Like a growing number of Americans, some East Valley residents have lost faith in organized religion and are seeking a connection to God on their own.

Unity of Chandler, Home of Divine Love, 325 N. Austin Drive, Suite 4, will be reunited with its founding minister, when the Rev. Kyra Baehr returns for a visit later this week.

In a penultimate scene in Kevin Costner's underrated 2003 western, "Open Range," there is a lull in the shooting between the cattle baron with his henchmen and the free-range cowboys with the townspeople. With a 17-year-old boy in between them, bleeding from a previously inflicted wound, Annette Bening's character goes into the middle of the street shouting, "Stop it. Stop it right now." It is an act of extraordinary courage given that the bullets have been flying with deadly accuracy, and one that contains a very certain element of self-sacrifice.

In a penultimate scene in Kevin Costner's underrated 2003 western, "Open Range," there is a lull in the shooting between the cattle baron with his henchmen and the free-range cowboys with the townspeople. With a 17-year-old boy in between them, bleeding from a previously inflicted wound, Annette Bening's character goes into the middle of the street shouting, "Stop it. Stop it right now." It is an act of extraordinary courage given that the bullets have been flying with deadly accuracy, and one that contains a very certain element of self-sacrifice.

LAKE HAVASU CITY - Wayne Bayse, 59, isn't your typical prison chaplain. Then again, the Arizona state prison in Kingman isn't your ordinary prison.

In one of Hinduism's most sacred poems, the lord and sustainer of the universe chooses to be incarnated in human form -- the ancient term is "avatar" -- to help the Pandava people fight evil invaders and defend what is right. Sound familiar?

A Tempe pastor, working with national pollster George Gallup Jr., is the co-creator of a method to measure how Christians are faring in their faith journeys and what their spiritual strengths and deficiencies are.

Two rolled-up rubber mats formed a purple cross, leaning against the dance studio wall. Above it hung a tapestry of Jesus the Good Shepherd and the words "Lost No More." Prayerful contemporary music radiated through the darkened room, ringed with lighted novena candles. Fourteen women and three men were flat on their exercise mats, ready to start an intensive one-hour session of Yahweh Yoga.

Linda Turley-Hansen: Is it really over - the life we're accustomed to? It seems that's the case. No matter whom I talk with, there's a consensus that things have shifted across the land. And most are convinced our world will continue to wobble in 2010.

The first slab of marble has been laid in what the Valley’s Jain community believes can become America’s grandest Jain temple when it is dedicated in December 2008, with some 3,000 Jains from all over the world expected.

It gets pushed to the side as most of us start putting the Christmas trimmings away and settle in for just a few more college football games, but Thursday is the Feast of the Epiphany for Western Christians. Historically, Epiphany has been a major feast of the Christian church, but in modernity the 12 days of Christmas have become little more than a traditional song, and Epiphany has become more obscure.

It gets pushed to the side as most of us start putting the Christmas trimmings away and settle in for just a few more college football games, but Thursday is the Feast of the Epiphany for Western Christians. Historically, Epiphany has been a major feast of the Christian church, but in modernity the 12 days of Christmas have become little more than a traditional song, and Epiphany has become more obscure.

When that little group of Separatists left England for the New World in a little boat called the Mayflower, they landed at Plymouth Rock in a territory that would eventually become known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Colony became, obviously, the seedbed for the nation whose birthday we celebrate this week.

They're two registered nurses - a Catholic and a Protestant - who have carved out a niche market providing private duty nursing care for the Valley's VIPs.

PORT MATILDA, Pa. — The walk down a hill at the St. Joseph Institute ends at the Forest Chapel, nestled in the woods between two streams. Only the sounds of chirping birds and a breeze blowing through leaves pierce the silence.

Clergy from a range of religious faiths will discuss hope from their spiritual perspectives in two sessions 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Feb. 21 at The Wellness Community, 360 E. Palm Lane, Phoenix.

Darylle Dennis, a motivational speaker, business coach and radio show host, will offer “Spirit in Business” seminars in Scottsdale. The first will be 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 4 at New Vision Spiritual Growth Center, 9659 N. Hayden Road. She will speak on the “Law of Attraction” as featured in the book and film “The Secret.”

Chabad of Arizona and Phoenix Children’s Hospital are co-sponsoring “Toys for Hospitalized Children” Monday, July 16, at the hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Road.

Sharon Friendly, Ms. Senior Arizona 2007 and the cantorial soloist at Desert Foothills Jewish Community Foundation congregation, will give a concert at 12:45 p.m. Monday at the Jewish Family and Children’s Services Center for Senior Enrichment at Beth El Congregation.

April 5, 2005

Religious explorer Thomas Pearce can offer a dizzying account of his 56 years of rambling through the canyons of faith — Catholicism, Unification Church, Hinduism, Taoism, Unity, Confucianism, Zen Buddhism and others. He somehow loves and embraces them all because “there are no exclusive religions.”