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"God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them." (1 John 4:16, NRSV)
Love is the harmonizing and attracting power of life. Love is that which draws us to that which is ours. One of the most difficult lessons for me to really understand was that Love is neutral. It is not just warm and fuzzy and all that positive emotion-stuff depicted on greeting cards. Love is the power that translates what I really believe and desire into the experiences that will best serve those beliefs and desires. So if I really believe that life is hard and that drama and conflict are necessities, the harmonizing, attracting power of love will manifest in my life as opportunities for me to experience hard times, drama, and conflict.
We always - in every moment of every day - have the ability to choose differently, to reexamine what causes we have set in motion in our lives. At this time of Advent, I invite you to look at what you are really "loving" and, if it seems necessary, to reset and correct your internal compass to true north. Since we are not separate, but are all connected in Oneness, these periods of time such as Advent can be very helpful- lots of us are aligning our thoughts in a God-ward direction, and we can all help each other to know these truths. Will you join me for a few minutes of knowing and claiming the Truth of Love for each of us this Advent season?
Wherever you are reading this right now, I invite you to become comfortable. Check your posture, notice any areas of discomfort, shift your body as needed, and breathe. If you are reading on a mobile device while standing, be seated and allow yourself to relax for just a few moments. If you are at your work desk, perhaps you could put your telephone on silent for just a few minutes. If you have a door to close, you might even close it.
It is always helpful to begin by refocusing attention to our center, to our hearts. Shifting your awareness from head-and-brain thought to heart-thought is not difficult. You might touch your heart area lightly with your fingertips, perhaps even imagine what it would feel like to breathe through your heart. In addition to our faculty of Love, we also possess the ability of Imagination. Imagine for a few moments that your whole Being is centered in your heart, and that your heart is the center of your breath, of your thought, of your Life. We each share Life through the breath. Close your eyes for a few moments and simply breathe. Allow any other thoughts to simply come and go. Just continue to breathe.
From this place of centered awareness, I invite you to allow my words to be your words, or to speak your own words of Truth...
The Light of Love shines brightly in all corners of my life. I am bathed in the warm glow of the Love that God is, and I know the peace and joy of Oneness.
I remain open, staying present to what is, in this perfect moment, the perfection of that Love. My faith is made even more real. Having eyes to see, I see clearly. Having ears to hear, I hear plainly. I am willing to see and hear the things that are mine to see and hear. I am willing to know what is useful for me to know.
In this season of higher aspirations, I join with others in holding this safe, sacred space of knowing. I give myself permission to be that which I truly am, and I give others that same permission. I know that, in Truth, we are each unique, beautiful, necessary and irreplaceable portions of God-stuff made manifest.
The harmonizing power of Love is working in my life now, bringing all aspects of my divinity into expression for the highest and best in all matters in my life. I know that I am human, but I am not "only" human. The same spark of the Christ is within me that was within my Elder Brother, Jesus. As he honored that spark within him, I honor the spark within me. I am willing to be the Light of the World. I am willing to express my Divinity. I am willing to see the Face of Love in each one I encounter today. I am Willing to Love and to be Love, today and all days. Amen.
Blessings and Namaskar (the Divine within me blesses and honors the Divine within you)
   (If this email seems familiar, your memory is EXCELLENT! I'm currently enjoying some downtime; this was originally sent in 2011)
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Longest Night Service
December 22, 2015,5:00 pm
People have been recognizing the winter solstice for centuries as a way to celebrate the end of darkness and the coming of the light. Please join us as we invest time in meditation and fellowship to honor the passing of the longest night of the year and to celebrate the longer days of sunshine that are to come.
For many of us the holiday season can be a dark time. During this busy season we are investing time to pause, recognize and release the pain we may be experiencing due to missing loved ones that have gone to their next stage of being, a change in our life circumstances and/or relationships, or the myriad of other challenges that arise during this time of year. Please feel free to bring a small token to place on our altar that represents that which you are honoring during this time. We will release the pain and then affirm the truth of the love that we are, that we share and that restores us to the true wholeness that is our birthright as expressions of Divine Spirit. For your information this service will not include any holiday music since some of us can find the traditional songs painful. Join us for some light refreshment and time in fellowship after the service. Please contact Susan Smith if you have any questions about the service.
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Thursday, 12/24, 6:00pm
This evening will feature a retelling of the Christmas Story from a metaphysical viewpoint. We'll sing traditional Christmas Carols, and honor the Christ presence within each of us. Jesus' story is our story.
Christmas Morning Service
Friday, 12/25, 10:30am
Please join us for this informal celebration of the birth of Jesus, as well as the birth of increased awareness of our own divine nature. Lots of laughter, lots of singing, lots of fellowship. It is a birthday party, after all!
Christmas Potluck Service
Friday, 12/25, 11:30am
You're invited to join us for our annual Christmas Day potluck luncheon. Bring your favorite dish, and enjoy good company on this special day together.
New Year's Eve Release Ceremony
Thursday, 12/31, 6:00pm
It is good to pause periodically and consider where we've been, what we've been doing, what worked, and what hasn't been working. This will be an evening of release and intention, music and meditation.
So you know...
Some of our participants have breathing problems which are exacerbated by fragrances. Fragranced products can adversely affect people with allergies, asthma, migraines. Thank you for considering lessening or eliminating your fragrance use when attending classes or other events
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Support Unity Spiritual Center of Peace through AmazonSmile
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 You can help support our center every time you shop at Amazon.com just by selecting us to receive a portion of each purchase. You pay nothing extra, and we'll receive .5% of every purchase. (Please Note: When you search for us, look for Unity Spiritual Center of Peace Tucson. Thanks!)
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CHILDCARE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE DURING SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE
Our Sunday School teachers look forward to sharing Unity principles with your children aged 4-12. Our nursery is available for the very young ones, as well. We provide professionally trained and screened childcare for those ages 0-3, so that you may enjoy attending service while knowing that your little ones are well cared-for.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are many things which need to get done here in our center, and Susan Smith is working to make it easier for you to become involved. Please check at the information table to see what might be fun for you to do.
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES (ICS) RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES
To volunteer through our affiliation with ICS, contact their Volunteer Coordinator, Tori Carlson, either by phone at 520-297-6049 ext. 217 or visit their website
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