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April 2005 Beloved Friends, We journey together to claim the abundant blessings of God. It has been a very full and very rewarding Easter. I am so grateful for those who have given of their time, talent and energy to make our church and its services truly a reflection of the power and love of God! Thank you each and every one! I am excited to be joining Reverend Diane Plamondon and George Cushing on the trip to Honduras on April 18th to see first hand the work of Sister Rosa Maria Leggol. Her Sociedad Amigos de Los Nin´os in Honduras is an inspiring organization that addresses the issues of the poorest people in Honduras. Her programs help mostly children and single women. She empowers them through providing education, health care, technical training and assistance, financial support, spiritual guidance and housing. It will be an honor and a blessing to meet her and to see the many ways her programs assist her people. In Unity we speak often of creating heaven on earth. I believe we begin to create heaven on earth when we seek to serve one another without strings attached. Serving one another is the greatest way to give thanks for the abundant blessings we have. Helping others is the way that we honor God, the way that we make love visible in our world. Consciously living as a giver to life gives us a greater sense of meaning and purpose. One of the secrets to happiness is doing things for other people. When we do, we open ourselves to receive even more joy and happiness. This is spiritual law! Jesus tells us clearly in Mark 4:24, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you!” We are all both teachers and students. As we are ready for the next lesson, God reveals to us the next step, whatever it may be. As we evolve spiritually, the lessons we learn are integrated into our daily living. I invite you to teach by example. Share your abundance with others. Give unselfishly to life. You will honor what is good and true about yourself. You will honor God in a wondrous way. You will know the joy of helping to create heaven on earth! In Christ Love, MARK'S MUSINGS This month’s message concerns Easter and the meaning of Christ’s life for all of us. I have been grateful to Unity for its message of redemption and forgiveness that focuses upon the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. I was raised in a faith that heavily emphasized that I was a sinner, and that Jesus had gone through tremendous pain and suffering for all of our sins. The Resurrection was an afterthought. I was inspired during Jon Mundy’s presentation at church to look at my relationship with God. How much did I love and trust Him? What does the Resurrection mean to me? Did it mean that I, too, had everlasting life? It was interesting to hear a different viewpoint which challenged my thinking. Jon talked about how A Course in Miracles focuses on the concept of forgiveness and the struggle of the ego versus the Spirit. Being a psychotherapist, I was struck by one of his personal stories in which he was to have a meeting to discuss his future as a minister with his Bishop. He decided not to defend himself, nor to attack the Bishop’s words. He had practically nothing to say in response. The quote from ACIM states “If I defend myself I am attacked.” Jon later clarified that all defenses are ways from keeping the Truth from being whole. They are ways for us to ignore our responsibility. This struck me as almost impossible. I mean, who doesn’t defend themselves? Don’t we have to attack sometimes? I have chosen to become aware of when I am “attacking” others. I am choosing to not to defend myself, especially with my clients. Surprisingly, it appeared that most clients seemed only to want to be heard when they were forceful and “attacking.” It has actually been much easier to not defend myself than I thought it would. It reminds me when Jesus was unjustly tried by the Pharisees and Pilate; he did not defend himself or attack them. He simply loved them. Let us practice hearing others and not attacking them, forgiving ourselves and others as Jesus did. Let us heal the false belief of feeling justified in the withholding of our forgiveness. Let us continue to bring about a world in which “Miracles are natural. When they do not occur something has gone wrong...“ (T-1.I.6:1-2). God bless you and our church as we continue to allow God through the Holy Spirit to guide our lives. Sincerely, BOARD TALK The Board voted to send the tithe for March to the Association of Unity Churches, of which we are a member. The Keys to the Kingdom class was very successful. The members are choosing to have an ongoing monthly meeting to support each other and keep the principles fresh. The Artist’s Way – Part 2 is meeting on Monday nights beginning March 7th with a final class on Sunday, April 10th in Galveston. Rev. Steve has begun a new class, The Quest for Meaning, on Wednesday evening, continuing through April 12th. It is based on the book by Jim Rosemergy. Gayle McFadden reported on Team activities. The Teams are doing well but new volunteers are always welcomed and appreciated! The Agape Saturday activity on March 19th will prepare the church for Easter activities by cleaning the carpets and sprucing up the garden in front. The ad for Easter appeared in Small Change News, a “good news” paper that is available in our Gathering Room. The board is considering advertising with them regularly. We were “Church of the Week” at Ryan’s Steak House the week before Easter. Thank you Ryan’s for allowing us to advertise our church! The March Lunch Bunch was well attended - 20 people had lunch at the Cuisine of India. Rev. Diane Plamondon and George Cushing will be leading the trip to visit Sister Maria Rosa in April. Rev. Steve is joining them. They are taking her a supply of tools. DID YOU KNOW? That UCBA receives a rebate from grocery purchases you make at Krogers and Randalls? Details on how to participate are available in the Gathering Room, or call the church office! SUNDAYS IN APRIL April 3, 2005 April 10, 2005 April 17, 2005 April 24, 2005 SPECIAL EVENT! Youth Ed Teacher Training with Mary Grace Sorensen YOUTH ED I am so excited to announce that Mary Grace Sorensen is coming to our church on Saturday, April 24th to provide a training class for our Youth Education staff! She is the Youth Education Director at Unity Church of Christianity in Houston and has managed an extremely successful and ever-expanding program. We plan to cover Unity’s Five Basic principles, meditation & prayer for children & teens, streamlining class agendas, and motivation & participation. Lunch will be provided and we plan to meet from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity for all our current staff and for anyone considering the possibility of working with our youth. If you are willing to volunteer once a month with our pre-school, elementary, or teen classes on Sunday, this is an event that will help you to feel more comfortable as a teacher. If you have any desire or calling to be a part of our fun and questioned whether you were qualified, needed training, or any other limiting thought – here is your chance to step forward in faith and service! We provide the Unity curriculum. All you need to add is a little preparation and a willingness to serve. The reward is you get to have fun with our children and be a part of our exciting and rewarding ministry team. Recently I taught a class about Jesus and the children. This is the story about the disciples not wanting the children to bother Jesus. Jesus told the disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14) This was a wonderful reminder to continually renew my relationship with God, letting go of the adult intellectualization and complications of life, and to rejoice as a child in His love. After our lesson, discussion and meditation, we went outside and played with bubbles. We all laughed as the wind created a vortex between the buildings and our bubbles went around and around in huge circles. It was rejuvenating to me physically and spiritually! In our very often serious adult world, I need the reminders and the experiences to be childlike in my faith in God and in my life. A friend of mine has a plaque that reads, “Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God." by Teilhard de Chardin. Working with our youth continually teaches me and brings me great joy. You are invited to be a part of this joy. Youthful Blessings, CLARITY Look what I've created in my life Don't want to blame...carry shame I'm gonna face it...yes, embrace it Wash away my fears...they disappear I'll no longer hide...I'll turn inside Through all the tears...now it is clear Linda Shelton Gellman TOOLS FOR SISTER MARIA ROSA What are you planning for April 18-25, 2005? How about a trip to Honduras? There is still time to book your trip! Rev. Diane, George Cushing and reverend Steve will be delivering new tools to San Maderas, the Carpentry and Woodworking Shop at Nuevo Paraiso. Sister Rosa Maria Leggol and her organization, Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos, have instituted programs to help children and single women, often abandoned. Her mission is to educate and promote self-sufficiency. Contributions are welcomed. Every penny of your donation will be going towards the purchase and shipping of the tools! Any amount is blessed and appreciated. Please make checks to : “Tools for Sister Maria Rosa” and give or send to Rev. Diane Plamondon, P.O. Box 203, La Porte, TX 77572. Please call Donna Leverson @ Supertravel (281) 333-3465) to book your trip. For further information, contact Reverend Diane at (281) 470-2860. Answering God's Call! Recently, three women in our church have heard God's call and embarked on a deeper spiritual journey. They truly are women of spiritual power! Barbara Willeford was guided to move to Unity Village! Her dream has always been to serve there. She is now a member of Silent Unity’s Prayer Ministry, praying with those who call in to the prayer lines. She has truly answered God's call. Her new contact information is: Barbara Willeford Dianna Marion is moving forward to become a Licensed Unity Teacher. It takes great dedication and commitment to become a LUT. She has been studying Unity teachings for over thirty years, and has chosen Adult Education as her focus. Her Leadership Training begins at Unity Village in early April. She has facilitated different Unity classes and is finishing The Artist’s Way- Part 2. We look forward to her sharing more of her talents as a teacher as she moves through the program. Congratulations Janie Kelley! Janie has been accepted into Ministerial School at Unity Village! This is truly an honor to be accepted from among many applicants. The call to become a Unity minister is truly a sacred calling. Janie has been visioning this next step for several years, preparing herself and asking for only God's will for her. Janie has been in Unity for over thirteen years, always serving in love no matter where she attended. Janie will be soon moving to join the Class of 2007 and plans to live on campus at Unity Village. We know that her heart is always with us. We see her path to her heart’s desire free and clear. Congratulations! Our Youth Ed Ministry: How Important Is It…? Imagine this! A beautiful spring day, a cool breeze gently blowing the green leaves of a tree that shades a group of children from toddlers to preteens, all sitting on a blanket and learning about God with Judy Hultz-Elvir. That was my first taste of our Youth Ed program over five years ago with my then almost 9 year old son in tow. I was recruited to be a teacher that day. I have never looked back, and it has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I don’t know about you, but I grew up in a church that felt like a prison sentence. I felt guilty about even my thoughts, and had no sense of being loved or belonging. I just waited for the day my father said we could stop going. Escape was at age 16! My son Ryan is now 14. He has grown to expect to be welcomed and loved and accepted just as he is. This church is an extended family to him, and he knows he belongs. He knows about God through what he learns in Youth Ed, and through what he experiences in the relationships he has formed that nurture and empowers him. He has no idea what it is like to grow up dreading children*s church. Thank you God! Thank you Unity Church of the Bay Area! I have personally seen many children blossom in the last 5 years as a teacher. Last time I taught, a little girl who used to be very shy and never spoke planted herself next to me, softly touching my arm. She then proceeded to pick up puzzle pieces and tell me all about them and where she thought they went. I smiled, full of wonder, but not surprised. We’ve grown to really love these kids. They bring wonder and magic as well as challenge to our lives. I am a much more creative, loving and gentle woman because of them. Want Blessings? Support our Youth Ed! We’d love more teachers, helpers and substitutes. And we have a training this month! Come check out the wonders of our kids, from babies to teens, abundant opportunities await you! With love, The Path to the Higher Self The soul yearns to know the Higher Self, to know God. We embark on this spiritual path to conscious oneness, conscious living. The spiritual principles needed are simple and complement each other. As we practice them, we begin to claim spiritual mastery, or conscious living! Each week of Lent we have explored these principles that we might claim the power of Overcoming! We begin living life from the inside out as co-creators with God, realizing happiness, fulfillment and inner peace. Knowledge I willingly look at my closely held thoughts, beliefs, feelings and experiences to understand them fully. Honesty I tell the Truth in all matters, even if it is uncomfortable or painful. The Truth will always give me freedom. Acceptance I release the judgments I have held against myself. I forgive myself, accept myself exactly as I am, and live life as it really is. Discipline I commit to facing rather than avoiding the challenges of life. I choose to do the things that will help me to grow spiritually. Love I dedicate myself to my own spiritual growth. I love myself, treating myself with compassion, with dignity and with respect. Empowerment I accept full responsibility for my experience of life. I take back my power and realize the true authentic power of God within me. Overcoming I share with others the love of God that is in me. I give of myself unselfishly in service and live my life with a greater sense of purpose and meaning. Adapted from the teachings of Reverend David Owen Ritz (T/570) TREASURER’S REPORT February 2005 02/01/05 to102/28/05 General Fund Income $ 14,199.14 Building Fund Income 5,170.00 Total Income 19,369.14 Expenses and Tithe -17,289.14 Net Income $ 2,080.10 TOTAL IN BUILDING FUND: $ 81,000.00 Unity of the Bay Area’s tithe for February was $1914. It was blessed and divided with $957 sent to Silent Unity, $ 478.50 sent to Unity of El Paso, TX and $ 478.50 sent to Unity of Evansville, IN. The Board chose this split to support other growing Unity churches and A Silent Unity at the Unity Village, our World Headquarters. May’s newsletter will include a statement reflecting the first six months of our fiscal year, 10/1/04 – 3/31/05. Your continued financial support allows our church to grow and flourish. Answered Prayers! Dear Rev. Steve, Recently, I called Silent Unity plus filled out a prayer request at our church. My prayers were for a couple of very dear people and their prosperity. Shortly thereafter I received letters confirming prayer support from Silent Unity and Rev. Steve. I learned that abundant prosperity had unexpectedly come into the lives and bank accounts of these two individuals. This is a great blessing in their lives and mine. I am filled with gratitude for answered prayer. Leah Haddock
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