend time with Michael (my hubby), who I haven't seen in two weeks! I also had a chance to speak at the historic Arlington Street Church in Boston — a Unitarian Universalist church that has the largest Tiffany stained glass window collection in the world. Unfortunately the light didn't allow for a good shot of the windows, but we did get a shot of the striking pipe organ. Check it out . . .  Click for larger image Kim Crawford Harvie, the minister, has created a community that is deeply committed to service. Rather than use the funds we raised today for the church, they decided to donate all the proceeds to victims of the tsunami. We raised enough money to shelter and feed several thousand people. Here's the link if you'd like to make a donation: http://uusc.org/ Also, here's a picture of Michael and I, with Kim, Marilyn (the house manager for the event) and my dear friend Bruce Kohl . . .  Click for larger image Off to New York on Tuesday . . . Happy Valentine's Day! Back to Top New York, NY I arrived in New York last week for the Good Morning America "Amazing Grace" series. The weather was warm and sunny — a refreshing change from Boston. I had a chance to go for a run through "The Gates," an installation by the artist Cristo, in Central Park. The exhibit has inspired thousands to visit the 23-mile walkway covered in a series of saffron-colored fabric panels attached to steel frames. It's beautiful. Check it out here. Our first segment on Good Morning America told an amazing story about Susan Zanin who lost her sister in a train accident in Germany. For many years the family was left wondering about the last moments of their loved one's life. Ten years later, while visiting the site of the accident, Susan had an astounding moment of grace. While having lunch in a nearby café, she met the man who held her sister in his arms as she died.
Finally, here's a picture of me and Bryan Berg, the young man who erected a model of the skyline of New York out of playing cards for Good Morning America. Bryan, a.k.a "The Card Stacker," did this project as a way to raise money for several charities including Feed the Children and Habitat for Humanity. While the photo was being taken, I made a point to stand very, very still (without breathing!), for fear that I might make a wrong move and bring down the house! You can learn more about Bryan's work at www.cardstacker.com. Off to sunny Florida . . . Back to Top West Palm Beach, FL Unity of the Palm Beaches is located across from the beautiful intercoastal waterway. The backdrop of the altar is a giant statue of a scallop shell.Considering my love of the beach, I felt right at home speaking there Saturday night and giving the sermon on Sunday morning (I'm becoming much more comfortable at delivering sermons). Here are the Wertenberger sisters (who all look alike!) with me, standing in front of the shell:  Click for larger image I also had a chance to meet a fellow author — Laura Duksta, who has written a beautiful children's book called "I Love You More" which has sold more than 150,000 copies. Here she is:  Click for larger image Check out Laura's website at: www.hippieandthebaldchick.com. Off to Chicago! Despite the cold and rainy forecast, it is still one of my favorite cities! Back to Top Chicago, IL I arrived in Chicago on Sunday night to rainy weather. I was able to get a hotel room that looked out over Lake Michigan and it was beautiful despite the gray skies. Chicago’s event was held at the Glenview Community Church and was co-sponsored by the Pilgrim Congregational Church. Dale Edmonds and Pam Keckler, ministers of the churches, were wonderful hosts and I had a great time. Chicago is one of my all-time favorite cities and while there Nancy and I made sure we visited Ghirardelli’s to get a hot fudge sundae. Nancy also took me to the Apple store where I proceeded to get an amazing education about the new Mac computers from a sharp young woman named Amanda. By the time I left, this die-hard PC user was actually considering making a move to what Nancy calls the "light side" (she’s a die-hard Mac woman!). Of course, the operative word in that last sentence was "considering." Back to Top Detroit, MI I love the Renaissance Unity Church in Detroit! The people are so warm and friendly and the space is beautiful. They've added a new addition to the building — a floor-to-ceiling wall of water that would put even the most stressed-out person into a deep state of relaxation. All of the people there — from Ted who picked us up, to Keith who took good care of us when we arrived — are so much fun! It was great to be back. The evening at Renaissance was magical. During the event, I was reminded of the fact that at any moment we have an opportunity to be conduits of grace for one another without even realizing it. While signing books, a sweet man approached me and shared that it was the anniversary of his son's death. He wanted me to know that during the first half of my presentation, he and his wife had experienced an important touch of grace. At the beginning of my talk, I mentioned that I wrote my new book while staying in a cottage by the ocean. I had few possessions with me, one of which was a giant bowl of seaglass. In the afternoon I often took a break from writing to walk along the water searching for glass. It helped me to shut off my analytical mind so I could gain access to wisdom and insight for the next stage of my writing. Prior to the event in Detroit, I hadn't told this story. As it turns out, some of the most memorable times this couple had spent with their son was on trips to favorite beaches in search of seaglass to add to their collection. Back to Top New York, NY In New York I had the pleasure of speaking at Marble Collegiate Church, the oldest Protestant church in America. This is the church where Norman Vincent Peale served as pastor for more than fifty years. Most people know him from his bestselling book "The Power of Positive Thinking." It's always been one of my favorite books — practical, inspiring and graceful in the simplicity of its message. Marble Collegiate is an intimate church with deep warm colors and stunning stained-glass windows. Here's a photo we received from one of the attendees displaying the incredible artwork . . .  Click for larger image Katherine Gotshall English, the woman responsible for planning the event, created a wonderful experience including a tea reception in the afternoon. I had a chance to meet so many great people that day. Here's another Life Makeover Group . . .  Click for larger image I also received a photo from Donna, a woman who also attended one of our Miraval retreats and came into the city for the event. While visiting New York City she and her Life Makeover Group took lots of photos. Here, Donna has a permanent reminder that she carries grace with her always . . .  Click for larger image Off to Phoenix! Back to Top Phoenix, AZ Ah, sunny and seventy-five. I just love Arizona weather! In Phoenix I spoke at the Unity Church — a big church with a high tech stage, a preschool, and a beautiful prayer garden that looks out over the sunset. As is the case with every church I've been to, the people at Unity of Phoenix were so helpful and friendly. After the event, I had a chance to meet Tom, a long-time member of our men's telegathering. It's always so much fun to put a face to the name you've heard on the phone for so long: "Tom of Arizona." Here's a picture of us . . .  Click for larger image Next, it's performing in the Vagina Monologues in my home town. Although I've spent many years on stage, I have to admit that I'm scared to death to perform someone else's piece. The title of my monologue? "Because He Liked to Look At It." Yikes! Stay tuned to hear what happens . . . Back to Top Newburyport, MA I had an absolute blast performing in the Vagina Monologues. As soon as I finished my piece, I wanted to do it again! It was so much fun playing someone else :). This performance is an annual event that supports our local Women's Crisis Center and the women who participate — professional actresses along with local women who have never acted before — are terrific. The beauty of performing in the Vagina Monologues is that you not only have an opportunity to connect with great women, you get an education. Hearing the stories gives the listener a chance to see her similarities and differences in a very real and intimate way. The listener also gains valuable insight about violence against women from a deeply personal perspective — the view that moves people into action. Here's a photo of some of us on stage at the end of the show. The woman on the far left is Gloria, a beautiful person in her early seventies who played the role of a British woman who attended a "Vagina Workshop." She was hysterical!  Click for larger image Off to Atlanta . . . Back to Top Atlanta, GA Unity North Atlanta church is my last event for awhile and the sadness I always feel when I finish a tour kicked in on the flight there. It's always a mixed bag. I love being at home, settled into my routine, spending time with family and friends. And, at the same time, I love meeting new people and having the opportunity to do the work I know I'm meant to do. Oh well. For me, life seems to be about holding the tension of two opposites . . . The people who attended Unity North were great and, while there, I was asked some pretty interesting questions — "What does your mom think of your spiritual journey?" or, "What does 'full of grace' mean to you?" After having met so many people from around the country, I have a renewed respect and admiration for those who are doing their very best to develop a stronger relationship with God. While the journeys are personal and unique, it's clear to me that we all seem to want the same things — a connection to our innate Divinity, a real and tangible relationship with a Higher Power, and the faith and comfort of knowing that we are not alone — that a benevolent force of energy is at work in the world. I look forward to seeing where the next leg of this journey takes me. Thanks for coming along! Back to Top |
© 1996-2008 Cheryl Richardson. All rights reserved. Artwork provided by Jean-Paul Avisse and Corey Wolfe.
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