Reverend Jonathan Charles Abel

I became an ordained minister because I have always felt drawn to the moments in life that carry the greatest meaning: love, commitment, loss, remembrance, and the traditions that connect us to those who came before.

My background in art, history, gemology, design, and working closely with people during some of the most significant moments of their lives taught me that ceremony matters. I have also experienced profound grief personally, which gave me an even deeper appreciation for the importance of honoring a life, celebrating love, and creating space for people to find meaning during times of transition.

Becoming ordained felt like a natural extension of who I already was: someone who values history and tradition while believing that every person deserves a ceremony that genuinely reflects their own beliefs, relationships, and story. Whether celebrating a marriage, honoring someone who has passed, or marking another important milestone, I consider it a privilege to help make those moments meaningful, personal, and memorable.

Valencia, CA

I have always found God’s presence in beauty; in art, antiques, history, nature, craftsmanship, and the objects and stories that generations before us have left behind. I see my appreciation for these things as a divine gift: an ability to recognize beauty, preserve it, and share it with others.

For me, beauty is about far more than appearances. It connects us to our history, reminds us of our shared humanity, and shows us that something meaningful can endure long after its creator is gone. I hope to share that sense of wonder with everyone I meet, while encouraging kindness, acceptance, curiosity, and a deeper appreciation for one another. I believe that when we learn to recognize the divine beauty in our world, and especially in each other: we become better stewards of what we have inherited and can leave the world a little more beautiful than we found it.

My spiritual life is non-denominational and deeply personal. I believe that what we call “God” is, in many ways, a human word for something far greater than any single name, institution, culture, or religion can fully contain. Throughout human history, people have given countless names to the Divine and have sought in different ways to understand that profound experience of love, beauty, creation, connection, consciousness, and purpose that transcends ourselves.

I find the Divine in prayer and spiritual tradition, but equally in art, antiques, history, nature, music, craftsmanship, and the objects and stories passed from one generation to the next. I consider my love of beauty, history, and preservation to be a divine gift, one that encourages me to look more closely at our world, honor those who came before us, and share that sense of wonder with others.

While the Bible holds important wisdom, I believe humanity’s spiritual inheritance is far greater than any single text. Wisdom can also be found in the Torah and Talmud, the Quran, the Hindu Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita, the Buddhist Dhammapada and Sutras, the Tao Te Ching, the Sikh Guru Granth Sahib, and in the sacred teachings, oral traditions, and philosophies of countless cultures throughout human history.

These traditions are extraordinarily diverse, and I do not believe they all teach precisely the same theology. Yet across them we repeatedly encounter questions that have followed humanity for thousands of years: How should we live? How should we treat one another? What do we owe our neighbors, our communities, future generations, and the world entrusted to us?

For me, one of the greatest lessons we can draw from humanity’s sacred traditions is beautifully simple: strive to become the best version of ourselves that we can be, and treat others with dignity, respect, love, compassion, and kindness.

My faith is therefore not about determining who is right or wrong, worthy or unworthy, included or excluded. It is about recognizing something sacred in one another while respecting that every person’s path toward meaning may look different from my own.

Above all, I hope to share God’s beauty rather than impose my definition of God. If I can help another person recognize a little more beauty in the world, preserve something meaningful from our shared past, feel more valued, or extend greater kindness to someone else, then I believe I am fulfilling an important part of my spiritual purpose.

Perhaps one of our greatest responsibilities is simply to learn from the wisdom humanity has inherited, care for one another and the world entrusted to us, preserve what is beautiful and meaningful, and leave this earth a little kinder, wiser, and more beautiful than we found it.