Voices in Unity
JULY 2021


Last Month at  
Unity of Eau Claire!!! 

 
Unity of Eau Claire's sanctuary ready for a
rainy day wedding.
   
The beauty is all around us here at Unity of Eau Claire!

The burning bowl at the end of the month! Time to release the prayers to the universe. 

   
Classroom is ready for the wedding 
party to get ready for the special day!

Diane donates the flowers by the 
front door and makes sure they 
stay beautiful. Thanks Diane.



About Us

Sunday Service: 10:00am
In person or 
Facebook Live Stream

1808 Folsom Street
Eau Claire, WI 54703
(715) 836-0010


General Email:

Prayer Request: [email protected]

Timothy Haukeness
Administrative Coordinator
Office Hours (Subject to Change)
Mon-Thurs: 9:30am - 3:30pm

Silent Unity Dial A Prayer:
24-Hour Prayer Vigil
1-800-NOW-PRAY
1/800-669-7729

Unity Village, MO
Unity.fm (online Unity radio)
Board of Trustees

Sue Carlson, 
President

Eileen Potocnik, 
Vice-President

Jacquie Staebell, Secretary

Rob Harrington, 
Member

Teresa Luginbill,
Member
Christine Fink, 
Treasurer

Brandon Mondlock,
 
Alternate

Mary LaTourelle,
Alternate


Tips for Self-love practices that Genuinely Work for You 
by Rev. Scott Daniels

"Self-love practices" are a big topic right now, and that's good because they are important. But often, people try to insert self-love practices into a lifestyle where they're generally not loving themselves. It can become a balancing act of trying to get enough self-affirming things into their schedule to outweigh self-negating things. That perspective and approach doesn't tend to work very well. It's better to cultivate ways of valuing and living in tune with one's heart as one goes. This includes developing ways of doing things that one enjoys, but it also involves a loving approach to oneself in general, especially when doing things, we don't necessarily enjoy.
 
When I think of what really lies at the heart of who I am, it's a desire to love, be loved and live a life moving with love. I'm happiest when I am feeling a creative flow of loving energy - like a river or a well-spring from within.  I think this is essentially true for everyone because we are like branches or expressions of The Divine - Who is Love. This is why I say our greatest treasure is found in being true to our hearts as we go, it's one of the main ways we stay in alignment with God. As we learn to stay in touch with our heart and remain mindful of how we're doing inside, we get better at making loving adjustments as we go.  Doing this helps us keep a twinkle in our eyes, or helps us get that twinkle back whenever we lose it.  Live that way, and you can't help but find living very worthwhile.

The details involved in "keeping a twinkle in one's eye" are different for everyone, because while we all have the same basic needs, we have different tastes, talents and personalities. The main thing is to keep valuing your own heart, and keep paying attention to how you're doing inside. When I do spiritual direction, I tell people, "Be curious and courageous when it comes to discerning what works and what doesn't work for you. See yourself as on the adventure of being you and go for what really feels right in your heart!"  (It's no coincidence that "courage" comes from the French word for "heart.")

Perfectionism and the self-judgements it generates are often the first blocks to self-love.  "Permission to be human" is very important (and actually, just plain honest). Self-love almost always involves being gentle with ourselves when we make mistakes so we can keep our self-talk safe, even as we may want to correct this or that and bring it back into alignment with love. Giving ourselves permission to be human also helps us not take ourselves too seriously, which is almost always a helpful early step of self-love. It relieves a lot of pressure.

One key to creating a safe-space inside is to keep honoring that being human isn't easy. Remembering that gives me a sense of compassion and appreciation for everyone. This helps me feel genuine love and respect for myself and others. This fundamental perspective helps me connect and balance love for self alongside love for others (a balance that is often hard to find when we approach life from other perspectives - it's easy to get too self-absorbed on the one hand, or too self-sacrificing on the other without a perspective like this). Balance comes as we learn to keep a sense of the sacredness of the heart - valuing one's own heart, and valuing other people's hearts as well.  

"Self-love practices" can be just about anything that helps you feel creative, positive energy moving through you including things like what The Center offers but also things like morning coffee or tea, going for walks, regular time petting your dog or cat, bird watching, naps, or intentional open-hearted time with a loved one, and things you simply enjoy, like maybe playing cards or puzzling. The key is the feeling.  Do you enjoy being you in doing whatever it is, or does it help you get back into that space? If so, that could be a good candidate for a "self-love practice." (As long as we're not hurting anybody else or the world in the process, I'd consider it a healthy self-love practice). A specific example of the kind of thing I'm talking about is that I usually put on an uplifting playlist or explore new music from my favorite genres whenever I do the dishes. I never used to like doing dishes. Now, I really don't mind at all  - I look forward to the music while getting a necessary thing done. It's an effective self-love practice because it helps me find harmony within while doing work I don't enjoy in and of itself. Self-love practices help us find a harmony within that feels good. The more we do that, the more we enjoy life, and the more we have to offer.

Healthy self-love practices help us find our groove in life where we are both open to the magic in life and able to contribute positive energy. They help us get into the flow of life in creative ways, and feeling that flow feels good. Ultimately, self-love practices benefit everyone, but they start with valuing our own hearts and being true to ourselves. By adjusting our personal antennae and tuning into those things that make our heart sing, we attract and express energies that are essentially good. That's how and why healthy self-love ultimately leads to what's best for ourselves, everyone else and our world.

Our heartfelt desire to love and be loved is a beautiful thing. Including ourselves in that circle of love is not greedy, selfish or egotistical, it's one of the wisest and most sacred things we can ever do, for ourselves and for others.
 
Blessings,
Scott


 

Scott Daniels runs and owns The Center, check them out at the info below and you are welcome to walk the outdoor labyrinth anytime!

The Center * 3701 Highway 12 (East Clairemont Avenue), Eau Claire * 
(715) 529-7683 * [email protected] * thecenterec.com * 



SANDI ANDERSON LUT REFECTIONS!!

I am divine understanding now.
I am spiritual insight, seeing beyond words and actions of others seeing their true spirit selves and mine.
I know and comprehend that I am the best person and Christ I can be.
 
July is summer, family vacations, graduations, and long-awaited get-togethers    with friends, families and communities celebrating the Fourth of July. There will be parades, good food, parties and of course, fireworks. The United States of America is now two-hundred-and-forty-five years old and counting.
 
Understanding - is number seven of our Twelve Powers. It is the power of Comprehension, Realization and Insight. "Spiritual understanding is the ability of the mind to apprehend and realize the laws of thought and the relation of ideas one to another." [Charles Fillmore, The Revealing Word, Unity Books, 1959].
 
Comprehension is our innate ability to discover or know connections of thought and feeling, between our body talking to us and our mind's thought-habits, or between our inner library of beliefs and undoctored truths. Taking time to learn, study, be aware, reflect and listen to our meditations will reward us with an ever growing spiritual comprehension. Ultimately with wisdom, experience and time invested in meditation we can spiritually see or "know" the changeless truths.
 
Realization is either an act of gradual awareness or that Aha moment of understanding. Realization is the result of growing comprehension; where comprehension can take effort, realization is effortless--it rises from our heart. Like "It was Aha and I knew."....the answers may come quickly and rise outside    of our normal reasoning process. We may hear that "special still small voice, which feels familiar. We (just) know that we know, what we Know is from Divine".
 
Insight is our divine capacity to engage realization in particular situations - applied understanding. The more we have learned, comprehended and realized spiritual truths, it is much more likely our insights will be useful and "right on". Insight is our spiritual Intelligence which grows not from cold hard calculations but comes organically both from our head and our "Sacred" heart space.
 
We have grown and come a long way from July 4, 1776 where thirteen American colonies declared they were united, free, and independent, no longer subjects of the monarchy of Britain. Today here and globally there are many still hurting from COVID-19 experiences, political challenges, results of global warming, ethnic and racial issues, gender classification, financial issues, business environment and so on. Understanding is needed to be better, to move forward, change, healing and learning a new inclusive-normal. We can tap the wealth of new ideas through our power of Understanding.   I challenge you to remember that Aha moment where Divine touched you with Understanding. Just for today remember ...You are Divine Understanding. See where it takes you.
 
Sandi Anderson LUT - Bell Rock, Sedona, Arizona 2021
 


Kids of Unity -  Welcome Back!

All children are invited to come back to Sunday Services at Unity of Eau Claire. For the summer, children can accompany parents to services in the sanctuary and activity packets will be provided. Our KOU (Kids of Unity) classes will start in the fall.
 
In September, children will start their Sunday morning at Unity in the sanctuary for the first few minutes of the service. They will then be dismissed for their KOU lesson, returning to the sanctuary for the final songs.
 
The lessons are part of a curriculum provided by Unity Worldwide Ministries (UWM) and chosen by a curriculum selection criteria that Unity of Eau Claire members participated in last year. It follows the Living Curriculum philosophy of Mildred Fillmore, one of the co-founders of Unity, who stated:
 
  • Our mission is not to entertain the children, but to draw them out.
  • That which is to be learned and known already lives within the adult, teen, or child, themselves.
  • All of us are uniquely unfolding on our spiritual path, having access to the Spirit within.
  • The Living Curriculum is a process of spiritual support used to assist children, teens, families, and the church community in co-creating successful living.
  • It honors the inherent wholeness and wisdom within each one of us, and utilizes storytelling and experiential creative expression to "draw out" the Truth we already know.
 
Kate Zegarowicz (Leeson), our Youth and Family Coordinator, is looking for people to volunteer their time. Involvement in the KOU program does not only mean teaching lessons or working with children directly. Involvement can look many different ways:
 
  • A co-planner/assistant for events (starting this summer)
  • A person to help with lesson development - someone to share with, plan with, bounce ideas off, and help with planning crafts, games, music (starting this summer)
  • When the KOU program starts, Kate would like those interested to come and observe a lesson to see if becoming a KOU Lesson Guide might be a good fit for them (in the fall)
  • When necessary, be a second person to assist the KOU Lesson Guide (in the fall)
 
Lesson plans and materials are provided to KOU Lesson Guides for continuity and consistency. However, as a Lesson Guide, you let the lessons/activities unfold in a way that meets your style.
 
In August there will be a Kids of Unity kick-off event for the children, their parents, and all others interested in learning about and supporting our KOU program. We will need volunteers to co-chair/assist with the event and staff the booths. Please call or text Kate at (715) 577-7642 or email her at [email protected].    
 
 
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING OUR KIDS OF UNITY!!
 


COVID UPDATE
June 2021

Welcoming Those Who Want to Worship with us While Keeping Our Members Safe
We realize that our in-person protocols for re-gathering may feel too restrictive, not restrictive enough, or just right. We honor each person's prayerful consideration regarding their choice to attend in-person at this time or not.
The CDC states that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.
For people who are not fully vaccinated, the CDC continues to recommend mask wearing. Physically distance. Socialize outdoors. Avoid crowded indoor space. Wash your hands frequently.
If you have a weakened immune system due to a medical condition or to medications you are taking, you may be less protected by the vaccine and thus at increased risk when you are around others who have not been vaccinated. Talk to your doctor to find out what safety measure you should continue to take.
The Unity Board of Trustees discussed our policy. We are an accepting community welcoming people who want to worship with us while at the same time keeping everyone safe. While some of our members would like to ask persons attending if they have been vaccinated, the Board of Trustees is not willing to police the issue. It puts a great deal of responsibility on whoever has to be in the role of asking and as we have learned, not a very pleasant experience. We have children attending who mask and those of us who are medically fragile need to make the choice of masking or not when in our building. Believing in God's Divine Wisdom we believe the choice people make to mask or not will be a blessing to all of us at our worship service.
On our door before entry into the building will be this notice.
Unless you are fully vaccinated, we would greatly appreciate you wearing a mask to keep our children and people with fragile health safe.
 
Thank you, Unity of Eau Claire Board of Trustees


WEDDING TEAM UPDATE

HELP US PROMOTE THE WEDDINGS AT UNITY OF EAU CLAIRE. CONTACT DEAN SCHMITZ AT 715-514-3363 OR EMAIL HIM AT 











Get Ready Here We Come!!

 Friday July 23rd from 6:30-8:30 pm  
Yata, Sinz and Orfield
Unity of Eau Claire in the Garden. 
$15.00 adults and $10.00 for youth at the door. 
(Rain or Shine) 
If it rains it will be in the center's sanctuary.
This is a fundraising event for Unity of Eau Claire.
ADVANCED TICKETS IN THE OFFICE OR ON VOLUME ONE 

This group brings an unexpected and masterful mashup of blues, folk and swing jazz with vocals, guitars and tenor sax.  Combined, these veteran musicians have won music awards in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Washington.  

A special chemistry moves as they combine their songwriting and performing skills, presenting a powerful and entertaining performance.  They bring humor, and pathos to their show with musical expertise and passion.
Sue Orfield (saxophone), Randy Sinz (bass) and Yata (guitar) have recorded one CD, Dancing in the Light, with 12 beautiful, original songs.

Sunday Talk Titles

For the month of July our services will be in person at the Unity of Eau Claire Center or on Facebook Livestream. Protocols are in place and updated per CDC guidelines. Check out  "This Week at Unity" for more information, if you are not getting this information email [email protected] or find it on our website at www.unityeauclaire.org.
                      
07/04   10am 
 Lou Longmire  
                         "FREEDOM"                
  Worship Leader: Mari Jackson
 Special Music: Surprise Band

  Birthday Sunday
 
 STAY AFTER THE SERVICE FOR FREE BRATS, 
 POTATO SALAD AND DESSERTS.   
             

07/11   10am 
 Rev. Lyle Schlundt
"PRAY FOR OTHERS"
          Worship Leader: Timothy Haukeness
         Special Music: Sue Orfield and Randy Sinz
  
  
07/18   10am     
   Rev. Sandra McKinney
 "REALIZE"
  Worship Leader: Sandi Anderson
  Special Music: Fred Hable

07/25   10am
                                    Rev. Sandra McKinney
                                    "JOURNEY" 
                                    Worship Leader: Mari Jackson
           Special Music: Marie Vandenkamp  
                                      
                                    Burning Bowl 

Ongoing Classes & Events
All events receive a love offering unless otherwise noted. Group/class dates can change, please watch for notices. 

MONDAYS
9:30-10:45am         Yoga
with Kathy Boone (In Person)
1:00-3:00pm           Board Agenda Setting Meeting (07/12/2021)

TUESDAYS
10:00-11:30am         "Michael Mirdad" The Heart of a Course in Miracles 
                                   (BOOK CLUB) (In Person and Zoom)
WEDNESDAYS
9:00-noon                 Office Open (07/07/2021)
9:30-10:45am           Yoga with Kathy Boone (In Person)(Ends on 07/07/2021)
6:00-8:00pm             Board of Trustees (07/21/2021) 

THURSDAYS
9:30am-3:30pm         Office Closed (07/08/2021)
9:30-10:45am            Yoga with Kathy Boone (Wednesday class 
                                    moving to Thursday on 07/15/2021)
7:30-8:30pm              SA 12-Step Recovery (in person)

FRIDAYS
6:30-830pm               Yata, Sinz and Orfield Concert on (07/23/2021) (See information above)
7:00-8:30pm             Power of Now (On break for the summer)

SATURDAYS
8:00AM-1:00PM        Office Open (07/10/2021)

SUNDAYS
10:00-11:00am          Sunday Service (In person  or Facebook Live)

Updates of worship details will be in This Week at Unity. To be added to the list, email 





The Prayer Team is available when you have a request!

Do not be afraid to reach out for support. Call the office at 715-836-0010 or Timothy's cellular phone 715-533-3260 if you have an immediate need. Also, send us an email prayer request at [email protected]. Remember
 
THE UNITY OF EAU CLAIRE COMMUNITY IS HERE FOR YOU!




 
Unity is looking for these items
 
1) The book and gift store will take your used jewelry (even if not in good shape or broken) to re-purpose or sell for cash. Drop off in the office in a package marked 'Sue Carlson'. All proceeds from the book and gift shop go toward our Unity expenses.
 

Unity Gift & Book Store

Bookstore OPEN and ready for you to get some good deals.


   
Unique gifts can be found in our Gift & Bookstore.
Used books for purchase are located on the bookshelves in the foyer.

 
Come check us out.
          • Books by Unity based authors and others
          • Gifts for all occasions
          • Jewelry designed and crafted locally
          • Used books for a nominal cost
Thanks you for your purchases and your donations of used books.
All sales help to support the monetary needs of Unity of Eau Claire.





Is Automatic Giving for you?
 
Unity of Eau Claire is pleased to offer you this option for Automatic Giving. Now you can have your gift deducted automatically from your checking or savings account, twice per month, on the 10th and 24th. Your ongoing support is deeply appreciated.  
 
Benefits of the Automatic Giving:
  • Saves time - fewer checks to write
  • Ensures regular financial support to Unity Christ Center - even if you're on vacation or out of town.
  • Easy to sign up for, easy to cancel.
All you have to do is click the link below, print the form and drop it off at the office. Forms will be available in the back of the church also. 

The Power for JULY  is "UNDERSTANDING"

Take what you've learned and put it all together
Affirmation: My understanding of Truth deepens and directs my life.

Understanding-The ability to know, perceive, and apprehend.

The disciple is Thomas. He represents the ability to see beyond appearances to reality.

The corresponding color is gold, and the location is the front of the brain.


Unity Serving Locally & Globally

Unity Living Vision #4: We envision our innate desire to give to the larger community by living Unity principles through loving service.

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JONAH

"A grassroots organization, comprised primarily of diverse faith communities, seeks to bring people in the Chippewa Valley into relationships and empower one another to build a healthier and fairer community for us all."
 
Unity's liaisons to JONAH is  Larry Metzenbauer and Dean Schmitz 
For more information on how to get involved with JONAH, contact 
Larry at  [email protected]715-382-3414 
Dean at  [email protected] or 715-514-3363
 
Like JONAH on Facebook and check out the website for JONAH events at www.jonahjustice.org.

Community Table

We serve our community by volunteering our time and contributions to the Community Table.

The following dates are when Unity of Eau Claire will be serving at the Community Table. Please join us. Sign up sheet will be available weeks before we are serving.  
 
Time of volunteering is 9:30 am to 2:00pm on the following are.

August 21, 2021
November 13, 2021

Unity's liaison to Community Table is Howie Nelsen at 715-833-9729 or [email protected]. Visit thecommunitytable.org for more information.