A SPECIAL "THANK YOU" GOES TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL MEETING that was held on October 26. This was one of our best attended business meetings. Many members who could not attend chose to participate via absentee ballot.

Newly elected to the Board of Trustees is Gail Gibson. Fletcher Dyches and Diane Kelly were re-elected, and Jim Atkins was elected to serve as an alternate. Scott Barry, Pat Fenda, Bruce Hall, and Jeff Huggins will continue their terms for 2008-09.

Retiring from the Board of Trustees are Cristina McCreary and Khadeeja Morse. Members of the Board of Trustees volunteer their time and talents to oversee the financial and administrative workings of our Spiritual Home. We are grateful for the vision and service of last year's board and the commitment of this year's new board.

Please take a moment on Sunday mornings to thank our board members when you see them, or approach the Board Angel on duty for that day if you have a question or concern about Tampa Unity.

WHAT AN AMBITIOUS FALL WE PLANNED OVER THE SUMMER!

First, we coordinated a Fall Program with two other Unity churches, First Unity in St. Petersburg and Unity of Clearwater, which included a banquet and silent auction finale. We then held our Tampa Unity 80th Anniversary Celebration, which was attended by more than 450 people! Both events were huge successes, highlighting the vitality and spiritual energy that are such a big part of Tampa Unity.

None of this could have ever been accomplished if not for the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers and chair-persons and, of course, everyone who participated by attending!

Many thanks go to those chairpersons and their many, many, many, MANY helpers. Their names are far too numerous to list, but their spirit and commitment live on in the continued success of Tampa Unity!

Celebrating 80 great years...

CALLING ALL BEARS! IT'S TIME FOR THE Y.O.U.'S ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR ROUND-UP! From now until Dec. 21, we will be collecting new teddy bears. As the Sanctuary fills with these cuddly creatures, please feel free to hold them and fill them with your prayers and love. Speak a blessing that will travel with your bear to its new home!

Many of the bears will be personally delivered to the residents of the Home Association, Tampa's oldest nursing home. Our Round-Up has become an annual event, and the residents love seeing our teens and receiving their bears.

The rest of the bears will go to the Children's Home and the R.I.C.H. House (an after-school program operated by the Tampa Police Department).

Our goal is to have enough bears to share with all three of these organizations, so we really need your help! If you have any questions, please call our Y.O.U. sponsors, Lynda or Ben Taylor, at 813-933-5778.

Help the Y.O.U. fill 100 stockings!

The Y.O.U. will be stuffing 100 Christmas stockings for distribution to local teen-agers through Metropolitan Ministries. Under-privileged teens are often the most forgotten group at Christmas, but you can really make a difference this holiday season. One generous member of our church family has already donated 100 stockings. Now we need the stuff to put inside!

Particularly welcome are candy, gum, games, and gift cards for fast food restaurants and discount department stores. All items must be small enough to fit inside the stockings. Check your Sunday bulletins for a complete list of needed items.

You can take your donations to the Y.O.U. room on Sundays or drop them off at the bookstore during regular office hours (Monday, 9 am to noon; Wednesday and Thursday, 9 am - 4 pm; and Friday 9am - 2 pm). Cash donations are also welcome, and we will do your shopping for you! Please see Y.O.U. sponsor Lynda Taylor for more information.

SOME OF OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS go way above and beyond! Take some time to personally thank each of our Volunteers of the Month for all they do to make Tampa Unity the wonderful spiritual home it is.

If you want to honor an extraordinary volunteer at Tampa Unity, simply fill out the Volunteer of the Month nomination form in the bookstore or online at www.unitytampa.org.

Every month a new VOM is chosen and enjoys benefits such as a special parking spot on Sunday morning and our undying gratitude!

AS LIFE PICKS UP SPEED GOING INTO THE HOLIDAY SEASON, behold: I come to you with tidings of good cheer...in January.

Yes, folks, David Roth will grace our sanctuary with another concert. Those of you who attended his last concert remember his superbly crafted songs, superior level of performance artistry, humor, depth, humility... It was fabulous, wasn't it?

For those of you who did not attend, join us on January 10th at 7:00 pm for some great entertainment. You will also be supporting one of the foremost troubadours of New Thought music, which is no small deal. The New Thought Movement has grown exponentially in the last five years. The fellowship of songwriters and performers is thriving in number and quality, and David has been at the top of the list all the while. Let's fill up the room. Tickets will be available soon in the bookstore.

Go to his website and explore:
www.davidroth music.com

Another fabulous spirit that will be coming to us on Friday, January 16th is Christine Stevens. The members of our choir fell in love with Christine and her work with drumming at our music conference, Sound Connections, in September. They insisted that we bring her down so our congregation can experience her energy.

Christine Stevens is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and music therapist. Holding masters degrees in both social work and music therapy, Christine inspires people all over the world with her message of musical empowerment for mind- body wellness. She recently went to Iraq on a mission of healing and unity.

Go to www.ubdrumcircles.com and read the press release. It is a remarkable story of hope.

The drumming circles and workshops she leads are powerful and moving. All her drums are supplied by her sponsor, Remo, so you will not need to bring a drum to attend the workshop.

by John McEwen

IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR WAY-SHOWER, JESUS CHRIST.

Christmas is such a special time and brings with it so many memories, feelings, emotions, and thoughts. It is a time when we bring into consciousness the Christ within each of us and the birth of our awareness.

For Unity Churches worldwide, it is a busy time of preparation. Each church spends time decorating, preparing special music, rehearsing children's plays, and - most importantly - making decisions on outreach programs. We think of others and reach out to help those less fortunate. Whether it be collecting food, raising money, or gathering Teddy Bears, the community comes together.

When I was a child, I always found this time of year exciting. I loved to watch everyone doing things that they never had time to do the rest of the year. Yes, we speed up and try to get all of the chores associated with the holidays done, yet somehow we also slow down and notice the rest of the world.

We see beautiful lights and decorated trees. We listen to more music and even sing along. We call people we haven't seen all year and actually sit down and write cards to each other. We take more notice of those who are alone and many times remember to reach out to them.

Some of us will go to church to be with others, when for many reasons we are unable to do so as often throughout the year. We seem to see the best of each other, and we even honor those we love with gifts.

Our community at Tampa Unity has grown both in size and depth this year. We have had to say goodbye to some very close friends and we've had new ones join us. We have stepped up our visualizing and affirming through our Vision Team Meetings. We have had some awesome work parties and accomplished a lot with our beautiful buildings. We celebrated and honored 80 years of people just like us, coming together and being a family, with our Anniversary Party a few weeks ago. With all of the classes that were offered, the guest speakers who spoke, the starting of prayer, social, and singles groups, and the YOU retreat - just to name a few things - we have had no choice but to grow.

May each of you take the time to truly stay in the present moment this holiday season and feel all the joy and love that this time of year brings.

Merry Christmas,
Scott Barry
President, Tampa Unity Board of Trustees

WHO DOESN'T WANT TO SAVE A LOT OF MONEY ON GREAT FOOD?

Join SHARE at Tampa Unity and be part of a national food coop that saves you 40% or more on an array of delicious food items, from frozen meats and seafood to fresh fruits and vegetables. And for you coffee lovers, now we've started carrying coffee by the pound: regular, de-caf, and a special monthly flavored coffee. Membership is free; all you pay for is the great food you choose from the monthly menus.

This is not like any food coop you've ever heard of before. Past specials have included carne asada steak strips, tilapia filets, chicken tenderloins, bacon- wrapped steaks, center-cut pork chops, and a large assortment of stuffed pastas (raviolis, tortellinis, pierogies, rigatoni, stuffed shells, and more!). Specials for December include everything you need for a great holiday dinner: starting with a ham or a turkey, ending with a freshly baked pie, with everything in between. There's even a spiral-sliced honey ham and coconut shrimp - available just in time for your Christmas entertaining.

For more details, pick up a brochure in Fellowship Hall, talk with one of our SHARE Team members on Sundays after services, or contact me at unityvolunteers@aol.com.

Here's to good eats!
Carol Ferguson

ON MY LAST RETREAT AT UNITY VILLAGE, I WAS MEDITATING IN THE ROSE GARDEN when Spirit directed my thoughts to something I had been considering for several years: becoming a Licensed Unity Teacher.

I enjoy taking the classes offered at Tampa Unity. I had even facilitated several study groups and felt rewarded by the experience and the challenges. It is always wonderful to share ideas with others.

But becoming a teacher requires 250 S.E.E class credits! I found the challenge daunting. I had not been an actual student for over 50 years!

That day in the rose garden, I suddenly felt it was in Divine Order that I begin my journey right away. During that retreat, I earned my first 10 credit hours. "Whoa!" I thought, "Just 240 hours to go!" Classes are offered at Unity Village and also at Unity Churches and retreats. I have attended week-long sessions at Unity of Melbourne, taking 4 classes (2 hours each) for 5 days - and that does not include the homework or reading! It is a great way to get up to 80 credits in a week.

The classes are fascinating and very informative. They cover Creation, the Hebrew Scriptures, Metaphysics, Bible Studies, Prosperity, the writings of Charles & Myrtle Fillmore, the history and teachings of Unity, and much more.

Students can also take the classes offered here at Tampa Unity with Rev. Allen or Rev. Debbie.

Even if I were never to go on to teaching, the knowledge I've gained is awesome, and it has helped me become a more spiritual and grounded person. But I want to share the Unity principles and Truths with others, and teaching classes will allow me to do this.

The next S.E.E. class begins at Tampa Unity in January. It concerns Hebrew Scriptures, and Rev. Debbie will be leading the class. Come join us and expand your thinking. You can take the class just for fun and enlightenment or join several of us who are taking it for credit - and start your own journey to being a Licensed Teacher.

by Clara McLaughlin

The greatest truths are simple. The Christmas story begins with a small act of kindness: a stranger who offers the shelter of his barn to a family far from home. Thus born in humble surroundings, our Way Shower Jesus Christ emerged, and He lives on in our hearts and minds more than 2,000 years later.

In the midst of holiday preparations - the shopping, decorating, cooking, and endless activities - let us remember the modest beginning of this annual celebration: a baby's birth that changed the world and an act of kindness that created the place for His birth.

The angels and prophets proclaimed the arrival of Immanuel, a Hebrew word meaning "God is with us." Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore said that Immanuel means the consciousness that God is with us and we are one with God. This is the simple truth: God, the Christ Spirit, is within you.

When we recognize our own Christ Spirit within, we open ourselves to be mindful of the basic truths, to be a stranger offering acts of kindness. Christ in you is the hope, peace, love, and joy of Christmas. During this busy season, be considerate and kind to one another. Jesus gave us one commandment: love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. The simple truth is that everyone is our neighbor.

We wish you a heartwarming Christmas season filled with joy and love.

Rev. Allen and Rev. Debbie Moss, Rev. Enrique and Aura Amoros, the Tampa Unity Staff, and the Board of Trustees