News You Can Use
Thanksgiving Eve Service
Wednesday, Nov. 24, 7pm.
A Spiritual Communion will be offered
Don't Stay Home Alone
Thanksgiving Tradition Continues
YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN REVS. ALLEN & DEBBIE for
the 7th annual, traditional "Don't stay home alone
Thanksgiving dinner". Many of us have families that live
out of state and holidays can be difficult when we face
a turkey for one, two or three. If you find that you are
in that position, join us for our annual Tampa Unity
family Thanksgiving dinner. We begin at 12 Noon with a
meditation and dinner is served around 1:00. To
participate, do the following: signing up in Fellowship
Hall or call the church office. Everyone brings a dish to
share. In the past, we have had between 30 & 45
diners, Allen and Debbie provide the turkey and the
meditation. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks and
we are so grateful for our Tampa Unity family.
Saturday November 13
Ron Roth's one day spiritual Empowerment/Healing
Prayer Experience, "Prayer and Spirituality as Sacred
Energy Therapy"
Take A Stand...Take A Walk!
WALK AGAINST HATRED AND TOWARD INCLUSION! On
November 13th, 1,000 Bay Area residents will WALK AS
ONE ! The National Conference for Community and
Justice is in it's 77th year of fighting bias, bigotry and
racism, and they need your help!
A 5K walk-a-thon for NCCJ's Anytown Program has been
scheduled for Saturday, November 13th, 2004,
Registration is at 7:30 am at Cotanchobee Park in
downtown Tampa (just behind St. Pete Times Forum).
ALL Funds raised will go to the Anytown program.
Anytown is a residential leadership and diversity training
program for area high school students. This program
reaches 400+ students and 200 volunteers and
everyone attends at no cost to themselves.
Each walker is encouraged to collect $75 in pledges,
however, nobody will be turned down. So whether you
have $5 or $500, come on out! Registration is available
anytime by calling 727-568-9333 or visiting
www.nccjtampabay.org
BookWorms
THE NEW SELECTION FOR DISCUSSION NOVEMBER 9TH
IS THE DANCE OF 17 LIVES by Mick Brown. The book is
available in the bookstore at a 20% discount.
This is the extraordinary true story of an exiled Tibetan
teenager who has been hailed as one of the spiritual
leaders of the coming age. In January 2000, an
Ambassador taxi twisted its way up the narrow road
leading toward Dharamsala in the Himalayan foothills of
northern India, the home in exile of the Dalai Lama. In
this aging car was a fourteen year old boy, the 17th
Karmapa, one the most important figures in Tibetan
Buddhism. Fascinated by this charismatic young figure,
British writer Mick Brown traveled to Dharamsala to
meet him, and found himself drawn into a web of
intrigue.
The group has decided that because of the busy
schedules everyone has in December we will not meet
for our usual meeting. We will resume again on January
11th, 2005. The book we will be discussing is "Mary
Called Magdalene" by Margaret George. It is available
in the bookstore now.
Holiday Decorating Party
Saturday, December 4th
9am Sign up in Fellowship Hall
Fall Food Drive
Now through December 19
Bring your non-perishable food items to
Fellowship Hall
Click Here To Veiw Upcoming Events
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Kitchen Gifts
NOVEMBER INSPIRES THE MEMORY of those who have
come and gone before us, a time to give thanks to our
ancestors for their gifts, which take the form of
traditions, memories and teachings.
I think immediately of my Grandmother. She was well
loved by my brother and me for the cut out sugar
cookies that were her signature at any holiday event
from Thanksgiving to Easter. She would arrive carrying
bags of wax paper packages and cookie tins; coffee
cans filled with goodies she had made. Hers were the
gifts of the kitchen and she shared them freely with
me. When I was five, I stood on a stool in her tiny
kitchen to roll a pie crust under her careful direction.
I found her old cook book not too long ago. Just a note
book really, clippings from magazines and labels. Her
recipes came off the back of the cans, but she
somehow made them special. I was delighted to find
her recipe for those holiday sugar cookies among the
brittle pages, since I had thought it lost. This page was
in her hand writing, not clipped, and accented with the
comment "Good!" How right she was! There was
something special about those cookies, cut in the
shapes of hearts and stars, moons and diamonds. Not
too sweet and just a dusting of colored sugar crystals,
a pinch of nutmeg.
Now, when I make her cookies, something extra has
been added to the recipe: the memory of the woman
who taught me to bake and cook, to make something
special from a simple recipe.
She gave me other gifts: jewelry and silver coins, books
and china plates. Some of these things I've lost, her
kitchen gifts are mine to keep and pass on to my
daughter.
Janet Stanely
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| Fall Program Studies The Lord's Prayer | | | SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, DEBBIE AND I ATTENDED A
SERIES OF LECTURES given by Rabbi Richard Birnholz at
Congregation Schaarai Zedex. The topic of his lectures
was "Conspiracies in the Bible and The DaVinci Code".
It was very timely considering the popularity of Dan
Brown's book, The DaVinci Code. I was so impressed with his presentation, that I just
knew this was something we should expose to more
people in Unity. At the time, I was President of our
Southeast Regional Association of Unity Churches and
Rabbi Birnholz was just the person to be our keynote
speaker at the annual conference in October. So, I
contacted him. He was very gracious and agreed to
accept my invitation. There are two things about this event that I believe
are very important. First, I know that our teachings in
Unity are universal principles that cross all lines of
religiosity. It is important that we demonstrate this in a
public way whenever we have an opportunity for inter-
religious dialogue. In fact, I believe we need to create
more opportunities for this to happen. When we talk
with each other with respect for differing viewpoints,
we can learn a great deal. Secondly, we often live and think about our
religion/beliefs in an encapsulated or myopic way.
Rabbi Birnholz taught us a different way of looking at
stories and events in the Bible. There is always a story
within the story. To find it, Rabbi Birnholz pointed out
that there are two ways to view history: (1) Sacred
history = God causes it; (2) Real history = cause and
effect. Considering the stories and events in the Bible
from a "real history" viewpoint, we need to explore the
political, theological, and religious implications. It turned out that Rabbi Birnholz was a great teacher to
about 125 people, mostly Unity ministers and teachers,
who attended our annual conference. It was a
refreshing way of looking at the Bible and many
accolades of praise were received for this keynote
lecture. As Rabbi Birnholz left the conference to return
home, he was very impressed with the enthusiasm of
our Unity ministers for his lecture. As a general rule, I know that you are not going to do a
lot of research as you read the Bible from time to time.
But, knowing that there is always more than the
literalness of the words we are reading will help us to
understand the Bible better.
Something else you might consider: What is the story
within your own story?
Rich and Abundant Blessings,
Rev Allen Moss | | |
| Unity Principles | | | Principle 2: Human beings have a spark of divinity
within them, the Christ spirit within. Their very essence
is of God, and therefore they are also inherently good.
The Christ, the image and likeness of God, is not only
the nature of Jesus but also the true nature of every
human being. This represents a major step in faith for
those who have been taught that humankind is sinful
by nature. We believe that this awakening to the
concept of the Christ within is very much a freeing step.
The history of humankind offers countless examples
of "less than divine" behaviors, which are hateful or
angry responses to situations. Looking at appearances,
we might say it's reasonable to choose to believe that
human nature is essentially evil. But how does such a
belief improve the quality of a person's life experience? For example, several individuals have just been told
their jobs have been eliminated. After the perfectly
natural and expected reactions of shock,
disappointment, and possibly even anger, they choose
to prepare for the future by letting go of any negativity
or doubt and becoming totally open to new possibilities.
They can then assess how to use this experience to
bring about more good into their lives.
The opposite of this spiritual principle is for the
individual to remain in an angry and fearful state, which
could spiral down into immobilizing resentment and
depression, thus setting up a situation where it may be
difficult to even apply for a new job.
When we choose to acknowledge conditions and
situations that exist and to look beyond them, we see
the divine possibilities. We unlock the door to a new
and more powerful way of living. We demonstrate that
there is only One Power and One presence, God the
Good. Our Christ nature shows up when we bring forth
good from every situation regardless of how it appears
to be. Principle 3: Human beings create their experiences
by the activity of their thinking. Everything in the
manifest realm has its beginning in thought. What we think and believe creates our perceptions. Our
perceptions create our experiences of the events of our
life. Unity teaches many techniques that support the
third spiritual principle about the creative power of
thought. One of these techniques is self-observation.
Through self-observation, we can look at our lives, our
thoughts, and our feelings and change those that do
not affirm and support our Christ nature. Through the
power of our thoughts, we can change our perception
of the world around us and so change our experience of
the world. A friend of mine, on accepting a new position, was
having trouble figuring out how to manage all the work
and getting it all done on time. At first he was tense
and feeling under tremendous pressure. Under self-
observation, he realized that these thoughts and
feelings were actually contributing to the tension and
increasing the pressure.
These thoughts had noting to do with the divine Truth
about him. He began to change his thoughts and
therefore change his feelings. Work continued to be
challenging, but now the pressure and tension were
gone and had no power over him. He opened his mind
to new thoughts: "I am expressing God like qualities. I
always have time to complete my projects with ease
and grace" Another choice might be to continue feeling
overwhelmed and stressed. This would be the opposite
of what the third spiritual principle is about. The
outcome to this might be some form of illness
manifesting as a result of the self-imposed stress of the
negative thoughts.
We demonstrate this spiritual principle by using our
minds to bring good into our lives, to be creative,
productive, and happy.
Rev Enrique Amoros | | |
| The Nature of God | | | THIS YEAR IN MY MINISTERIAL TRAINING the focus is
on Credo writing. I have already submitted two Credos
relating to formative factors. Credo #1 dealt with
tradition, scripture and culture; Credo #2 answered
questions about revelation, experience and reason.
Both Credos were a reflection of my past; my formative
years, how I was influenced and how training and
beliefs about those categories have helped shape the
person I am today. It is very interesting and revealing
work to remember how I was influenced and sometimes
even repelled by well meaning "teachers".
The two remaining Credos due by the end of February
focus on #3, The Nature of God and #4, the Human
Condition and Humankind's Relationship with God. I am
currently writing Credo #3 and thought you might be
interested in what Unity's beliefs are regarding The
Nature of God. I invite you to pray and meditate on
Unity's stated precepts in this area to see if you share
these beliefs or if you have different ideas. Writing
about your own beliefs, preparing your own Credo can
be very revealing and has become a spiritual experience
for me. Let's start this discussion with our first of five Unity
precepts: God is absolute good, everywhere present.
We open every Sunday Service with this prayer and
affirmation: There is only one Presence and one Power
in the Universe and in my life, God, the Good
Omnipotent. That says a lot about our beliefs about
the Nature of God, God is the only Presence, God is
absolute good and is omnipotent. Let's go deeper into
Unity's beliefs about the Nature of God.
According to Unity book Metaphysics I (no longer in
print), the following are basic Unity teachings about the
Nature of God including references from Charles
Fillmore, Emily Cady and Eric Butterworth God is Principle: "The unchangeable life, love,
substance, and intelligence of Being. Principle does not
occupy space; neither has it any limitations of time or
matter, but it eternally exists as the one underlying
cause out of which come forth all true ideas." "Divine
Principle is fundamental Truth in a universal sense, or
as pertaining to God, the Divine." (Charles
Fillmore/Revealing Word) "God is the name we give to
that unchangeable, inexorable principle at the source of
all existence." (Emily Cady, Lessons In Truth). In
Unity, when we speak of God as principle, we are
referring to the eternal, unchanging, unlimited nature of
God. God is not a being, but Being, itself.
If God is Principle, the unchanging universal laws and is
Being, itself, what about God as a personal God? God is Personal: "Though God is not a person,
yet God is personal. There is nothing impersonal about
God-Mind in me. It is my mind at the point of God-
Mind, but it is my mind." Eric Butterworth/Discover The
Power Within. "We shall realize that Being is not only
principle so far as its inherent and undeviating laws are
concerned, but also personal so far as its relation to
each one of us is concerned; that we as individuals do
actually become the focus of universal Spirit..." Charles
Fillmore/Twelve Powers. The concept of God both as Principle and Personal is an
example of a divine paradox. God may be realized as
unfailing Principle; it is also true that God may be
experienced as a warm and loving Presence. This idea
helps us become more fully aware of the wholeness of
God's creation. We realize that God is the Creator of
the universe, but we also experience the presence of
God within creation and within our very being. God is
truly present within us and yet is greater than any
definition or description. God is unlimited.
Metaphysics I. As I write my individual Credos, much has been
revealed to me about my own personal beliefs and how
my beliefs match those of Unity. We'll continue this
discussion in next month's newsletter and I know that,
for me and hopefully for you, more will be revealed!
God is good!
Rev Debbie Moss | | |
| Love is in the Air | | | THE VOLUNTEER RESPONSE to the newly revamped
greeter, usher, and ambassador program has been
awesome. So far, twenty-two people have signed up. A
huge thank you goes out to: Jim and Leslie Atkins,
Denise Banoch, Peggy Callahan, Luis Jansen, Diane
Kelly, Fern Kinion, Bobbie LeRoy, Kathryn Matras,
Cristina and Steve McCreary, Bill McCullough, Michelle
Miller, Clara Rodriquez, Joanne Rossano, Bob Serneels,
Donna Tritt, and Carol White. An extra note of thanks
goes to Bill McCullough and Fern Kinion, who organized
the volunteers for the 9 am and 11 am services
respectively. All participants will be wearing name tags on a pink
background and topped off with a white flower. If you're interested in spreading good cheer, all that is
needed are a winning smile, charming personality, and
fifteen minutes of your time either before or after the 9
or 11 am Sunday services. Love is in the Air at Tampa
Unity.
Julia Thornbrough | | |
| Highlights Of The Italy Tour | | | BUONGIORNO! This warm greeting welcomed us to Italy,
a country of beauty and history! We set off under the
loving guidance of Rev. Allen and Rev. Debbie Moss to
see a land that can only be described in superlatives.
We flew to Rome, then drove south to the
magnificently restored Abbey of Montecassino, which
was nearly destroyed during WW II; on to the ruins of
Pompeii, frozen in time by the eruption of Mount
Vesuvius in 79 AD; then across the Gulf of Naples to
spend two nights on the Isle of Capri. From there it was
back to Naples and north to Assisi, home of St. Francis,
who created the deeply spiritual poem that we know
and sing, "Make Me A Channel." Then, north across the
Apennine Mountains to Venice. Next stop was Pisa with the Leaning Tower, and on to
Tuscany and the glories of Florence, the cradle of the
Renaissance. With our return to Rome, we completed
our loop. What a whirlwind!
Everywhere we went, we walked up and down hills, up
and down stairs. As Floridians we were challenged.
After a few days of this, my husband, Sydney,
quipped, "Nothing is on the level in Italy!" But the sights, sounds and tastes were wonderful.
Imagine standing at the feet of David, 16 feet tall, just
as he prepares himself to meet Goliath! Language fails
when I try to describe Michelangelo's artistry. David's
posture and facial expression reveal fear and courage
as he met his opponent. Or, imagine beholding the emotion on Mary's soft face,
chiseled in marble, as she holds her son, Jesus, on her
lap after the crucifixion, in Michelangelo's magnificent
Pieta'.
Our tour took us into the very best museums. This
access is one of the benefits of a guided tour. Another
was the "whisper" device that allowed our guides to
speak into our earphones even when we were in the
Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's
Basilica - or the impressive Coliseum! We threw coins into the rushing waters of the Trevi
Fountain in Rome and relaxed in our gondolas on the
Guidicci Canal in Venice as we were serenaded by a
handsome Italian tenor and his accordionist. What
memories!
Certainly one of the most memorable moments was
when Rev. Allen led us in an observance of Unity's
World Day of Prayer in a tiny chapel where the feet of
St. Francis of Assisi had trod.
The thoughts of sore muscles and bruised feet fade as
the vivid memories of such moments live on.
Thalia Potter Thalia Potter is a long time member of Tampa Unity and
was instrumental in organizing the Italy trip, which was
enjoyed by over 30 Tampa Unity members and friends!
Thanks, Thalia! | | |
| Quantum-Touch | | | LAST SPRING, RICHARD GORDON SPOKE and presented
his book Quantum-Touch at Tampa Unity. At that time
I was looking for a path to use the energy that I was
developing for a worthwhile cause. I attended Mr.
Gordon's talk and knew that Quantum Touch was for
me. I signed up for the 12-hour basic workshop in May
and then, in August, took the Super Charge course. Quantum-Touch is a hands-on practice consisting of a
simple breathing (body sweep) and body awareness
technique that can be learned by anyone. The practitioner is not considered the healer; the
receiving body is the healer. We simply intensify our
energy around the affected area through a process of
resonance and entrainment while the client's energy
rises to match it. This allows the client's own biological
intelligence to send the energy to where it is needed. I, for one, have seen "Miracles" before my eyes and I
feel very blessed that I can share this gift.
There are different definitions for the energy in healing:
mind, body (physical), spiritual awareness and
emotions. I personally have been drawn to the
emotional part of it. My awareness is pulled to what is
needed by the client! On Wednesday evenings, there is a great group of
Practitioners who meet at the Tampa Unity Church.
They would love to see more people come and give it a
try. If you are 100% healthy, come and feel the
energy relax your whole body. If you feel that you are
off balance, come and see what CAN be done. If you
have had a stressful week, come and feel relaxed.
The Quantum Touch group meets every Wednesday at
6 pm in the Sanctuary. If anyone has questions, come
to a session and speak with one of the practitioners.
Anne Wagner Anne Wagner is a member of Tampa Unity.
To submit an article, prayer, poem, announcement, etc.
for publication in the Tampa Unity Vision, e-mail Janet
at staff@unitytampa.org. All submissions subject to
approval and editing! | | |
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