Unity Temple on the Plaza

If we get what God wants us to have, why ask?

2012-01-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

God wants us to have these things because that is what God is. Not an old man with long white beard sitting on a throne somewhere in the far reaches of the universe eager to punish us if we do wrong. God is Life.

The three primary characteristics that assure the continuation of Life on Earth are peace, harmony and love and every person born into this world has the unlimited potential to express these three attributes.

We have free will to choose how we want to live our lives but at times we make the wrong choices. In a fit of anger we choose conflict instead of peace. Prejudices, discrimination and harsh judgments lead us into disharmony with others. And there are times when we choose not to love. We "have" what God wants us to have. Peace, harmony and love are the very essence of our being, we never have to ask for them.

But we don't always get what God wants us to have because we choose otherwise.

Is it important to believe in the existence of heaven?

2011-12-22T08:26:00.000-08:00

We can perceive "Heaven" in two ways. As a destination of peace, harmony and love available to us when we leave this earthly plane. We can also perceive heaven as a state of existence on this earthly plane that is characterized as one of peace harmony and love. Heaven is a state of mind, whether on earth or in the hereafter that comes about as a result of our thoughts. When we align our thoughts with the thinking of the great spiritual masters we automatically receive the benefits of a heavenly state.

The universal principle of cause and effect states the nature of any cause is found in its effect. If love is the cause of your thoughts, words and actions, love is going to be the effect. The same holds true for hate, resentment and conflict, which create an uncomfortable condition in our lives often referred to as hell. Each of us individually creates the emotional state of our existence.

We have the free-will to chose the thoughts, words and actions we express. By choosing to express peace, harmony and love we create situations in our lives that are of "heaven". You are responsible for the conditions of your life. So, the next time you are feeling greatly disturbed, hateful, in conflict or out of harmony ask yourself, "What IN hell, am I doing."

Can we worry God too much with our little problems?

2011-10-13T12:15:00.001-07:00

I don't believe God worries but rather I see God as a worry eliminator. Just as the mighty force of water from a fire hose can extinguish the greatest flame, the mighty faith within each of us can extinguish every doubt, worry, fear or anxiety when we turn it over to our higher power and trust in the divine order of life.

There are two kinds of problems in this world.The ones we can do something about and the ones we can't do anything about.

If we are powerless to change the situations or circumstances of a problem, challenge, setback or loss we have no other choice but to adapt to it.This often calls on us to change our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and perceptions about what has taken place or what might happen in the future.

In our prayers rather than beseeching God to "take this cup of suffering from me", we can use affirmative prayers such as: I now let go of any thoughts that hamper my peace of mind and affirm that I have everything I need to move through this difficult time and establish a sense of serenity in my life.

If we can do something about a problem or challenge we face, then we need to draw on our resources and initiate action. Pronto!

Should religion attempt to control people's behavior?

2011-08-04T12:09:00.001-07:00

The various levels of government in this country provide us with 150,000 new laws and 2,000,000 new regulations (each year) all of which attempt to control the behavior of the people of the United States of America.

Why would anybody want to engage in a religion that tried to control them even more. It appears to me that throughout history, religion has been woefully mistaken in its primary purpose. Religion is not meant to impose rules and regulations on people but rather propose higher insights that lead to a more successful life. Religion is not meant to overpower the individual's will but rather empower an individual to take control of his/her life and express a higher potential.

Lastly, religion is not meant to issue ultimatums, bordering on threats, of what will happen to someone in the afterlife if they don't subscribe to and abide by church doctrine in this life.

None of those things move us closer to God. We are not sinners; we are not unworthy in the eyes of God; we don't need to be put down but rather we need to be lifted up. Religions that attempt to control our lives put us in a cage with crumbs to eat. Let us out, and we will soar to new heights where we will find a new life and and a new connection with God that has been unimagined.

What question should I ask in seeking a spiritual home?

2011-07-11T11:24:00.000-07:00

Imagine for a moment you came face to face with God and posed the question of what you should look for in choosing a spiritual home. God might say: All people come forth from one source, all people are one in spirit.

Therefore look for a spiritual home that honors the diversity of the earth and holds all beings equal whether it is between woman and man; Christian, Muslim or Jew; homosexual and heterosexual; black or white, Asian, Hispanic or Native American.

Just as God has no prejudices or discriminations towards any person, an institution which is intended to bring people closer to God, should have none either.

Secondly, God might say: choose a spiritual home that empowers you not overpowers you. One that supports you in living the life your heart desires and not one that depreciates your individual value by insisting you are a sinner, unworthy in the eyes of God and then shellacking you with guilt and shame.

Lastly, God might say find a spiritual home that instills within you a strong sense of peace and harmony and encourages the congregation to join together collectively to increase the peace and harmony in the world.

You have a strong mind and a wise inner source of direction. You will know when you are in the right place.

Is there life after death?

2011-05-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

I understand that religion involves faith, but is there any sort of proof that there is life beyond this physical existence when we die?

Fundamental religions believe when we die, a day of judgement determines our destination of heavenly bliss or hellish torture. Eastern religions believe when we die a decision can be made to reincarnate in another earthly existence. Psychics believe they receive messages from those who have departed implying there is life after death. All of the above rely on faith to feel secure in the belief. As of late, a bridge is being built between science and spirituality.

Quantum physicists have concluded that the universe is made up of an everywhere present energy. For example, sub-atomic particles, the very building blocks of our existence, are pure, invisible energy. The spiritualist refers to this as the spirit of God which is the essence of our being. The quantum physicist has concluded that this energy does not dissipate or cease to be. The spiritualist sees this energy (spirit) as the soul which takes on the body to exist on the physical plane of being and then moves beyond it when the body is laid down. The advancement of science and the evolution of spiritual thought has brought us to the point where we can declare with certainty that God spirit (by any other name is still God Spirit) is within us providing for us what is needed to maintain our eternal individuality and experience our oneness with God..

Is it important to believe in the existence of heaven?

2011-03-31T09:06:00.000-07:00

We can perceive "Heaven" in two ways. As a destination of peace, harmony and love available to us when we leave this earthly plane.

We can also perceive heaven as a state of existence on this earthly plane that is characterized as one of peace harmony and love. Heaven is a state of mind, whether on earth or in the hereafter that comes about as a result of our thoughts. When we align our thoughts with the thinking of the great spiritual masters we automatically receive the benefits of a heavenly state.

The Power of God and Prayer

2011-03-10T10:57:00.000-08:00

God is Spirit. Spirit is the very essence of your being. It is your life energy. It permeates every atom of your body and mind. The spirit within you provides to you a deep inner wisdom, emotional strength, unlimited love, the power to imagine what it is you want in your life, the creative ability to manifest it and a higher level of spiritual consciousness. When we pray, we calm ourselves, open up to this higher level of consciousness and communicate directly with God. In this quiet place we are given the answers to our problems and the way to move beyond our challenges.

The most effective form of prayer is affirmative prayer. With petitionary prayer we “ask” God for something. With affirmative prayer we thank God for already providing us with what we need such as, “Thank you God for the wisdom you have given me. I now wait patiently for the answer I seek.” or “Thank you God for the inner strength you have given me. I affirm that strength and know I will make it through this difficult time.” When we pray in this manner there is indeed a psychological benefit--tension and stress can be relieved--but more important than that, we free ourselves from thinking we are separate from God and helpless over our state of affairs.

To Be Reborn

2011-02-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

In the book of Matthew, Jesus says, “Surely I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless that person is born again.” What did he mean by that? Certainly, he didn’t literally mean a physical rebirth, but to be reborn into a higher consciousness. He was talking about moving to a new way of thinking and perceiving the world around us, a way of seeing ourselves and the world beyond fear, conflict and other negative thoughts.

As you read these words, make them your own:

I am a student of life, and each day is a divine journey.

I am not stuck in difficult challenges or defeated by trying problems.

I am able to overcome any obstacle with the limitless wisdom and peace that is innately within me.

Today, I am born anew and move beyond attitudes of the past that have held me back from my higher good.

How do I lead a meaningful life?

2011-01-12T15:24:00.001-08:00

As the minister at Unity Temple on the Plaza, I have on several occasions sat on the bedside of a person who is very close to dying. The most difficult transitions are when the dying person is looking back on his/her life in a regretful way. They regret things they did; they regret things they didn't do; and they regret not fully living their lives to their heart's desire.

Each of us has the freedom to live our lives the way we choose as long as we don't violate the God given rights of another person to do the same. The first point of a meaningful life is to reach the end without regrets.

The second point of a meaningful life is to live in a way in which your presence is beneficial to the earth and its inhabitants. It is a very comforting thought to know that somehow, some way you make a positive difference. Your life counts for something good. You matter.

The third point of a meaningful life is to continually grow in knowledge, wisdom and conscious awareness. Each of us has a vast, unlimited mental, emotional and spiritual potential and nothing can bring the satisfaction, meaning and fulfillment that comes from the self becoming more than it has ever been before. "Learn as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die tomorrow!"

Where Different Religions Intersect

2010-12-01T08:08:00.001-08:00

Imagine for a moment there are four people who live in the Northeast part of this country, and after a great deal of deliberation, they decide to go to the Southwest. One chooses to drive across the southern part of the country. Another person chooses to board a ship and sail around the country, and yet another person chooses to fly. At the same time, each person vehemently claims the only way to make the journey is by the method they have chosen. It isn’t long before conflict erupts between the four people. Their focus goes from the great pleasure they will experience when reaching their destination to trying to prove they are right and the others are wrong. Is there unity between the four people? Yes, they all have the same desire and same destination in mind. However, the unity won’t be realized until they arrive at the common destination.

The major religions of the world are similar to the four travelers. Each religion believes in one Power, one Presence (some call it God) and has set forth a “spiritual path” to assist people in arriving at a destination where they have a sense of oneness with all things and all people. Yet, at the same time, many religions claim to have the only way for making that journey. This claim is sometimes ego-driven by various religious leaders, but also divisive and laden with prejudices, discriminations, false dogmatic assertions and what my Norwegian ancestors would call “Bunk”. Doesn’t it seem laughable that some would have us believe their way is THE way and all the good offered by other religions should be considered wrong? I am sure Jesus, Abraham, Lao Tsu, Buddha, Mohammed, Zoroaster, Gandhi and other great spiritual masters knew the Truth of the destination, whatever their journey was to get there.

CAN WE WORRY GOD TOO MUCH WITH OUR LITTLE PROBLEMS?

2010-11-10T13:58:00.000-08:00

I don’t believe God worries but rather I see God as a worry eliminator. Just as the mighty force of water from a fire hose can extinguish the greatest flame, the mighty faith within each of us can extinguish every doubt, worry, fear or anxiety when we turn it over to our higher power and trust in the divine order of life.

There are two kinds of problems in this world. The ones we can do something about and the ones we can’t do anything about. If we are powerless to change the situations or circumstances of a problem, challenge, setback or loss we have no other choice but to adapt to it. This often calls on us to change our thoughts, feelings, attitudes and perceptions about what has taken place or what might happen in the future. In our prayers rather than beseeching God to “take this cup of suffering from me”, we can use Affirmative prayers such as: I now let go of any thoughts that hamper my peace of mind and affirm that I have everything I need to move through this difficult time and establish a sense of serenity in my life. If we can do something about a problem or challenge we face, then we need to draw on our resources and initiate action. Pronto!

2010-10-20T14:19:00.001-07:00

Ways to Oneness

The first Truth Principle of Unity is that there is one Power and one Presence in the Universe. Some call this power God. By any name, it is the same Divine Spirit that we each are a part of. On the path of life, there may be times when we feel separate and alone, searching for some encouragement to carry on. When we have those moments of uncertainty, we can remind ourselves of this Divine Spirit that is always with us, within us, is us. How can we better connect to this innate knowing of God? Here are five suggestions:

1. SURRENDER: Accept the unchangeable

2. EMPTY YOUR MENTAL BACKPACK: Forgive - Release - Let Go

3. RELEASE JUDGMENTS: Of yourself and others

4. PRACTICE COMPASSION: See things from another's perspective

5. FIND TIME FOR SILENCE: Prayer and meditation opens us up to God's wisdom

September 5, 2010 Questions and Answers

2010-09-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

On September 5, 2010, Duke Tufty took questions from the congregation and answered as many as he could at the time. Here are the answers to those questions as well as all the other questions asked that Sunday.

What is the meaning of life? Progressive creative expression. God-Spirit-Universal Mind holds within it the potential to create everything that will ever be. With every bit of potential, there is the desire to express that potential and manifest it in the physical world. With the big bang, there came the divine idea for all that would follow. As expressions of Spirit, each of us has potential to grow, evolve and become more. Our purpose is to apply ourselves to that potential or divine idea to fulfill the original idea.

What is the purpose of prayer? To settle the mind; affirm the positive; to commune with the spirit of life; to recognize our oneness with "it all".

Do God and Science mesh? ie. Can they support each other? We live in a great age where a bridge between Science and Spirituality is becoming a reality. As science advances, it is recognizing that which cannot be seen and at the same time it is exposing much of religious dogma as myth or superstition. This is great news.

How do you comprehend a God who created the vast universe? God is incomprehensible and can only be experienced through emotion. When one is totally immersed in love, peace, harmony and oneness, God is experienced.

If God is so powerful and all knowing…why doesn’t he show himself so there is not doubt? God is it all. God is not a man, deity or higher being separate from us but the Spirit that expresses as us. God is not independent from anything.

Best way to deal with grief and death of longtime partner? Realize that life is eternal and although the physical body is laid down, the loving heart and responsive mind of the person continues. I believe it is a sure thing for those who have exchanged love in this lifetime to meet again in the next.

Some days the fear keeps away the confidence. Where to I go for support? Turn inward. Meditation is the most effective way to calm oneself, instill faith and confidence. A meditation as short as two minutes can do wonders. To learn certain meditation techniques, you can take advantage of the many meditation classes available at Unity Temple as well as a special class I will be teaching on November 13, 2010. Check the website, www.unitytemple.com, for more information in the coming weeks.

Why do some religious leaders lay a “guilt trip” on their congregation? Why do others call us “the feel good” church? I love the positive lesson@Unity. I believe religious leaders lay "guilt trips" on people in order to control them. If a religious leader can make you feel guilty, define hellish consequences that may await you, and offer you salvation from your sins, you will pretty much do what that person says and give that person what he/she asks.

How do we reconcile the disasters of the world? Natural and human created. Human beings represent 3% of the life on this planet, yet we seem to think it is exclusively ours and can do with the earth what we choose. Everything we can see has come forth from the earth. It is literally our mother. Until we begin to treat the earth the way we would treat our biological mother, with kindness and respect, things are going to continually decline. Human beings go to battle with each other and drop bombs; we spread deadly chemicals and waste products over its surface; and we deplete its resources with no consideration of the consequences. Each of us has an opportunity to transform our little corner of the world with peace and harmony, regardless of the external circumstances.

How can we live in happiness and peace when so many atrocities occur around the globe? Atrocities are the effects of our actions. We need to discover the cause which begins in the minds of human beings. Each of us makes a difference in this world through our thoughts and actions. Everything we see began as a thought. We can recognize this powerful Truth, and use our incredible power to create more love and kindness.

Is the concept of reincarnation part of Unity Thought principles? Many people in the Unity movement believe in reincarnation, but it is not an official principle of Unity. Reincarnation is an intuitive process engaged in by the individual.

What does Unity believe about an after-life? There is one or there isn't one. Whether there is or not, nothing can be done about it one way or another so it is best to live "now", in this moment.

What does Unity say about reincarnation? see above

Reincarnation? What do you think? Good idea? see above

Would you please say something on Unity’s position on reincarnation. Thanks for being here! see above

Why are most worship Services void of Bible verses? The Senior Minister should minister almost every Sunday. There are too many guest speakers! I would like to see more services that interpret the meaning of the Bible. This is a very good suggestion. The Bible is rich in spiritual direction and inspiration. As the Senior Minister, I would enjoy speaking every Sunday but there are times when situations totally consume my time, and there isn't room for preparation. An average lesson takes 10 to 15 hours to prepare. That is two days out of the week devoted to the lesson alone and on occasion that time doesn't exist.

Duke, I like for you to use your Bible book sometimes when you are teaching it is so much more powerful… nothing like the holy words. This is a good suggestion and i will try to do it more.

Who is Jesus from a Unity perspective? Prophet? Saviour? Christ? All of the above. Jesus was a prophet in that he was able to predict what would happen if people continued in their ways. Jesus could be seen as a saviour in that his message and the Truth revealed by him "saved" people from much of the misery and despair they experienced. Jesus expressed the Christ within him, the Christ being the highest expression of humanity. He also told the people that the Christ was also within them and what he had done they could do also.

What are your thoughts on Jesus? Is he the son of God or just a great spiritual teacher? Jesus was an expression of divine spirit as we all are. He discovered a level of consciousness within him that awakened him to a spiritual way of perceiving life which once again he expressed the Truth that we all can as well.

Does Unity Temple believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Should we teach our children this? see above

Could Unity be considered a Bible believe church? In what sense or to what degree? Unity sees the Bible as an incredible source of direction and inspiration. Unity does not take some of the Bible literally as the word of God because it has dogmatic, political and cultural assertions that hold prejudice. Unity does take the Bible stories as allegory, meaning they are parables from which a lesson can be learned but not necessarily factual events that took place.

Explain what it means when they say in the Bible fear of the Lord. Should we really fear the Lord? When it says. . "fear the Lord", it means whoever wrote that wants power over the people. Fearing Love, fearing peace, fearing harmony is akin to fearing God for which there is no possible reason.

From the “Lord’s Prayer” – What is the kingdom of God? Definition? Why is there no cross in the sanctuary? Is the Kingdom of God in the realm of consciousness within the human mind.? Our awareness level of this consciousness determines the way we experience life. The highest level of human consciousness which Jesus described as the Kingdom of God or Kingdom of heaven is one characterized by compassion, love, peace and harmony with a sense of oneness with it all. There is no cross in the Sanctuary because the service is attended by people of all religions. In addition the cross is most often viewed as the device of crucifixion and Jesus death. We prefer to direct our attention to Jesus’ life and the lessons he taught.

Muslim’s Shariah Law a threat to the U.S.? The United States has a very brilliant and well-defined statement of separation between church and state. This allows for all people to practice in their daily lives the principles of the religion they choose. We are governed by laws with the freedom to choose our religious beliefs and practices as long as they are within the boundaries of those laws.

When was spirit born? How was spirit born? That is a question I cannot answer. Spirit existed before time, before the big bang; before every before. It is that which has always been and always will be. I just don't know. When I try to think about it, my mind short circuits.

How does Unity differ from the Lutheran religion? The primary difference between Unity and the more traditional religions is that Unity believes every person has inherent within them the original blessing rather than original sin. Unity believes that every person has within them the "Christ" which is the potential expressed by Jesus. Unity does not believe that any person will be condemned to hell or that there is even a destination named hell. Lastly, Unity does not take the Old Testament stories literally but rather as parable to learn from.

Who am I? Who, who? Who, who? It might be easier to tell you who you are not. You are not your thoughts; you are not imperfect in anyway; you are not flawed or unworthy; you are not limited in your potential for happiness, love, peace, harmony and kindness. You, in absolute reality, are much more than you think you are. You are an expression of Spirit which resides in every cell of your body and mind. You are "you". You are what you think about most of the time.

How can we find our purpose? That God has intended for us? Begin with the end in mind. Determine what you want out of life in regards to an emotional experience. I am sure you desire good in some form or fashion. Your purpose is to express what you desire into the world while at the same time discovering that which impassions you.

Will God, “The Spirit that is”, actually manifest in physical form. ie. some type of messiah, second coming, or physical? God, "The Spirit that is" is manifesting in every living thing. An individual like Jesus or another Spiritual Master might express higher levels of God potential, God is not limited to expressing as one but always expressing as all. Manifestation of God in form show him/herself to us?

A question about forgiveness. How can one live without judgment and forgive at the same time? In order to feel the need to forgive we must first have a judgment, right? Thanks. Shannon Shannon, I believe you are right but upon further contemplation reserve the right to flip flop.

How or why is patience defined as faith? What can my wife and I do to strengthen our patience and allow the Divine universe to fulfill our desires and needs? What are the best proclamations to deliver to send out the most powerful vibrations? Is this the best technique and if not, which one is? Faith is a belief in that which cannot be evidenced or has yet to happen. Life happens on its own terms and time line which often is not quite as quickly as we would like. Faith gives us the patience to know that everything happens in its own time.

Passages from the Bible as well as teaching and quotes from Buddha and Buddhism are used at Unity. Why are teachings or quotes from Mohammad and the Koran not used? (I’m not Muslim, just curious) Personally speaking it is because I have never studied the Koran and am pretty much unfamiliar with anything beyond the basics. It would be a good objective for me to begin to understand the Muslim faith better.

How does Unity view Islam? Unity believes when diversity is praised, peace and harmony are the rewards.

Why do people believe that their religion, that they believe, is the religion that is right and all others are wrong? People believe their religion is right because they have committed to it's so strongly that they actually believe it is right. A different belief has to be made wrong because of the fear if it isn't wrong they might be. The Tao states the one who thinks he knows is a fool and the one who knows he doesn't know is enlightened.

Share with us several ways how to be an exponential receiver to open our heart center to its fullest capacity. Much love…Thank you! I believe compassion is the key. Put yourself in the place of those who you resist or are angered with and ask if you were them, how would you want to be treated. Then treat them accordingly. Love is a habit that when developed reveals our true nature as spiritual beings.

If we “reap what we sow” energetically, does grace exist? Grace is that power that allows us to rebound from depths of failure, setbacks, despair and addictions. We have all had occasions when we were knocked down by some situation in life or for one reason or other fell into a deep pit of misery. But, no matter how sad, devastated or defeated we might feel, we can always rise up and regain our sense of well being. The power that allows us to do that is Grace.

If suffering comes from attachment, how do we avoid attachment to our desires? (From Janet Taylor) From a Buddhist perspective, letting go of attachment begins when we first become fully aware of what (or who!) we are attached to. This first step enables us to see clearly what outcomes we are clinging to, to see clearly the suffering our unskillful attachments have caused. By shining the light of awareness on our thoughts and actions, we begin to make friends with our mistakes, forgive ourselves for the past, and begin anew: To desire liberation from suffering MORE than any fleeting pleasure—that is when we begin to let go of attachments.

I am struck by how Unity Temple is able to provide a sense of family/spiritual intimacy in such a large congregation. How do you do it? I believe Unity Temple "works" because we all want to be united to a sense of community that sets forth an environment that is uplifting. We hold to the belief that this is a place where diversity is praised and peace and harmony are the rewards. Quite simply that means releasing all negative prejudices, discriminations and judgments of other people and treating them the way we would want to be treated if we were them.

Is there wrong-right, good-bad, black-white? Judgment and non-judgment seem to me to contradict themselves among us. It is good to judge as to whether something is right for you to do or wrong. The answer lies in the effect of your actions. Judge whether your actions will violate the God-given rights of another person and interfere with them living the life they desire. Judging other people as good or bad, right or wrong, better or worse because of their actions, beliefs or characteristics that are within the boundaries of the law usually comes forth from feelings of inferiority.

What was there before the “Big Bang” – something that could explode? I believe there had to be.

Why do I consume bad things or engage in unhealthy behaviors when I am troubled? Why is everyone at Unity so good-looking? :-> Most of us consume bad things or engage in unhealthy behaviors when we are troubled because it is a quick, short term reward that can allow us to momentarily escape. Everybody at Unity is good-looking because you think they are.

What does Unity teach about tithing? The universal law of cause and effect states that we will get back what we put into the world. Express happiness and you will receive happiness back. When it comes to tithing financially, it feels good to know one is doing one's part in supporting an organization that supports them. Although the rule of tithing calls for a 10% contribution of what one receives, I believe that is an individual choice and whether or not to tithe or the amount to tithe is personal.

Other questions:

What is the progress of building update? What is left to be done? Over the last three years, we have accomplished 75% of our objective in regards to building projects. Bruce Maxwell, a Unity Temple board member and professional engineer, has overseen the work and diligently worked through the bidding process and follow-up. The Temple is 62 years old and will continue to need renovation but for now we have made great progress in catching up with the maintenance. The next projects we hope to embark upon when funds are available are primarily investments in energy-saving projects and making the building environmentally-friendly. New thermo-pane windows and an upgrade in heating and cooling control are among those projects.

What is the status of the 2010 campaign. We haven’t heard an update in quite a while. The 2010 Campaign will come to an end in December of this year. We raised approximately $3.5 million dollars and made incredible progress in renovating our building. An update newsletter will be going out shortly detailing funds raised and where the money was spent.

What’s going on with the floors downstairs? Are the walls getting painted? The tile floors throughout the building were getting chipped and broken. Because they were laid with an asbestos adhesive this caused a safety problem, so all new asbestos-free rubber tiles are replacing them. Because of the school schedules, this project won't be completed until late December.

It’s important to have a bookstore inside the church. What’s the future of the bookstore here? The Unity Temple Bookstore has moved from the lower level to the main level just inside the front doors. The Bird Sings, a card and gift store, will be going into the old bookstore space downstairs. It will open in late October.

What classes/resources do you have for both Adults and Children to learn about the world’s religions? (I want to learn about Buddhism, and I want my kids to be exposed to many) Through the Temple Buddhist Center, there are now classes in Buddhism taught five days a week with a special Buddhist meditation on Sunday mornings at 9:00am. Starting September 26, 2010, we will have a Youth Meditation Class at 9:00 am every Sunday in the Myrtle Fillmore Chapel. For more information about the Buddhist activities here at Unity Temple, go to www.templebuddhistcenter.org.

Where is the lost and found? Please contact any staff person about a lost object. We keep the lost and found items secured to prevent theft.

Briefs or boxers? Are these the only two options?

When will that Chaplain Ron give the lesson again? He is so nice! You can experience Ron's lessons more frequently at the Wednesday evening service. Outside of an occasional guest speaker, Janet, Heidi and myself will be doing the Sunday services.

What do we call ourselves? Catholics are Catholics. I never know how to label myself as a congregant of Unity. I usually refer to myself as a student of Unity or a Unity congregant.

I’d like to be notified of illnesses or deaths of my Unity family. They do a great job of that at other churches. This is a great idea. You can look for this information on our web site in the near future.

Can Unity help get me a monthly bus pass so I can get to work and doctors appointments? Unfortunately our financial support services do not include bus passes.

What is a Unity funeral/memorial service like? A Unity memorial service begins with addressing the grief and great sense of loss that has come about as a result of losing a loved one. It then moves into gratitude and appreciation for having the person in our lives and ends with celebrating that person's life.

Will Unity Temple put an ad in the KC Star again? It was because of this ad that we first came here. The Kansas City Star add cost about $3600 per year and after a great deal of consideration I determined that money could be put to better use. We do have Sunday service times and the speaker listed on the website and a telephone recording on the week-ends.

How old are U. How much to you weigh. I just turned 62 years old. Born September 14th, 1948. I just returned from my son's wedding and four day celebration in Portland so I choose not to answer the weight question for two weeks.

Which Sunday does Rev. Duke sing a solo? Reverend Duke sings a solo every Sunday. At home, in the shower.

What if I’m the Rutabaga? If you are a rutabaga, be the best rutabaga you can be, and rutabaga lovers will flock to your presence.

Where was the first Unity church at? How many are there in the world? The first Unity church was at 9th and Tracy in Kansas City. Currently there are approximately 900 Unity churches around the world.

Is there really a “Cousin Ozzie”? And if we go to South Dakota—can we meet him at that bar? There are some family secrets that cannot be told.

What is your middle name? David

On my way to church this morning, I saw a man carrying a wooden cross up the Wornall hill. Is Jesus back? I don't know for sure, but he very well could be.

Is that Duke’s real hair?? Yes it is. Norwegian heritage has endowed upon me thick clumps of hair all over my head very much like the "tufts" of grass on the prairie. Thus the name Tufty.

Peace

2010-09-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Knowing the power of prayer,

We pray that we open our minds

To affirm the new vision of world peace

To the health and well-being of all people

To the dissolution of all conditions that may seem to separate us.

We pray that we deepen our understanding of nature,

Radiate our compassion to all of life

And realize our oneness with the natural world.

We pray that we restore the Earth

To a pristine wellness so it can thrive

As our source of wellness and prosperity.

We pray that each of us is

A beneficial presence to our world

By adding to it our peace, love and harmony.

And so it is.

Amen

Your Creative Power

2010-08-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Everything you see around you came forth from a creative process: the clothes you are wearing, the home you live in, the chair you are sitting in, the television program you watch. The ability to create what you want in life isn't a mystery nor is it a special talent reserved for a select few. Your creativity comes forth from following the "creative process" which leads from the invisible realm of inspired thought to the manifestation of actual experience. There are seven steps in this creative process:

MIND ACTION

Every thought, feeling, attitude and perception that shapes our world and determines our prosperity begins in the mind.

DESIRE

Within the mind a desire surfaces. We feel like life can be different; there is more to ourselves and our lives than we are experiencing.

BELIEF

Desires go unfulfilled if we don't believe that we have the ability to satisfy them. Belief is knowing that if we have the capability to recognize a desire, then we also have the capability to satisfy it.

IDEAS

Once we have confidence that we can satisfy our desires, the mind begins to create ideas that will achieve that end.

ACTION

An idea is just an idea until it is acted upon. We don't have to know exactly how everything is going to unfold, we just have to act. . .and take the first step.

ASSESSMENT

When we act on an idea we may miss the mark and not achieve the desired results. This is a natural part of the creative process. When this happens, we simply assess the results, learn from what took place and act again.

PERSISTENCE

Persistence is continuing on and being unattached to the fruits of our labor. Persistence is trying, failing, learning and trying again. The progress made in pursuing a goal is more fulfilling than achieving the goal itself. If followed, this seven step creative process will lead to the manifestation of your desires. If progress isn’t apparent, it is always the result of one of the steps remaining

unemployed.

To find out more about how best to implement these seven creative steps into your life, click here.

Having an Open Heart

2010-08-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

In this moment, we can choose to have an open heart, which means allowing the love in our hearts to radiate out. The open heart is like a two-way path—one direction tells us not to initiate or express any words or actions that can be hurtful to another. The second direction is to accept others with understanding and compassion, wherever they are, how ever they are, at any given moment.

If someone’s words or action are negative or perhaps even attacking nature, you have a choice to remain in their presence or remove yourself from it, but an open heart continues to hold them in the light, even when they are acting in an unlovable and unacceptable way. The open heart gives us access to a deeper understanding of others. We may not know all the details of a person’s life or understand what happened to make them the way that they are, but we can understand that they are doing the best they can with the situations life has given them.

Through the deeper understanding that comes from an open heart, we can move to a place where we don’t take responsibility for the way another person acts towards us, but we do take responsibility for how we react towards them.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus teaches us about having an open heart. The good person, out of the good treasure of his heart produces good. The abundance of what we hold in our heart is the abundance of how we experience the world. Jesus told us to not see our treasure as that of the material world, because those things can be stolen or corrupted or waste away. But rather, we can store up our treasure in our heart, where it is unaffected by worldly things. The place where your treasure is, is the way you will end up being.

There are three lessons of the open heart. First, always assume the best about somebody until there is factual evidence to prove otherwise. With the lack of fully understanding another person, the imagination comes into play, which can spin a false and unfair judgment. Imagine the best in others.

The second lesson is the power of the Golden Rule—treat others the way you want to be treated. How is that we all want to be treated? We want to be respected and seen as a valuable part of this world. We want to be understood. We want others to understand that even though our behavior isn’t ideal at times, that we are trying and we are doing the best we can in any situation. We want to be loved, which in its simplest form is acceptance. We want to be encouraged. From time to time, we need to be told that we are doing fine, and that we have the potential to do better.

The third lesson of the open heart is that the affect we have on the world around us radiates out from us and touches those around us. It is exactly the same effect that we see the world having on us. So each of us can choose today, in this very moment, to open our hearts and let love flow out in all directions, love for ourselves and all others. We can change our lives in the blink of an eye…

2010-07-22T08:12:00.001-07:00

Affirmations for Living an Abundance Life

My higher good is in motion, and I expect its arrival momentarily.

The Christ within guides me in all I do.

I am blessed in many ways, and I am the blessing in many ways.

I give thanks for my Divine Potential to be healthy, wealthy and wise.

I give thanks for my inner power to create the life I desire to live.

My expectations are bold and hopeful.

My blessings are many; my regrets are short lived; my future is flush with great benefits.

In the prosperous circle of light, as I give so shall I receive.

I now manifest in my life the good that is mine to have!

2010-07-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

How do we know what scripture is the voice of God?

It tells us in the Bible that human beings were made in the image of God. That may very well be true; however, human beings have also invented a God in their image. If an ancient ruler governed the people with anger, punishment and wrath, it is most likely he projected those attributes onto God when overseeing and approving what would be written in scripture and what wouldn’t. At the same time, if a ruler was compassionate and benevolent, that became the character of God. So which ruler is right? Or perhaps they are both right leaving us with a volatile God that we have to tiptoe around lest we get struck down by lightening.

I don’t believe that God is a person perched on a throne somewhere in the far reaches of the universe looking down on our every move. I believe God is spirit; the life-force within us; the one and only power in the universe that is the creative energy behind all that exists. God is it all; the whole shebang; everywhere present. Scripture that is divinely inspired is totally supportive, compassionate and loving of the “whole”. Scripture that dips into inequalities, prejudices and divisive lines of demarcation is not sound thought, and therefore, I believe, not representative of the God spirit that is the essence of all life.

2010-06-08T09:30:00.001-07:00

We are Pure Potential

In this moment, we recognize that everything exists in the realm of potentiality. We recognize with gratitude the tremendous potential each of us has to be a beneficial presence to the world through loving, caring, giving and sharing. May our potential for love radiate out like the warmth of the sun and touch the hearts of those who feel alone. May our potential for caring be like a summer rain that serves all of life with a nurturing touch. May our potential for giving be like the earth which gives its nutrients to every seed that is planted, yet never depletes itself. May our potential for sharing be as free as a gentle breeze, flowing without resistance and providing relief where it is needed. For this we pray, in the name of the Universal Spirit which provides for us unceasingly. And so it is.

2010-05-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

It feels good to do good

A woman and her five-year-old boy lived in a house overlooking a valley. One day the little boy became so angry at his mother that he ran out of the house and yelled into the valley, "I hate you!" Immediately, the echo of what he had yelled came back to the little boy, and he thought somebody was yelling "I hate you" to him. This scared the little boy, and he ran inside to tell his mother there was a mean person out there yelling at him. The mother knew what happened, so she told the little boy to go outside and yell, "I love you!". When the little body did this, a voice came back to him saying, "I love you!"

This story is simple but the point is profound for it illustrates an immutable principle of nature call the Law of Cause and Effect. That which we cause to happen comes back to effect us in the same way. Jesus said, "Whatever a person sows, that is also what the person will reap." Confucius said, "Whatever proceeds from you will return to you." Jewish text states, "A liberal man will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. In Buddhism and Hinduism, it is called karma. Every major religion has a variation of this law as one of its foundational principles. Whatever you express into the world is what you will get back. Express anger, hatred, ill will or offensive acts to another, and that is what will return to you. Express love, kindness, compassion and good deeds, and that is what will return to you. It feels good to do good. It feels bad to do bad. Determine how you want to feel, then treat others in an identical way.

2010-05-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

(from KC Star)

Is homosexuality a religious issue?

Prejudice of some boggles the mind

Imagine for a moment that you have a garden with a wide variety of wonderful, beautiful and colorful roses. Each one offers a unique and individual beauty that greatly benefits the one who gazes upon them. Then one day, a dictate comes down from some religious order stating that red is the only natural color for a rose and therefore every rose of a different color should be plucked up and cast into the fire. Would you say the declaration that red be the only color for a rose should be a religious issue?

In God’s great garden of humanity there are a wide variety of wonderful, beautiful and colorful people. Each person offers a unique and individual beauty to the world. When attuned to his or her heart, each greatly benefits the world, whether that person is black, white, Asian, Native American or Hispanic; of any particular religion, agnostic or atheist; man or woman; heterosexual or homosexual. Who has the right to self-appoint themselves as judge of the flowers in the garden?

I just don’t understand how anybody with a clear mind and compassionate heart can state that one’s sexuality is basis for condemnation, discrimination or prejudice. Even more mind-boggling is how any religious institution can be so insolent and ignorant to condemn a child of God in the name of God.

2010-04-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

One Power and One Presence

Looking out to the far reaches of the sky, we see a space so vast that it is incomprehensible. Using the latest technological advancements, we can observe the inner depths of our physical presence.

Beyond the physical there is a common energy, a spirit, that is the very essence of life. We call this spirit God, and it permeates everything in the universe around us as well as every cell in our bodies.

Yet one of the greatest misperceptions that plagues us at times is that God is separate from us. Having a sense of separation from God can leave us feeling helpless, hopeless, and fearful in regard to the more difficult situations we face in life. In addition—living in this illusion of separation from God—we often turn to the world around us in search of something to sustain us, to give us courage, or to depend on for strength, only to be let down in the long run.

There are two basic ways that we can strengthen our relationship with God. The first is to have an understanding of God that moves beyond myth to an awareness of the God Presence within us as love given unconditionally and continually. The spirit of God within never leaves us, never withholds from us that which we need, and never condemns us as unworthy. To truly know our oneness with God is to move from our mind to our heart, because it is from the consciousness of love that we resonate with the presence of God within.

The second way to strengthen our relationship with God is to have absolute trust in God. When problems appear to abound and challenges seem to overwhelm us, we remain confident and secure. During the most difficult of times, we will have faith, hope, love, strength, and peace of mind as we turn to God, affirming God's presence and supply. That which we need will be provided.

There is one Presence and Power in the universe and in our lives. As we believe in God and trust in God, our cup shall truly overflow.

2010-04-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

The Power of Belief

The world is blessed with hundreds of thousands of buildings which are magnificent in style. From the grand cathedrals of Italy to the Taj Mahal, various palaces and the incredible skyscrapers of New York City there are buildings that are awe inspiring. Every one of those structures began as a vision in the architect’s mind. Every material thing you can think of was at one time nothing more than an idea, a tiny spark of an idea, held within the mind of an individual who believed he or she could manifest that idea into physical reality.

Every one of us has the God-given ability to create within our minds, images, ideas and visions that have the potential to manifest into physical reality. All we have to do is believe. What is it you want out of life? Are there things you would like to improve in your relationships, physical health, emotional well-being or self-image? Imagine already having what it is you want. Experience the joy of it in your mind. When you make it real in your mind, the mind becomes a goal seeking device that will guide you and direct you in ways that will make what you want real in the outer world.

"When you pray, whatever it is you want, pray in a way in which you believe you have already received it and it will be yours".” Jesus Christ

2010-04-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

EARLY UNITY CHURCH THRIVES IN KANSAS CITY

By Lysa Allman-Baldwin (in latest Unity.Org online magazine)

In 1928 Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Unity's founders, purchased land on Kansas City's beautiful Country Club Plaza with plans to build the first Unity church. Charles Fillmore intended the structure to be a tribute to his beloved wife.

It took 15 years of planning and five years to build the detailed structure, which includes a massive limestone foundation. Charles Fillmore believed it was symbolically important for a church to have a solid foundation—just as it is important for a person to have a strong spiritual foundation.

The church structure is full of symbolic accoutrements selected by Charles Fillmore himself. Details include murals, beautiful stained glass and an awe-inspiring 1,260-seat sanctuary. Senior minister Duke Tufty says Charles Fillmore went to great lengths to honor his wife. “[The Temple] was his prize to her. He made it the best that it could possibly be.”

Regrettably, both Charles and Myrtle Fillmore made their transitions before the distinctive landmark building was completed. Unity Temple on the Plaza held its first services in 1948.

Although most people refer to the Temple as a church, it encompasses much more, says Tufty. “Unity Temple is a center for well-being. We are a church and we hold church services, but our primary purpose is to be a center that helps establish and support well-being for the body, mind and spirit by providing space for many different approaches to spirituality.”

Unity Temple attracts a broad spectrum of people for a variety of spiritually based services, programs and classes. “The Temple is so wonderfully inclusive, and we have many different community activities here. Anybody that walks through the door can find something with a spiritual attitude that increases their sense of well-being,” notes Tufty.

Over the years, the Unity Temple community has continued to evolve. Historic milestones include the addition of the Cornerstone Foundation, a group which presents an array of community author events and programs; Spirituality and All That Jazz, featuring some of Kansas City's best jazz artists and musicians; and Eden Alley, an award-winning vegetarian restaurant.

Other popular features at the church include alternative Catholic and Buddhist meditation and worship services, a bookstore, fitness classes, addiction support groups, concerts and theater productions.

Now 120 years since the Unity movement began, Unity Temple stands strong as one of the hundreds of Unity centers worldwide. Together they carry on the Fillmore's legacy to honor the universal truths in all religions and to respect each individual's right to choose a spiritual path.

This feature originally appeared on www.Unity.org

For more great history about Unity Temple, go to: http://www.unitytemple.com/about/history.asp

2010-04-08T12:54:00.001-07:00

GRACE

I receive the amazing grace of God

And I am lifted up and moved beyond

any sadness, anger or despair

caused by some misfortune of a time gone by.

I open my mind to the amazing Grace of God

And every disturbing thought

Is made impermanent

Leaving peace as the foundation of my soul.

I praise the amazing Grace of God

For through it my wellness is restored,

My hope is reignited,

And I am made whole.

THROUGH THE AMAZING GRACE OF GOD

I CLAIM MY RIGHT TO A BRIGHT NEW DAY.

2010-03-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

On an Evolutionary Path
By Rev. Duke Tufty

My relationship with Jesus Christ has been an evolutionary path with many twists and turns. I grew up in a very fundamental church and upon reaching the third grade I was given a “Book of Prayer” which dogmatically asserted the theology of that religion. From that book I quote:

“O thou great God, who art just and holy, I, thy sinful, unclean creature, come before thee in deep humility, confessing my many sins and my total unworthiness. In the wounds of Jesus Thou has provided cleansing for my uncleanness and pardon for my sinful nature.”

Hearing this as a 7-year-old was quite confusing. I was left with a sense of unworthiness, shame and guilt over the death of Jesus to the point he became the enemy.

As I grew older, I rejected the church I was raised in and divorced myself from all religion. In addition, I rejected Jesus Christ and found no value in anything he said or did, and Jesus became a “nobody.” I held strongly to this view until I was in my early thirties when I went through a two-year period of failures, setbacks and drug addiction. After an overdose, it became apparent to me that I needed a relationship with a higher power, and in my search I found Unity. It was like the dark, morose, heavy “drapery” on the stage of life was pulled back and for the first time I was able to see meaning and purpose to my life. Through Unity I was taught that Jesus was an example to follow and not an exception beyond human potential. Over time he became a role model, mentor and comforter. His message was no longer one of condemnation but of support. Instead of enforcing the self-image of a “sinful, unclean creature” that I once held, he uplifted me to a beautiful new awareness of beholding the Christ in all people. From where I came to where I am is the difference between heaven and hell.

2010-03-11T11:26:00.000-08:00

Forgiveness

I would not carry with me the glowing ember that burned my hand,

Nor would I go about my day with a sliver wedged deep into my skin.

In that same manner, I release situations of the past which disrupted my peace of mind

and caused ill feelings, for they only continue to hurt me as long as I choose to hold on to them.

Today, I willingly forgive and release all harsh feelings toward myself or others. I rise above and move beyond uncomfortable memories, and claim my right to live this day

with a Peaceful Mind,

a Peaceful Heart

and a Peaceful Spirit

I AM FREE, I AM UNLIMITED,

THERE ARE NO CHAINS THAT BIND ME.

2010-02-17T14:09:00.000-08:00

The Prayer of Abundant Life

In this moment I move to my highest realm of consciousness and connect with Spirit, the most Sacred, the Essence of Being.

Today, I am manifesting the Divine through my thoughts and actions.

I am given that which is needed to enrich my body, mind and soul.

There are no limitations to my well-being.

I release all thoughts and actions that do not come from harmony.

I know that today I can choose peace.

I can stay centered in Spirit and free myself from fear.

For there is One Power and One Presence uniting all of Life.

I am Spirit abundantly expressing.

2010-02-04T10:09:00.001-08:00

When to Pray

The truth seeker once asked the Wise One when was the best day and what was the best time to pray. The Wise Master said that the best day and time to pray is on the last day of your life. The truth seeker responded, "But life is unpredictable. We can't be sure of when our last day will be."

"Ahhhh," said the The Wise Master.

2010-01-20T12:41:00.001-08:00

This is a New Day

This is a new day.

I am not limited by events of the past, mistakes I have made or problems I have had. I am only blessed by the wisdom that came from those experiences. Every step on the path of life has brought me to this time and this place, and I recognize my potential to live this day with a greater sense, of joy, peace, harmony and love. I have no fears or worries about what lies ahead. God's good is everywhere present. I live this day with confidence and high expectations for the blessings that abound.

2010-01-06T14:30:00.001-08:00

Life is a Teacher

Here we are at the first of 2010. We have the entire year before us, to do with it whatever we choose. Many of us have made resolutions. We have set goals and objectives. We have high hopes and strong desires for 2010 to be a good year, and whether it is a good year or not hinges on one thing: the state of well-being we experience as we go through it.

Well-being is Life’s primary value. Everything else we pursue is secondary, in that we believe it will lead to a stronger sense of well-being. Peace of mind, love, harmony, happiness, prosperity, success, health relationships are all wonderful beautiful aspects of life because they instill within us a sense of well-being. Well-being is the ultimate goal that every single living thing seeks, and every living thing has everything it needs to create an existence of well-being.
Often time when I am out and about and meet people not familiar with Unity Temple, they will ask me, what exactly is Unity Temple on the Plaza? My response is, “It is a Center for Well-Being.” Unity Temple is a Center that helps establish and support well-being, for the body, the mind and the spirit. We are a church. We hold church services. We are a community center where many different support groups, social groups and special interest groups meet. We are a cultural arts center that presents concerts, art displays and various forms of theater. We are a spiritual center that provides space for many different approaches to religion. But first and foremost, our primary purpose and principle is to be a Center for Well-Being.

We aren’t selective, discriminatory or judgmental when various people or organization want to hold their activities here. We only have one criteria that determines what happens here and what doesn’t:

“Does the activity uplift people to a great sense of well-being, without having a negative impact on anything or anybody?”

Throughout 2010 the Sunday morning service will be dedicated to offering insight and support to you for the increase of your well-being individually, and also focus on ways that we can collectively increase the well-being of the world. That is what Unity Temple is all about.

If you will commit yourself to this process for 2010, individually and collectively, we will march through 2010 together, confidently and triumphantly. We will find ourselves at the end of this year looking back with great appreciation and satisfaction for the increase in well-being we have created for ourselves and for others.

Well-being is a natural state of being, so in order to increase our well-being, the first objective is to discover what interferes with or hampers it, usually something that has happened in the past or a fear we have of what might happen in the future. So let’s make our first objective to leave in the past what belongs in the past. Many years ago, there was a minister here at Unity Temple. Her name was Martha Guidici, and she was a most interesting character. She was short in stature, stocky, actually quite stocky. She chose to wear her belt beneath her stomach. When she walked, it was a very determined and confident walk, with arms swinging out to the side. she was a like fearless general walking onto the battlefield! Long before I became a minister, I came to see her because I was facing a tremendous challenge that seemed to cloud over every other aspect of my life and totally diminish my sense of well-being. After listening to me pour out my sorrows and woes, Reverent Guidici said to me, “This time too shall pass”. Then, she told me a story.

“There once was a woman”, she said, “very much like yourself, who was deeply troubled about a situation in life. One evening while she was wallowing in her misery there was a knock on the door. When she opened it, there was a very tall and stately-looking man, dressed in what might have been a butler’s uniform, and he spoke with a very proper English accent. He said, ‘Good, Evening, Ma’am. This is for you,’ and handed her a small package, after which, he turned and walked away. The woman went into her house, opened up the package and insider there was a mudpie, a real, honest-to-goodness mudpie, made out of real mud. At first, the woman was confused as to why anybody would send her such a gift. Then, her confusion turned to irritation, and irritation to anger. But, for some reason, she didn’t throw the mudpie away. She sat it on the window sill in her kitchen and went to bed. Days passed, then weeks and months. Each day, the sun would come through the kitchen window and shine upon the mudpie. Eventually the mud dried out, and began to crack.”

“One morning, when the woman went into her kitchen, the mudpie had crumbled completely apart, and inside the mudpie, there was a diamond.” At the end of the story, Reverend Guidici looked me in the eyes and in a very kind, but strong and adamant way, she said, “inside every mudpie, there’s a diamond.” She then instructed me to come to church that Sunday.

When I arrived that Sunday morning, I was surprised to see that the lesson title was “Inside every Mudpie…There’s a Diamond.” The entire lesson focused on the twists and turns of life. She said, “Every adversity, setback or challenge holds with in it the seed of a greater benefit. Those times in our lives which seem the most troubling and difficult are not stop signs, but actually stepping stones that lead us to a higher degree of well-being in our lives. As we look back over our lives we can see how various events and activities that seemed devastating, unfair or even tragic at the time, actually were the first steps that led to a good in our lives, that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. If we get stuck in a difficult time of the past and replay the situation over and over, re-experiencing the painful emotions over and over, WE NEVER GET BEYOND IT."

The problem I was dealing with the day I went to see Reverend Guidici was about a very hurtful experience I had. It weighed heavily on me at the time. I was stuck in it. She helped me get unstuck, so I could move on with my life. Now, looking back, I can clearly see that if I hadn’t had that experience, I would be where I am today. I wouldn’t be living the life I am living, which I consider to be very good.

The point is that everything that happens in our lives, everything, has meaning and purpose. Every experience is a step on our individual path, and we have the choice to either get stuck on that step and stay stuck in the misery, or pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and confidently take the next step forward, step toward a renewed sense of well-being.

Now, the question arises, what exactly is well-being? Well-being is our birthright. It is the nature of life. It is our spiritual inheritance. Well-being is experience in life what we want to the degree of fulfillment. At times, peace of mind constitutes our well-being. AT other times, it is love, harmony, happiness, or succeeding in some undertaking. Every living things has the ability to do that. Every create on the earth is born with an instinctual power and the inherent attributes to create for itself an existence of well-being.

Life is the teacher, and we are the students. When we closely observe the nature of life and the way every other living thing on this earth lives its life, we discover that everything in life, every species, every individual expression within a species, has a strong and consistent state of well-being, except for human beings.

There is an old saying, “A cat never jumps on a hot stove twice.” It does it once, understands the consequences and never does it again, and at the same time, never thinks about it again. If the cat engaged in thinking like a human being after jumping on the hot stove, it would revisit the experience over and over again, reliving the pain an suffering the hot stove caused and live in trepidation and fear, that somehow, some way, we might end up getting burned by a hot stove again. WE think that way because we have two attributes that no other living things have. We can reflect, and we can imagine. We can reflect on the past, and we can imagine what might happen in the future.

Reflection and imagination are means of inspiration. They are meant to strike like lightening, with flashes of insight and higher knowledge. When something problematic, difficult or challenging happens, we can reflect on it to determine the cause. We can imagine what we could have done or what we can do in the future with a similar situation. We can come to a conclusion and move on. The problem is, because this power to reflect and imagine is relatively new to human beings, we have not yet mastered their use. We are still engaged in the learning curve. Many times we don’t reflect on the past, instead we dwell on it. A difficult, unfortunate or painful experience becomes a dwelling place for our mind, reliving over and over and over again the same situation and re-experiencing, over and over again, the same negative emotions.

In a similar regard, there are time when we don’t imagine new ways, changes or solutions for our problems and challenges, but rather thoughts of fear and trepidation cause us to imagine new, bigger and more horrific problems that might happen in the future, but that in most cases will never happen at all. The vast majority of things that disrupt our sense of well-being are NOT things before us in the present moment, but rather thoughts, feelings attitudes and perceptions that have gotten stuck in the remorse of the past or fears of the future.

With this knowledge about the importance of finding and maintaining a sense of well-being, we can now go through life with a renewed sense of purpose. We can begin to observe our thoughts and emotions and feeling and attitudes looking for recurring patterns about the past or the future. We identify them first so we can then learn and grow beyond our current regrets and fears. We can let go and let God the Good be revealed in our lives. Being present with all our thoughts and emotions, honoring them, then letting them go, compassionately allowing ourselves this next year, this year of potential, the year 2010, for a great transformation through these small, tiny steps that we will take each day, to learn and grow in a whole new way. Our sense of well-being depends on it.

2009-12-15T14:43:00.000-08:00

Holiday Hope

In this season of hope and inspiration, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, to honor the message he brought to this world. His message awakens us to the God Spirit within us. The God Spirit is in every living person equally and abundantly and provides for us everything we need to live a comfortable and fulfilling life. Jesus’ message was one of peace, harmony and love. Where there was conflict, he brought peace. Where there was hatred, he brought love. Where there was darkness and despair, he brought the light of a new day and new life. He said to all, “What I have done, you can do also, and even more.”

Jesus’ words can awaken our inner power, can move us from the trenches of hopelessness and despair, can enable us to rise and move beyond the uncomfortable conditions of our lives. In the Bible, it says that without vision, people perish. So, in this season of hope and inspiration, we can take advantage of this time to reflect on our vision for the future. We can establish the vision, hold it strong in our mind, and draw on our spiritual attribute of hope to give the vision life. That which we hold in mind will manifest in our lives. Deep within our being, we know this to be true.

The consciousness of each of us individually determines the reality of our life, and the consciousness of the people on this planet Earth determines the state of the world in the future. Let each of us recognize the Power within and envision a better world and a better way of life, and know that is the reality that we are manifesting in this very moment.

Hope is a spiritual attribute that each of us possesses in an unlimited way. Without hope, we are only half alive. With hope, we dream, we think, and we work towards realization of our hearts’ desire. Hope is energy. Hope is fuel for a better way of living. Hope makes seeming impossibilities give way to the manifestation of our dreams. Just as the new life of springtime comes forth from the dark womb of winter, and just as splendor rises up out of the desolation, each of us can recognize that a hopeful thought is like a rising sun. It bursts through with glory and lights up our world. We recognize that the problems and challenges we face are merely the prelude to a better day and a better life. So, with discrimination towards none, compassion for all, and a strong desire for what’s ours to claim, we allow our hopes to rise in glory.

Joining together, we have the Power to envision our future world as a place where all of nature is held sacred, a place where the environment is preserved, and every living thing is able to flourish. We envision a peaceful Earth, where the nations of the world have joined together with a sense of unity, when battles, wars and weapons are no longer needed. We envision our world as a place where every person has a good home, enough to eat, proper medical care and all the amenities that support a healthy lifestyle. We envision our world as a place where diversity is truly celebrated, a place where every person knows their value and unique purpose, and where each of us honors and values those who are different.

We can join together and proclaim, “Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.”

2009-12-02T12:09:00.001-08:00

The Art of Living
The Four Cornerstones

FORGIVENESS, of disturbing memories of the past

AWARENESS, for capturing the joy of the present

IMAGINATION, for designing the future

FREEDOM, to be all that you uniquely are!

2009-11-19T14:44:00.001-08:00

The spiritual FAQs

The three most commonly asked spiritual questions are:

WHAT IS GOD?
God is the One Power and One Presence in the Universe. We are all interrelated. God is within each and every one of us.

WHAT CAUSED US TO BE?

This universe was created using two important laws, the Law of Potential and the Law of Attraction. There exists in the universe the potential for life, and we have been created out of this great potential. The Law of Attraction enabled us to coming into being and enables us to create our world.

WHY AM I HERE?
As a human being, we each have within us the potential to create a life which is uniquely ours to live. This is our gift to ourselves and to the world. At any point in our life, we can evaluate what is working and what isn't. At any point in our life, we have everything we need to reinvent ourselves, as Jesus said, to be born again. We can reinvent ourselves as individuals and reinvent ourselves as a species. We are not bound by what we have been in the past. We can bring fresh awareness to every situation and see it and ourselves in a fresh, new light of potential manifesting Good.

2009-11-04T14:20:00.001-08:00

Hope

In every moment, I have the freedom to dwell on thoughts that are hopeful or hopeless, and on this day I choose to submerge myself in an unwavering hope that gives me the strength to proceed forward with a positive expectation for the very best outcome.

Knowing I am one with the Divine Creator of the Universe, I fuel my hopes with positive expectation.

2009-10-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

What is Unity

Unity in its proper perspective is not a religion but rather a source of spiritual nourishment. Religion can be divisive and discriminatory because doctrines, dogma and creeds are written as “the” way and not “a” way. The differences in doctrines between religions often become egotistically bloated to the point that a deep division lies between them. A quick review of history shows us that there have been more conflicts and wars in the name of God by opposing religions than there have been between civilizations.

Unity Temple is not here to impose on you religious creeds or to try and convince you of thinking in a certain way but rather we are here to help you identify your unique and individual needs and present Truth Principles that can help you not only satisfy those needs but progress to a more fulfilling life in the process. We don’t take the position that Unity is "the" way. It might very well be likely at this point in your life, your greatest need can be filled by a strong fundamental church, and we encourage to seek that out if it is for your highest good.

The teachings at Unity Temple are based on peace, harmony, love and a sense of oneness with others and your world. That vital aspect of life will never change, and we know if that is where our focus is, that is what will manifest in our lives.

2009-09-23T15:17:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be spiritual without following a particular faith?

Religion came into being to establish a moral conscience amongst the people. Over the years it has served that purpose well, but along the way it made three wrong turns which alienated many people.

The first was “playing” God and pompously asserting only the “church goers” would go to heaven, and all others were doomed to eternal hell. The second was being swept away in clouds of arrogance where the religious leaders came to believe they knew it all. Based on the knowledge of the day, they cast their doctrines and creeds in stone, many of which we now know to be gross misperceptions. The third was alleviating the spiritual experience. People were so inundated with rules, regulations, demands and punishments that the experience of being connected to God and finding the sacred in everyday life was smothered out.

Spirituality has evolved out of religion bringing with it the ancient wisdom that can be considered absolute. It is an inner process of self discovery and direction. It restores autonomy in regards to one’s relationship with God and encourages the individual to experience his/her higher power directly and freely without the confines of dogma. Rather than worshiping a spiritual master, spirituality engages one in learning how to live like a spiritual master. "Rise up from your knees at the base of the monument and walk confidently in the way of the messenger." (anonymous)

2009-08-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

Questions along the way

Unity Temple Lesson of August 16, 2009

Questions and Answers about Unity Principles and Unity Temple from Rev. Duke Tufty

You know, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore when they began Unity, one of the primary principles that they based the movement on, was that every single person has the truth within them. And that means that you have the truth within you, the spiritual truth, the divine truth, the God consciousness within you, to make decisions on how you want to live your life, and how you want to be, the kind of personality you want to have, and the different objectives you want to aspire to; it’s all within you.

And just because I’m the one standing up here on stage this morning answering questions, doesn’t mean that I’m the one who has arrived, or I’m the enlightened one; I am no different than all of you. I am a fellow student, I am on the path, searching for answers, sometimes finding them, sometimes continuing to search – but it’s a wonderful, wonderful process of life that keeps us all moving forward.

So this morning we are just going to answer a few questions that you have and the ones that we don’t have time to answer, we’ll answer them throughout the week. They’ll be posted on the website, or if you would like, you can call us up and we’ll send you a transcript of them.

So I’ve asked Ms. Heidi to join me. Since the last time I did this somebody questioned me as to whether I was really reading the question on the card, or if it was one I was making up in my head.

Do you think each person has only one soul mate?

Actually, I do not believe that, and some of the answers I am going to give this morning would be from a person basis and not from an absolute truth basis because there’s many things we don’t know. But I think there is a realm of consciousness in which we can all find a sense of oneness with another person.

And sometimes that soul mate takes years to unfold because we have to move through the different issues that we build up over a lifetime. But I think when we arrive to that place of true, unconditional love, and we find a compatibility with somebody, that person can become a soul mate and there is absolutely no limitation to the number of soul mates we can have.

How does one cope with external events such as possible job loss, at close to retirement age, and know that abundance will always be there?

Well, that is a good question. Prosperity literally defined means having whatever we desire to the degree that we wish. And our well-being isn’t dependent upon anything else but peace of mind, and sense of harmony and love in our lives. God will provide. God doesn’t provide with money, but God does provide with Divine ideas. And I don’t believe there is going to be a single person in this room that is ever going to move to a point that they get stuck, and they cannot continue moving forward to their higher good.

Sometimes it seems like we are stuck in a problem, or a challenge, or we face devastating fears about the future, but life moves on. And no matter what happens in our lives, nothing can permanently impair our peace of mind and our sense of well-being.

How many lives do we have?

Nobody knows. I can say what I believe, that life goes on; we know that the energy within us, the Spirit within us, it never, ever decreases. It never, ever dissolves. It is eternal. It has been around for 14 billion years, it will be around for another 14 billion years. That is the God energy, the God Spirit within us.

I also know this: that each and every one of us is never, ever, going to exist again in the bodily dress that we have now. When we move on, the Spirit moves on and the body is laid to rest. I believe that we do reincarnate someplace, where, I don’t know, but there is another dimension beyond this one; and I also believe that we are able to communicate and come into contact with those people that we have loved previously.

Who is Jesus Christ in this church?

Jesus Christ is a teacher, he is a spiritual brother, he is a Way-shower, he is the one that lived up to the highest level of human potential that we know of, but we also recognize that there are other spiritual masters as well; some that Jesus learned from. Many people believe that Jesus traveled to India, and some other places, where he studied Buddhism, and Buddha lived 500 years before him.

So Jesus is an example of what we can do and how we can live, and he in his own words said that he was not the exception; that we all have this God power, this God presence this potential within us.

Where do you believe you go when you die?

Some place. Other than that, I have absolutely no idea, other than the fact that it is some place good. It’s some place good.

What is the main purpose to life?

I believe that the main purpose to life is progressive, creative expression; and what I mean by that is that we all have potential, and when we creatively draw on that potential to progress forward to higher levels of love, to higher levels of peace, and higher levels of oneness with God, that that fulfills our purpose for being here.

From a spiritual standpoint, I think the primary purpose for life is to treat other people they way that we would like to be treated. And when we mastered that, we’ve mastered life.

What do you or Unity think about “angels,” or “guides” or “protectors?” I think that there is a spiritual energy; that angels exist; that guides exist; that protectors exist. I know there’s many times when I have been faced with incredible challenges, and messages come to me that solves my problems, and helps me move beyond my challenges, and it usually has a sense of wisdom to it that I feel was provided for me by somebody in the spiritual dimension that is watching over me.

A guardian is another issue. I think that we are all guardians. We’re all here to help other people, to support other people in a spiritual way; to watch over them just as a parent watches over their young children. We are here to be guardians for those people that we love, and that doesn’t necessarily mean interfering in their lives, but it means always being there with our love. That’s the only responsibility we have for other people. We don’t have responsibility of supporting them financially or solving their problems, but we do have the responsibility to always be there with an open heart and love them.

I have a difficult time in understanding the balance between co-creating with God and letting go, letting God. When do we co-create and when do we let go?

Well, letting go and letting God involve both situations and circumstances that are unchangeable. If we lose somebody that’s very dear to us and we’re extremely troubled by it, there’s nothing that can reverse that, and that is something that we can let go and let God. Many times parents come to me and they are very worried about their children - adult children. They are living their lives in ways that the parents don’t approve of; sometimes its addiction problems and my answer to them is, ‘They are on their path, moving towards their higher good, and you just need to let go and let God be the driving influence in their lives.’

Co-creating with God is personally what we desire to have in our lives. And God is the energy within us, our imagination, our creativity, our stamina, our strength, our power – all those beautiful attributes that allow us to create what we want in our lives. Now that can be a long-term objective--perhaps I want to co-create with God to accrue vast amounts of money--but also is co-creating in every single moment.

When we walk out of this church today, and we move into the world around us, we can co-create with God the experience that we have from every situation and circumstance that we face. If there’s something that angers us and we fly into a rage, we’re co-creating with God. God provides with energy, we channel it into thoughts and feelings and attitudes and perceptions; the experience of that situation. If we step back, calm down, bless it, and bless the situation or person that caused it, we’re co-creating with God a sense of harmony in our lives.

It’s like God is the power, the power source. God is the electricity so to speak, and we are the ones that determine what to do with that power. When it comes to electricity, we can use it to electrocute somebody, or we can use it to enlighten the room. It’s up to us; we have that choice.

What do you say when someone says that ‘This is not Christianity?’

I usually say, ‘What is?’ We actually had this 15 years ago when we started Spirituality and all that Jazz in this room, and somebody wrote a letter to me and said that that kind of music wasn’t spiritual. And my only response was that everything is spiritual, whether it is jazz or whether it’s on our knees praying. We live in a vast spiritual sea of activities, and anything that helps increase the sense of well-being for one, without deterring the well-being for another, I see as a spiritual activity.

How do you pray to God and simultaneously know that you already have the answers to your questions?

Well, when we pray to God, we don’t pray to God to give us something. We don’t pray to God to give us the solutions to our problems, or to give us the way around a challenge, or to give us a winning lottery ticket, or whatever it might be. God is not out there to be petitioned to answer our prayers. God provides for us, everything that we need to solve our problems and move beyond the challenges.

So when we pray, we pray in an affirmative way. It is a prayer of gratitude. It is ‘Thank you God, for the wisdom you have given me, that will surface and provide me with the solutions I am looking for.’ So instead of feeling like we’re behind this brick wall, unable to do something ourselves, and we’re depending on somebody out there to intervene and do it for us, we are saying, ‘I have the wisdom, and power and strength within me, to move beyond this. And thank you.’

It is that very affirmation of realizing that we have that, and affirming it, that allows higher levels of consciousness to kick-in, and find ourselves around that which is troubling us.

Is there such a thing as evil? If God created everything, did God create evil?

Definitely, there is evil. All we have to do is pick up the morning newspaper and we see horrendous things that have happened, and evil things that have been done by people. God doesn’t create evil. God is the power of life. And once again, we have been given the power to choose what we are going to do with that life power. We can do good, or we can do bad. It’s all God, but once again, back to the co-creation of it, we’re determining what we do with the God power within us.

How does Unity reconcile the concepts of free will and God’s will?

Well, I think God’s will is our will if we are aligned with our spiritual nature. Every single person in here came into the world the same way. We came in pure; we came in innocent; we came in good; we came in beautiful; and then life shaped us. A series of events and circumstances and the environment in which we grew up in, shaped us into a person who had certain beliefs and certain attitudes, some which benefit us and some which don’t. And when we move forward on the spiritual path we take a look at those attitudes, and those thoughts and feelings that really don’t feel good to us. And any sense of hate, any sense of rage, any sense of self-condemnation or self-criticism or feelings of unworthiness – they don’t strengthen the soul; they weaken the soul. So we take what God has given us, and we move forward as students of life on the path, and continually learn, and continually progress.

Why do some people say, ‘Oh, that’s not church,’ when I say I attend Unity Temple on the Plaza, because it’s a ‘feel good’ church?

There was a study done at Emory University and they discovered that when people firmly believe in a single thing, something happens with the mind that blocks out

their recognizing a higher truth to the matter. They cannot accept it; they cannot see it; they are so immersed in what they believe that they can’t recognize anything that might prove them wrong. That goes for us as well as anybody else.

When it comes to Unity, Unity is very different. Unity isn’t a fundamental religion. We don’t take the Bible literally, and it is about increasing our well-being; every one of us. When people come in the door, increasing that person’s well-being for some might be a sandwich and a cup of soup, because they haven’t eaten for a couple of days. For some it might be a person that just lost his or her job, and they just need to have somebody sit down and pray with them in competent manner that things will be OK. So it is ‘feel good.’ There’s no doubt about that.

That doesn’t move us to a point where we turn our head to our problems, or we ignore our challenges, or we don’t have those mood swings where we feel sad, because sadness is a vital part of life as well. But, moving up to higher levels of well-being means discovering those things in life that are really joyful. If somebody discounts that, I believe, going back to my first statement, its because they so firmly believe, in the church that they go to--in the religion that they have pledged their allegiance to--,that they’re not willing to accept anything else.

And I bless them, and I honor them for their choices, but, there’s really, really nothing wrong with walking out of here with a smile on your face.

So how is it that we are one and individuals at the same time?

We all sit here today in different packages. We’re dressed differently; our bodies are different; our personalities are different; we’re unique individuals. And if you go within the body, you find cells, and those cells are very unique to you, and you alone. Beneath the cells they are made up of molecules; and the molecules are made up of atoms; and the atoms have an energy with them. They’re 95% energy and that energy, that’s Spirit within the atom, and in each and every one of us it is exactly the same as it is in you and in me. When we go to that spiritual level there is a oneness between us, where my love is your love, and all love is our love. And my life is your life, and all of life is our life; all of it, God given.

So we have every blessing of being individuals, being able to go into the world and live our lives, and what a sad, mundane world it would be if we were all the same. If I was sitting here talking to 700 ‘Dukes,’ 700 ‘Dukes’ would be dozing off. But the fact that we are individuals, yet we are one with God, it’s difficult to grasp; you can’t define it; but you can feel it.

When Jerome [Johnson] was singing earlier, [You know the answers to your questions] all of us became one listener, and we forgot about our individuality, we forgot about our uniqueness, we forgot about our problems that we had; we were just one together in that experience. And that’s one of the greatest glories of life, that we can merge together with a sense of oneness, and yet move out and follow our individual paths.

Has the mission or message of Unity changed over the years, and how?

Yes it has. It’s changed greatly. One of the biggest problems I have with fundamental religion--and this isn’t a complaint or criticism, but it led me to find something else--is that much of their belief system is based on information and perceptions that are 6,000 years old. And a lot of those perceptions haven’t changed. There is still, one God. That hasn’t changed.

But, as science has moved forward, and technology has moved forward, and psychology has moved forward, we’ve come to discover much, much more about who we are and the universe that we live in. Charles Fillmore, one of our founders, once gave a lecture and somebody in the audience raised their hand and said, ‘Now wait a minute. I was here two weeks ago and you answered that question totally differently.’ And he said, ‘In two weeks, I have learned, differently.’

And Unity is an evolving message. We can’t get stuck. And there’s even a struggle within the Unity movement that everything should stop when Charles Fillmore died in 1947; that we should hold to what he believed. If he would have lived, Unity would have continued to progress like it is. But if you think of all the things that happened since 1947 - with the Hubble Telescope, and the incredible electro-microscopic abilities we have to explore the body, and the cures…Any message has to have a foundation of traditional beliefs that are unchangeable, yet at the same time be able to move, and to grow and to discover more things about our world and who we are.

In the 20 years that you’ve been here at Unity Temple on the Plaza, how has it been to see how lives have changed during that time? People’s jobs, their kids, the college, the membership of the church…?

It’s been absolutely incredible. Many of you remember, because you were here 20 years ago, and it was 25 years ago that I was secretary here; and at that time women were frowned on for wearing pants to church. The ushers could only be male. There were no cells phones, there was no internet, the communication was much slower, and we depended on letters, and that is one thing that has allowed us to expand our rate of knowing. We learn much faster today then we did then.

But another thing is the spirituality; how that has advanced in the last 20 years. And I see science and spirituality, from both sides, building this bridge where someday they’ll be looked on as one and the same. Science is not the enemy. It if disproves certain beliefs we have, then we have to say, ‘Well, great, what is the spiritual essence of that?’ Our spirituality holds on to faith, which science can’t recognize because there is no physical evidence of it; or it holds on to spirit or to love…that is great. But science is also discovering that. They are discovering that 95% of this universe is made up of something that we don’t know what it is. And as they discover that, I feel like they are discovering God; that God is this everywhere present, Spirit, power, life force…and science is moving toward admitting that, and saying, ‘Yes, that we can’t detect all that there is,’ but spirituality has a real strong influence on what that can be - and they call it God.

How do you respond to those who say Unity is a cult?

I would say, ‘What’s a cult?’ You know, when I looked up at the balcony earlier, I forgot that the seats had been taken out, and there’s this whole group hovered over there, and I said, ‘God, is that a cult building up, up there check?’

But, in my understanding, a cult is something that overpowers people. It dictates that they follow a particular line of thought, and line of action. Unity is the exactly the opposite. It empowers people. You will never hear anything from this stage, or from that lectern, that overpowers your free will, or overpowers your freedom of choice, or overpowers your right to choose how you think. It’s all about empowering you. I mean, go within and find your answers. And if there’s disagreements in this church about certain things that are said, I applaud that. Because anytime there is a disagreement, it allows us to search out, perhaps a higher understanding that both sides can agree upon.

So, a cult we are not. A wonderful, spiritual source of empowerment we are.

2009-08-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Affirmations for Positive Living

As an expression of the One Presence and One Source from which all things come forth, I rise to new thinking and claim my potential to live the good life of my dreams.

I am one with it all, for God is within me. Therefore I am at peace right now.

My thoughts create my life, so I choose to think thoughts that will bring forth the life I want.

2009-08-11T09:25:00.001-07:00

CREATIVITY

As an expression of the one Presence and one Source
from which all things come forth,

I claim my power of creativity
to provide me with solutions for every problem,
reconciliation with every conflict,
liberation from worries and fears
and higher insights that allow me to experience
greater levels of peace, joy and love.

MADE IN THE IMAGE OF THE ONE SPIRIT
I KNOW I HAVE THE POWER TO MANIFEST IN MY LIFE
THE IDEAS I CREATE IN MY MIND.

2009-06-18T11:33:00.001-07:00

TODAY

TH THE EARLY MORNING SUNRISE

IN HEART AND MIND I PRAY

THAT ALL MY LOVE AND KINDNESS

WILL OVERFLOW UPON THIS DAY

MAY I SEE BEYOND THE SHADOWS

OF ALL DISLIKES AND FEAR

AND KNOW THIS PRECIOUS DAY OF LIFE

IS SO VERY, VERY DEAR.

ALTHOUGH IT’S ONE OF MANY

IT SHALL NEVER COME AGAIN

SO I’LL CREATE A PLEASANT MEMORY

THAT LIVES BEYOND THE SUNSETS END

MAY I INSPIRE THOSE WHO NEED IT

GRASP THE OUTSTRETCHED HAND

PUT A SMILE UPON A SADDENED FACE

AND WITH COMPASSION MAKE MY STAND

THIS DAY CAN BE THE GREATEST BLISS

FREE OF ALL ANGST AND SORROW

IF WE PULL OUR THOUGHTS FROM YESTERDAY

AND HOLD THEM BACK FROM TOMORROW

2009-06-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

We Are God Expressing

A Prayer

In this moment, I move to my highest realm of consciousness and connect with my Higher Power, God, the Source, all Good.

The Perfect Idea, for my world and for my life, is manifesting on earth in this moment as I rest in this sacred space.

Today, I receive whatever I need to enrich my body, mind and spirit, and there are no limitations to my well being.

I release all thoughts and actions that do not come forth from harmony, and try to forgive myself and others who disrupt my peace of mind.

I pray that I may stay centered in God Spirit and be free of that which causes separation and fear.

For there is One Power and One Presence uniting all of life and expressing through me today as love, compassion, joy and wisdom.

2009-05-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

THE FAITH PRAYER

The challenges I face

are like the unexpected storm

that quickly darkens the sky;

the clamor of thunder,

like the fear that attempt

to shake the foundation of my belief.

Yet faith is my fortress,

where worry and doubt cannot enter

and the light of hope never dims.

The storm will cease.

The sun will rise in glory

and the light of truth

will shine brilliant

on the good that lies ahead.

I REST PEACEFULLY

IN THE TRUTH OF GOD’S PROMISE,

“I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS;

THIS TIME TOO SHALL PASS.”

Love

2009-04-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

THE LOVE PRAYER

Today I remove all boundaries and walls,
Once used as a means of defense,
I forgive those things from the darkened past,
That in love's divine realm make no spiritual sense.

Releasing all worries, all burdens and doubt,
I bring light to the shadows of fear.
By centering myself with a loving thought,
Harsh judgements I no longer hear.

The greatest experience that life has to give,
Is love from an open heart,
For it moves me to appreciate all that there is,
And I'm one with it all, not apart.

It's love that brings me closer to God,
And leads me according to God's way,
Love's light warms my spirit. it nurtures my soul,
and assures me everything is okay.

I AM ONE WITH GOD AND NEVER APART,
AS I LIVE THIS DAY WITH AN OPEN HEART.

2009-04-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Joy

The joy I experience this day flows forth from my outlook on life, and will not be hampered by what is happening around me; by what has happened in the past; or by what might happen in the future.

I choose to see the beauty of my life and the promise of my good to come for I am a child of the living spirit and my potential for joy can not be bound.

2009-03-19T10:33:00.001-07:00

OUR PRAYER

Duke Tufty

We pray in the name of God,

The one all pervading spirit in whom

We live and move and have our being.

We pray that we may open our minds

To the new vision of World peace

To the health and well being of all people

To the dissolution of all conditions that may separate us.

We pray that we may deepen our understanding of nature,

Radiate our compassion to all of life

And realize our oneness with the natural world.

We pray that we may restore the Earth

To a pristine wellness so it can thrive

As our source of wellness and prosperity.

We pray that each of us may be

A beneficial presence to our World

By adding to it our peace, love and harmony.

Amen

MY PRAYER

I pray in the name of God,

The one all pervading spirit in whom

I live and move and have my being.

I prayer that I may open my mind

To a new vision of World peace;

To the health and well being of all people;

To the dissolution of all conditions

that separate me from another.

I pray that I may deepen my understanding of nature,

Radiate compassion to all of life

And realize my oneness with the natural world.

I pray that I may do what I can to restore the Earth

To a pristine wellness so it can thrive

As my source of wellness and prosperity.

I pray that I may be

A beneficial presence to the world

By adding to it my peace, love and harmony.

Belief

2009-02-06T06:30:00.000-08:00

Everything is what we believe

There is a seven-step creative process that you presently use to create what happens in your life. By utilizing this process, you can actually create what you would like to see happen in your life. The most important ingredient in the seven-step process is the third step, which is belief. If you believe in the process you will have the perseverance and conviction to overcome obstacles and move beyond challenges that are the natural by-product of any goal.

There is evidence of this seven-step creative process everywhere you look. Everything comes forth in this way, and it is easy to see and believe. However, when it comes to oneself, for some reason it is more difficult to accept. Self-doubt sweeps in and infiltrates our thoughts with the erroneous insinuation that we are not capable of creating, or not worthy of receiving what we desire...

For more on The Gold Road, click here.

2009-01-16T09:47:00.000-08:00

The Gold Road

Everything you see around you came forth from a creative process: the clothes you are wearing, the home you live in, the chair you are sitting in, the television program you watch. The ability to create what you want in life isn't a mystery nor is it a special talent reserved for a select few. Your creativity comes from following the "creative process" which leads from the invisible realm of inspired thought to the manifestation of actual experience.

Over the next eight weeks, you will be learning the spiritual art of creating what you want in your life based on unwavering Universal Principles. Please know that you will succeed in this process for everything is within your potential to understand. You are going to learn how to utilize the incredible spiritual power within you to create.

There are seven steps to the creative process, and over the next seven weeks you are going to become thoroughly familier with each step. This will allow you to become the architect of your destination and create the life you desire.

To find out more about the seven steps, click here for a free download.

2009-01-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

“What do you consider a meaningful life?”

As the minister at Unity Temple on the Plaza, I have on several occasions sat at the bedside of a person who is very close to dying. The most difficult transitions are when the dying person is looking back on his/her life in a regretful way. They regret things they did; they regret things they didn’t do; and they regret not fully living their lives to their hearts desire. Each of us has the freedom to live our lives the way we choose as long as we don’t violate the God-given rights of another person to do the same. The first point of a meaningful life is to reach the end without regrets.

The second point of a meaningful life is to live in a way in which your presence is beneficial to the earth and its inhabitants. It is a very comforting thought to know that somehow, someway you make a positive difference. Your life counts for something good. You matter.

“Learn as if you will live forever; live as if you’ll die tomorrow!”

2009-01-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

IS IT IMPORTANT TO BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF HEAVEN?

We can perceive “Heaven” in two ways. As a destination of peace, harmony and love available to us when we leave this earthly plane. We can also perceive heaven as a state of existence on this earthly plane that is characterized as one of peace harmony and love. Heaven is a state of mind, whether on earth or in the hereafter that comes about as a result of our thoughts. When we align our thoughts with the thinking of the great spiritual masters we automatically receive the benefits of a heavenly state.

We have the free-will to chose the thoughts, words and actions we express. By choosing to express peace, harmony and love we create situations in our lives that are of “heaven”. You are responsible for the conditions of your life. So, the next time you are feeling greatly disturbed, hateful, in conflict or out of harmony ask yourself, “What IN hell am I doing.”

2008-12-20T10:16:00.000-08:00

HOW CAN PEOPLE READING THE SAME BIBLE COME UP WITH SUCH WIDELY DIFFERENT VIEWS?

When we are born, our minds are very much like a new computer that has never been programmed. In the first six or seven years of life we inherit a belief system. Our families, social environment and religious culture impresses upon us the notions they embrace in regards to God, life and other people, etc. There is not a group of people or any main religion that resides in the absolute truth therefore there are many different perceptions about the “meaning” of things, some of which are in great contrast with others. So it is with the Bible. Two people from widely different backgrounds can read the same verse from the Bible and have two completely different interpretations. I believe we are students of life, not graduates of life. We don’t know what life is ALL about but rather in the process of learning all about life. We should always be open to a higher truth and divine insight.

Three Simple Steps

There are three simple steps each of us can take when interpreting the Bible. Whatever interpretation you hold ask yourself, does this viewpoint move me closer to God; does it move me closer to accepting and honoring the great diversity of humankind; and does it guide me to being a beneficial presence to this wonderful world of ours. No matter what belief system you choose, if these three questions can be answered with a yes. .you are on the right path, heading in the right direction towards the right destination.

2008-12-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

"If God Is Love"

From A Poetic Search for God Within by Warren Molten

Marcene Borthwick passed along this beautiful poem:

If God is love,

there is no place where love it not;

and although this seems like a double negative,

sounds like a plot, a Gordian knot;

and easier said than believed,

it rings true, feels good,

even theological as in "word of God" --

all of that, and that's a lot.

Still, there is no place where love is not.

Yet, we live like fish

swimming about in search of water,

or a blind mole pressing on to find soil,

or the olive its oil--absurd, like a bird

flying around without a care, looking for air.

No, Love is everywhere. Yet, such a paradox!

For still, we must look for love: around the bend,

over the rainbow, across this room or that street,

on the other side of an argument.

Near or far, we must search for love,

knowing that it is hard to find,

but hardest of all when love is finally found.

For then we must cherish is,

we must nurture it and help it grow,

then let it go.

So, if we are born, bathed and buried

in love, you and I have no excuse

not to be God's lovers in the world,

all of us all of the time, starting here and now

by loving ourselves,

and taking loving steps towards others,

and holy others, and on to every living creature,

all the way to God.

For it is with the eye of love

that we find God,

and the eye of love that God finds us.

What a lovely way to live,

and of course, the only way to die.

We have a choice

2008-11-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

During the upcoming holidays, we can choose how to experience each moment, regardless of what is happening within or around us. Here are some affirmations to remind and encourage us to choose the Good.

I am one with God; therefore I am at peace right now.
My thoughts create my life, so I choose to think thoughts that will bring forth the life that I want.
At ease with conditions that life presents to me, I move forward to my higher good.
I am the director, the one who decides the thoughts that I will think on this day.
I meet every person as if they were myself and treat them with kindness and love.
I awake this morning with a peacful heart and a peaceful mind, excited to find the Good in all things and all people.

With each affirmation, we not only bless ourselves, we also bless each person in our lives, and we change the world for the better. You can make a difference.

2008-11-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

ONE PRESENCE AND ONE POWER

Looking out to the far reaches of the sky, we see a space so vast that it is incomprehensible. Using the latest technological advancements, we can observe the inner depths of our physical presence.

Beyond the physical there is a common energy, a spirit, that is the very essence of life. We call this spirit God, and it permeates everything in the universe around us as well as every cell in our bodies.

Yet one of the greatest misperceptions that plagues us at times is that God is separate from us. Having a sense of separation from God can leave us feeling helpless, hopeless, and fearful in regard to the more difficult situations we face in life. In addition—living in this illusion of separation from God—we often turn to the world around us in search of something to sustain us, to give us courage, or to depend on for strength, only to be let down in the long run.

There are two basic ways that we can strengthen our relationship with God. The first is to have an understanding of God that moves beyond myth to an awareness of the God Presence within us as love given unconditionally and continually. The spirit of God within never leaves us, never withholds from us that which we need, and never condemns us as unworthy. To truly know our oneness with God is to move from our mind to our heart, because it is from the consciousness of love that we resonate with the presence of God within.

The second way to strengthen our relationship with God is to have absolute trust in God. When problems appear to abound and challenges seem to overwhelm us, we remain confident and secure. During the most difficult of times, we will have faith, hope, love, strength, and peace of mind as we turn to God, affirming God’s presence and supply. That which we need will be provided.

There is one Presence and Power in the universe and in our lives. As we believe in God and trust in God, our cup shall truly overflow.

2008-10-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

WHAT SHOULD A SICK PERSON DO

TO RECEIVE A MIRACLE HEALING FROM GOD?

If God responded to fervent prayer for a miracle healing, this would indicate that God judged the one in need as worthy of healing. This would also mean if one didn’t receive a miracle healing God had judged that person to be unworthy of such a grant. I wouldn’t want any person who is on their death bed to think that God didn’t find them worthy to save or even that God didn’t care. Wouldn’t that be a horrible feeling to go out of this world with?

I don’t believe that God intervenes in our lives but I do believe that God Spirit is in everyone of us, and the more we awaken to that power, the more we are able to utilize it for physical, emotional and mental healing.

Not long ago it was considered a miracle that our thoughts could have a healing effect on diseases of the cellular level. Today that idea is commonplace. We know negative thoughts of anger, resentment, guilt, shame and feelings of unworthiness weaken us. We also know that thoughts of peace, faith and appreciation for “what is” in the present moment, strengthens us. Above all else, love is the greatest and most rewarding emotional experience we can have on this earth. Whether one is ill or not, miracles happen when we bathe ourselves daily in thoughts of love.

2008-10-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

The Value of Faith

Although faith can definitely lift one’s mood during uncertain times and even reassure us that the welfare of a loved one will turn out well, faith isn’t a surefire equation for health, wealth and happiness. Jesus had faith that could move mountains, until the very end but he certainly wasn’t happy about his predicament. Although a positive mind set grounded in faith can definitely have a healing effect on some illnesses, the vast majority of life threatening diseases are going to run their own course outside the effects of faith. If attaining great wealth is one’s personal goal, it certainly is an advantage to have the faith to take well-thought-out chances and step forth into unchartered territory, but if it is not accompanied by good business sense and hard work, faith will do little.

Nonethless, Faith is a powerful force. The unexpected challenges we face are like the sudden storm that quickly darkens the sky. The clamor of thunder like the fears that attempt to shake the foundation of our beliefs. Yet faith is the fortress where worry and doubt cannot enter, and the light of hope never dims. Faith held strongly will see us through the darkest night until the sun rises in glory and shines brilliant on the good that lies ahead. When our thoughts and feelings run reckless through our minds screeching about the unknowns of the future, faith can be the stilling whisper that assures us everything is going to be okay.

2008-09-19T12:49:00.001-07:00

CAN WE WORRY GOD TOO MUCH WITH OUR LITTLE PROBLEMS?

In our prayers rather than beseeching God to “take this cup of suffering from me,” we can use affirmative prayers such as: I now let go of any thoughts that hamper my peace of mind, and affirm that I have everything I need to move through this difficult time and establish a sense of serenity in my life.

If we can do something about a problem or challenge we face, then we need to draw on our resources and initiate action. Pronto!

2008-09-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

HOW CAN PEOPLE OF FAITH CHANGE THE APPARENT ATTITUDE THAT HUMAN LIFE IS CHEAP.

Every person comes into this world with a conscious mind that is very much like a new computer that has never been programmed. As each child ages, thoughts, feelings attitudes and perceptions are imposed on him or her from family and community that set in place the values they will live by. Over the years “life” then becomes devalued. Television shows, movies, and video games show or display the taking of a life easily, quickly and even glibly. In addition to this our technology has advanced to the point where we view war in progress every day. We see bombs going off, people being maimed and dead bodies lying in the street. It is not difficult to become conditioned to these atrocious events as just another part of life. With that attitude life becomes cheap, expendable and not cherished.

If you program a computer with the notion that 2 + 2 equals five then ask the computer how much is 2 + 2 it will answer five even though that is incorrect. If our society allows programming that impresses on the minds of the young that killing is a natural
part of life, that will be the viewpoint they adopt. Every possibility for the future is real and exists here and now whether that be mass destruction or a planet of peace and harmony. Each of us have the opportunity to choose every day which possibility we want to manifest. Each of us can be the change we want to see.

2008-09-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hope is nothing more or nothing less than a thought that is infused with an optimistic emotion. Hope exists in our mind, it is a power within us. It never dwindles, it never dries up; it is never out of reach. It only appears to be absent when we choose to think thoughts of an opposite nature. The thoughts we think may be hopeful or hopeless. When we commit to beliefs that we can do something; that we can make it through a difficult time; that we can realize our hearts desire we experience hope. When we commit to thoughts that are of a despairing nature we experience hopelessness and expect the worst to happen.

So the question arises, who determines the thoughts we think? Each of us is the ultimate authority of the thoughts we think and the feelings we have. When we take full responsibility for our outlook on life and the frame of mind we are in, we draw on our inner power to direct our thoughts. The thoughts you are thinking this very moment are creating your present emotional reality and at the same time putting in place the stepping stones that will lead to your future emotional reality. Think about it for a moment, your thoughts are your reality. Good, bad, happy, sad, hopeful, hopeless. The choice is yours.

"If we get what God wants us to have, why ask?

2008-08-27T08:22:00.000-07:00

I believe God wants us to have peace of mind, the strongest desire we have; God wants us to be in harmony, our most natural state; and God wants us to be in a continual cycle of giving and receiving love, the greatest experience we can have on this earth. God wants us to have these things because that is what God is. Not an old man with long white beard sitting on a throne somewhere in the far reaches of the universe eager to punish us if we do wrong. God is Life. The three primary characteristics that assure the continuation of Life on Earth are peace, harmony and love and every person born into this world has the unlimited potential to express these three attributes. We have free will to choose how we want to live our lives but at times we make the wrong choices. In a fit of anger we choose conflict instead of peace. Prejudices, discriminations and harsh judgments lead us into disharmony with others. And there are times when we choose not to love. We “have” what God wants us to have. Peace, harmony and love are the very essence of our being, we never have to ask for them. But we don’t always get what God wants us to have because we choose otherwise.

2008-08-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

Each of us can add value to the "school" of life

Lonnie Hammack's granddaughter started high school this week. One of her teachers gave her a paper sack filled with several items. Included was the following note:

"Welcome to Mrs. Untiedt Class"

The items in this bag have special meaning:

The penny is to remind you that you are valuable and special

The cotton ball is to remind you that this room is to always be full of warm fuzzies - kind words and warm feelings

The chocolate kiss is to get you through the times when only chocolate will do

The tissue is to remind you to Let It Out

The sticker is to remind you that we all need to stick together and help each other.

The star is to remind you to shine and always try your best

The gold thread is to remind you that friendship ties our hearts together

The rubber band is to remind you to bounce back when things don't go the way you expected

The toothpick is to remind you to "pick out" the good qualities in your classmates

The bandage is to remind you to stick to it and block out all the negatives

The eraser is to remind you that we all make mistakes and that is O.K.

The life saver is to remind you that I will be there to support you when you need it"

This is sound advice for all of us in the "school" of life. May all your years in the school of life be filled with love and wisdom.

2008-08-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

How can believing in God change one's life?

God is Spirit. Spirit is life. The Will of God is for that which sustains and empowers life. The Kingdom of God is the ever present expression of love, peace and harmony, which is the fulfillment of God's will in the spiritual realm.

God Spirit is the very life force of every living thing, providing that which is needed to realize its highest possible expression. In the Mind of God, the perfect idea for every living thing exists in the invisible realm of its spiritual essence and is like a blueprint for that which it has potential to manifest in the physical realm.

The spiritual blueprint for an acorn is the oak tree; the spiritual blueprint for a caterpillar is the butterfly; the spiritual blueprint of a seed is the fully blossomed flower; the spiritual blueprint of you and me is a totally peaceful, unconditional loving, beneficial presence to the earth.

When we are unaware of our spiritual potential, we move away from it and engage in prejudices, discriminations, hate and conflict. We justify inequalities and violate the God-given rights of others making of our lives and our world a living hell.

When we are aware of our spiritual potential, we move towards it and engage in compassion, equality, love, peace and harmony, making of our lives a heaven on earth. In the 11^th Chapter of Genesis it reads, “The people of the earth are one, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. Nothing they propose to do will be impossible for them.”

When the people of the earth commit to that which has been proposed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We will have fulfilled God’s purpose for our being here.

Having an open heart

2008-08-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

We all know that our brains are more sophisticated than the most advanced computers, but scientists have also discovered that our hearts have an intelligence as well, not with words but with emotions/feeling, a radiating center of energy. That energy that we radiate from our heart actually touches and affects others. So whatever feeling we hold in our hearts is impacting us and the rest of the world. In this present moment, each of us has an opportunity to examine what kind of energy we are holding inside of us as well as sending out into the world. Knowing this, we can make choices for how we want to be in the world, and how we can have a positive impact on ourselves and others. In the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians, it says, “We shall all be changed, in a moment, faster than a blink of the eye.” Each of us can be changed for the better that quickly, in this very moment.

In this moment, we can choose to have an open heart, which means allowing the love in our hearts to radiate out. The open heart is like a two-way path—one direction tells us not to initiate or express any words or actions that can be hurtful to another. The second direction is to accept others with understanding and compassion, wherever they are, how ever they are, at any given moment.

If someone’s words or action are negative or perhaps even attacking nature, you have a choice to remain in their presence or remove yourself from it, but an open heart continues to hold them in the light, even when they are acting in an unlovable and unacceptable way. The open heart gives us access to a deeper understanding of others. We may not know all the details of a person’s life or understand what happened to make them the way that they are, but we can understand that they are doing the best they can with the situations life has given them.

Through the deeper understanding that comes from an open heart, we can move to a place where we don’t take responsibility for the way another person acts towards us, but we do take responsibility for how we react towards them.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus teaches us about having an open heart. The good person, out of the good treasure of his heart produces good. The abundance of what we hold in our heart is the abundance of how we experience the world. Jesus told us to not see our treasure as that of the material world, because those things can be stolen or corrupted or waste away. But rather, we can store up our treasure in our heart, where it is unaffected by worldly things. The place where your treasure is, is the way you will end up being.

There are three lessons of the open heart. First, always assume the best about somebody until there is factual evidence to prove otherwise. With the lack of fully understanding another person, the imagination comes into play, which can spin a false and unfair judgment. Imagine the best in others.

The second lesson is the power of the Golden Rule—treat others the way you want to be treated. How is that we all want to be treated? We want to be respected and seen as a valuable part of this world. We want to be understood. We want others to understand that even though our behavior isn’t ideal at times, that we are trying and we are doing the best we can in any situation. We want to be loved, which in its simplest form is acceptance. We want to be encouraged. From time to time, we need to be told that we are doing fine, and that we have the potential to do better.

The third lesson of the open heart is that the affect we have on the world around us radiates out from us and touches those around us. It is exactly the same effect that we see the world having on us. So each of us can choose today, in this very moment, to open our hearts and let love flow out in all directions, love for ourselves and all others. We can change our lives in the blink of an eye…