What a lot of change in one week!!! Hurricane Ike made landfall, which changed the lives of so many people on the Texas coast. The US financial markets took a downturn with major financial corporations declaring bankruptcy. People are losing jobs and homes. Many people are fearful about what all of these changes might mean in their future.
Fear is the biggest enemy for all of us. I have worked with fear in my own life and was remembering this morning the time period when I first arrived at the church in June of 1999 and was facing my own personal fears.
In 1998 my late husband, Dean, and I put everything in storage in Ft. Smith, Arkansas in 1998 and were on the road starting Unity churches for SCUCA, the regional Unity organization. That job was temporary and then it was over. Dean went to Corpus Christi to work with Unity by the Sea, a church he had started about 25 years earlier. I remained there with him for about 6 months when Unity of Denton sent word about the possibility of trying out for the position of Spiritual Leader.
I was selected as spiritual leader out of 3 candidates and arrived in June of 1999 with literally a car full of clothes and a lot of wondering about my life. All of my possessions were in storage in Ft. Smith, Arkansas where we had last lived. Dean was in Corpus Christi with a job that did not pay enough to meet expenses even though the salary was good for a church at the time and now I was in the Denton area with no place to live and wondering about my future.
I remember well when I first arrived at the church at Oak Street in Denton. I unloaded all of my clothes in one of the rooms and briefly had the thought that maybe I could spend the night in one of the rooms and just live at the church for a while. It seemed like a "haven" or "sanctuary" after my time of wandering from place to place.
I rented a room at a week-to-week place in the Euless area close to where my mother lived and still lives in Bedford. I remember setting up my computer and thinking that I had to do something with my thoughts to keep them centered away from fear of finances and the future. I wondered if Dean and I would ever be able to live together and I was concerned about his rapidly declining health. What would we do financially if he could no longer work because of health problems? Where was I going to live in Denton and how could I afford it? Fear loomed very large in my mind and thoughts.
So I sat down at my computer, which I managed to cram into my car with enough clothes to get through a couple of months. I looked at lists I had made of desired income, living situations, etc. which I had projected for various months throughout the year of 1999. I focused on what I wanted to experience and I knew that I would have to totally depend on God to provide everyday for all my needs and I would just have to let go of fear and concerns. I constantly centered on the idea of God as my source for everything and that as a child of God I would be provided with all that I needed.
It all worked out in ways I would never have dreamed of. A member of the church had paid for her mother to live in a triplex and the mother could not live there so I lived there for the first month rent-free and then was able to pay for the rent myself. Dean become very ill and moved back with me and was under hospice care for 4.5 years. We got our things out of storage and I was able to arrange to buy a home where I live now. I also was able to purchase a new car, which was on my "vision" list. I became ordained through a Field Licensing process that again was on my Vision and Mission statement.
I went through another set of circumstances that could have caused a lot of fear and concern when Dean died in 2004. His Social Security income was gone and I had to make it up as best I could. There was a lot of adjusting to "loss" in my life. I knew I again had to trust God to see me through so much change in legal areas, health wise as I went through a rare cataract surgery (I had an unusual cataract) and emotionally as I adjusted to life without Dean. I knew it was important to heal before even thinking about having another relationship in my life so I gave myself time and space to be by myself and get to know myself as an individual. I joined 2 grief groups, made goals for my future and used every Unity principle I knew of. I started the Visioning class and participated personally. For 3 years I took Dean's place in leading meditation classes. The finances came in when I needed them, the cataract surgery went fine, and many of my goals have come to pass.
And now I am at a place where I can look back and see that God was with me at every fearful juncture. And I know that I can depend on God in the future as I face other fears and challenging situations. I am certain that each of you have had experiences in this way also.
There will always be change in the world and in our lives and we never know what is ahead. However we all have the choice of "letting go of fear" and trusting in God to provide as the Israelites did on their way to the Promised Land. They could not store up food (manna) and were given manna on a day-by-day basis only. They were surrounded by enemies and wondering if they could make it. Their trust in God allowed them to enter into the Promised Land and establish a home.
If you find yourself entertaining thoughts of fear about your future, realize that you too have a choice to let go of the fear and center on God as your Source. Make lists of what you would like to see in your life and know that "with God all things are possible". Connect to God through prayer and meditation. Stay around like minded people as much as possible.
My sister sent me the following link which is research that Baylor University did on Angels in people's lives which is published in the CNN time site. We are not alone....even if we feel that way.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1842179,00.html?cnn=yes
Ellen Davis, Minister
Enveloped in the healing energy of God's love, the earth and its people are transformed. Love, peace and abundance fill every heart and mind. Our planet is healthy, whole, and at peace.
Sunday Services at 11:00 AM each Sunday
Sept. 21st: Word Power Ellen Davis, Minister
Kathryn Kalahan, Music Director
Toll free prayer line: 877-203-3917
Fall Program
The Sunday morning talks will be based on the book by Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements. Home study groups will study the book for 7 weeks.
Annual Unity Celebration
Saturday, November 8, 2008
6:30 until midnight
Unity Church of New Hope
A MEXICAN FIESTA
Dinner, dancing, entertainment, doorprizes and more
$20 per person.
Jack Williams at the Church
October 12, 11:00 AM Music and Message
October 12, 7:00 PM Concert 7:00 PM Tickets $15.00
Evening Concert Reservations Required!
Advance ticket purchase recommended!
Call Kathryn at 940-300-9641 for Reservations
or mail check or M.O. to: Unity Church of New Hope---attention Jack Williams Concert
6071 New Hope Road, Krugerville, tX 76227
See unityofnewhope.org for more information about Jack Williams
Classes at Unity Church of New Hope (Monday Meditation and Visioning cancelled this week only)
Please note that the 1st Huna class scheduled for Sept. 24th will be rescheduled sometime in January
Monday
YOGA
(each Monday at 6:30 PM)
Sue Greenwood , Registered Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist
This class is for all levels, anyone who wants to explore the breath and create space in the body.For more information or to schedule a private therapy session with Sue please e-mail her at su3f@yahoo.com or check out her website at www.sadhanayoga.org
MEDITATION MONDAYS
(each Monday at 7:30 PM)
Lane Pierce, Facilitator
Meditation is good for the mind, body and soul. If you have never participated in a group meditation, it is something to be experienced. Getting to know God is an urge and craving of all beings. Meditation will help you make that connection.
This special program is supported through your love offering and the most important part is your participation. &n bsp;Come to the church or set aside the time and meditate with us from your home if you cannot make it in person. Be a part of something bigger.
http://meditation.meetup.com/504/
Wednesday
Spiritual Discussion Class
10:30 AM Next class is Sept. 24th
Ellen Davis Facilitator
VISIONING CLASS
(each Wednesday 7:30 PM)
Ellen Davis and Lane Pierce Facilitators
The Wednesday night visioning class has decided to begin planning for the second half of 2008. The class is currently working on putting their goals in writing to correlate with the images in their books.
Visioning is all about dreaming, fantasizing, clarifying and energizing your life. You decide what it is you want in your life and then begin to envision those things. By collecting and organizing images of items or important words you can surround yourself with images of who you want to become, what you want to have, where you want to live, or where you want to vacation, your life changes to match those images and those desires. Between Ellen's commitment to the system of Visioning and Lane's commitment to goal setting there are many lessons to be learned in any one night of Visioning class.
This class is supported by love offerings.
A Vision Book is really an inventory of your desires - come stock your shelves.
Buddhist Meditation
Wednesday 7:00pm
Unity of New Hope now hosts a Buddhist Meditation night. Feel free to come join in with them at 7:00 every Wednesday night.
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