Summer 2010 Dear friend, This summer our Sunday lessons have been focused on the Judeo/Christian Bible and its metaphysical messages. The purpose was to revive and explore some foundational ideas in a series titled Bible 101. Although the book has been taught for a long time and in many different ways, it remains current and a bestseller because it transcends generations. In Unity, the Bible is considered the primary spiritual text. It is the story of many who were seeking answers to the same questions that come up for each of us in our own lives. Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my purpose in this short time of human experience? What lies beyond and within this physical world? These are questions that we can ignore for a while, but they seem to surface for us again and again. As a Christian-based church, Unity explores the religion of Jesus rather than creating one about Jesus.

In this way, the questions shift. What motivated this powerful teacher and way shower to feel so connected to God and so certain of his answers to life’s fundamental questions? What did he teach? How does it apply for me?  In studying the gospels, I am especially moved by the consciousness Jesus described as “The Kingdom of Heaven.” The word heaven means expanse. Jesus demonstrated an expansive awareness and encouraged each of us to follow him into it. He said the Kingdom was not physical or geographical, and it didn’t need to be created. Jesus taught that the Kingdom was “at hand” … “in your midst.” In other words, it is not a place, but a deep awareness here and now. Jesus described it like a tiny seed that when planted in the fertile ground of consciousness will grow into a great tree. The tree will provide us with shade for comfort and will house the birds of the air – a metaphor for higher thoughts. Jesus said to seek first the Kingdom, before anything else. When our energy is generated from the Kingdom, our lives will shift and change. Our lives will become like a beacon of Light empowered in Love. By first Being in Oneness with God, we will respond to and in life on purpose. This is a powerful message to take in and hold. It touches a part of us that is beyond thoughts and feelings. In Unity we call it the “Christ” consciousness. As Paul said, “The Christ in you, you’re hope of Glory.” So in Unity, we speak about living from the inside out – from the center to the circumference. Instead of being motivated by circumstances and conditions that may or may not appear to be good, the motivation stems from a consciousness of goodness within. The principles and teaching of the Bible are only words and ideas unless we bring them to life and into practice. For me, the teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven remind me to stop and , “come apart for a while” and pray. Pray first and act accordingly is a basic teaching, but it is one that can slip away in the busy-ness of life. In Unity’s teachings, we create our own gospels of life by living in principle. As Jesus taught, we connect to an awareness of God’s power and presence in every person and situation. We first focus our minds and hearts on God’s world inside of ourselves. We affirm in prayer God and only God and deny any power or presence that contradicts this Truth. The other side of prayer is meditation. In the practice of meditation we listen for guidance and direction. Only when centered in principle, do we move and act accordingly. This is the high standard of excellence Jesus pointed the way to. In this way and through it, we discover the Peace of God. It is this Kingdom that is calling each of us. God blesses you in every step of your spiritual growth. Quoting Jesus, “You are the Light of the World.” I hope your light is shining brightly. I hope you are experiencing the Kingdom, inside and out.  — Gene

Dear Friends,   In Unity we define Divine Order as the God Plan woven into all life and circumstances. The wisdom and order in our lives is not always immediately evident, but in retrospect we typically conclude that God was and always has been in charge. Take my life, for example. A little more than three years ago, I was about to turn 60. The number seemed like a turning point that was calling me to change. I had served as a senior minister at a Unity church in Orlando for more than four years. The church had recovered from a downturn and was now healthy and prosperous. I could have lived comfortably in the after-glow for as long as I chose, but a voice inside me clearly said it was time to go. I took that to mean that it was time for me to retire – after all, 60 is a milestone that often heralds the end of work.

Looking back, I believe that it was truly my guidance to leave Orlando, but not for the reasons I thought. This last month, we have focused on a book by Don Miguel Ruiz called The Four Agreements. One of the suggested agreements speaks about not making assumptions. Sometimes we assume that we know our direction and path. We may assume that we know what’s best for us, only to have circumstances step in and change the direction. I can remember times when I struggled with shift. I can remember saying “this isn’t right” or “it shouldn’t be like this,” only to find out later that it was all for the best. The lesson seems to repeat itself again and again (perhaps until I get it). It teaches me to go with the flow and says that resistance breeds more to resist.

In Unity, we are encouraged to embrace practical Christianity in a philosophical and psychological context. We learn about Spirit as the indwelling presence of God we call “The Christ.” The teaching is that each of us is originally blessed (rather than originally scarred by sin) with the Love and Power of God imbedded in our nature. This quality of God is our essence as spiritual beings, but it sometimes gets covered up by the appearance of stress and struggle associated with the human experience. The part of us that is focused on our humanity, often to the exclusion of our indwelling divinity, has been called by spiritual teachers and psychologists "the ego." You may have heard the acronym for ego as “edge God out.” The ego lives in a fear-based reality. It worries and defends. It is afraid that our lives will be destroyed, and so it dictates a philosophy of battle or retreat, fight or flight.