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Unity Spiritual Life Center
MARCH 5, 2014 ~ Weekly Update
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MISSION
To be a center of positive, practical, progressive Christianity devoted to helping people awaken to the Spirit within and to inspire one another into a grater experience of God and life through prayer, meditation, education, and service to others.
VISION
To create a loving and engaged Unity Truth Community that transforms the spiritual consciousness of the planet...one thought, one word, one action at a time.
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USLC Office Hours: Monday and Tuesday 10am-1pm.
Office Phone: 919-471-3504
Office Administrator email: cagnc@msn.com
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Sunday, March 9 , 2014 - 10:30 am
UNITY THEME FOR 2014: Teach Compassion
Affirmation: I behold the Christ in others.
Check out unity.org/resources.
LESSON FOR TODAY: Everything is My Teacher
The intention of this practice is not to become a better person...the new and improved version of myself. This work is about waking up to my own true nature through the practice of humility and surrender.
SPECIAL MUSIC: Sandy Hemenway
Childcare provided for the service.
MEET & GREET follows the service ~
spend time munching and mingling,
as you greet old friends and meet new ones!
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PAULA'S PERSPECTIVE
"A woman was commiserating on all the problems of her life. A friend, trying to console her said, But my dear, you are tearing yourself apart by your anguish. Why not let it all go and find a sense of inner peace? The unrelenting woman replied, Oh, I just couldn't do that. I think when the Lord sends me tribulations, it is my duty to tribulate." Eric Butterworth, In the Flow of Life
Tomorrow starts the season of Lent in the Christian calendar. It is a season of preparation, a time for realigning our self with a greater spiritual sense and understanding of life. When we truly engage in meaningful preparation we emerge transformed...we are changed at depth...we are a different person...from the inside.
Many know Lent as a time of giving up or fasting from something. In our childhood we may have been encouraged to give up a favorite food or maybe as adults we fast from eating meals. The hope was that this would remind us of our spiritual nature and relationship to God. Often, as soon as Easter morning dawned we were right back into the behavior we might have perfected during the Lenten season.
But could we say that we were transformed...changed at depth? The story from Butterworth above gives us an idea of how we can use this season to give up something that results in a deep change. What about if we decide to let go of every story that keeps us in the place of tribulation...in the place of suffering?
Yes, there might be things happening in your life right now that feel uncomfortable, that seem overwhelming, that are not how you want your life to be. First, know that there is not a God out there sending you tribulations...look around, everyone has their share of life circumstances to negotiate. You are not being singled out for some special treatment! Second, you can decide whether to stew in your anguish or give it up. You can give up the telling of your woe is me story. You can decide to view your circumstance or situation from the perspective of possibility rather than as an obstacle. In other words, you can let go of the one limited, blinders-on view to which you are attached. You can open up to the possibilities in the moment and come from a more peaceful heart.
Give it up! The change in your life will not end on Easter morning.
Peace always
Paula
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For thousands of years we have gathered in circle...around fines, around bodies, around altars...because we can't do this alone. Wayne Muller
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Fun First Friday every month: 7-8:30pm
SPECIAL EVENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
FUN FIRST FRIDAY: GAME NIGHT, March 7 at 7pm. Bring your favorite game, cards, dominoes. Participate as a team in Pictionary. Let's have fun and build community! Popcorn and a 50/50 raffle too!
BAPTISM OF ANGEL MALDONADO, Sunday, March 9th. Be present to witness this holy ritual and support Angel and her family during the ceremony.
BOOK STUDY GROUPS, Living Originally by Robert Brumet. One Group will be meeting on Thursday evenings at 7pm. The meeting will be at the home of Jeanie Rodgers, 605 Quartz Drive, Durham, 27703...8.3 miles from the Center. Join us as we discover how to "live originally". Next week: Thursday, March 13th.
WORKSHOP: HOW TO CONNECT WITH "THE EXTRAORDINARY YOU!", Sunday March 16th, 12:30-2:30. Join Revs. Bil & Cher Holton to discover "IT". IT is our True Nature-our Divine Nature-our Christ Nature. People who have found "It" have seven things in common. Discover your seven Core Abilities and learn how to connect with them and move beyond the limitations of your past conditioning and master the art of living, as you walk the spiritual path on practical feet!
DINNER AND DISCUSSION, Monday, March 19th, 6:30pm. Our resident Chef, Janice Escott, is putting together USLC's "Baked Potato Bar"! Load your spud with a myriad of toppings...cheese, broccoli, bacon bits, sour cream, butter...who knows what else Janice might think of!
Discussion Topic: How do we make the world a better place? Sign-up and pre-pay for this event: $10 due on March 16th.
GUEST SPEAKERS ON SUNDAYS IN MARCH - Welcome Revs. Bil & Cher Holton on March 16th and Rev. Beverly Bockover with the Transzenders on March 23rd.
COMING SOON
SOUP SUNDAY, March 23rd. Looking for three volunteers to make soup for this monthly event. Do you have a favorite recipe? Want to WOW people with your culinary skills? Let Ginny Brendlen know you are interested, vbrendlen@aol.com or see her after service. Want to have a taste? Donate $2.
BOOK STUDY MEETING, Monday March 24th, 7-8pm. A time for connecting with others who are practicing Radical Self-Awareness & Deep Self-Acceptance as presented in Living Originally: Ten Spiritual Practices to Transform Your Life by Robert Brumet. Do you have a question or want to share an experience? Join Rev. Paula for this open discussion.
ON-GOING
PRAYER AND HEALING MINISTRY GATHERING. Healing prayer, guided meditation, and opportunity for hands on healing. Be still and know. Every 1st Sunday at noon and 3rd Monday at 7pm, Fillmore Chapel. Next meeting: March 17th at 7pm.
BOOKSTORE: Featured Books. Living Originally by Robert Brumet; The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer; Discover the Power Within You by Eric Butterworth; The Exquisite Risk by Mark Nepo. Check out our Featured Book table!
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WOW!
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WINDS OF HEAVEN
A great light burns within you. You are the only person who can uncover that light and turn it up in strength, causing it to shine brightly so that the fogs of earth are dispersed.
You can generate a power, too, in yourselves that, like the winds of heaven, will sweep clean your surroundings until all mists disappear.
Earth Healer
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| Sundays:
10:30
Celebration Service & YOU/Uniteen classes
(Childcare available)
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Directions: Exit 175 off of I-85. Turn NORTH on Guess Road; Turn right onto Carver Street. Go approximately half a block; USLC is located in the small business park on your left.
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YOU CAN HELP USLC GET FREE MONEY!!!
Pick up a gift card from Carla; $5 is already on it to get you started.
Take the card to Kroger Customer Service Desk and put your grocery money on the card. (Be sue you do this at least 12 hours before you plan to use it. It takes time for it to be put in Kroger's system.)
Do your grocery shopping with the gift card. This does not affect your regular rewards from Kroger.
Every time you use your card to by groceries or gas at Kroger, the amount is credited to USLC toward a 5% reward when our total reaches $5000...that's $250 for the Center.
NOTE: You continue to recieve all your regular Kroger rewards.
Encourage friends and family to join our fund drive.
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Join us on Meetup.com
And forward this newsletter to your friends!
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COMMUNITY ZONE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
President: Ginny Brendlen
Vice President: Janice Escott
Treasurer: Jeanie Rodgers
Secretary: Mary Lea Richards
Member at Large: Jim Kimbrough
SPRING AHEAD: Daylight Saving Time begins next Sunday, March 9th. Remember to set your clock ahead one hour.
Workshop: Healing the Past, Building the Future, April 26, 9am-4:30pm. Popular A.R.E. speaker Peter Woodbury, MSW, will explain Edgar Cayce's concepts of karma, grace, and reincarnation, as well as discuss tools for forgiveness from the Cayce readings. Attendees will experience guided imagery and past-life regression, leading to understanding the soul's purpose and the limitless potential of your incarnation in this lifetime. Commons Room, ERUUF, Durham. $50. Scholarships available. Registration: Linda 919-790-9130.
Next service project? How do you want to support our local community? The Board is open to suggestions.
Food & Fellowship. Sign up to provide a snack for our time of fellowship after the service. A great way to build community and support your spiritual home.
CD's of Sunday Lesson available for $3.00. Check at the Sound Booth after
KEEPING UP: What's happening in your neighborhood? Are you traveling, hosting visiting friends or relatives, having a yard sale, announcements, other activites? Send your information to rodgers.jean@gmail.com by Tuesday of each week.
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FEATURE
RELATIONAHIPS: AWARENESS
Rescripting is an effort to change the way you interact in significant relationships. During this process you can become truly awake to your own thoughts and behaviors and the forces within you.
Become aware:
* Step back and observe your behavioral patterns with as much objectivity as possible, paying particular attention to your body language, the words you use, and the action you take.
* Ask yourself, "Why do I behave this way and what's in it for me, really?"
* Identify the specific emotional and psychological patterns that are activated within you and adversely impact certain circumstances and relationships.
* Next, identify the people who bring out these behavioral patterns in you. It should become clear that only specific people bring out these patterns.
* Finally, with pattern, reason, and people identified, change the "script" during future encounters...awareness means nothing unless you put action behind it.
Caroline Myss
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