A growing population of Americans are identifying with either being "spiritual, but not religious"* or part of a multi-faith household. If you are part of these non-traditional groups, you can often feel excluded from a sense of tradition and community, especially when it comes to celebrating important milestones in your life. Traditional religious ceremonies are often infused with a sense of sacredness that can be hard to find elsewhere. However, if you are a part of a multi-faith family, you can feel forced to choose one house of worship over the other for your ceremony. If you are non-religious, you may want a sacred ceremony for your baby, but don't think you have access to one because you can't or don't want to have your child baptized in a particular church.
Hi! I'm Rev. Mercedes Ibarra, or Rev. Mercy, as my friends and family call me. As an Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister, I am especially trained to be of service to these non-traditional families who feel called to celebrate the sacredness of life in their own unique ways. I have studied from many of the sacred texts, tenets, and traditions of most of the world's major religions. I can design a ceremony or service that is custom-tailored to your spiritual needs. A ceremony can be created for anything you consider sacred: a wedding, a baby or child blessing, a funeral or memorial service, a rite-of-passage, etc.. I can also provide spiritual counseling if you are going through a major life event or looking for a new way to express your spirituality or develop a spiritual practice.
How did I get here? I myself reached the point of labeling myself as "spiritual, but not religious" when I felt that I could no longer call a single place of worship my home. I grew up in a Cuban Catholic household peppered with traces of the Yoruban Lukumi spiritual tradition. As an adult, I found yoga, which led me to an exploration of Hinduism. I married a Muslim-turned-atheist, who introduced me to Buddhism through the books he had acquired from taking classes on the subject in college. I found love and a connection to something greater through every path I explored. I got to a point where I could no longer choose one over the others. I decided to establish a deeper connection with God/the Divine/the Universe/the Great Spirit, etc., by diving deeper into all the great traditions. I attended One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and was ordained as an Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister in 2016. During this time, I also began volunteering in hospice. I use my experience and training to be an empathetic presence to those in need, to help guide those looking for a new spiritual practice, and to create beautiful, unique ceremonies and rituals for individuals and families who understand that all paths lead to love.
*Term used by the Pew Research Center: http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise-religion/
Hi! I'm Rev. Mercedes Ibarra, or Rev. Mercy, as my friends and family call me. As an Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister, I am especially trained to be of service to these non-traditional families who feel called to celebrate the sacredness of life in their own unique ways. I have studied from many of the sacred texts, tenets, and traditions of most of the world's major religions. I can design a ceremony or service that is custom-tailored to your spiritual needs. A ceremony can be created for anything you consider sacred: a wedding, a baby or child blessing, a funeral or memorial service, a rite-of-passage, etc.. I can also provide spiritual counseling if you are going through a major life event or looking for a new way to express your spirituality or develop a spiritual practice.
How did I get here? I myself reached the point of labeling myself as "spiritual, but not religious" when I felt that I could no longer call a single place of worship my home. I grew up in a Cuban Catholic household peppered with traces of the Yoruban Lukumi spiritual tradition. As an adult, I found yoga, which led me to an exploration of Hinduism. I married a Muslim-turned-atheist, who introduced me to Buddhism through the books he had acquired from taking classes on the subject in college. I found love and a connection to something greater through every path I explored. I got to a point where I could no longer choose one over the others. I decided to establish a deeper connection with God/the Divine/the Universe/the Great Spirit, etc., by diving deeper into all the great traditions. I attended One Spirit Interfaith Seminary and was ordained as an Interfaith/Interspiritual Minister in 2016. During this time, I also began volunteering in hospice. I use my experience and training to be an empathetic presence to those in need, to help guide those looking for a new spiritual practice, and to create beautiful, unique ceremonies and rituals for individuals and families who understand that all paths lead to love.
*Term used by the Pew Research Center: http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise-religion/
