UATL NEWSLETTER. the holiday craziness, most of us are more than a bit motivated to leave the cookies and

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1 UATL NEWSLETTER November December 2014 M ailing address: P.O. Box South Lake Tahoe, C A A Message from our Spiritual Leaders (by Revs Stew & Hillary) Reprinted from last year After the holiday craziness, most of us are more than a bit motivated to leave the cookies and Our sanctuary & annex are located at: parties and gifts and carols and relatives and hubbub behind us and get back to a healthier 1195 Rufus Allen Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, CA routine. If that is indeed the case, perhaps a better time to make resolutions, or to set intentions, as we prefer, is before the holidays, not after! Maybe we can not only get through them a little more sanely, consciously and healthily, but even enjoy them more and revel more in their true OFFICE HOURS: TUESDAYS 11-2 (Hillary) W EDNESDAYS 10-2 (Hillary & Stew alternate weeks) Office phone # (530) & on facebook: unity at the lake unityatthelake@ sbcglobal.net meaning. This is our goal as the holidays loom and these are the intentions we re each focusing on. We invite you to borrow liberally from these as you create your own: 1- To not only maintain my spiritual practices over the holidays, but to increase them in frequency and duration. I will remember what Gandhi once said, I have so much to do today; I d better meditate twice as long. I will not succumb to the illusion of not having enough time, because I know that when I am pre- prayered, I use my time more effectively and efficiently, with more energy and creativity, and that actually creates more time. When I am pre- prayered, I am present to the moment and more aware of how I choose to spend my time (and more aware of what I am shoving into my mouth!). 2- To remember that it is more than OK to say yes to honoring myself and my most authentic needs. Although this might mean that I am saying no to something or someone else I am creating peace on earth and lots of goodwill, too. 3- To participate in rituals and ceremonies that allows me to tap into the divine ideas behind the holidays: love, joy, light, giving, oneness and peace, etc. If the traditional rituals do not serve this intention for me, I intend to create new ones that do. I release all my pre- conceived ideas about the holidays and what they entail and instead keep those divine ideas visible and present in my awareness in more of my moments. When I am participating in something that feels like I have to or should, I can remember to bring #4 into play. I praise myself often for attempting to do it differently by bringing the divine idea of me into the picture. 4- To use this special time to practice seeing the face of God in everyone I meet and interact with, even those with whom I find it the most difficult. I am the peace of this moment and I breathe deeply into that creation. 5- To take the time each evening, especially if my day has been hectic, to connect with 1 person who means a lot to me, (near or far) or perhaps made an impact on me in the past, and let them know. May we all remember how very special we are who we are matters to the world! You are an important and valued part of our world!!!

2 Fundraising Opportunities For UATL RECYCLING: We have a recycling tub outside of the Sanctuary for you to drop off your glass, jars and cans. Or just leave your bag on the deck if the tubs aren t out. Especially preferred are glass that is a moneymaker such as beer bottles and soda cans (California CRV). We would appreciate that these are deposited in the bins empty and clean. AMAZON: There is now a link to Amazon.com on our website, (on the left sidebar of each page right under our phone #). UATL will receive credit for any purchases you make from Amazon when you go through our website first! And, if you sign up for Amazon Smile (free!), you can designate UATL as a regular beneficiary of your purchases (then you don t have to go to our website first). THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU To Leonard Smith and Tammy Rumack for cleaning up litter all around the Sanctuary grounds To Sue Hoy who put up the hallway curtain so help keep those of us working in the library/office area warmer AND we ll save on heating bills Service Opportunities Do any of these call to you? They would all be hugely helpful: **Sunday Hospitality Clean-up: We have a team for Platform and Greeter. We d like to do the same here with about 8 people, each would serve once every 2 months to wash dishes & put away food. Bless you and thank you Donna H for holding this space so beautifully for so long!!!! **Chair Clean-up: this would be a quarterly or perhaps twice a year event again, the more folks the easier it is **Fun(d)raising Committee: help make fun happen and finances increase! Perhaps you re good at ideas or you like to help get things done, either before or during events or you simply want to be 2 helping hands **Snow Shoveling Team: We re expecting a snowy winter (which we haven t had since we ve been in our building), and our decks and walkways (the city plows the parking lot) need to be cleared each time it snows. **Trash Pick-up: Add your name and you ll be called periodically through the year whenever that needs to happen Hospitality: We bless all of you who bring food to share. Sometimes folks ask if it s OK for anyone to bring food the answer is a resounding yes! We remind everyone that Hospitality only happens through us if we each brought a little left-over that is in the fridge, we d have a feast! To all our congregants: We have a number of chemically sensitive people in our midst and so we humbly ask everyone to please use a minimum of perfumes, colognes, etc. We know this is a personal and sensitive issue; we completely respect your right to smell as you like and we sincerely appreciate your cooperation in this regard this is part of being in community! ongoing uatl events Wednesdays, NOON-12:40: PRAYER/MEDITATION CIRCLE in the Annex. Every Wednesday we sit and meditate on the presence of Love and hold the high watch for ourselves and for everyone on our prayer slips please join us! AWAKENING WEDNESDAYS, 6:30-8pm Annex: Meditation, practical spiritual tools and exercises, lively discussion and much more.

3 Holiday Happenings Hands and Hearts for Christmas: Every year we adopt 1 or more local families and purchase Christmas gifts for the children. We do this through our Hands and Hearts for Christmas fund. Please consider a donation to this fund in the next few weeks. You can designate your donation by checking the box for Hands and Hearts on one of our tithing envelopes at Sunday Celebrations. The last day to donate for this year s fund is November 30th. We ll be shopping at Kmart on December 7th and you re welcome to join in the fun. Let us know it is always a joyous experience (and the more the merrier and easier it is.) Caroling at Barton Skilled Nursing Facility: always a favorite for us and them, Sunday December 14th - we meet at the hospital, usually around 5ish. Holiday Party & Neighborhood (Bijou) Caroling: Goodies are appreciated. Please bring an ornament for the live tree we will be decorating on our deck. We will then go carol around the corner (bring warm clothes if you plan to join us). Bear-a-thon: Another holiday tradition at UATL this will be our 21st annual Bear-a-thon! On the 3 Sundays from November 30th through December 14th, bring a NEW, soft and cuddly stuffed animal to Sunday Celebrations. We ll fill the Sanctuary with them, love them up, and then send them on to local fire and law enforcement agencies to give to children in need. Christmas Party: Saturday, December 13th, 1pm -3ish. OV will be leading us in caroling in the Sanctuary. Goodies are appreciated. Please bring an ornament for the live tree we will be decorating on our deck. Depending on the weather we will then go carol at Heavenly Village (bring warm clothes if you plan to join us). Caroling at Barton Skilled Nursing Facility: Sunday, December 14th, 5ish. Another UATL holiday tradition to experience the joy of giving. Christmas Eve. Light refreshments and caroling at 6:30; a beautiful ceremony begins promptly at 7pm in the Sanctuary. New Year s Eve Meditation and Burning Bowl: Join us in the Sanctuary from 7-8pm for a guided and silent meditation followed by our annual ceremony of release. A beautiful and peaceful way to start off the New Year and also bring peace into the world. Sunday Celebrations Guest speaker November 9th: Rick Gunn. Rick is a local activist and spiritual warrior, world traveler (by bicycle), peacemaker and writer. He will be sharing insights and pictures from his recent adventures in Iran in which he facilitated an exchange of artwork between Iranian and American schoolchildren. Dec 7th 12 Powers Sunday; the Power of Life (wear red if you d like) Playshop after the Sunday Celebration Dec 21st Winter Solstice Celebration Prayer Chaplain Corner As I sit here looking out the window at the incredibly beautiful fall colors on our aspen trees, after a sensational sunrise, I feel deeply blessed and grateful for my life. And it occurs to me that each day, when I write my gratitudes for the day, that they are each a prayer. A prayer of gratitude for all of the simple things in life that are so meaningful when you add them all up the joy my dog Bodhi brings me, gratitude for my wonderful husband Peter, and all of the gratitude I feel to be a part of Unity at the Lake and the many ways it enriches my life. As a Prayer Chaplain, I feel honored to pray with each of you to be with you and see you in the glory of your highest Truth as you share your heart needs with me. As I ve deepened my spiritual life through daily practices of gratitudes and affirmations, I ve come to realize how prayer is everywhere. It is in each of life s experiences those we label good, as well as those we label bad. For it is in seeing prayer in everything that we can truly BE in our Oneness with Spirit. To me, prayer has become a deep part of me and when I take a moment to acknowledge my gratitude for something, it allows me to connect with my God-Spirit Self, and then, prayer truly is everywhere, and in everything. While prayer is so very valuable during the times when life is challenging, it does not need to be the only time we pray. I encourage you to also think about praying when your life is going well to celebrate the gift of a life well lived and the gratitude that things are going well. So, as a Prayer Chaplain, I would feel the highest honor to also celebrate with you, and be with you in a prayer of gratitude for the good in your life. To honor your highest Self with you, and to celebrate the prayer that is your life, the life that is your prayer. For they are one and the same. And that is the greatest blessing there is. Thank you for the prayer you each are in my life. Namaste, Alysone

4 uatl events Hawaii raffle: GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!! We are raffling off a week s stay in magnificent Kihei, Maui and $1000 in fun money. Tickets are $50 each and we re only selling 100 of them. Available at Sunday Celebrations or by contacting us by phone or . The winner will be announced at Harvesting our Dreams: Saturday, November 15th, 5:30-7:30. It will be a simple and fun gathering in our Sanctuary, no entry fee, ya ll come! We ll have a potluck so please bring something to share if you re willing and able. Arriving at 5:30 allows us to gather all the food together for a 6pm buffet line and in the meantime we can mingle and chat (wine will be available for a love offering). There will be a handful of nice items we ll be raffling off at the event. It s a great opportunity to just be with each other and celebrate our community. Four Elements Celebration: Wednesday, December 3rd, 6:30-8pm: Join us for this powerful ceremony in which we ll honor this precious Mother Earth and open to the gifts of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. Love offerings appreciated, Annex NON-uatl events Tai Chi*Qigong: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 11-Noon in the Annex, all levels welcome, no experience necessary. Instructor Freedom Journeyhawk, Love Offering. Yoga on Saturdays, 9-10am, Annex. Instructor Eileen Hoyt, Love Offering Sierra Club Presentation, Thursday, Nov 20 : Brooks & Karen Martin will be sharing their Antartica trip pictures & stories, Sanctuary, Free Lake of the Sky Outfitters Movie Night, Thursday, Dec 4 : Chasing Ice won the Excellence in Cinematography award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, Sanctuary, Free New Member Series: We are launching a new member series in November. Membership is not like joining a club it is more like a furthering of your commitment to your own spiritual journey through living the principles that we discuss every Sunday and through the sharing of your time, talent and treasures. UATL s Council of Trustees, according to our bylaws, exists to represent the voting membership. Members are eligible to vote at our annual membership meeting (for new members of our Council, changes in bylaws, etc.). They have been through an orientation process and generally have committed to the next level of ownership and involvement in UATL s affairs. Only members are eligible to become Prayer Chaplains, Council Trustees, YEP teachers, sing with OneVoice and to receive loving and empowering monthly calls from our Prayer Chaplains. Please note: if you don t wish to become a member, now or ever, that doesn t mean you won t be as welcome as you are now when you come to any of our events and programs! We love you, too!! If membership does call to you, even remotely, the first step is to fill out an Intention for Membership form, available at Sunday Celebrations or by contacting us. There are 2 mandatory introductory 1-hour classes (details below) and then a new member orientation gathering, at which your decision to become a member (or not) would be made. If you have any questions about any of this, you know where to find us! *Basics of Prayer: Sunday, November 9th after celebration & Monday the10th, 5pm in the Annex. Come learn or deepen your understanding of Unity s approach to prayer and meditation, the basic and fundamental tools in raising consciousness. *Basics of Unity: Sunday, November 23rd after celebration & Monday the 24th, 5pm in the Annex. Join us for this lively discussion of Unity s metaphysical roots and basic principles.

5 From Our Council Vice President In Gratitude, By Ken Cross The simple message here is that Spirit is always, always with us and that everything I need to know is there for us the moment we need it. During my seven years at Unity at the Lake, I've learned many of the teachings of Unity. During meditation, I learned to breathe into my heart and feel the presence of Divine Spirit and to listen to my inner guidance. I have also learned to ask for help and ask for what I need. The question is, would I remember these teachings in my darkest hour when I have hit rock bottom, literally? The answer is a resounding YES! Everything I needed to know, to do and to feel was there for me when I needed it the most! Recently while working in San Francisco, I fell from a ladder and felt 3 bones fracture. After the initial pain and shock, I felt overwhelming gratitude that I was not paralyzed and injured worse. Next, I called out to Spirit for help! When I called, IT WAS AS IF ALL THE POWERS OF HEAVEN CAME TO MY AID! Angels in Human form came from everywhere to help me, neighbors, fire truck crews, ambulance crews, hospital, doctors, nurses, technicians (Xray, MRI & CT scan), My Guardian Angels in Tahoe came to my spiritual aid, My wife, Kathi, Dr. Botto, Stew, Hillary, Prayer Chaplains, Council and the entire Unity Community. The last cell phone call I was able to make from a speeding ambulance was to let Kathi and the Unity Community know where I was and to pray for me. Once I knew I had the best prayers on the planet praying for me, I finally was at peace. A Miracle took place, after not being able to move one inch in the beginning, I very slowly walked out of the hospital two days later, even made it in a cast to the Council Meeting the following day. I was in total gratitude for each and every small service that was done for me and I remain in GRATITUDE! Thank You, Thank You Unity at the Lake! Faith in action Please note: you can use a credit card to make any kind of donations and we can automatically charge your credit card monthly if you choose. You can also choose to have your bank send an automatic monthly donation. We joyfully affirmed and celebrated our abundance thru tithing to the following during Sept-Oct 2014: **MY STUFF BAGS *UNITY INSTITUTE *LAKE OF THE SKY OUTFITTERS *SILENT UNITY *UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY *BARTON SKILLED NURSING STAFF *STAND FOR THE SILENT Total of outgoing tithes for this period was $ Thank you, God! As of 8/15/14, our bank balances are as follows: Bank of the West Checking: $ (covers everyday spending and bills) Bank of the West Savings (2014 Hands and Hearts for Christmas fund): $97.66 Everbank Checking (general reserve fund): $ Our Faith in Action Pledge Program has begun. You can find Faith in Action pledge cards in Sunday s bulletin or upon request. We are still catching up financially from expenses related to creating our sacred space and to Hillary and Stew s seminary education. So, in addition to prayerfully considering your financial support in 2014, please also prayerfully consider a year-end gift to Unity at the Lake. Thank you and bless you for all the ways you already support us! CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE: UNITYATTHELAKE.ORG Our Sunday talks are available on our website, beginning shortly after each Sunday Celebration. The archives go back several years. Tell your friends! This is a wonderful way to introduce other folks to the Unity message. You can also use the website to make donations (for listening to talks online, regular tithes, building fund, Minister s Fund and Hands and Hearts) and to purchase all of OneVoice s CDs, Stew and Hillary s meditation CD Journeys to the Heart, plus CDs of Sunday celebration services, via PayPal or credit card. Tell Your Friends!!

6 ** OFFICE HOURS ** TUESDAYS 11-2 (Hillary) WEDNESDAYS 10-2 (Hillary & Stew alternate) FRIDAYS 11-2 (Hillary) \ Also, we are very happy to make an appointment and meet with you at a different time and day if our office hours don t work for you. Our Beloveds, Reverends Stew & Hillary Hillary and Stew are always available for affirmative prayer. They also invite you to call & make an appointment for a spiritual counseling session, love offerings gratefully accepted. Hillary is also available (by appointment) for spiritual healing sessions (with your choice of affirmative prayer, Reiki or Zenith color therapy, all available for L.O. as well.) Sent with love to: Nov- Dec 2014 If you no longer wish to receive this hard copy UATL Newsletter, no problem! Just us and let us know! Blessings!! unityatthelake@sbcglobal.net How very blessed we are to know this place called Lake Tahoe.