Where s pirits s oar a nd l ives t ransform! October November 2011 Thoughts from the Minister We re back! After taking a hiatus for quite some time, our newsletter is finally back! Here at Unity of St. Petersburg, many changes have taken place since our last newsletter. We now have a wonderful new Sunday meeting place, an expanded youth ministry, a new choir, new members, new teams, new leaders, new music and the list goes on. Thank you, God! Recently I spoke about how we are always being invited to join in relationship with God invited, not threatened or commanded. It is our choice whether or not we accept this invitation from the Divine or more accurately when we accept it, for the invitation is never voided or withdrawn. God wants us to be in a conscious relationship with God. The Desert Fathers, a band of third-century monks who wandered the desert in search of God, tell this story: Abbot Lot went to see Abbot Joseph and said, `Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and Rev. Fred Clare Our Mission: Centered in God, we co- create a world that works for all. Continued on page 3 Family and Fellowship Center 6168 1st Ave. N. St. Petersburg, FL 33710 727.344.1515 Sunday Services at Worship Center 10:30 a.m. 6099 Central Ave.
Outreach Team The Outreach Team of Unity of St. Petersburg participates in projects that help our own community and that help others across the U.S. and internationally. Here are some of our current projects. To learn how you can help or how to join the team, please call the church office at 344-1515 or email info@unitystpete.org. Please help support the SPCA Tampa Bay 3K Pet Walk on Saturday, October 15.You can bring your pet to walk with you or not. There will be plenty of vendors giving away free goodies for humans and pets. It s a lot of fun and a great way to spend a Saturday in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg. There are two ways you can support this organization: 1) Sign up on Sundays (in the lobby of the Worship Center) to be part of our "Pets in Unity" team and ask your friends and family for donations. 2) Make a donation to the Outreach Team in our donation jar in the lobby. In November, we will collect teddy bears for the St. Petersburg Police Department to give to children involved in domestic abuse or any traumatic event. Stay tuned for announcements during Sunday service at the end of October. Our two ongoing projects: 1) Food Drive for the Gulfport Senior Center. Please bring non-perishables (for humans and pets) on the 2 nd Sunday of each month. 2) Support the St. Petersburg Free Clinic. Bring new toiletries (razors, deodorant, toothbrushes, soap) on the 4 th Sunday of each month or make a donation any time. Who We Are Unity of St. Petersburg is a loving, inclusive, vibrant spiritual community with a positive approach to God and life. We understand those who consider themselves spiritual more than religious. We are committed to helping you live a greater life and to helping profoundly transform our world through love. Celebrating a history of excellence spanning nearly four decades, we offer a sacred place to learn and grow. In addition to our Sunday services and youth ministry, we present a variety of classes, workshops, guest speakers and musicians throughout the year, and an Outreach Team that makes a difference locally and globally. Embracing the belief that there is one God called by many names and found through many different paths, our congregation is a beautiful kaleidoscope of people from different religions and races, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, ages and sexual orientations. Incorporated on December 13, 1972 as Unity Christ Church, our ministry began with founding minister Rev. Paul Barrett when the church split from First Unity Church. In 1990 we purchased our present-day Family & Fellowship Center at 6168 1 st Avenue North. Rev. Fred Clare became the eighth minister of the church on July 15, 2004. A New Thought View of Metaphysical Teachings Tuesdays, October 18 November 15 6:30 to 8:30 pm Bill Allard, LUT, will facilitate Metaphysics 1, part 2, MS 821, an accredited class for SEE (Unity s Spiritual Education and Enrichment program). Join Bill as he leads a journey to the inner depths of the Divine within you. The class will give you new, deep insights into the question: "Why am I here?" Discussions will include the topics of sin, evil, the threefold nature of humankind and the three phases of mind. At the end of each evening there will be a meditation and the Oneness Experience. A love offering will be accepted at each class. Anyone is welcome, no matter your faith. Required text: Heart-Centered Metaphysics by Paul Hasselbeck, available for purchase in the bookstore, located in the lobby of the Family & Fellowship Center. For more information on this and all classes taught at the church, email info@unitystpete.org. 2
Angels, Angels Everywhere! Our Angel Team is growing! The 17-member Angel Team of Unity of St. Petersburg was created on October 17, 2010 with the purpose of providing temporary, supplemental support to our church family members during stressful periods such as injury, illness, hospitalization, births, deaths, etc. Our angels have taken people to the grocery store, doctor s office, pharmacy; provided rides to church; visited hospitalized members; prepared meals; sat with bed-ridden people while the caretaker went out; read to shut-ins; sent cards to ill and hospitalized members; and mowed lawns. The Angel Team is led by Judy Mellor and Carolyn Jaffe. Chris Lamm coordinates transportation volunteers; Bob Nixon coordinates visitation volunteers; and Karen Supper and Charlie Latham coordinate meal prep volunteers. When opportunities come along that give us a chance to be of service to others, we step into action. Recently our visitation and meal prep teams helped out when Sue Minnick became too ill to prepare meals or leave her home. The Angel Team was a true blessing to Sue and Charlie, and we were blessed by Sue and Charlie in return. One of our Angel Team projects in the works is building a hurricane/ disaster safety net for our church attendees. If you know anyone in our church community who needs assistance in putting their hurricane/disaster plans into effect and/or in transportation to a safe evacuation site, please let us know so we can prepare our resources to meet these needs. Anyone wishing to be a part of this venture is invited to join our team. Please contact Bob Nixon at 727-215-8728, bbnx@yahoo.com or Judy Mellor at 727-865-2721, mellorjudy@yahoo.com. The Angel Team is open to all. Please join us at an upcoming meeting at the Family and Fellowship Center to learn more. Meetings are at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday, October 23 and Sunday, November 20. Continued from page 1, Thoughts from the Minister contemplative silence. And according as I am able I strive to cleanse my heart of bad thoughts. Now what more should I do? The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like lamps of fire. He said, `Why not become all flame? Why not indeed? In our spiritual life, we reach a point where we have attained a certain proficiency in goodness, generosity and faithfulness, and it is precisely at this point where God invites us to make a more radical "leap of faith," to move beyond our present level of comfort and stability. We are invited to become more of an expression of God, and I believe this is what s happening at Unity of St. Petersburg. We are being invited to become more of a divine expression not only in our community but in the world as well. Unity has a message that the world is hungry for today, a message of inclusion, hope, love, oneness a message that can heal our wounds. The time is now for us to accept this Divine invitation, release our fears, stretch and become more flame. Let us join together in relationship with/is/as God, and together we will co-create a world that works for all. Namasté, Rev. Fred 40 Days of Great Fullness beginning Sunday, October 16 Don t miss this opportunity to cultivate a grateful heart. Everyone attending Sunday service on October 16 will receive a copy of 40 Days of Grateful Living daily readings focusing on gratitude. We will utilize the 40 days before Thanksgiving to commit ourselves to thanks living, knowing that a grateful heart opens us to the discovery of the great fullness of life that God desires for us. Plan to participate in our Circle of Gratitude group Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. for six weeks, starting October 19 and concluding with our Thanksgiving Eve Celebration 3
There s No Place Like Home! How many times have you heard people say, Unity of St. Petersburg feels like home? Home can describe many physical places, but the truth is, home is anywhere we discover our freedom and happiness from within. This fall, our youth will follow the yellow brick road the path to divine understanding to find the wizard (our higher selves.) On October 30, our own little tin men, lions and scarecrows will present a metaphysical interpretation of the classic tale The Wizard of Oz. During the summer, our church sent our YOUers (high school age) to their first-ever retreat. It was a treat for the sponsors to watch the awe and excitement as the YOUers discovered others walking the same paths. Now they are anxiously anticipating their next step into spiritual awareness as they return to the annual fall retreat on November 11 to 13. We are anticipating sending a group of Uniteens (ages 11 to 13) on their first-ever Uniteen Rally October 21 to 23. Our youth ministry led by Francine Arrington is growing, and we would love to have you support us on our journey, both monetarily (to send our YOUers to retreat) and with your time, serving as a mentor (teacher). Youth Mentors Needed: Volunteer one Sunday a month to serve as a youth mentor. Training is provided. Nursery 0 to 3 years: Need 5 mentors Ages 3 to 6: Need 1 mentor, 5 assistants Ages 7 to 13: Need 5 mentors, 5 assistants Make a Joyful Noise Enjoy singing? You re welcome to join our choir, even if you don t read music! The non-auditioned, volunteer adult choir is a vital part of our church. We will sing on Sunday, November 6 and at the upcoming Christmas musical program on Sunday evening, December 18. Choir practice is held 6:30 to 8 p.m. each Thursday. As a choir member, be ready to have FUN! Contact choir director, David LeBaron, at 727-277-1307 or david.b.lebaron@gmail.com. Dances of Spirit We are creating a Dance Ministry to offer you a unique way to connect with God. Led by Lillie Cintron, Dances of Spirit is open to everyone no prior experience or dance skills needed. The group is organizing special gatherings including workshops, classes and regular worship gatherings, so stay tuned for more details. Spiritual dance or intuitive movement is a free-form prayer and meditation process that connects you to God s Spirit and liberates your soul to feel the joy of self-expression. The essence of intuitive movement is that God s Spirit, not you, moves your body and brings an ecstatic feeling of Oneness that uplifts and energizes you no matter your physical condition. You will learn the process quickly by simply letting go and allowing God to inspire you. There are no specific steps to learn, just the willingness to surrender and experience the freedom of selfexpression in communion with God. You follow your soul s rhythm and find that you are dancing with God! For more information, contact Lillie at lilliecintron@gmail.com. If you can MOVE your body, you can DANCE to your soul s rhythm! 4
2 6 23 E VENTS October Potluck Lunch, following the worship service. Family & Fellowship Center. Bring a dish and drop it off at the kitchen before the service. November Potluck Lunch, following the worship service. Family & Fellowship Center. Bring a dish and drop it off at the kitchen before the service. Thanksgiving Eve service. 7 p.m. Family & Fellowship Center. Join your church family as we give thanks for the blessings in our lives. SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEEKLY Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at Unity of St. Petersburg s Family & Fellowship Center, 6168 1 st Avenue North 9:45 a.m. Meditation, west room of Worship Center, 6099 Central Avenue 10:30 a.m. Sunday service, Worship Center Youth Ministry, Family & Fellowship Center 4 p.m. Debtors Anonymous 5 p.m. Clutterers Anonymous 7 9 p.m. 1 st & 3 rd Mondays. EFT & The Law of Attraction. Juanita Christy & Megan Gray. $10 suggested offering. 6:30 8:30 p.m. Oct. 18 Nov. 15. Metaphysics 1, part 2. Bill Allard, LUT. Love offering. WEDNESDAY It is the law of Spirit that we must be that which we would draw to us. If we would draw to us love, we must be love, be loving and kind; if we would have peace and harmony in our environment, we must establish it within ourselves. Charles Fillmore, founder of Unity 9:30 a.m. Open Discussion Group. Rev. Fred Clare. Based on Healing Letters by Myrtle Fillmore. 7:15 p.m. 1 st & 3 rd Wednesdays. Tones for Living. Ellie Speed. THURSDAY 4 4:45 p.m. The Silence FRIDAY 6 p.m. Overeaters Anonymous Save the Date Holiday Services Sunday, December 18 Our evening Christmas musical program, featuring the music ministry and an inspiring, narrated holiday story. Saturday, December 24 Annual Christmas Eve service, complete with music, poetry, prayers and candlelighting. Sunday, December 25 Join Rev. Fred for a quiet, reflective celebration of this holy morning at our Christmas Day worship service. Saturday, December 31 Leave behind any baggage of the old year and create what you want for the New Year at the annual Burning Bowl Ceremony. A moving, sacred ceremony and a great way to begin 2012. Sunday, January 1 What better way to begin the new year than with your church family and the ancient tradition of the White Stone Ceremony, where Spirit reveals to each of us our new name, or intention. 5