My First Podcast--Earthquakes and Hurricanes

The podcasts will only get better as I improve sound, and add music. You can listen here:

Membership In Unity

I'm glad to inform you that in recent weeks more people have made a decision to become members of our church family. I think it's a good thing that people took time to think about membership in Unity in Silver Spring before rushing blindly into membership.

A New Member's Ceremony is scheduled for September 18th.

Sermon Summary #3--Are You The Only One In This Truth?

Over the years I've heard it time and time again: "It would be nice if my husband (or wife) was into this Truth as well." Sometimes I hear it like this: "My brother is having such a hard time...if only he was into this things would be so much better for him."

BE THE PRINCIPLE How do you get those you care about to be interested in these spiritual principles? One sure way is for you to BE the PRINCIPLE in your daily living. This will cause your friends to say, "What is it that you are doing? I want some of that." There's your open door for discussion. But that's the lightweight stuff.

ONLY ONE MIND Reader, you know one of the basic principles is that there is only ONE MIND--just one. This Mind is Truth Itself. This Mind is spiritual illumination. But more than that, this Mind is the Mind of everyone that you know and even those that you don't know. It is the ONLY MIND.

If you would stay with the Truth that EVERYONE KNOWS THE TRUTH OF GOD'S ALLNESS; EVERYONE LOVES THE TRUTH OF GOD'S ALLNESS; EVERYONE ENJOYS THE TRUTH OF GOD'S ALLNESS, you will be surprised at how friends and relatives begin to take a sudden interest in Truth. And those of you reading this that are a part of our congregation, if we all held to this daily, we would see the church bursting at the seams with new visitors and members.

Sermon Summary -Truth Not Working

I hear it all the time, particularly before folk leave the church: "I've stayed with Truth for many years but I don't get any results. What's happening here?"

It's not possible. Anyone who claims to have stayed with Truth (for any amount of time) without getting results never started with Truth. Let's start with our Lessons In Truth textbook. What does it say? "We must learn to lose sight of results that are the 'loaves and fishes'...and let results take care of themselves." Yes, this goes against the grain of a lot of metaphysical mumbo jumbo that has made folk demonstration-drunk in recent years . Nevertheless, you must take your mind off of the results. Why? What is the basic premise of Truth? God (Absolute Goodness or Perfection) Is All. Absolute Perfection is EVIDENCE. Anyone focused on getting results is starting with the problem and hoping Truth can eliminate it. It never works. You can go to as many classes, in as many churches as you want, but as long as your focus is on the problem (to do anything with it) nothing will work. Okay...maybe for a few weeks, and then you are facing the same ol problem again. To end right, you have to start right. Instead of starting with the problem, be it lack, pain, sickness, or ignorance, start with God's Allness as All that there is. Yes, even right where the problem seems to be. If you start with God's perfection, you end with God's Perfection. Start with a seeming problem, and it never seems to go away.

Summary #1 (One Mind)

Rather than sum up last Sunday's sermon (July 31) in one posting, I am sending out one summary point each day for the remainder of this week.

Perhaps you are feeling, "Had someone exposed this Truth to me as a child, I would not be spending my adulthood trying to disbelieve in the make-pretend powers of disease, lack, limitation, etc." Now, you want to make sure your child (or grandchild) gets this Truth as soon as possible. What can you do? The basic teaching in Unity is that there is only one Mind--the Divine Mind. This Mind knows that God (absolute Goodness) is the only Presence and Power. Your job is to know that this Mind is your child's only Mind right now. Stop believing that she/he has an undeveloped child's mind that must "get" this Truth. There is no such Mind. DAILY praise the all-knowing Mind as your child's only Mind right now. This will do wonders.

Prosperity In Your Home--Sermon Commentary

I intentionally kept Sunday's sermon simple, and I've been wondering if it was too simple. All day long I've been wondering if the point was understood. Rather than risk the gamble of assumption, I am going to spell it out right here.

The purpose of walking through your home singing the first two lines of Surely The Presence is to keep in the forefront of your awareness that your home is the very presence of Infinite Substance. It is the presence of Infinite Abundance. Abundance (Infinite, divine Substance) is not somewhere and sometime else, but right there in and as your very home, NOW.

Just the constant recognition, awareness and acknowledgment of this fact will do more to establish prosperity and joy in your home than anything else you can do.

Ageless Living--Sermon Summary

The audio version of this sermon will not be available, so here is a summary of the most important parts. WhyThe Desire to Live Agelessly? $56 billion dollars a year is spent on anti-aging products. Why is there a desire to live agelessly? Remember, desire signifies the presence of fulfillment. The reason you desire to live agelessly is because it is possible, and normal to live agelessly. Three Point To Consider To live agelessly consider these ideas:

1. Your body is pure Spirit and is not governed by material laws. We cannot keep saying God (Spirit) is ALL, and think of the body as material. Only what is true of Spirit (God) is true of your Body. Don't judge by the appearance.
2. As God is the only Power, there is no power in so-called time to rob your Body of its vim, vitality, health, beauty and ability. There is no time in God and no God in time. Despite all appearances time has never affected your Body.
3. Because of the above, the appearance of aging is not inevitable or unavoidable.

Help For the Aging Body

The question has been asked, "Is it possible to turn the aged form into one of beauty and immortality without the change called death?" And the answer, in a nutshell, is that as the Truth of your Body is accepted and understood it is visibilized as your Body. Your business is to accept your Body's spiritual nature as its only nature.

Read the above paragraph again and it is easy to see why your best years are ahead of you, and not behind. With each passing year (time is not really real), your understanding of your Body's true nature is clearer and this clarity of spiritual vision shows forth on your body. Put no limits on this.

Stop Aging Yourself

Finally, STOP RECORDING AGES. Do not put a number on your Body or any Body. Body is timeless. The Truth is your Body is birthless, deathless, timeless and ageless. "Before Abraham was I AM." This is the Christ Truth of you.

Reminder-Service Starts At 10am

One Sunday, can you believe, we actually started the service close to 10:30am. Why? No one was sitting in the seats. Other times, we have had a first-time visitor arrive a little before 10am only to sit for twenty minutes because that's when the next person arrives. It's no surprise that they never come back.

I know many of you come from quite a distance to get to church, and it's good that you make it at all. However, I am asking everyone to please be a little more mindful that the service actually starts at 10am.

Sermon Uploads

Sunday's sermon and a previous sermon will be uploaded Wednesday night.

How To Work The Sermon Player

I've learned that many people who want to listen to our sermons at www.unityinsilverspring.org/audio.html are confused about how to work the player. Below are a few helpful hints:

• To the right of the uppermost sermon title, there is a scroll button. It is a grey circle under an “up” arrow. You can scroll all the way down to the “down” arrow to see the list of sermons on the player. Currently, there are 11 sermons.
• To the left of the player (grey letters), you will see the words “Sort Options.” Click on it and you can sort sermons by topic, speaker, series, year, etc.
• At the bottom left of the player, you will see the words “Search Archive.” Let’s say you are interested in all sermons on Prosperity. Type in the word and all the related sermons will show in the player. Or type in the name of a speaker and all of their talks will show. You get the picture.
• At the top of the player is the Volume button.
• The Details button will give all the details regarding a particular sermon title that you have already selected.
• When your mouse hovers over a sermon title, right above the player you will see a pop-up reading “Download This Clip.” You can save the sermon to a CD to play in your car, or save it to your computer.

Your Heart's Desire--Sermon Lesson

Here are essential points from last Sunday's sermon:

• Sometimes it seems that you have an intense desire for something: money, cigarettes, alcohol, sex, etc. That desire is actually a desire to experience the fullness of your Christ nature. All satisfaction is from within.
• This is not to say that you should not enjoy the pleasures of companionship, etc. It means that when you first find this fulfillment within, you are guaranteed to find it "fleshed" out into fulfilling experiences.
• The question came up: "Why is it that when you thought you wanted to travel, you realized your real desire was to experience God, and yet the result was an abundance of travel opportunities?" Here's why: I first found the fulfillment as a grander experience of God's Allness, and that fulfillment then fleshed itself out in a fulfilling way. Had it not been the travel opportunities, the fleshing out would've been something far more fulfilling than the travel I thought I desired.
• THE BOTTOM LINE: Living the Spiritual Life is living a Life of fulfillment.

The You Tube Video

You might want to check this out as a reminder of some of the points of a previous lesson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nm4b05_Fps

Hear For Yourself What I Said About Sex

There was a lot of talk after Sunday's sermon. "The Rev said we shouldn't have sex." Never said it. Hear for yourself. The sermon, Your True Desire, is now available.

Sunday School-Catch The Excitement

Sunday school is an active, and empowering way to volunteer your service at Unity in Silver Spring. Begin thinking now if you would like to be on a rotation schedule to help Tiffany (Dr. Manuel) carry on with her excellent, and inspiring vision for the Sunday School.

Sunday's Sermon Is Available On The Website

This Sunday's sermon, "The Way Out Is Within" is available on the Unity in Silver Spring website. I know many of you are having a hard time making this maneuver, so let's take it step-by-step.

1. Click on www.unityinsilverspring.org
2. To the right you will see a set of earphones with the words Listen To Sermons. Click.
3. The top spot is always reserved for the most recent sermon.

Happy Listening!

Bible Readers Alert

Laura is taking a well deserved break from coordinating the Bible Reader's Schedule. For the time being I (Rev. Allen) will be taking over her responsibilities. If you have any questions, cancellations, or substitution requests, please contact me. allen.white2@att.net

Thanks!

Sermon Highlights--Dealing With Appearances

Below are some highlights, helps and hints regarding Sunday's sermon.

• The basic principle on page 1 "God, which is goodness, perfection, love, and harmony, with no opposite or opposition, is omnipresent. Every individual including his life and his body , is in reality an expression of omnipresent God." [I like the more absolute statement "...is in reality the evidence of omnipresent God."]
• Remind yourself of this foundational statement throughout the day, every day, until we meet Sunday.
• How do I best help a loved one who seems to be in trouble? Go back to the foundational statement. Every individual including his life and his body, is in reality an expression of omnipresent God. This is their reality NOW. The best help you can give is to clarify your perception of her/him. Are you seeing this one as a patient with ____, one in trouble, or as the EVIDENCE of omnipresent perfection without an opposite?
• Remember, get your BUT out of the way. You cannot have omnipresent Harmony AND something else too.
• Take the statement and contemplate it. Sit with it. Consider every nuance of it. Be Silent and let further Revelation come forth. You are not using this statement to fight against something. YOu are acknowledging it as the only something.
• FEAR is the result of judging by appearances. Remind yourself that the fear has no presence and no power. Refuse to let it operate.

How To Solve Any Problem?

This Sunday we will pass out a gift to you. It is a copy of the book "Dealing With Appearances" by Ben Sweet. The sermon will be based on this book. After this sermon series, you will not be able to say about any problem, "I don't know what to do." The book is written in a clear, simple, and straightforward style. We will have fun with this. Be There!

Truth Not Working For You?

One of my favorite Unity books is one of the old classics, Effectual Prayer, by Frances Foulks. A short read, but the most powerful passage in the entire book is found on page 24. She writes:

"When an error condition in our lives does not respond to prayer, we have a right to ask why: 'What is there in me that is keeping this good from me?'"

Yes, I know that this wreaks of dualism. Get past it. You are interested in uncovering a Truth through Revelation. The asking of the question and the listening of the answer will reveal an answer that is not dualistic. Yes, such questioning will seem to free you of a supposed evil, but that's just scratching the surface. You will discover something about God and some truth about your Identity directly from your own God Consciousness.

Article On Prayer

Our Prayer Project is in full swing. I know (and believe in my heart) that our church family is participating in this project--if only for the two-minute minimum. Here is an article on prayer from my booksite that may inspire you.

Online Donations-Thank You

I want to thank those of you who have contributed to our ministry via online donations. There will be times when you just cant come to church, but via the online donation system you can still support Unity in Silver Spring. Thank you. This is a new procedure for us and it has proven to be a great idea.

Donation Update

You can now make donations to this ministry right here on the blog. Look to your top-right for the "donation" button." All donations are secured through Paypal.

Sermon Summary

Below are the main points from Sunday's sermon "The Juicy Fruit Life."

• Spirituality is more than mere feel-good philosophy. It is practical. When Jesus warned his disciples about false prophets, he said, "Ye will know them by their fruits." A spiritual tree (life rooted and grounded in God's allness) bears spiritual fruit. In other words, without you saying a word your spirituality shows forth in all that you do, say and by the quality of your living.
• One of the fruits or telltale signs of the spiritual life is LOVE. Without any effort at all, you find yourself engaged in a love affair with everything and everyone in the world. You LOVE, because you can't help loving. At some point you realize that YOU ARE LOVE IN ACTION.
• As LOVE, you will find that (1) unforgiving attitudes resulting from past hurts (2)harbored resentments (3) petty dislikes fall away as naturally as leaves fall from the trees in Winter. The beauty of this is you are not making an effort to rid yourself of these feelings. These leaves just don't grow on the spiritual tree.
• The Bible states that "Perfect love casts out fear." The spiritual tree does not grow fear fruit. Fear of persons, places, conditions and things fall away--if only gradually and by degrees. You've heard it said that if you can shake the fear of a disease the healing is sure to come. As a spiritual tree bearing the fruit of LOVE, the fear of (seeming)disease and the fear of the consequences of (seeming) disease drop away. You are no longer manipulated by disease and diagnosis. You are free to discover the WHOLENESS of your BEING.
• Another fruit of the spiritual life is JOY. Unconditional joy. No one gave you this joy, so they cannot take it away. No thing gave you this joy. It is generated from the I AM that YOU ARE. It out-pictures as genuine cheerfulness and a positive attitude. Bearing the fruit of joy, it is no possible for you to be bored.

Sermon Summary-No News Blues

Every now and again I preach a sermon that I can't shake. The theme haunts me (like a friendly ghost) for many days. No News Blues is one of those sermons. Below are highlights:

• Either you are an active reader of the news or you are a passive reader of the news. When you are an active reader, as you are reading even the most horrific headlines, active in your Consciousness is the FACT that no matter what you seem to see, GOD IS THE ONLY PRESENCE, THE ONLY POWER, THE ONLY ACTOR AND THE ONLY ACTIVITY.
• Every time you pick up the paper or listen to the talking heads should be a catalyst for world prayer--not to fix the world but to perceive that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
• Where there appear to be reports of power-mad, and ego-driven world leaders, we should be conscious that there is only the Love-Driven Christ Identity.
• Conscious of God's presence and power, let's not accept any report of hatred, violence, disease or lack as "normal," or beyond the power of prayer.
• As Rees Howells prayer efforts resulted in Hitler's downfall so can our prayers show the nothingness of hatred's seeming rampage.

Wonderful Things Are Happening

A few years ago, I preached the sermon, "Wonderful Things Are Happening." It was one of my favorites. Here is the audio version of the actual story. In a few weeks, the sermon will be posted on our website.

click

Healthy Living (sermon summary)

You have read a zillion laws and must-dos for living healthfully. Most of them approach health from the outside in. Healthful living is an inside job based on two laws--Omnipresence and Oneness. Below are some of the highlights from Sunday's sermon:

• The understanding of Omnipresence will do more for your health than any man-made theories based on the material sciences. God's Perfection is Omnipresent. It is all that is Present. Omnipresence includes your Body.
• The truth is HEALTH IS GOD, and therefore is a Universal Constant. Health is not an attainment.
• Welcome your Body into your understanding of Omnipresence. Don't leave it on the outside looking in on all that God Is. Include your Body in the ISNESS of God.
• The secret to Christ Jesus' power is summed up in these words, "I and my Father are one." Go into the prayer closet seeking a better understanding of those words as your very own reality.
• It is natural to progress in understanding from, "I and my Father are one" to "All that the Father has is mine." The next progression is "All that the Father is I AM." And finally, "All that the Father is not, I am not."
• Many folk have sprung out of their sick beds by realizing "Since God is not sick, I cannot be sick, because I and my Father are one."
• If you have already been to your doctor, and she (he) has diagnosed you with ________, turn completely away from the name of the disease, and the prognosis. Rejoice that your Body is Omnipresent Perfection in action. At first, it may seem that you are merely saying words for a healing. The healing (which is the experience of ever present Perfection) will "happen" when you Rejoice because the Truth is already true.

New Thought Books For Free

This is why we often send our tithes to Serving New Thought. They make metaphysical classics available for free. Click here.

Highlights From The Sermon On Regeneration

• At one time Unity's co-founder, Charles Fillmore, embraced the idea of reincarnation-thinking it necessary for the body to go through many births and "deaths" in order to evolve into the perfect Christ Body. Later, he came to understand that it is possible for all of us to experience this perfect Body in this lifetime without death. In place of reincarnation, Charles Fillmore embraced REGENERATION.
• Regeneration as Fillmore defines it: "A change in which abundant spiritual life, even eternal (deathless) life is incorporated into the body."
• Death, experienced through suffering and disease, is not part of the divine plan for man. It is the result of any human attempt to negate the divine idea of life. To be restored to the natural state, we must focus on the innate divine perfection of the Christ ideal which is our true nature.
• The Regenerated Body is a direct result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit baptism can be evoked by the intensity of the desire to know God through prayer and meditation.
• The Regenerated Body is immune to age, disease, birth and death. It is the Christ Body--your real body.

Did You Do Affirmations Like This?

Thanks to Donna Britt for this clip. Check it out!

Sermon Summary-Your Wonderful Mind

Below are the most important points from Sunday's Sermon on Your Wonderful Mind, based on our Unity textbook.

• There is only One Mind--God. We call it Divine Mind. The activity of this Mind is simply God's contemplation of Its own Allness of Perfection. THIS IS YOUR MIND.
• The human mind is like the shadow of a tree. It is the dark, distorted view of the actual Mind. Just like the shadow tree only exists because there is a real tree, the human mind only SEEMS to exist because the Divine Mind really exists as your own Mind.
• Give your attention to the Divine Mind. How? First by embracing the fact that it is your Mind, and then relying on it to teach you all Truth. You have many questions about God, and many more about God's reality in your life. Ask those questions of your Mind, and wait for the answer. Ask expectantly, and if necessary wait patiently. Nothing is more potent than receiving direct answers to your questions from the ONE MIND.
• Simple Exercise: "Take the words, "God loves me." Say them over and over again seeking a realization that they are true and watch the wonderful things that result. One person hearing this idea that God loves me said, "So what!" While you are seeking the realization of the truth of these words, you will first discover that no matter what you have done, or are doing, GOD LOVES YOU. Second, you will discover that when you are Loved by Omnipotent Goodness Itself, it will not allow any seeming evil to come near you. In other words, when Omnipotent Goodness is on your side, nothing else can prevail. Lastly, you will discover Why God loves you. It's because God loving you is God's exercise in Self-Love.

Sermon Highlights

The sermon (May 2, 2010) was based on the first chapter of the Unity textbook, "Lessons In Truth." Below are the highlights:

• The sure way of escape from any seeming bondage to persons, conditions, or things is through awakening to your Christ nature--your spiritual identity.
• Your (as the book calls it) indwelling Christ is the truth that you and God are one.
• You can experience as much of God's goodness as you dare claim (not wish for) from your Christ nature. Christ Jesus, from his Christ nature, dared to claim: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." He also dared to claim "All that the Father has is mine." From your Christ nature, what do you claim on a daily basis? Remember, I am not asking what you are wishing for, but what you are claiming as your REALITY right now.
• You cannot experience the power of your BEING without taking time for daily quiet and meditation. In quietness, your God Consciousness announces itself and reveals what is REAL and TRUE.
• This quiet time is not for thinking about your seeming problems, nor the vexations of the day. It is to get your mind centered on God. "If need be, turn your thoughts to some simple words of Christ Jesus, or a favorite statement of Truth."

What Does Unity Teach?

I'm surprised at the number of people who've been sitting in Unity pews for years that have no clue as to what Unity really teaches. More surprising is the number of Unity folk who have never read the Unity textbook, Lessons In Truth.

On Sunday, we will begin thesermon series, What Unity Teaches. If you already have the textbook, please take a look at the first chapter. Our sermon-lesson is about FREEDOM

Sermon Summary-Falling In Love With God

Key scripture: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with al thy might. Deuteronomy 6:5 and Mark 12: 29-30

Jesus encouraged us to get back to fundamentals! Consistent with this most important commandment, Italian priest, Raphael Simon said, "to fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances." Prosperity teacher, Carole Dore, says we must develop a love affair with God for our lives to overflow with health, wealth, and loving relationships.

Romance is wonderful, alluring, and energizing - but too often fleeting Joel Goldsmith said in the Gift of Love, "Out of the love for God flows everything else, every other love." My theme - we must live in love (active) rather than focus on being in love (passive)/fleeting When you cultivate a love affair with God you will enhance an existing relationship and if you're not in a relationship, you will likely radiate so much love that you will attract an ideal partner. Romance versus love People spend $17 BILLION on Valentine's Day - on chocolates, flowers, dinners ($1 billion on chocolates alone). Valentine's Day should remind us of how to act all year long. Unfortunately, people treat it like Christmas - putting lots of energy into one day and neglecting the rest of the year. Cultivate a deep love relationship with God if you want to draw in an empowering love relationship into your life. Laura's 4-part LOVE formula for living in love- for daily cultivating a love affair with God

L = Life/Light and looking up - join the high watch group/Like when you're in love - you feel so light and carefree and nothing fazes you. Don't sweat the material stuff. O= Be open to your oneness with God. One with God is a majority. Develop your oneness by spending time in the prayer closet and by raising your vibration V= Your vibration must be high - do more of what makes you feel the presence of God - getting out in nature, dancing, reading scriptures, going to an art exhibit, or listening to music When you hear positive love songs - imagine that you are dedicating them to God - this will raise your vibration Like the song, "I turn to you" by Melanie C - you can use it to feel your love for God. God is our constant companion. In her book, The Soulmate Solution, Arielle Ford shared a love letter from God which says, "you will never be united with anyone or anything else until you are united with Me...."

Hearing The Voice of God

It's been a few Sunday's since you've heard and inspirational reading. For your reading enjoyment and encouragement:

READING (By Joel Goldsmith) To know the will of God and to hear the voice of God means above all things developing the practice of having many periods of solitude every day, going into the inner sanctuary. The first argument that comes to most students is, “I have no time. Others may have, but I haven’t.” Of course, it is not you saying that at all. Everybody has 24 hours in every day, so there is no person in the world who has more time than another. Everyone has the same amount of time–24 hours in every day. It just depends on what use is made of those 24 hours. When people say they have no time to attain spiritual dominion, do not believe it any more than when they say they cannot afford this or that. It is entirely a matter of how they wish to use their time or their money. People can afford anything and everything that they truly want, and they can find time for everything. It is not a question of time or money: it is a question of which thing a person values highly. You have to retrace your footsteps to the Father’s house through many periods of a day. Take mastership of your clock and don’t let your clock tell you that you do not have enough time. You tell the clock that you have 24 hours of time each day and sixty minutes in each of those 24 hours. Count them: 24 times 60, and see how many minutes you really have out of which to set aside these periods of meditation–even if it is only ten minutes before the rest of your household is awake, if it is five minutes before sitting down to that lunch or that dinner, or if it is ten minutes before going to bed. If you would use just those few minutes when you awaken in the middle of the night, you would soon find that you are developing a capacity to be still, to be quiet, to be listening.

You-The Urban Mystic

For Sunday's sermon, please read the chapter "Urban Mystic." The chapter starts on page 73.

Does it seem to you that living the Truth would be so easy if you could just get away from the sights and sounds of trouble and disaster? Do you feel that the monastic monks have it easier because they have voluntarily separated themselves from society?

This Sunday we will talk about Christ Jesus and you as "urban mystics."

Silent Prayer Pointers

I received a lot positive feedback about Sunday's sermon. And it was a great service. Below are some helpful hints about silent prayer:

• Someone asked does time and place matter. No! Eventually silent prayer becomes a lifestyle where at least one ear is always cocked to hear that still small voice.
• Length of time is not as important as quality of time. Remember I started off with two or more minutes each prayer session. (I confess my schedule allowed for a lot of these short prayer periods)
• In a crisis, I realize that it might seem difficult for you to pray, "God, all I want is you. Reveal Thyself." Remember we are only referring to 2 minutes (or whatever you are comfortable with). For those two minutes your only desire is to hear that still small voice--to be God taught.
• Silent Prayer is so powerful because (1) it is transcendental by nature. Your focus is meta (above) physical (the problem) (2) it is the catalyst to Revelation that corrects misperceptions that show up in your life as seeming problems. All problems indicate that there is some false idea being held as true and real. Revelation is the corrective.
• About that wandering mind. Just remember your focus is the "still small voice." Gently bring your attention back. Tell yourself, I'm not here for that (random thinking) right now.

Bible Readers Check Your Schedules

Are you a Bible reader this Sunday? If you don't know for sure, it would be a great thing for you to check the schedule that Laura handed to you. Last minute reading doesn't give you opportunity to absorb the message and convey it in a powerful way. Again, please check your schedule.

Sermon Summary-Revelation = Transformation

Romans 12: 2..Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Focus of talk was on transformation - its roots are in the word "metamorfu" from which "metamorphis" is derived. Transformed means to change into something -usually something better is the connotation.

Renew - means to make something new - again with the connotation of something better or more expansive Not only a new year, but a new decade is upon us - it's the time when people typically make resolutions for changes they want - they see the new year as an opportunity for a fresh start - although we can make a fresh start anytime - time is a human construct As people view the new year they make "resolutions" - to create a new job, lose weight, exercise more, find a new relationship - focus is on "new, new, new." It's well known that health clubs are flooded in January - no parking spaces can be found in the parking lot. But, by March or April - many health clubs have become ghost towns! Why? People are trying to make changes by human will/effort rather than changing their consciousness.

Lasting, powerful transformation occurs only through personal revelation. Our focus for transformation should be on revelations in the silence - not resolutions. Best fictional example of overnight transformation by someone not seeking it - A Christmas Carol - story of Scrooge who changes from being a tight-fisted old miser who is totally separated and doesn't celebrate Christmas to a fun, funny guy/dude who helps his fellow man and realizes oneness in his life. It's a heartwarming, timeless story. Scrooge receives revelations (by grace and the love of his deceased business partner whose ghost visits him) through the visits by 3 ghosts (can also see them as angels) - the ghosts of Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas future. Through each of these visits, Scrooge reconnects with his heart and with the memories of people he had loved. Increasingly, he realizes how he has gotten off track. By the end of the last ghost's visit, Scrooge makes a commitment to change. And changed he is so that now he views people with love, he becomes jovial, and the town in which he used to walkabout not noticing anything or anyone becomes a delight for him. His new insights change his eyesight - nothing about the town had change - only Scrooge had changed. He taps into his Christ nature and his Christ light. None of us are as extreme as Scrooge - however, it's wise to do a self-assessment to ensure that we truly are acknowledging that God is all in our lives and that we are not subject to the concerns, fears, and worries of the material world. To create a transformation in our consciousness - we need only seek revelation - through the six-step RENEW process. R = Rest and relax in the silence to receive the revelation of the still small voice - touch your ear to remind you (as per Joel Goldsmith's advice) several times a day and affirm that you are listening for a Christ revelation. Also take 10-15 minutes of time during the day to sit in silence. E= Expectancy must fill your consciousness. Listen as if you were expecting to hear the winning lotto numbers as Allen says N= New ideas, insights, and inspiration will come to you E= Embrace the revelations that come - as Oprah did when in 1992 she went into the woods of Colorado to ask God, "What will you have me do?" in reference to the direction she should take with her television show. She embraced and acted on he answer, "Take the high road" and she became phenomenally successful while others went out of business. W= Wonders result - just as Oprah became so successful after acting on her revelation - wonders will occur in your life Mrytle Fillmore also focused on transforming her seemingly ill body by renewing her mind and overcame terminal tuberculosis. Revelation will create the most powerful and lasting transformation for you in 2010."

Don't Forget Children's Church

Tiffany is doing an incredible job with the children. There's only one problem. Where are the children? I am sure you know of a child who could benefit from the empowering lessons that our Children's Church is able to provide.

Sermon Summary--Lord's Prayer

The more I think about Sunday's sermon, and it's been a lot, the more I see that the elements contained in this model prayer are more matters of the heart than the lips. Below are a few reminders.

• The Lord's Prayer is divided into eight (8) sections and the first four (4) concern themselves with the nature of God. Hint: Your worded or contemplative prayers should start with Power--they should start with the nature of God. Not with your problems and seeming personal concerns. Powerful praying is always about shifting your focus from the problem to the Power (God).
• Jesus often links prayer and forgiveness together, and he does this in the Lord's Prayer as well. When you pray, if you cannot enter the "prayer closet" with a forgiving heart, you must enter with at least the willingness to forgive. Forgiveness of others is important, but so is forgiveness of self. Remember our whole aim is to see (perceive) God and only God. When we see others, we are to see (perceive) their Divinity. Yes the humanity, like the setting sun, looks real, but it's not. It's not your reality, and it's not anyone's.
• "Thy will be done." This is all about complete surrender to your Divine nature. In a nutshell, it's about completely surrendering your Body to its immortal, perfect and whole nature. It's about surrendering your Mind to "that same mind that was also in Christ Jesus who thought it not robbery to be equal to God." It's about surrendering your entire life to the presence of Perfection.

More Golden Key Points

How's the Golden Key Program working for you? Maybe I should ask, are you really working the Golden Key Program? When you are really Golden Key-ing, every time you start to worry, you turn your attention to God facts. You don't turn your attention back to the situation to figure out different and perhaps better solutions. You leave the situation completely alone--at least the worrying and figuring part of it.

Yes, it will seem by magic that the problem is solved. Magic, because you did little or nothing to assist in the miracle. The truth is God (the perfect manifestation) was always right there.

Tell Your Friends About The Prayer Line

The "Prayer Chain" is not just for our church family. It's open to anyone who feels they need prayer support. Right now, you may not feel such a need, but perhaps someone in your social circle does. Tell them to call (301)362-6520 (they don't even have to leave a last name) or send an email to prayerworksunity@gmail.com

Why Go To Church

The Silent Sermon

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reasons for his preacher's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The preacher made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead. Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, pucked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and and warmth of the burning coals around it. As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday." We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

Golden Key Pointers

Below are some highlights, helps and hints regarding last Sunday's Golden Key service.

• Read "The Golden Key" four (4) times this week. Someone asked, "How about more times?" If you feel the need to, why not.

• Don't be confused if you seem to have more than one issue to Golden Key. The Golden Key is not about the issue(s). It's about God. Our Bible says, "That shall keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee." The Golden Key is about keeping your mind stayed on God. If a zillion issues trigger your attention to the truths of God, so be it. It's all about God.
• Remember you are not directing the Key at an issue. You are not working on an issue. You are being more mindful of being God-focused. In the conscious awareness of God, problems cannot exist. That's why they seem to disappear. They don't really go anywhere, but you are more conscious that right where the problem seems to be, only God is there.

Annual Meeting Is Rescheduled

F.Y.I. Unity in Silver Spring's informative Annual Meeting, originially slated for October 25, has been rescheduled. The new date is November 22, 2009.

Need Prayer? Call The Prayer Chain

On Monday, October 12, Unity in Silver Spring's "Prayer Chain" will be up and running. A pdf flier will be emailed to you this week. In a nutshell:

• You can call the dedicated "prayer line" at (301) 362-6520, or you can e-mail your prayer request at prayerworksunity@gmail.com Our dedicated prayer team will respond to your requests. All matters are kept confidential.

Children's Church

The Children's Church got off to a great start this past Sunday. The children enjoyed it, and they learned something. Perhaps I seem a little too excited about the Children's Church, but you know it's been a long time coming. And what's more fascinating is that the coordinator, Tiffany Manuel, seems as excited about it as I am.

Tiffany is making an effort to echo the Sunday message in a child friendly way each week. Sometimes this may not happen as a more appropriate lesson is being taught. Know this, your child is learning something that prepares them to live powerfully.

Our Tithes

This month our tithe goes to the Association of Unity Churches, and Silent Unity. Knowing that our supply is constant and infinite, we gladly release this tithe. Thanks to all of you who contribute to the power-filled ministry of Unity in Silver Spring.

Parents and Caretakers of the Children

As you know, we start the Children's Church this Sunday. Tiffany and I were talking about the how's and how to's of this activity and we agreed to bring the children back into the service during the Tithes and Offerings so that they may get accustomed to the giving and tithing. Please give your child something to put into the offering bag. Thanks to all of you for supporting our Children's Church.

Children's Church

On Sunday, October 4, we will finally begin the first phase of our Children's Church Program. Dr. Tiffany Manuel will be helping us launch this program. Tiffany, as our have frequently pointed out, grew up in Unity and knows the potential of a good children's program.

Parents and concerned adults, Tiffany will need your help. First, there will be Sundays when she cannot be present. We will need backup leaders. Second, we need you to get your children to church to participate in the program. When I am apprised of other requirements, I will let you know.

Sermon Recap--On Baptism

The purpose of Sunday's sermon was to give you a brief history of Christian baptism and then move on to the spiritual significance of this sermon. The highlights are as follows:

• In the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist mentions two baptisms: (1) baptism unto repentance and (2) the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The first is a requirement for the latter, but both are necessary.
• The more correct translation of the phrase"baptism unto repentance" is "baptism because of your repentance." In other words the water baptism was a visible symbol of the repentant heart.
• The repentant heart (or mind) is when the life focus changes from getting and acquiring things to having a conscious experience and understanding of God.
• The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the REVELATION OF THE ALLNESS OF GOD. This baptism only happens when the prayer is knowing God just for the thrill and glory of knowing God. When the desire to know God is for a healing or changing of conditions, it is a sure sign that the baptism of repentance never occurred.
• Is baptism necessary? Yes, but not as an institutional ritual. It is all a matter of Consciousness.

Time Is Not A Power

Many years ago, I went to hear Ruth Jenks speak. It was after, what some have called, her miraculous healing. In this article, Ms. Jenks writes about time. Click

Partnership With Mystics Of The World

For those of you who are not comfortable with ebooks, or internet buying, Denice Jutras of Mystics Of The World is now carrying spiral bound copies of my new book. You can call to order at 207-748-0938.

Or online, http://mysticsoftheworld.com/

Sermon Summary--Thinking

Some said that this was one of the best sermons--ever. If you weren't there, you have to buy the CD and decide for yourself. Here's a summary:

• Spiritual progress has seemed to be a slow, never ending, and never get there process for most folk. Why? Because the kind of mind they are trying to enlighten is an insubstantial mind. Yes, I'm referring to the human mind.
• There is only ONE MIND. This Mind is already enlightened. It is Light itself. This already illumined Mind is your Mind. It is your only Mind.
• The mind that most folk have tried to enlighten is the human mind. The human mind is to the Divine Mind like the shadow of a tree is to the real tree. The shadow tree is not the real tree. It can bear no fruit. It is insubstantial. In order for the shadow tree to even seem to be, there must be a real tree.
• The only way you can have a human sense of Mind is because the Divine Mind actually exists as your mind.
• What is necessary is to recognize, accept and acknowledge the enlighten Mind to be yours right now.
• Instead of studying spirituality as you would study academics --intellectually--turn within to your Mind for light. Seek answers from Mind. Wait patiently to be "God taught."
• "It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" of spiritual illumination. It is the nature of Divine Mind to reveal itself to be your only mind.

Spiritual Healing--Sermon Summary

This sermon was not recorded, so I will summarize it in more detail than usual.

Keep in mind that Christ Jesus self-professed mission was to bear witness to Truth. In every healing miracle of Christ Jesus, there was one constant: The so-called disease left and the Body remained. Why? Because there is no truth (reality) in disease, but the BODY IS REAL.

Your BODY is not only real, it is constituted of the Substance of God's Presence. There are many religions that say the body is not real, but this is not in keeping with Jesus' ministry or his miracles.

God's will for you is PERFECT HEALTH.

Remember the denial from the Unity textbook Lessons In Truth: "Pain, sickness, poverty, old age, and death cannot master me because they are not real."

Disease is like a smoke alarm that alerts you to get out of the house. Disease is an alert telling you to move up higher in your understanding of God's Presence and Power. When you are clear on this, you never approach body disease at the level of the body; instead, you approach it from the level of God awareness.

Spiritual healing is the only healing that has nothing to do with the body in practice, but has everything to do with the body in effect.

Stop talking about your disease. Stop identifying yourself with it. Stop identifying yourself with the prognosis. (I know that's a hard one, but you ARE THE POWER that can do this).

The right prayer for any seeming disease is: "God, in this seeming situation (name it if you want to),what is it about your Presence and your Power that I need to understand?"

You may not get your answer right away. Nevertheless, keep at it until you get your answer. You will know when it is your answer. The fears and the tears leave when the answer "arrives." At this point, you are no longer concerned about the seeming disease. Your revelation is your Truth, and the disease is revealed to be a lie.

STAND BY YOUR REVELATION. This will be easier than you think, because truth is no longer a mere speculation.

Simply put, spiritual healing is the knowing and showing of God's wholeness right where disease seems to be. You take care of the knowing and the knowing takes care of the showing.

Sermon Summary (Prosperity)

• The challenge of approaching your finances spiritually is that your source (God) seems invisible to the human eye. However, the economic mess the world appears to be in is due to trusting in "visible" sources.
• The chief requirement in the spiritual approach to financial prosperity is an understanding of Divine Substance--God. "For of Him, to Him and through Him are all things." Read about Divine Substance, and put the ideas you read about into practice immediately. Or take the matter into the prayer closet asking for understanding of Divine Substance. Whatever you "hear," put into practice immediately by acknowleding this Truth to be your present reality
• Divine Substance responds to your faith in it and knowledge of it.
• Because God is both the Substance and Source of your financial prosperity, whatever is true of God is true of your financial prosperity. You know that God is infinite and inexhaustible. So are your finances. God is unconditioned. Your finances are immune to so-called human situations and economic cycles.
• When you seem to be concerned about your finances, (1)turn away from the appearance of lack. (2) Don't try to shuffle around the visible in the attempt to force your supply to appear. (3) Turn to whatever understanding of Divine Substance you have and STAND FIRM on it--nothing wavering.

New Wine New Bottles (Sermon summary)

As I considered how to summarize Sunday's sermon in the best way, I realized that (if you heard it) I would have to eliminate many good points to get to the essential points. Here they are:

1. If you want to experience a real new year, that doesn't look like an identical twin of your other years, you are going to have to drink new wine (spiritual insight) from new bottles (mindset).
2. When new insight comes "to" you, that idea must replace the old idea it relates to. Otherwise, it will not seem to bear fruit in your life. For example: If the idea flashes in your Consciousness, "God is my body, it can't be sick," that idea has to replace the old host of ideas you have entertained throughout the years.
3. Those ideas might include: (a) identifying yourself with a disease ("cancer patient"), (b)the doctor's prognosis, (c) age as an excuse for aches and pains (d) deliberate actions to avoid disease, (e) judging the body by the apperance of having a disease, etc.
4. Christ Jesus said, "Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, lest the bottles break and the wine is spilled." In other words, if some new insight strikes a responsive chord in you, it will not bear fruit in your life if you are holding on to old, conflicting ideas.
5. Much of what appears to be Truth "not working" is the result of trying to embrace the new while holding on to the old.

Sermon Review (Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008)

I am only going to summarize one section of Sunday's sermon: Getting The Most Out Of Your Reading.

STEP 1	Begin with the introduction of the book. Continue reading until some idea inspires and motivates you. Mark the page and STOP READING.
STEP 2	Make a decision to implement that idea in your life every day for one week.
STEP 3	Continue reading, from where you left off, until you find another idea that motivates, excites and or inspires you. Mark the page and STOP READING.
STEP 4	Repeat Step #2

It may take you an entire year to get through one book, but you will have lived that book rather than merely read the book. Furthermore, you will experience the practical power of those ideas because you are putting them into action. You can apply this same formula to a Sunday sermon. Simply take the one idea that inspires you the most and live it until next Sunday. A sermon lived is far better than a sermon preached.

Highlighting Hopkins On-Healing

To be seized with the idea that a man needs healing is to be seized with an accusation against him. He does not need healing. You need to drop an imagination. You need to stop accusing the son of God of being unwholesome. As God pronounced the man good there must be something ailing your ideas if you do not see him as God sees him. The whole secret of healing is to see no disease in anyone because God sees none. Who shall save us from our disease except Him that seeth no disease in us.

Highlighting Hopkins-It's All Good

Again, I started this series so that you can see the lessons the founders of Unity received from Emma Curtis Hopkins. Remember her writing style is typical of the late 1800's

Another topic that the mind is not to descend into thinking or the voice into speaking about, is that there is anything against anyone or anything. Whoever says opium is dangerous, or compositions of minerals are offensive, is descending from the ideal reasonings of God, who pronounced all things good. No one shall speak against the climate, the draughts, the actions of earth's creatures, for he who would see them good must think along the thoughts of God. We shall not permit the lowering of the mind's holy reasonings into the thought or the talk of sin in the world or in ourselves. Sin is not a theme we can give any thought to. Many a good reasoner in Science wonders why his thoughts do not live and thrive at the harbors of demonstration where he halted them. He may remember that yesterday or last week, he descended into the idea of the selfishness of Mary, or the jealousy of James, or his own temper gave him regret. A fall of the barometer of reasoning must chill the delicate process of demonstration.

Sermon Summary--The Economy

• If you are feeling fearful about the economy, remember "God has not given you the spirit of fear..." As there is no fear in God and no God in fear, the fear that you seem to feel can't be and is not real.
• More money in an anxiety-ridden hand is like having no money at all. The first order of business is not getting more money; but rather experiencing the PEACE that is native to your God nature. "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee." Keep your mind stayed on the highest Truth(s) of God you know (or have faith in).
• Read over the promises of God in the Bible. They apply to you, since God is no respecter of persons. Do a Google search for "promises of God" in quotation marks. There is a good one that lists the promises of God by category. Read them slowly.
• All economic theories are based on the fictitious notion that there is not enough. All you need to know about "not enough" is that it is a LIE about MORE THAN ENOUGH. Infinity is the measure of existence. As God is the Substance of all Form, for there to really be not enough, there would have to be a shortage of God--Infinity.
• All it takes is just 1 person to turn their eyes away from the appearance of lack and FOCUS on God's Infinite Substance to see the evidence of God's Abundance. And it helps to turn your ears away too.

Highlighting E.C. Hopkins-No Suffering

It is related of a soldier in the East Indies that his comrades threw a basin of hot soup into his bosom to test his patience after his conversion to Christianity. He had been a prize-fighter, and they hoped he would fight at this insult. He, however, looked up calmly and said, "This is what I must expect if I become a Christian." Well, who taught him to "seek and find" such things as that? Was he not rather bending like a reed under the wind of a popular opinion of the Christian walk than standing straight up like a pillar of faith with the early proclamation, "I do not believe in violence and hardship?" "They that seek Me early shall find Me." Who is this "Me" the soldier might have found? "The Prince of Peace." He had a right to the peace of God. Does God suffer? Then remember it is not Godlike to suffer. Those who are most like God suffer least.

Highlighting Hopkins--Truths To Contemplate

(by Emma Curtis Hopkins teacher of the Fillmores)

Has anyone found himself glad to be told that reformatories and prisons are no use because they are founded on a belief that in God's house there is evil? In Truth there are no criminals. In Spirit there is no need of prisons and reformatories. Spirit and Truth are all. Shall we then close up our prisons and reformatories? Our first duty is to know the truth about them. "Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free." It is not for you to touch externals. You are to know what is true. This is your whole business in life. Knowledge of Truth is its own demonstration. All things are coming to the world by its knowledge of Truth. It is considered a virtue by some people to build hospitals and schools for the carrying out of man's belief in the absence of God. It is not virtue. It is better to enter into the closet and be still to know God. God is Truth; Truth will redeem the nations from pain. Therefore speak Truth. Truth is peace. Therefore speak Truth.

Highlighting Hopkins--Human Will

I've decided to add the "Highlighting Hopkins" column to our blog. The Hopkins I'm referring to is Emma Curtis Hopkins, the teacher of Unity's founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. My purpose is to give you a glimpse of the teachings they received during their coursework with Ms. Hopkins. Below is from one of her Bible studies.

Some people are not honestly interested in the Science of Spirit for a long time. Their thoughts are all wound and twisted around material things. They only think of the Spiritual teaching in the hope to get material gains of some kind. Now, for a long time the most extraordinary blessings attend them. Their eyes are healed. Their backs are strengthened. Their families are healthy. But there is one thing that still seems to refuse to yield to all their thoughts about Spirit. They were so filled with hope at first that they rather ignored that one unchanged condition. But by and by it is thrust uppermost in their mind and thy actually feel cross at the Science for not fixing up that one point. This unmanageable condition stands for the human will. That human will is still set to material issues. It is cross-grained to Spirit. Here is an affair that never will to the way you want it. Your want must be changed; for the want is simply your ugly will. At this point Jesus Christ said we ought to take our mind entirely away from caring whether it were brought to pass or not. The dissolution of the human will is demanded. It has been an ugly clog in the passageway where some wonderful idea was meant to flow through.

Highlights From the Q & A Service

First "Thank you" for being courageous enough to ask your questions. And Donna, a particular thanks to you for getting the ball rolling. I was thrown by one question and another haunted me on my drive home. The question that haunted me was Roslyn's: "How come we don't see anyone doing the works of Christ Jesus?" Don't be fooled. People are doing some amazing things, but what happens is that they begin to retreat from society. Why? Because when they share their stories, no one believes them. As the so-called supernormal become more normal for these people, they find it more difficult to share what is most meaningful in their lives, and usually retreat to a monastic lifestyle. But Roslyn didn't ask the Ultimate question which is, "Why is it that it seems no one is as dedicated to Truth as Christ Jesus?" It was C.J.'s unwavering devotion to knowing and Being Truth that showed forth as superhuman ability. People seem to want the ability without the devotion. Won't happen! The other question was Terri's: "What does that look like?" Although a good question it caught me by surprise. The practice of Truth is nothing more than the acknowledgment of God as the only Presence, Power, Mind, Life, Substance and Activity. Have you ever complemented a woman on the pretty dress she was wearing? The complement was not to change the attire, it was simply an acknowledgment of what IS (was). Truth acknowledged cannot be to change what appears to be. It must be to merely acknowledge what IS according to God's absolute Allness. The Mind of God only acknowledges God.

Testimonial Times

Although our packed schedule didn't allow for testimonials last Sunday, "Testimonial Times" follows our announcements each Sunday. If you have something to share (consistent with our teachings), please do.

Sermon Recap

• All condemnation is a denial of God being the only Presence and the only Power.
• Because the kingdom of problem-free living is constituted of God's Allness, condemnation is a denial of the presence of the very life you "desire" to experience.
• Praise is the very opposite of condemnation. Praise is the recognition of God's Presence and God's Power. In order to praise rather than condemn, you just as Christ Jesus said, "judge not according to the appearance."
• Before you complete a condemning remark, STOP and quickly pray, "Of myself I can do nothing, God judge this (person, situation, etc.) through me, and as me."
• Here's a great little help. The prayer above seems like a mouthful in times of emotional upheaval, find ONE WORD that symbolizes that prayer for you. Your word will not be my word.

Demonstration

One very famous spiritual teacher offers this as the "secret" to demonstration. Can you tell me who it is? More than guessing the author, try living the principle. I have learned a great secret. I have learned how to demonstrate, I have learned how to make Science a thing of life, not of words. I am going to tell you what the secret is, and it is wonderful. It is this: Not to see or hear or repeat any kind of imperfection. It is seeing and hearing and repeating good only, at all times and under all circumstances, and in spite of everything that appears to the contrary. I make this resolve every morning, when I first open my eyes, and I renew it every hour of the day. I see perfection in myself in my friends, in my so-called enemy, in my affairs and in world affairs. I take my radical stand for the perfection of God and everything and for everything and everybody He has created. I look upon the world with God's eyes and see it just as He sees it, and I refuse to see it in any other way. I stop a dozen times a day, and renew the resolve, and make sure that I am not repeating error or giving way to criticism. I watch my thoughts about people, the lame, the old, the unloved to sense that I pass in the street, stray animals, I except nothing. I have taken my radical stand for perfection and I will not, absolutely will not, relax this perfect standard. The result has been simply marvelous. Try it and you will find that you forget your glasses; they will become unnecessary. You will be seeing with God's eyes, His perfect sight, and you will behold a perfect universe, the outward condition of your inward thinking. To change the picture you must change the sight that produced the picture.

Sermon Summary

Sunday's sermon "Finding the Christ in Yourself" was pregnant with good information, but there was one point that I want to stress in this summary. As you recall, this sermon was based on a chapter from our "Book of the Month" selection. In it, Emily Cady writes, "You want to manifest the perfect Christ, affirm with all your heart and soul that you do so manifest now that you manifest health and strength and love and Truth and power." Stop trying to become the Christ, or develop into the Christ. Acknowledge that you are the Christ right now. A human identity will never become other than what it is, but you are NOT a human identity. YOU ARE THE CHRIST. Claim it. How can you expect to evidence your Christ power, if you continually deny that you are already the Christ? Claim now and forever that you are demonstrating the fulness of your Christ power. Claim that you are able to see the kingdom of heaven right now. Claim that all the Power of God is moving in you and AS you right now. That's what Jesus did. Claim that you can multiply loaves and fish. Claim that you can still the storms. Claim that you are LOVING unconditionally right now.

The University of Divine Revelation

In a twenty-minute sermon, you can't cover any topic thoroughly. Below are just two essential points not covered:

• When asking any question of you God-Consciousness, the answer may not come during the "listening" phase of your silence. The answer may come later during the day, when you are involved in some other activity. However, the listening paves the way for the answer to "surface" whenever it does. Don't skip the silent listening.
• How long do you "listen?" Once listening becomes effortful, it is time to stop. This means that your silent time can be one minute to one hundred minutes. Efforting is counterproductive.

Testimonial Times

Starting Sunday (September 28), I will incorporate "Testimonial Times," immediately following the sermon. This will be the time for you to share your story of how you are living the principles you are learning at Unity in Silver Spring. I've decided to incorporate this into our worship time because for weeks Pat (my sister) has had a testimony to share and I keep forgetting about it. However, if "Testimonial Times" is built into the service, your testimony cannot be forgotten.

God's Will (sermon recap)

Here are the highlights from Sunday's sermon based on the text "Attaining the Unattainable," by Rev. Jim Rosemergy.

• God's will for you is constant prayer, or as the aspotle Paul wrote to "pray without ceasing." Remember, whenever you are acknowledging God's Presence and Power,you are praying. For example, when you see people on the street, at work, or in your home and you silently acknowledge, "I behold the Christ as you, here the life of God I see," you are praying. When you are in the midst of your busy-ness and you acknowledge that LOVE IS THE ONLY ACTIVITY, you are praying.
• Years ago when I was teaching a class and mentioned the necessity of constant prayer, one class member set his watch to alarm every hour. That was his signal to pray. You will find that constant prayer turns every hour to pure bliss.
• God's will for you is constant joy. Constant, uninterrupted joy. This is not a joy that is dependent on what you have and what you do not have. It is not a joy that is dependent on who you have and do not have. This JOY is independent of circumstances and conditions.
• Because constant joy is God's will for you, take a stand today for JOY. Refuse to accept anything less than Joy. Don't settle for anything less than joy. Remind yourself that God's will for you is joy and there is no other power.
• God's will is that you know God. Perhaps your prayers have been for the gifts of God and have ignored the giver. Now is the time, and today is the day that your prayers be focused on knowing the GIVER. And then, you will discover that you are not the recipient of God's will. You and God are one, and you are God in action.

Prosperity of Good Health (Sermon Overview)

Below are some of the highlights

from Sunday's sermon:

• God is not just the source of your Health, God is your Health. Mistakenly, we have related bodily health to diet, exercise, neutraceuticals, etc. However, God, which is the Substance of your Body is the source and essence of your Health.
• After reading the above, it is easy to see why the more you know and understand of God (by direct Revelation), the better your health. But this is only true if your Body in your understanding of God. How can we say God is all, if we leave the body out of the ALL?
• So, the "Touch Exercise" is most apropos here. It is a good thing (especially when bathing) to touch your body and remind yourself as you are touching, "This is the Substance that is the Presence of God. What is true of God is true as my body."
• Don't fight disease. Don't fight a diagnosis. Don't fight a prognosis. It is not your responsibility to fight the good fight. It is your responsibility to know that, "Pain, sickness, poverty, old age and death cannot master you, because they are not real." Only God, eternal Perfection is real.
• Everyday you are confronted with suggestions that your body is mortal and material. Everyday someone will identify your body with birth, death and age (unGodliness). Until you know that you are no longer swayed by those ideas. [What follows is a big step] Until your body shows no signs of sopping up these suggestions, it would be a good thing for you to DAILY contemplate the SPIRITUAL NATURE of your Body.

The Wedding Feast (sermon highlights)

The miracle at the wedding feast is chock full of prosperity lessons, but in this sermon I focused on just one: "As resource Substance is One, in use Substance is many."

• Divine Substance is the essence of all form. All form is Substance formed.

• There is only One Substance and only one property (and value) of Substance: what's true of God is true of ALL Substance regardless of the form.

It is a mistake to think that each form of Substance has its own separate property and value. Substance is one.

The Complete CD List For Mail Order

Finally we are ready to offer our sermons to those of you who would like to order them for your listening enjoyment and inspiration. So far, only the following sermons are available. When I have the full list, I will post.




Available Sermons ($10.00)

Prosperity 101

God's Debt Relief Program

Breaking Through Time and Space

Your Eternal Life

Miracle Mind/Miraculous Living

The Healing Trinity

How To Walk Water

The Real and the Fictitious

Unity in the Spirit

"The Secret" According To Christ

The Wedding Feast (Prosperity 102)

Career Passion and Purpose

Send check or money order to:
Unity in Silver Spring
c/o audio dept.
P.O. Box 3453

Silver Spring, MD 20918