The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary." Luke 1:30

Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Luke 1:38

Mary was afraid when the angel spoke with her and informed her that she would have a son. Her future seemed uncertain and she didn't know how to proceed. Yet, the angel also comforted her and Mary was able to surrender her fear and move forward. She accepted her fate without trying to work out all of the details. She received the news with fear and as soon as she surrendered, when she let go and let God be God in her life, she was relieved and comforted. As the story goes, the rest is history. Joseph married her and she had a son who was known as the Prince of Peace.

We spend much of our focus this time of year on Jesus, son of Mary. I think Mary played a wonderful part in this story and is often overlooked as we celebrate the birth of her son. What can we learn from Mary's experience?

By all accounts, she was officially a single mom with no job or source of income. The news of her pregnancy could have turned Joseph against her and she could have become an outcast. Fortunately, he too surrendered to God's guidance and married her in spite of his misgivings. He could have missed his place in the Christmas story had he not been moved by the angel and the Spirit of God urging him to move forward with his plan to marry Mary.

I believe it is our ability to surrender all to God, to let go of our fears, concerns, and challenges and trust in God, not the appearances of fear or lack. Saying yes to life and what life brings is necessary for our spiritual growth. What would have been gained or accomplished if Mary resisted? Nothing! She still would have birthed the child, and living in resistance would have made her fears and anxiety even greater. Surrendering all to God is the quickest way to regain our inner peace and serenity regardless of the challenge.

In my times of surrender, in that second when I say "Ok, God, I have done all I know how to do, I need your help," in that second, my feeling has always been one of moving from powerlessness and surrender and then into feeling powerful. I believe that powerful feeling is God working through me and as me, my higher self. And then solutions are presented when there were none before. Unless you have had a "Mary moment of surrender," it is hard to describe, yet it is one of the most spiritually empowering activities that I have ever experienced.

Some are facing difficult times in these economically uncertain times and the arrival of the holidays and all the expectations that accompany the holidays may be overwhelming. Let's all practice surrendering and experiencing the power of Mary's surrender. May we all surrender early and avoid the pain.

Love & blessings,
Rev Debbie

ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 28 UNITY OF TAMPA VOLUNTEERS GATHERED TOGETHER TO BRAINSTORM PLANS FOR THE 2009-2010 SEASON. Counting those unable to attend but still committed, plus our Board Liaisons, participants for this year's teams numbered more than 40!

The best part is that we had 9 new participants, 4 of whom stepped up to be leaders in our groups this year, and we created two new teams: Social Lights and EarthCare! WOW!

Highlights of the day included the following:

• Large group gathering to discuss successes and improvements this year;
• Creating Group Intention Statements to align with the new Vision and Mission;
• Identifying a minimum of 3 top priorities for each team;
• Enjoying fellowship during an amazing lunch prepared by Janet Stanley and Clara McLaughlin;
• Reviewing one another's plans to ensure support and offer feedback;
• Spiritual Prayers before and after the meeting.

Teams this year will include:

• Church Growth- Leader - Ed Flegenheimer
• EarthCare- Leader - Farah Stokes
  **New group helping Unity Tampa and its congregants Go Green Members Needed!
• Facilities- Leader - Vinnie Zeoli
• Fundraising- Leader - Keith Odums
  **Seeking Team Members
• Garden Angels- Leader - Fern Kinion
• Marketing-
  **Seeking Team Members & Leader
• Music Ministry- Leader - Leah Clark
• Pastoral Care- Leader - Clara McLaughlin
• Social Lights- Leaders - Denise Hall & Pat Fenda
  **New group for social activities- Drumming Circle, Singles Group, Movie Night, etc.
• Volunteer Activities-
  **Team Seeking Leader
• Youth Ministries- Leader - Jennis Thomas

Are You Interested?

We're keeping our commitment to become a community- centric church, which requires congregant participation. You can still get involved in participating in any one of these teams, or perhaps you're ready to lead a mission? Right now we need a Team Leader for Marketing activities and for Volunteer Activities.

The goal this year is for our groups to connect every 6 weeks in person, and the entire group meets only 3 times per year. The rest is involvement in actual activities your group manages and or communicating via email. What better time is there than now to stand up and serve Unity of Tampa?

Contact Nancy Mercurio at nmercurio@LTSInc.org.
A special thanks to all who participated in making our first meeting a HUGE success! It's going to be an awesome year for Unity of Tampa!

by Nancy Mercurio

UNITY OF TAMPA HAS A NEW VOLUNTEER TEAM: EARTHCARE! Unity Churches International has a great program for us to use as a guide to "going green," and we are now beginning to look at ways we can honor the earth by being conscious of how we use our resources. Our mission is to walk with God upon the earth for the greatest good of all creation.

There are endless ways we can act as a group, at church, at home, and in our communities to bring about change for the better as a spiritual path. We welcome your creative ideas about protecting, celebrating, and expressing gratitude for our beautiful planet.

Look for the green section on the bulletin board in Fellowship hall - we'll post ideas, updates, and a sign- up sheet for anyone interested in joining us. Our goal is to have a brief meeting once every few weeks to share ideas and plan activities. We'll also have information to share in the bimonthly newsletter. For more information on the EarthCare program, visit www.unity.org/bethechange. I'm looking forward to the new things we will discover together!

Your team leader,
Farah Stokes

IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ATTENDING THE SOUND CONNECTIONS NEW THOUGHT MUSIC CONFERENCE at Unity Village in Kansas City, Missouri.

Now, mind you - I was brand new to Unity, and I didn't know another soul who was going! I'm not, however, brand new to a sense of adventure about doing new things and meeting new people. So I hopped on the plane and arrived on Tuesday, September 15th.

If you've never been to Unity Village, book your flight today! The grounds are gorgeous and the people are true Unity students. Our own Clara McLaughlin told me, "You can feel the energy as soon as you drive onto the campus!" And she was right.

The first night, I was sitting outside the dining hall, which they call "The Inn," waiting for the dinner hour to start, when a lovely young woman asked if she could sit at my table. Her name was Cherie Shipley, and she's the Music Minister at Unity Church of Today in Carson City, Nevada. We quickly realized we had a great deal in common and began saving one another a seat for meals and gatherings. I was no longer alone in a sea of strangers.

We began each morning with meditation and song, then we were faced with the nearly impossible task of choosing among the various workshops and classes offered. Throughout the week, I attended Turning Titles, Phrases, and Sermons Into Songs with Harold Payne; Ensemble Rehearsal Techniques with Carole Tomhave; Creative Process with Sloan Wainwright; What Is A New Thought Song? with Richard Mekdeci; and Co-writing a Song of Love with David Roth, among others.

I also had the unforgettable pleasure of being one of several singers who assisted Daniel Nahmod in performing his songs for a Keynote Speech. Daniel is the composer of the song we sing to lead us into meditation every week, When I Pray. When we were rehearsing the songs, he played When I Pray on his guitar. Just his voice and the instrument - it was an experience I will never forget.

Another experience I was fortunate enough to participate in was Silent Spirit Sharing. During Silent Spirit Sharing, participants in the conference are given the opportunity to perform one song for an audience of our peers and the presenters. It could be an original piece or simply a piece we love to sing or play. The reason they call it "silent" is that we can't say a word while we're on stage - no introduction, no explanation about the song - nothing. Otherwise, with over 150 attendees, we would never have slept! As it was, we spent 3 hours one night and 6 hours another night. I performed my song, I Am, that we have been using as a hymn during Spirit Expressing. Although it has been a couple of months since the conference, I have not forgotten the experience or the wealth of information I received and the lessons I learned (well, okay - I've retained most of it). Cherie and I keep in touch via email. I am also friends on Facebook with several folks I had the pleasure of meeting during the conference. It was a "trial by fire" introduction to the world of Unity, but I wouldn't change a moment - it has changed me forever.

by Leah Clark

Leah Clark is a musician/songwriter and the Assistant Music Director at Unity of Tampa.

WE SIT BY THE LAGOON, WATCHING THE SUN SET INTO THE GULF. A panorama of cloud shapes fills the horizon with ever-changing figures; a running dog with flop ears and a round nose frisks cross the cloudscape. Ghost-like shapes haunt the impending twilight. They reach and stretch their flowing arms as if to embrace a fleeting dream. I turn my attention to a fish that splashes and the waves that lap musically at the seawall.

When I look again to the horizon, the scene has changed. The ghosts have dissipated and turned to swans, the dog is a row of lacy paper dolls, or perhaps a parade of circus poodles, prancing and leaping in a line that dissolves into the darkness of the deepening sky. Night is falling with the dim glow of the dying sunlight in a strata, like a lava lamp. Silhouettes of the distant shore and far off lights, the shadows deepen and distant thunder rumbles. Time to go inside.

by Janet Stanley

"IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT..." is more than just lyrics to the R.E.M. song; more than the prophecies of Nostradamus; more than the fear factor, movies, and hype about 2012. It's about our spiritual transformation, our shift in consciousness, our individual growth.

As we enter this Advent season, which will be followed soon by the Lenten season, we have the opportunity to delve deeper into Unity teachings that provide each of us the choice to create an "end to the world as we know it" and create exciting new ways to experience and express our unique Christ consciousness.

Revelations 21:6, "...I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end..." is the Christ consciousness, our divine nature. Centered in that awareness, practicing Unity principles, we are empowered to co-create new beginnings of abundant life. Jesus instructed his followers to "eat of the bread of life," and the buffet is overflowing at Unity of Tampa.

As we bring closure to 2009 and embrace 2010, I am looking forward to sharing the abundant buffet, seeing and sharing the spirit-raising, soul-nourishing activities at Unity of Tampa. It is exciting to prayerfully consider classes and workshops to share with this community in 2010; to share Unity metaphysics and interpretations of the Bible, Jesus' Teachings; and to be of service and support to Rev. Debbie, Rev. Allen, and each of you. Thank you for blessing me and sharing this adventure with me.

In Joy,
Rev Rhonda Liles

THE PATHWAY CLASSES OFFER THE KNOWLEDGE MANY CRAVE, ALONG WITH A PATH TO MEMBERSHIP. To accommodate busy schedules, we offer each of the classes at two different times:

Pathway Class 1:
Sun., Jan. 24, 2- 4 pm,
or Thurs., Jan. 28, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Pathway Class 2:
Sun., Feb. 21, 2- 4 pm,
or Thurs., Feb. 25, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Pathway Class 3:
Sun., March 21, 2- 4 pm,
or Thurs., March 25, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Pathway Class 4:
Sun., Apr. 18, 2- 4 pm,
or Thurs., Apr. 2, 6:30 - 8:30 pm

Each series of four classes is offered twice during the year, and attendance is a requirement for a voting membership at Unity of Tampa.

These upcoming classes will answer questions that you may have about the Bible, metaphysics, Jesus, God, and theology. You will gain a clear understanding of Unity as a way of life and philosophy, and you will learn how the Fillmores used scientific prayer for overcoming their challenges and beginning the Unity movement.

Attending these classes is a great way to meet others. Many people have developed long-lasting relationships through the Pathway Series.

Journey with us on this pathway to membership, meet other great people, and become an informed, Unity- educated, voting member of Unity of Tampa. Mark your calendars and make the commitment; we're looking forward to getting to know each of you.

Rich & Abundant Blessings,
Allen & Debbie

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHURCH, our new Adopt-a-Sunday program might be just the right opportunity to do so!

You, your family, or even a group of friends can sign up to provide the treats for our congregants in Fellowship Hall following the 11:00 a.m. service. It can be done in your own unique style and can be as simple as bringing cookies or as elaborate as sharing your favorite homemade recipes. You can even decorate the table to your liking, if you choose!

Best of all, if you bring a picture of you and/or the persons providing the treats, it will be placed in our Adopt- a-Sunday host frame so congregants can thank you properly!

Of course, there are a few additional 'responsibilities' we'll ask that you commit to, such as set-up, serving, and clean-up. However, doing so will not interfere with your spiritual time. Don't worry; we have created a simple sheet of instructions to make this easy. We think this could turn out to be a lot of fun for everyone involved and provide the opportunity for our hosts to actually get to know more people while in Fellowship Hall.

You can find the sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall on the kitchen counter. And just think...if everyone signed up for just one Sunday, we'd have wonderful and unique treats for the next 2 years at a minimum!

What do you say? Are you ready to contribute? Have any questions?

Contact Sharon Hall at
Fongal41@aol.com or 813.380.6633

FINALLY, FALL IS IN THE AIR AND A HOLIDAY FEELING IS STARTING TO TAKE HOLD. It's always such an exciting time at church, a time of joy and abundance.

We have spent a good part of this year talking about prosperity. One of the biggest challenges I continue to hear in our community is how to take prosperity from being a subject we study about, to actually be living in the flow of it.

As all of you have done, I have read many books, listened to many CDs, and taken many classes on the subjects of prosperity and abundance.

I have come to the realization that I need to count my many blessings and compare them to what I feel is lack in my life. I am in great health, I have a great partner and home, I love my Church and my community, my family is happy (despite the current challenges in their lives!), my office is busy, I am respected, my work is fulfilling, I have many good friends - et cetera and et cetera.

So where does the lack come in? It is interesting that the only area I feel lack in is always the same - finances! Yet, I always have enough for ANYTHING I decide to do. So how much of lack is mental and how much is reality for me? This is a question I ponder quite often. One thing I've learned this year is that if you are living in any form of lack, you are not giving enough. Ironic, isn't it?

I struggle with tithing, yet I have committed myself to doing it without question. Unity of Tampa (as a community) tithes 10% to where we are spiritually fed, and we ended our church year quite abundantly. So we know it works; now do it! Decide where you are spiritually fed and give. It is through giving and receiving that abundance and prosperity flow.

To all of you in our community, may this upcoming holiday season be filled with the joy that you so rightly deserve, the love that is yours unconditionally, and the prosperity and abundance that is our inheritance.

by Dr. Scott Barry