First Unity Church
of
St. Louis
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Minister's Corner
AT LAST - LIGHT AT THE DOOR
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May is named after the Greek goddess Maia who cared for plants. This
month is known for the beauty of flowers, love and success. I’m guessing many of us are grateful that the dark, cold Covid winter is behind us. In March of 2020 when we felt compelled to close the doors of First Unity for the first time, someone asked me how long I thought we would be pre-recording services. I vividly remember my answer, “Oh probably for a few weeks.” The idea that the pandemic might last over a year was something I could not even imagine. Nor could I anticipate the changes it would bring to our lives.
Researchers & theologians alike tell us that the change and transition process has three stages: an ending or loss; the void; & finally a new beginning. In the book Hell in the Hallway: Light at the Door, Rev. Ellen Debenport calls the mid-stage “the hallway,” that period of intense uncertainty, when life as we knew it has ended, but what comes next is still a mystery.” I believe those of us who are blessed to have survived this pandemic will be forever shaped by the experience. There are so many things over which we had no control in our 14-month hallway, and yet “hell” is a state of consciousness. For many, this hallway experience has been a time of personal reflection and spiritual growth. Knowing that God is omnipresent, we have understood that even in the midst of chaos, darkness, and pain, God and Goodness are there.
And we are so ready to open the Door to the light of new beginnings in our personal lives, our communities, and our beloved spiritual center. However, before we embrace those new beginnings, we might have to release anything that holds us back. Father Richard Rohr begins his book Eager to Love, with these words from Neale Donald Walsch,
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“You cannot hold on to the old while declaring that you want something new. The old will defy the new. The old will deny the new. The old will decry the new. There is only one way to bring in the new. You must make room for it.”
The hallway experience ends first in consciousness. The door that opens to our future good is the door of our minds, attitudes, and convictions. This means we acknowledge and accept what has happened these past 14 months. Life has changed. It’s time let go of fear, anxiety, and old habits that no longer serve us. It’s time trust our inner light and cultivate patience. It takes as long as it takesI It’s time to bless and focus on the gifts of the hallway in order to open the door to new beginnings. At First Unity, thanks to the vision of the Board of Trustees and the generous support of so many of you, we used this Hallway time to completely upgrade our sound system, improve the lighting, and install a large screen where state-of-the art visuals will be clearly projected throughout the sanctuary. Our Sunday services will be livestreamed in real time and available thereafter for people all over the world to join us. A new screen and projector in the Community Room will have the capacity to simultaneously project the entire service downstairs when additional seating is needed. The flooring project has been completed throughout the building, and there will be a few other surprises. All of these innovations are part of our spiritual community’s new beginning, enabling us to reach out beyond our four walls to serve a greater community, thereby helping to celebrate our vision of a world awakened to infinite possibilities and to accomplish our mission to enrich and transform more lives through prayer, education, and service. There is light at the door!
Love and Blessings,
Rev. Jan
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Minister, Jan Mourning
Board of Trustees
John Young - President
Rick Emnett - Vice President
Betty Jean Kofron - Secretary
Hope Dodson -Treasurer
Betty Ponzar - Trustee
Mary Tumminello -Trustee
Prayer Chaplain Team
Prayer
Chaplain Coordinator
Anne Hartupee
Prayer Chaplain Trainer
Mary Tumminello
Prayer Chaplain Admin. Coordinator
Linda Harr
Prayer Chaplains
Lance Baugh
Hope Dodson
Paul Henley
Lynn Mark
Betty Ponzar
Platform Assistants
Hope Dodson
Linda Harr
Mary Tumminello
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Bookstore Managers
Betty Jean Kofron
Mary Grace
Webmaster
Carol Ellerman
Office Manager
Sara DeWitt
Music
Music Director
Anne Hartupee
Soloist
Dean Wiegert
Youth Ministry Team
Denise Halbert-Raggio, Director
Glenda Gebhardt
Cindy Gibbs
Facebook Admin.
Kathy Boyd
Sound Engineer
Jeremiah Burcher
Photographer
Roy Vaisvil
Newsletter Editor
Patricia Riess
riess@htc.net
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First Unity Church of
St. Louis Newsletter
May/June 2021
In This Issue:
Minister’s Corner
The 12 Powers
Book Club
Up To The Minute News
Gateway Koi & Pond Club
Plant Auction
Unity Convention 2021, June 14–17
Core Values
Humor
Photographs
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PUTTING THE POWERS TOGETHER
In her book Divine Audacity, Rev. Linda Martella-Whitsett defines “divine audacity” as “fearless overcoming of only-human tendencies in order to do, or say, that which unifies, harmonizes, strengthens, or uplifts. With divine audacity, you dare to be the light of the world.” Each power is inherent. We all come into this world like a fully loaded hard drive equipped with the 12 powers. However, it is up to us to recognize and develop them in spiritual consciousness. Charles Fillmore used the archaic word “quicken” which meant to kindle; to cause to burn more fiercely; to come alive. Activating our spiritual powers is a choice and a practice. Each power or special ability is important by itself, but they are all aspects of the One Power. Used together, they become amazing tools for us to live in freedom and joy.
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The 12 Powers
Unity Co-Founder Charles Fillmore defined twelve fundamental powers of the Christ that compose our Divine Nature. It is part of our soul’s evolution to awaken and utilize these powers, also called faculties, gifts, abilities, attitudes, qualities, and freedoms. Mr. Fillmore associated each power of the mind with one of Jesus’ disciples, and he also correlated the powers with corresponding locations or nerve centers in the physical body. Later, colors were added to correspond to each power. Understanding these powers is the first step in activating them to enrich our lives.
Building on the work of Charles Fillmore as well as Julian Jaynes, Teilhard de Chardin, and Buckminster Fuller, Rev. Phillip presents the twelve powers as dyads in the chart.
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Each power works individually, but in reality, they are all part of One Power working together as we direct them. The Twelve Powers have been called “tools of transformation” and “pathways to freedom.” Understanding the potential of these creative energies can enrich our lives.
Suggested Reading For Further Enlightenment:
Hasselbeck, Paul & Holton, Cher. Power Up: The Twelve Powers Revisited as Accelerated Abilities. 2010.
Hausmann, Winifred. Your God-Given Potential: Unfolding the Twelve Spiritual Powers. 1999.
Martella-Whitsett, Linda. Divine Audacity: Dare to Be the Light of the World. 2015.
Pierson, Phillip. The Twelve Freedoms: An Understandable Path to Total Freedom. 2015.
Williamson, David. Twelve Powers in You. 2000.
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Our Book Club meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month
from 2 – 4 pm. During this time we are meeting via the Zoom platform.
May 11, 2021 - "The Vanishing Half" - Britt Bennet
June 8, 2021 - "The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell" - Robert Dugoni
July 13, 2021 - "Fried Green Tomatoes of Whistle Stop Cafe" - Fannie Flag
August 10, 2021 - "Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride" - Joe Siple
September 14, 2021 - "Behind the Scenes" - Elizabeth Keckley
Please contact Carol at cabullock48@yahoo.com for instructions on joining the Zoom meeting and future updates.
Looking forward to seeing you at the Book Club!
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Gateway Koi & Pond Club
Plant Auction,
Saturday, May 1, 2021
- First Unity Church parking lot
- Open 2-4 p.m.
- All types of plants are available
- Bring your lawn chairs for the auction
- Payment can be cash or checks only
- Please abide by the 6-foot distancing and wear a face mask
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Unity Convention 2021
June 14–17, 2021
Our 2021 convention will be a VIRTUAL event. The schedule includes all the things that you love about our convention: keynotes, workshops, awards, memorial service, music, and more!
Registration is open!
Register for our convention on the Whova registration page. All information for the convention is on the Whova application.
Price
- The entire virtual convention is $275.
- A two-day business meeting (Wed & Thurs, June 16-17) is free.
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Registration closes on May 23, 2021, so be sure to get signed up!
For more information :
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August 19–22, 2021
The Fillmore Festival will be held in person at the Village. This is an interesting exploration of the Fillmore Legacy & practical metaphysics.
Price:
- Early bird: $349 through June 1, 2021
- Full price: $399 starting June 2, 2021
- Price includes retreat experience and five meals. Accommodations and transportation not included.
Registration information:
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Call our Customer Care team at 816-251-3540,
- Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (CT).
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One of our core values for First Unity Church is:
SPIRIT-LED
We transcend our human identity and claim our spiritual identity by aligning with and living in awareness of Infinite Spirit.
COMMUNITY BEHAVIORS
- We begin all our gatherings with prayer
- Cultivating communion with the Divine, we teach spiritual principles and practice sacred service
- We consistently provide opportunities to deepen and expand understanding of Unity principles and how to align with them
- Guided by Spirit, we act from our Divine Identity
INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIORS
- I take life's celebrations and challenges into prayer
- I engage in daily spiritual practices that keep me conscious of Spirit
- I choose activities that deepen my relations with the Divine
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First woman: My son came to visit for summer vacation.
Second woman: How nice! Did you meet him at the airport?
First woman: Oh, no. I've known him for years!
Why was it so hot in the stadium after the baseball game?
All the fans left!
What did the pig say at the beach on a hot summer's day?
I’m bacon!
Where do sharks go on summer vacation?
Finland!
What do you call six weeks of rain in Scotland?
Summer!
Q. Do fish go on vacation?
A. No, because they are always in school!
Q. What do you get when you combine an elephant with a fish?
A. Swimming trunks!
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Minister: Jan Mourning
Office: 314.845.8540
SilentUnity prayer support
1.800.NOW PRAY (669.7729)
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