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Organized in collaboration with Harbor Tours, Newburyport, Kalfel’s unusual ocean cruise coincides with the launch of his book.

“We must, as human beings, have a ritual and a little more. We need that memorializing,” said Kalfel. “Many people struggle with how to achieve that when there’s not a traditional burial or funeral ceremony.”

When his 97-year-old mother expressed her wish to be cremated rather than buried, Kalfel was inspired to research and consider the options for handling cremated remains, whether they’re one’s own or the ashes of a loved one. And his lighthearted book presents information and ideas in a way that makes the serious topic so approachable that it could end up being the central conversation for your next family reunion or a night out with friends.

Kalfel’s So I’ve Got These Ashes And Need To Do Something With Them cruise provides a way for people to memorialize their loved ones, including pets, with a nondenominational ceremony at sea. It also provides an opportunity for people who had ashes left to them with no instructions. Participants are encouraged to bring photos to share with others on board.

The cruise will depart from the west end of the Newburyport Boardwalk (next to the Black Cow Restaurant) at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 26. The first 40 people to register will be able to join this cruise. The cost is $25.00. All proceeds go towards the cost of hiring the boat for the occasion.

If you are interested in participating, contact Jesse at events@crematednowwhat.com.

To learn more about Kalfel’s book, visit http://www.creamtednowwhat.com.

For more information about Harbor Cruises, visit http://www.harbortours.com.

Review by Barry Hunter
Baryon Online Magazine

There are two topics I try to avoid in conversations unless my hand is forced. Politics is the first one. Religion is the other. Before going into the review, I would recommend that anyone who has a problem with ‘organized religion’ give this book a read and decide if you want religion or if you want to know Jesus better.

Ronnie McBrayer managed to leave the confines of North Georgia to leave the religion that he grew up with and follow the Jesus that made his life more fulfilling. This book could and should be used as a text in a class to help you understand the teachings of Jesus in the context of modern living. McBrayer converts the parables and teachings into modern day equivalences and makes it very easy to understand and gives you plenty of time to understand it. Each chapter ends with some reflection questions to make sure you understand what was discussed in the chapter.

The conversion of Jesus teachings by McBrayer is well done and makes them easy to understand. This is a book written for all age groups and will explain how it can be easy to be LEAVING RELIGION, and FOLLOWING JESUS.

GOOD NIGHT & GOD BLESS
A Guide to Convent & Monastery Accommodation In Europe
Volume 1: Austria, Czech Republic, Italy

Good Night & God Bless dropped into my hands directly from heaven on the wings of angels, or so it seemed. In it, Trish Clark gives us heavenly insider information on convent and monastery accommodations in three of the most romantic and picturesque countries in Europe: Austria, the Czech Republic, and…ah!…Italy. The actual hard information in the margins is so complete and good that it preempts questions arising from her wonderful descriptions of these remarkable lodging opportunities in the main text. The author even divides information for readers seeking spiritual retreats or those just wanting to soak up the ambiance of these sacred places.

You don’t have to be a monk to sleep in a 13th century monastery in Tuscany, with a balcony overlooking a quiet, rose-clustered cloister garden — or a nun to breakfast on coffee with steamed milk and just-out-of-the-oven pastries in a 500-year-old Austrian convent. Good Night & God Bless makes accessible fabled places that only the clergy and their friends knew about in times past. But more than that, the book educates us on the origins of these splendid institutions and the rich historical context in which they are set.

Whether you are planning a trip or just wanting to travel from the couch, get hold of Good Night & God Bless and read it from cover to cover — it really is a blessing.

Joseph Dispenza

Author of The Way of the Traveler: Making Every Trip a Journey of Self-Discovery and God On Your Own: Finding a Spiritual Path Outside Religion. Joseph is in private practice as a spiritual counselor at LifePath Retreats in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. http://www.lifepathretreats.com