Unity Church Of Clearwater

Your Green Thumb Leddy Hammock On the morning of St. Patrick’s Day, here at Unity, we are all honorary Irish, and all invited to be blessed by the wearin’ of the green. In our Scripture, we find so many references to the blessings of “green:” “The pastures of the plain are green” (Joel). “Like green leaves the just flourish” (Proverbs). “Blessed is the he who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream . . . . its leaves stay green” (Jeremiah). “In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me” (Psalm 23:2). King David’s last words were these, that somehow sound right spoken with a brogue: “The spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue . . . . ‘He that rules . . . in justice . . . is like the morning light at sunrise on a cloudless morning, making the greensward sparkle after rain’” (II Samuel 23:2-4). May the road rise up to meet you! “God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply .

Jesus & Women Dieter Randolph In the midst of a culture where it was considered shocking for a man to speak publicly with a woman who was not a relative, Jesus acknowledged the pure Self of every soul. When the Canaanite woman – an outsider -- begged Jesus to heal her daughter, at first He seemed hesitant, but when she beseeched Him, He spoke the word for the daughter’s healing. I am willing to be healed because I am worthy. I am worthy to be healed because I am willing. Jesus’ Pharisee host was shocked when a woman of the city anointed Jesus’ feet at a banquet, but Jesus replied that she was forgiven because she loved so much. I am forgiven because I love. I love because I am forgiven. When Jesus asked a Samaritan woman – with whom Jews would ordinarily have had no dealings – to draw water from the well for Him, He told her about the living water of His Truth teachings. I seek Truth because Truth alone satisfies me. Truth satisfies me because I seek only Truth. When the scribes and Pharisees asked Him fo

Healing Going On Leddy Hammock “And Jesus said to the centurion, ‘You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.’ And at that very hour (his) servant was healed” (Matthew 8:13). Jesus “took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on him and asked, ‘Do you see anything?’ Looking up he replied, ‘I see people looking like trees and walking.’ Then he laid hands on his eyes a second time and he saw clearly; his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly” (Mark 8:22-5). The Canaanite woman said, “‘Please, Lord . . . .’ Then Jesus said to her in reply, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed from that hour” (Matthew 15:27-8). “Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked. Now that day was a sabbath” (John 5:9). “I am becoming stronger. I am becoming whole. I walk in beauty, in the healing light of love” (from the lyrics of “The Healing Light of Love” by Pe

We Are Unity Leddy Hammock How do we “keep the unity of the spirit”? We do this not just by putting up with one another, but by “bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4). How are we “brought to complete unity” (John 17)? We do this not just by belonging to the same “team,” but by beholding the Christ in one another. How do we become “God’s chosen people . . . all together in perfect unity” (Colossians 3)? We do this not just by attending the same church, but by learning to live by the universal laws that Jesus demonstrated. How do we make life on earth “good and pleasant” (Psalm 133)? We do this not by pretending everything is okay, but by actively living our faith, choosing to express our unity with God and one another. When we do this, then we are Unity!

How's that Working 4 U Dieter Randolph So, I ask myself, “How’s that working for you?” Life is supposed to work! When I look for validation of this principle, I take a good long look at my own life. When I am focused on the good, only good can come to me. When I seek spiritual understanding above all else, everything else works out for my highest good. When I work for God – for the good of all – everything works for my good. In choosing my path, I ask myself, is it true, is it kind, is it just, is it loving? As I take the high road, I find joy in the journey!

Lovelution Leddy Hammock The whole point of living is to learn how to love. The basic rule is this: to find love, I have to be love. No matter how smart I am or what sacrifices I may have made, everything else fades: love is all that matters in my life.  Love cannot cohabit with non-love. My strength, my stability, my serenity, my joy, my happiness, my well-being,  life, are all about love: it is all that lasts.  I am here to learn to express and receive love. I am growing, never giving up, and I am living proof of “lovelution!”  I love the life I am making.

The Game of Life Leddy Hammock To play successfully the Game of Life, I train my mind to image health, wealth, and happiness, so these are the results I bring into my life. Life is not a battle. Love is the fulfillment of the law. The Christ within me – God’s image and likeness – has never failed, and always wins the Game of Life. I play fair. I trust in God as my unfailing supply and my good now comes to me abundantly, quickly, under grace, and in perfect ways. All power is given to me through right thinking to bring my heaven upon my earth, and this is the goal of the “Game of Life!”

Home By Dark Dieter Randolph What a gift to find a moment to feel at home in the presence of God all around me in my prayer time. What a gift to feel at home, safe in the Presence in my life, right now. What a gift to find a place in life where they know me, love me for who I am; a place that is home, free from fears, where all they ask is that I be home by dark.

So Far, So Good David Roth We welcome Unity favorite David Roth this Sunday, as we also remember and honor the words of Dr. Martin Luther King. “As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” “With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope . . . .” “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together . . . .” “With this faith we will be able. . . to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. . . . Let freedom ring!” Are we moving along on our collective journey of human progress?  Well, although there are certainly many areas of our expression that could still use a lot of work, we look for the signs of progress, and we declare together, "So far, so good!"

In the Shelter of Each Other Leddy Hammock   You will love the music for our service this Sunday! It will sing through the windows of your heart forever. Paul speaks of the spiritual unfoldment of the soul as a great race. He wrote, “Run so as to win” (Corinthians 9:24), and “Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God's upward calling, in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). In Hebrews, we read: “Let us rid ourselves of every burden . . . that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us” (Hebrews 12:1). We will sing together the traditional African spiritual song that goes like this: “Lord, guide my feet while I run this race . . . . Hold my hand while I run this race . . . . Stand by me as I run this race . . . . Guide my heart as I run this race . . . . I’m Your child as I run this race.” Let us remember that we are all God’s children and God’s dwelling is with the human race. So, we are all on the same

Be Serene in 2013 Leddy Hammock How to be serene in 2013: I live without making demands. I am happy, just doing the best that I can. When I stop resisting, I get what I needed – and so much more. Rather than insisting on my own way, I open my arms in surrender. Since I made room for grace, I just stepped aside, and opened up a space. Now the blessings arrive every day, since I made room for grace.. (based on lyrics from Sue Riley’s newest CD: “I Am Love”)

It takes strength to surrender and courage to let go. “. . . Now we are released . . . from . . . what held us captive, so that we may serve in the newness of the spirit” (Romans 7:6). It takes faith to leave the path we know. “LORD; teach me your paths” (Psalm 25:4-5). Let God lead me. Let Spirit lead me, let love lead me home. “When the people of the land enter the presence of the LORD . . . no one shall return by the gate through which he has entered . . . . [This is to be] The year of release” (Ezekial 46:9, 17). Give me strength to surrender, courage to let go of the past, and love to lead me through the best year I have ever seen: two thousand and thirteen.

Make of my heart a manger, Lord, to receive the newborn Christ Child. Calm my fears, and give me peace, Lord, that I may witness the birth of the Christ Child in everyday experience. Give me a sign, Lord, that the Christ Child is born in the midst of the simple life. In steadfast, stable faith, Lord, I behold the newborn Christ Child in the manger of my heart. That’s what this season of love is about. “If we’ll just keep our hearts as open as a Bethlehem sky, then we can take this feeling with us the rest of our lives.”

Our Christmastime is filled with Light as we remember to give thanks for Baby Jesus, sent here with love. In our celebrations of this holy time, we laugh, we pray, we love, we dance, we sing out loud, and we forgive differences. We think of the moment when the angelic revelation came to the shepherds keeping the night watch with their flocks, and in this moment, all is well in the world, without a doubt. That’s what this season of love is about. “If we’ll just keep our hearts as open as a Bethlehem sky, then we can take this feeling with us the rest of our lives.”

How many more shopping days until Christmas? How many more days are left on earth? Let’s count our days aright, dismissing worries about the Mayan Calendar and about all the days of our lives. Let’s pray this prayer, every day! Every day, the Spirit of the Lord leads us from darkness to light. Every day is a gift – a time to be merry and give thanks to God. Every day, let our hearts be filled with love as we sing for joy, for we count each day a blessing. Every day, let Love be born in every heart, so that each day is holy with true thoughts, bright with wonder, and blessed with peace.

The Heart Sutra is possibly the best known text of Mahayana Buddhism, and is said to be the pure distillation of wisdom. This relatively short selection of ancient wisdom is part of the much larger collection of about 40 sutras composed between 100 BCE and 500 CE. As with most Buddhist scriptures, simply believing in the teaching of the Heart Sutra is not the point, for it speaks of a Truth that cannot be grasped only by intellect. The idea is to keep the words of this simple prayer in our hearts so that true understanding unfolds by grace through sincere practice of peacefulness, fearlessness, and love. We find that these essential teachings are echoed in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures as well. The “Bodhisattvas” mentioned in the Heart Sutra are idealized pure minded souls who express perfect love and experience “Nirvana” – the bliss of perfect freedom and peace. “The Bodhisattvas rely on the Perfection of Wisdom, and so with no delusions, they feel no fear, and have Nirvana here and now. All the Buddha

These lyrics from Daniel Nahmod's song "Years to My Life" say it all. “I didn’t mean to forgive you for all the harm you’ve done. I didn’t plan to understand you, but against my will, I’ve begun. In searching my soul, I found that place. Now there’s no mistaking this calmer space. I never counted my blessings. I only saw where you failed, blinding myself to the lessons you taught in tender detail. Well, time has a way of clearing sight, like slowly someone turned on a light. I didn’t know you’d consumed me. I couldn’t see what I’d become. I thought I was some kind of grownup, but I was still so young. And the more I denied it, the worse it grew, ‘Til all I was left with was blaming you. I’m adding years to my life, years to my life, by saying goodbye to my anger. I’ve frozen years of my life, holding so much cold inside. Now, finally, I find I have cried the ice away.” I’m adding years to my life by forgiving!

Let us pray in the consciousness of this prayer of gratitude, even when we feel that we are lacking, even when we feel lost, even when we worry that there is not enough, even when we forget that each new day brings blessings, if we will only open our hearts to receive them: A Prayer of Thanksgiving: Thank You, God, for Your never-failing generosity to me. Thank You for revealing a safe and direct path for me. Thank you for revealing my spiritual inheritance of abundant good, well being and strength, peace of mind, freedom from worry, and new blessings in every new day.

Permanent prosperity comes through divine wisdom. Many wonders await in my mind’s eye. If I can conceive it, I can receive it. Knowing that God’s divine plan for me is good and only good, with great clarity, I claim my destiny. I pray the Prayer of Jabez from First Chronicles in scripture: “Bless me and extend my boundaries!” Beyond perceived boundaries lie infinite possibilities of good. Jesus taught: “Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22). As I believe, I do receive!

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, the message is repeated over and over again: Live the Truth that you know and reap what you sow. As we hold to our highest ideals, in thought, word, and action, we tend to draw outcomes to ourselves according to our faith and willingness to receive. By the law of attraction, we are literally magnetized to our vision of what we faithfully express and what we feel willing and worthy to manifest. Realizing that our thoughts are creative, we truly are on a mission to hold the vision of what we want in our lives. Right now, right where we are, we are in the right place at the right time, and we are magnets for fulfillment and prosperity.