Unity on the River - Ministers Message

In one of our Unity brochures it is written, "A church is a people, not a building." How very true. Unity on the River is the people who comprise it. However, as a people, we have a particular mission. Our mission is "To Celebrate the Presence and Awaken humanity to its Divinity." We discerned that we are here to be "courageous visionaries, committed to the transformation of consciousness through celebration, awakening and the demonstration of spiritually inspired living."

We are not missionaries; we are a teaching ministry. We are a people who gather to pray, grow, learn, celebrate and awaken.

Our environment reflects our consciousness and our purpose. In consciousness we believe this is an abundant, supportive, loving universe where all things work together for good. We believe in our oneness and being good stewards for each other and this planet. We believe that Unity principles can transform and heal lives. We believe we have a gift to give the world through sharing and teaching these principles.

We need buildings and land to do the work we do.

At our community meeting on April 29, 2007, Jeff Barone, of Essentialspace Earthscapes, shared with us the geomantic reading he did of our buildings and property. (If you did not receive a copy of this document, please ask for one in our office).

A Geomantic reading is a study of the energy lines and movement in a particular space. Jeff shared that we, as a community, have created a sacred, energetic bubble around ourselves; a holy space where we can congregate and grow. It is apparent, however, that we reached our full capacity. If we are to continue to grow and celebrate and do all that we came here to do, we must do something to support the land and buildings that are presently supporting us. The land and buildings have given all they have. As Jeff put it, it is as if we are in an energetic egg that is about to crack.

It is time for discernment. ³Without a vision the people perish.² In the last year or so we got very clear about who we are. Now we must discern how we can best enhance our ability to be who we came here to be.

What is ours to do?

We have several choices. We can stay as we are. We could enhance what we have with some small changes. We could do some construction to support and /or expand the buildings we have. We could take the buildings down and re-build. We could eventually purchase the whole plaza and totally re-configure our site. We could look elsewhere for another existing building. We could build a new building. We could do ³green² building no matter what we decide.

AND — there may be something we have not thought of — something which we will discover when we open to God¹s vision. This is an exciting process!

We have been through the visioning process before. Every year, we are a new people. It is time for this particular group of people to catch God¹s vision for us as we are NOW.

In the visioning process we realize that there is a realm beyond our conscious knowing‹and we can tap into it. We realize that the vision is already established in Divine Mind and we are here to open to it; in fact we are here on earth to learn to be openings for God¹s vision. Our vision is God¹s vision for us.

What would it be like if Holy Spirit had all the room it wanted to express through us? In visioning we become a bigger place for God to express. Visioning lets the presence of God use us. We train ourselves to be able to hear, feel, see, and catch God¹s plan for any particular project weŒre working on.

We¹re not here to tell God what to do, or to ask God for things, but to absolutely be available for what God is already doing, to open our selves to catch what¹s already happening.

To do this we must use our own spiritual in-sight; our inner vision.

When we open to God¹s vision we are less influenced by popular or entrenched beliefs; the culture and society. We are much more available to Spirit. The visioning process keeps us flexible and open to change.

We invite all interested parties to be part of this prayerful process; to catch God¹s vision for our church home. We gathered for discernment on two Friday evenings, May 4th and May 18th, from 6:30-7:30. We vision in silence and then, as you are able, articulate your vision by writing what you have received. These documents when submitted will go to our Board of Trustees which will determine our choices. We will also gather on Friday, June 8th at 6:30 fo ra guided discussion of what we have discerned.

We will then gather as a community on June 24th at 1:30 pm, first for a review discussion of our options and then the voting membership will select a plan for movement forward. We invite you to come without any preconceived ideas, to know that there is perfect order in the universe and that we will all receive a collective vision. I am knowing that we will come to One Mind as there is only One Mind and it is the Mind of God.

God Bless you,

Rev. Shipley