July - August 2009 | Download PDF
Greeting my Friends of Unity,
When I look back over these last few weeks at Unity of Lake Orion, I am just so pleased to see how we, as a community, have entered into a new relationship with each other. When I first arrived at Lake Orion, we were so excited to be able look at the possibility of creating a church with the proper foundation of a minister/board relationship.
As we came closer and looked at what was important for the growth of this ministry, we invited Tom Schumann and Cindy Perri to take us through a visioning process, and in that wonderful congregational experience, we were able to arrive at a unique discovery; a discovery that opened our thoughts to realize that we can be a good church. But our intention now is to be a great spiritual community.
Many of us have come forward with a vast amount of different church experiences. Some of them were built on old ideas that placed the strength within the hands of either the minister or the board. Some of us have experienced the traditional design of a church with only a few members sharing in the ownership of the church.
In a spiritual community, each of us shares in the ownership of our community. We take on the responsibility together, each one working in that sacred spirit of oneness. Our quest is to become a spiritual community that will co-create together in a shared experience of transformation within ourselves; where we, as a community, can become that radiant center of the Christ Light.
During these last few weeks, we also have engaged in a wonderful campaign that is shaping our community outreach and involvement. This campaign is titled “LOOK FOR THE GOOD”; a slogan that is truly an affirmation that stimulates and generates the good within ourselves and the good that we see within others.
In this campaign, we are witnessing the gathering and incorporation of several community organizations, churches, and individuals who see and feel that this campaign is a needed energy of love that can pull a community together.This is all happening at a time when so many people find themselves trapped in a raging sea of negative thinking or overwhelmed by the lack of good in their lives.
If we are to have peace on earth, or if we are to create a world where our children will live out the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., then we must strive to make this campaign of “Look for the Good” an ever-growing part of our consciousness.
It was said in Isaiah, “I, Jehovah, have called thee in righteousness (Good); and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee”.
As we build this spiritual community, let us embrace and affirm this message of goodness and look within ourselves to behold the glory and greatness that God has placed within each of us.
Namaste
Rev. Gregory Guice
A Message From Your Board President
What a great day we had at the Science, Health and Spirituality Festival. Isn’t it wonderful when you can get all these people to come together for one reason - to feel the presence of God? That is exactly what happened thanks to Linda LaCroix and her team. We all came together as one mind and moved tents and tables from the back of the church to the front. Everybody helped in any way they could. This wasn’t even work. All I saw was Love flowing all around the yard, through the tent, into the church and out into the parking lot.
We had eight young men from Crossroads setting up tables, carrying boxes for vendors and directing traffic in the parking lot. Rev. Guice got this event started with a big prayer circle in front of the church to release the energy and Love that continued throughout the day, even into the cleanup that went very quickly and smoothly. I loved the whole day and I want to thank everybody that had a part in this beautiful day. We certainly are of one mind.
All of this helps the church continue to grow with like-minded people. At least ten new Children of God came to the Sunday Service the next day. People see us the way we were that day and they want to be a part of it. We hope you, the new people, continue to come because we love being a part of your life.
As we go into July, let’s continue all this energy and love. I don’t think we can help ourselves, because that’s just the way we are at Unity of Lake Orion. We’re full of it (Love and Energy). But maybe we can slow down just a little so we can pray, look for the good in every situation, and continue being the loving people that we are. Stay blessed and have a great 4th.
Remember, it’s “Picnic Time” again on August 9th. Come and bring a friend to the beautiful sandy beach, nice water, good food and games. Now let’s have some fun!
Until then, think about God being the source of all the good in our lives. We give thanks and know that we are one with our Creator and that we are all being brought to our highest good.
Every day in every way, God is blessing and prospering Unity of Lake Orion and all its families.
LOVE YOU ALL.
Don Stickler
Treasurer's Report
As I announced at our Town Hall meeting, we are in the black for the first time since 2004. Hooray for us! Thank you God! The major reason for this is two angel families have given the church very generous donations. Thanks to our angels! Your Board of Directors has also been busy cutting expenses to the tune of $11,000 for the year. Together these things have made a difference.
Our financial goal is to keep the church in the black this year. We need to look profitable to the bank so they will extend our mortgage and hopefully give us an equity line of credit so we can subsidize new programs that will provide an even greater source of income.
The Women of Spirit had a very successful Divas & Dessert program, bringing in over $400 profit for their fall retreat. The Science, Health and Spiritual Festival, though not quite breaking even, brought lots of new faces to Sunday Services.
We need your support at our activities to continue to grow. Bring your friends to the upcoming Coffee Houses, movie nights and other events as they come up. The more cars in the parking lot, the more passers-by will be tempted to stop to see ‘what’s happenin’.
There are many events coming up this fall, so get them on your calendar now.
Keep those tithes coming, and remember to repeat our affirmation:
“Each and every day, in every way, God is blessing and prospering Unity of Lake Orion and its families.”
Blessings & prosperity to all,
Anna Ferman Treasurer
Remembering...
This July marks the one year anniversary of the passing of Wes Fuelling, who, along with this wife Pat, founded Unity of Lake Orion church. Pat and Wes had a vision some 12 years ago to bring a Unity church to this community and through their gifts of love, financial investment, dedication and sense of higher purpose, made it happen.
“Wes truly inspired me to see a higher vision for all of Unity Northern Oakland County. His vision continues to live in all of us at Unity of Lake Orion.”
— Rev. Gregory Guice
This past May, a team of dedicated men including Roger Moore, Norm Davis, Don Stickler, Rick Kugel, Paul Ferman, Kevin Cruickshank and Rev. Guice worked tirelessly with Pat to create our beautiful Wes Fuelling Memorial Garden. Pat continues to add her gracious touches such as the benches and flowers to fulfill her desire to make this garden into a quiet sanctuary of reflection, meditation and healing for everyone who comes.
We will soon announce the ability to purchase engraved memorial bricks to go into the garden. These bricks can be personalized with the name of someone you wish to honor and remember. They will be placed in the inner circle surrounding the fountain.
Pat remains a tireless volunteer and church leader seen each Sunday greeting us all with her bright smile and warm welcome. Unity teaches that each person is a unique expression of God created with sacred worth. Living from that awareness transforms our lives and the world.
Pat and Wes lived that awareness together for 54 years and we can see the transformation in our own lives with each inspired service, enlightened class and the many new friends and member drawn to this church. Blessings to you, Pat and thank you. We remember and we will never forget.
Quantum Physics, Healing & Unity
Thanks to Unity Church of Lake Orion, we had a wonderful “Science, Health, and Spirituality” show on June 13 where I had the opportunity to speak on Quantum Physics and Healing. The topic is a passion of mine because I feel that there are concepts in quantum physics that, once known, can totally turn someone’s ideas upside down about what this world really is and what is possible.
In fact, Einstein once said, “Newton, forgive me.” Understandable, because Einstein and his contemporaries in quantum physics started proving long ago that life doesn’t work the way Newton thought. “There is no place in this new kind of physics for the field and matter,” said Einstein, “for the field is the only reality.”
This field is the quantum field which refers to reality below the level of the atom. And here, we don’t know if “things” are waves or particles, or both, or neither. Waves may be all that exist and their interactions may be all that appear as matter.
In any case, we know that all the energy or information that make up this field seems to come from what we now call the Zero Point Field, which is present everywhere all the time — even in deep space, which we once thought of as a vacuum. From this field, waves and/or matter can suddenly appear as if generated from nothing.
By now, quantum physicists have proven many times over that the very act of observation alters quantum level experiments. We seem to be proving that consciousness itself prepares the template through which the creative energies of the universe pass, thus creating reality according to thought!
Suddenly, it makes every bit of sense when it is said, “Thoughts are things” and suggests that our minds create our health. In my talks, I explain that the field is what structures our bodies; that the very position of electrons can determine the chemical reactions in our bodies; and this is why quantum phenomena like magnetism, light, and sound can alter our bodies. This has been proven over and over by science, no matter what conventional medicine believes.
None of this should come as a surprise to students of Unity. While these points are, even today, still largely unknown by the public, Charles Fillmore, the co-founder of Unity, was writing about them long ago. In Prosperity (first published in 1936), he points to scientific discoveries in his day, showing that ‘the atom conceals electronic energies whose mathematical arrangement determines the character of all the fundamental elements of nature.’ Shortly after this, he says, “Science now postulates space rather than matter as the source of life.”
Quantum physics really stands today as one of the great doorways to transformation. In this world, as few can imagine, this science may unlock the keys to unlimited free energy and tremendous advances in health at the least; and to teleportation, levitation, and much more on the horizon. And yes, I believe that Unity’s founder knew all of this and lay some of the all-important groundwork for bridging the two great modes of thought: science and spirituality.
Steve McCardell
Author of The Quantum Challenge and
Co-Founder of the Bio-Physics Center in Oakland Township
Men of Unity
Here it is, July, and the weather is finally getting more like summer time. Golf is on our minds. We are golfing on Monday mornings. If you are interested in playing golf, give me a call and I will give you all the info necessary. Also look for signup sheets in the church hallway.
Our last meeting was on Saturday morning, June 6th at the church. We had a good time and a good meal. We intend to have another Saturday breakfast in July. Stay tuned for further details.
Due to the holiday, our next meeting will not be on the customary first Thursday of the month. Instead, it will be on Thursday, July 9th at 6:30 PM. We will start with pizza and salad as usual with discussion to follow. There will be a signup sheet on the table in the church hallway. Sign up, come and have a good time with us.
Jerry Crossman
Women of Spirit
Women of Spirit Retreat for 2009
Ladies, we've nailed down the date for our Women of Spirit's one day retreat. This year it will be Saturday, August 29th , held at the Benedictine Monastery in Oxford. Many details are yet to be worked out, so stay tuned. You won't want to miss this special day of connection, reflection and fun!
Our special Divas and Desserts spring event was an outstanding hit and we say thanks so much to Susan Berg for her creative talents and hard work to pull this together. Many thanks also go to her team of Pat Fueling, Brenda Ondejko and Deb Derderian. The desserts were delicious, the talented voices heavenly, the audience of divas—divine and the evening - pure magic!
WOS is taking the month of JULY off to enjoy summer and get in some great vacations. But we will get back together in August for our Retreat.
The WOS CALENDAR OF EVENTS for the rest of the year include:
August— Our Women's One Day Retreat
September— To Be Announced
October— Emergency Mittens - Betty Pitchford, a member of the Optimists Club, has asked Unity of Lake Orion WOS to help her make mittens for the children of the Pontiac School District. She says the children just love these mittens and they are a blessing to those in need. More details will be coming from Betty soon.
November — The Art of Making Tea and Interesting Tea Facts — will be given by Shea who was a vendor at our Health, Science and Spirituality Festival. What a perfect cold weather treat for all of us who love tea.
December — WOS Christmas Party and White Elephant Exchange —This is a fun day we look forward to every year.
MOVIE NIGHTS WILL BEGIN AGAIN IN THE FALL!
September kicks off our Friday night at the movies with "Leap". Please reserve the fourth Friday of each month for this family fun event.
Women of Spirit meet the third Saturday of each month and encourage all women to come and participate.
Sharon Nettleton
This is A Course in Miracles…
For many of us, spiritual principles are the compass with which we live our lives. Nothing else seems to work! We’ve learned some time ago that the world isn’t our problem (although it can certainly seem to be); how we see our world is the problem. Our perception of the problem is the problem. We’ve learned that we can no longer blame people, places, or things for how we feel or where we are in life, although it’s convenient!
And we’ve also learned that having an intellectual understanding of Truth, although helpful, is simply not enough! And that’s where A Course in Miracles comes in. ACIM gives us a curriculum – 365 daily lessons - for us to follow, teaching us how to undo the effects of our thinking in a very practical manner.
The result: by removing the blocks to the awareness of love’s presence within our minds, we become progressively more aware of our True Inheritance, as His light shines through us unobstructed, touching everyone we encounter. And we experience many miracles, particularly in our relationships!
Please stop by and see what we’re up to! We welcome all visitors! The Fall program will begin Tuesday, September 1st at 7:00pm here at Unity. We will meet every Tuesday evening thereafter. We look forward to meeting you!
“A Course in Miracles is not a religion, but a spiritual and psychological training in the relinquishment of a thought system based on fear, and the acceptance, instead, of a thought system based on love.”
— M. Williamson
Special thanks to Reverend Gregory Guice for all the support and love!
If you have any questions about our classes, please feel free to contract me, Charles Laird at 248-431-0544.
Make Meditation A Habit
I invite everyone to join us on Monday evenings at 7PM. Meditating is very simple and easy to do. Anyone over the age of 12 is welcome.
By meditating we are performing a service to our church, community and ourselves. Even though the conscience mind may chatter it does not reduce the effectiveness of the growing connection between you and your soul. The connection grows anyway.
Participating in this meditation will greatly advance your spiritual growth and the more people who join, the stronger the energy becomes, enhancing the benefits of all who serve.
Blessings and love~
Sharyn Davis
Sunday Lessons
July 5
License to Build
Don Stickler
July 12
The Matrix
Rev. Gregory Guice
New Member Class Following
July 19
May the Force Be With You
Rev. Gregory Guice
New Member Class Following
July 26
Transformers
Rev. Gregory Guice
New Member Class Following
August 2
Let Thy Will Be Done
Rev. Gregory Guice
New Member Service
August 9
In My Father’s House
Rev. Gregory Guice
Church Picnic Following Service
August 16
It’s All Vibrations
Rev. Gregory Guice
August 23
Guest Speaker
August 30
The Courage to Conquer Fear
Rev. Gregory Guice
Unity Bookstore
New Books
We now have two books by Ernest Holmes (1887-1960), whose teachings became know as Religious Science, and who is perhaps bestknow for his most influential work, Science of Mind magazine, which is still published today (and available in the Bookstore).
His Creative Mind and Success is described as a “simple manual for understanding the nature of the universe and the mind’s creative power … how ‘right thinking’ can help us achieve independence and prosperity”. This book is only $4.95.
Creative Mind, an earlier work, is a Ernest Holmes classic, which sells for $12.95.
We also have the current best-seller The Shack (Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity) by Wm. Paul Young. This work of fiction puts a new twist in trying to answer age-old questions, such as “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?” It is a unique piece of writing that may be best appreciated by those with an open mind, since it has such a unique point of view. Personally, I view it as one of the most powerful spiritual books I have read.
Please come in the bookstore and check out these new titles. We also have reduced the price of a number of books, so come in and browse.
Paul Ferman
Book Store Coordinator
Valued Volunteer - July
Linda Lacroix
Bravo Linda Lacroix! Taking initiative by using her creativity and organizational skills, she and her team brought us a fun and successful Science, Health and Spirituality Festival this past June. We applaud her leadership and can-do spirit. She is an inspiration to us all!
Valued Volunteer - August
Jan Stickler
The backbone of every community is the person who, without fanfare, finds the need and fills it. In Sanskrit, this can be expressed by the word seva (selfless service). Jan brings this spirit of service to many tasks such as cleaning the church, working in the garden and volunteering for special events. We are blessed by her example.