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May 2005 Beloved Friends, May is here and with it the signs of spring. I noticed the wildflowers in Galveston recently. I wondered how I had ever missed them. They were a beautiful sea of different colors amongst the grass. It reminded me of an old saying, “Take time to stop and smell the roses.” When I think of roses I always remember my mother’s rose bushes and how much she enjoyed them. We celebrate Mother’s Day this month. May is also the month in which my mother passed away. Each May brings to me memories of her and how powerful the love of a mother can be. My mother loved me much like God loves me. She was always there to guide me, to help and support me. She wanted only the best for me, even when I was young and foolish and foolhardy. The spring she died, I was in Florida on summer break from college. I got angry with God. I got angry with myself. My biggest regret was that I couldn’t remember the last time I told her that I loved her. It was years later that I began to find peace about my mother’s passing. What helped me was I began to realize how much God loved me. Oftentimes we cannot explain why things happen the way that they do. I wish I could, but life can be a mystery, just as God can sometimes be a mystery. Our comfort comes through believing and trusting in God and God’s love. I had a mentor who once said, “I don’t have to figure it all out, you know. I simply have faith in goodness, in God, and trust that God will be there to help me understand when it is time to understand. In the meantime, I do my part and do my best.” Simple, yet profound words of Truth. I know today that my mother knows how much I love her. I will always carry the imprint of her love on my heart. This month, make a special effort to tell the ones you love just how much you love them. Let the love of God within you flow freely to those you love! Shower them with random acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. Celebrate Mother’s Day every day! In Christ Love, MARK'S MUSINGS May is a time for growth - a time for new beginnings in nature. It’s always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love to watch God come alive in nature as the flowers bloom and buds begin to form on shrubs. It’s a time for planting new things, for trying something new! Our Board of Directors is trying new ideas in an effort to make the surrounding community aware of our message of Truth. We are now advertising in Small Change News, a positive publication that serves our area. Look for our ad in the May/June 2005 issue! Personally, I am about to implement a new marketing strategy in my business to take advantage of a new certification I have recently earned. This is very exciting for me, because I have been working towards this certification for two years. I believe that goals with delayed gratification carry with them a greater expression of joy at the time of their fulfillment. I am also reviewing and revamping my own personal goals, deciding which new seeds I want to plant. Which new seeds do you want to plant? Are they related to your personal or professional life, or your life at Unity Church of the Bay Area? Remember to choose your seeds with care, deciding which ones and how many of each, and then cultivate your soil (your consciousness), so that it is rich and fertile. You may want to visualize the achievement of a number of these goals before you plant them (in your mind). Having faith is required next. Don’t be too eager to pull them up or give up on them. Let God do His part in bringing them forth. In my practice, I was recently reminded of how important it is to remember God is my Source. My new client list was under projected goals. At the moment of my greatest despair, I received enough phone calls for 3 new clients in the next week. I was so busy preparing to assist them that I forgot about setting the initial goal. All I needed was to let God do His part, as promised, and continue to hold up my end of the plan. But I’m preaching to the choir here! I invite everyone to plant some new seeds of good in your consciousness, and if this involves UCBA, to address me or one of the Board members. Prepare to show us the “fruits” of your work, or the beauty of your “flowers”. Sincerely, BOARD TALK The Board voted to split the tithe for April between Unity School of Christianity and Unity of Clearwater, Florida. The Clearwater church is rebuilding after a fire. We are thankful that our financial prosperity continues, with March donations nearing a record level. Contributing factors for this surge in gifts include Easter Week services and the five-Sunday month. The Board has voted to purchase another $10,000 CD designated for our Building Fund. Expect to see a thermometer graphic in the Gathering Room soon. It will provide a visual record of where we are and where we want to go financially. We’ve purchased a much-needed new computer for the front office. A new scanner has been donated to replace our old one. Recording Sunday morning services on CD instead of tape has proved cost effective. Look for our color ad in the next issue of Small Change News. Our advertising efforts are reaching kindred souls, many of whom were unaware that we are here. The invitation business cards are another step to this end. Negotiations are underway to remedy the noise problem we’ve been experiencing during classes and services. We pray for a satisfactory remedy for all concerned. On a personal note, I want to thank Barbara Clemons for filling in for me during my absence the past two months. She did her usual superb job with the Board Minutes and this article. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! We will be celebrating the Tenth Anniversary of Unity Church of the Bay Area on Saturday, September 17, 2005, with a Gala Celebration at South Shore Harbor Resort! Make plans now to attend! YOUTH ED Recently I was reminded about the prayer of Jabez from an unexpected source - my mother. She shared with me that since she has retired, she has begun spending time in morning prayer and meditation in which she includes the prayer of Jabez. I am so grateful that she is open to new ideas and spiritual practices, and especially that she wants to share this part of her life with me. She has overcome her initial distrust of Unity and has come to know a little about Unity, not just by our conversations but by observation of my behavior and life path. My mother has taught me many things and although I may not always agree with her, I know that she has always loved me. Our parents and other adults teach us many things throughout our childhood and beyond, consciously and unconsciously. Thinking of this has really made me examine myself more closely regarding the unspoken message I may be sending to others by my words and actions, especially when I am with our beloved youth. Am I consistently sending the message I intend to our youth and others? Am I saying and doing what God would have me say and do? Am I leading by example? Some days I feel so alive and connected to God’s presence that I know I’m on the right track and other days I am extremely aware of my humanness - complete with all of its frailties. And I thank God that I am His beloved child, and that I have the opportunity to learn whatever lessons I need in my life! Speaking of lessons, we will begin using the Unity curriculum Celebrating My God-Self for our elementary classes this summer. The 3-5 year olds will continue with What A Wonderful World and our teens begin a new series called Relationships. We are thankful and grateful to Mary Grace Sorensen for her wonderful training session for our Youth Ed ministry. All of us were blessed by her enthusiasm and experience as we left with new ideas and a renewed sense of commitment and energy. God continues to bless us by enlarging our territory and consciousness. As our numbers grow on Sunday with our Youth Ed classes, we continue to offer opportunities to serve in this essential ministry within our church. I wish to acknowledge and gratefully thank all those who volunteer their time and energy to our Sunday classrooms. It is definitely a we undertaking as God continues to bless all of us in this service. And special thanks to all of our mothers and those who mother us as we celebrate you this month! Youthful Blessings, Unity of the Bay Area Treasures BLUE BONNETS Roots firmly grounded Linda Shelton Gellman We will be receiving new members on Sunday, May 15, 2005. Unity membership is unique. The most important requirement for membership in Unity is a desire to know and love God. Membership is a declaration of one's commitment to a spiritual path, one aligned with the principles of Unity. Unity is unique in that it does not require anyone to renounce his or her affiliation with any other spiritual discipline. If you would like to become a member of Unity Church of the Bay Area, please fill out a blue membership card and turn it in to the church office. There will be a meeting for all new members on Thursday, May 12, 2005, from 7-9 p.m. TREASURER’S REPORT March 3/1/05 – 3/31/05 General Fund Income $ 20,885.13 Expenses - 16,211.88 Net Income $ 4,673.25 Building Fund Income + 675.00 Total Income $ 5348.25 Building Fund (CDs & investments) $ 81,000.00 Unity Church of the Bay Area's tithe for February was $2028.11. It was blessed and sent to the Association of Unity Churches. Your continued financial support allows our church to grow and flourish and carry the message of positive, practical Christianity in the Bay area. FISCAL YEAR TO DATE: 10/01/04 - 3/31/05 General Fund Income $ 102, 318.16 Expenses - 98,192.58 Net Income $ 4,125.58 Building Fund Income + 22,777.00 Total Income $ 26,902.58 Building Fund (CDs & investments) $ 81,000.00 The first half of our fiscal year reveals the tremendous prosperity consciousness of our church! The Angel Tree Christmas project added greatly to our Building Fund. Our Building Fund has increased substantially and our operating income is in the black! Our expenses for rent, utilities and other overhead costs continue to rise. Yet, the future is bright for our church! Why? It is bright because of your willingness to financially support our church. We receive no outside funding or support. Your generous giving allows us to continue to be a beacon of God's light in the Bay Area. We ask for your continued support and are grateful for the abundance you share. Thank you! UNITY 101 Wednesdays, May 4 - June 8, 2005 Text: Alternatives, William Fischer SUNDAYS IN MAY May 1, 2005 May 8, 2005 May 15, 2005 May 22, 2005 May 29, 2005 Answered Prayers! I think I must have about a billion answered prayers, but there is one special prayer that I’ll always cherish. When I was about three or four years old, I prayed to God for a crown and glass slippers. I didn’t just pray a little. I prayed a lot! I prayed day and night. I prayed for at least an hour. (Do you know how long an hour is to a four-year-old? Days!) I just knew God would give me the crown and glass slippers if I prayed hard enough and long enough. In hopes of finding my answered prayer, I looked under the bed, in the closet, and through my drawers. When I looked and didn't find my answered prayer, I prayed some more, and I looked again. Eventually, I gave up. I thought either I was doing something wrong, or the promise of God answering all my prayers wasn’t real. Reflecting on the experience as I got older, I thought of God as more of a spiritual prayer-answerer than a material prayer-answerer. I thought I had been an awfully greedy little four-year-old! In 1999, 35 years later, I was offered a job, but I wasn’t sure I wanted it because, although I was promised early promotions, I was not offered the salary I was hoping for. During one of my discussions with my prospective boss, she said, “Come on. If you take the job, I’ll give you a tiara.”. . . a TIARA! To me, this was more than an answered prayer! It was a sign from God that I should take the position. I immediately said, “Yes!” On my first day of work, I arrived to find a tiara and a magic wand perched on a pillow sitting on my new desk. My prayer was answered! Indeed, with a little patience, I finally learned that God does provide a universe where all prayers are answered! I invite you to consider a special prayer you had as a child and ask yourself if that prayer has been answered. Maybe in retrospect you’re glad it was never answered, but if you’re still waiting, just give it time! Janet Fleming Lucia Christian's Stay Up All Night Cookies Ingredients: Begin by turning oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until it holds stiff points. Gradually add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheet. Place in oven and turn off the heat. Leave overnight. Makes 2 dozen cookies. Ego Honey, the Driver by Janie Neill As a car races past Ego Honey silently shouts, “Hey, Andretti, this is the Gulf Freeway not the Indy 500.When the cop stops you, I’ll be the one thumbing my nose at you as I cruise by.” Later when we are all stuck in a traffic jam, Ego Honey asks sarcastically, “Well, Andretti, how fast are you going now?” When I am running late and get behind a slow car, Ego Honey yells (to herself, of course), “Okay, Bud, either drive it or park it! Step on it, Grandpa, we’re gonna to miss the light. Look, Turtle Face, this isn’t a school zone or a funeral procession.” I have noticed that Ego Honey thinks other drivers are either going too fast or too slow. Isn’t this typical of the way we see life? Everyone should stay in step with us. SUV’s are a perfect opportunity for judgment, “Get that behemoth gas guzzler off the road. I can’t see around it.” Oh how I hate it when I’m parked next to one. “I hope driving that monster makes you feel powerful and protected because I can’t even see if it is safe to back up.” Have you noticed that the need to feel safer has caused a rash of vehicles that look more like tanks than cars! There is a bright yellow Hummer in my neighborhood, and every time I see it Ego Honey thinks how much fun it would be to write “School Bus.” on the side. And speaking of safe, being encapsulated in a car feels so safe for Ego Honey. No one can see her or hear her so she feels free to be at her judgmental best. That is until she looks up and sees a policeman in her rear view mirror. Suddenly there is a little electric shock of guilt and a quick check of the speedometer. She does a mental check of the last few minutes and asks herself things like, “Did I signal when I changed lanes?” Being behind the wheel of our big metal monsters seems to emphasize our feeling of separateness, and separateness is fertile ground for the ego to create guilt and judgment. We are doing exactly the same thing when we are living in our heads and feeling disconnected. Driving, just like life, offers constant opportunities to forgive myself and my fellow man. Perhaps we could try blessing each of the drivers who doesn’t drive to suit us. Saying to every driver one sees, “The love in me extends to the love in you,” can completely change the driving experience. Everyone one of us is doing the very best he can at this moment. When I butt heads with the events of life, I live in a state of turmoil. But when I sit back and enjoy the ride, life is good Laugh at your judgments. See how silly it is for us to judge. A Course in Miracles says that it is not so much that you shouldn’t judge, but that you can’t. We will never have enough information to judge even ourselves much less someone else. I’ve found that laughing at Ego Honey seems to take away her power. We are at peace when we laugh. When we laugh together we experience our oneness. Third Monday Artists Circle Your newsletter contributions are welcome! Please submit them to the church office or e-mail them to info@unityofbayarea.org by the 15th of each month. We ask that articles not exceed 300 words, and ask that Answered Prayers articles be between 150-200 words if possible. Our goal is to share your articles in newsletters as soon as possible.
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