This year marks the 120th anniversary of Silent Unity. Literally millions of people have contacted Silent Unity for affirmative prayer, and there are countless extraordinary stories of people's faith being uplifted, health renewed, relationships restored and prosperity realized.
Visit Silent Unity's webpage to learn more.
Watch the celebration video:
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Unity World Day of Prayer 2010
This year's annual Unity World Day of Prayer will be on Thursday, September 9, 2010. With the theme "Living in the Flow," the event will also mark the completion of the Unity Village central fountain restoration, which has been an ongoing project for a couple years now.
The opening ceremony will be live-streamed on the Web from Unity Village on Wednesday evening, September 8, with keynote speaker Rev. Paul Tenaglia from Unity of New York. Spiritus, a vocal ensemble from New York, along with Broadway singer Rosena M. Hill, will perform at the opening. Events on Thursday will include a fountain dedication ceremony, a seminar based on Rev. Eric Butterworth's book In the Flow of Life, and a closing celebration and ceremony.
Visit the World Day of Prayer website for details and information on other events that will be live-streamed.
The opening ceremony will be live-streamed on the Web from Unity Village on Wednesday evening, September 8, with keynote speaker Rev. Paul Tenaglia from Unity of New York. Spiritus, a vocal ensemble from New York, along with Broadway singer Rosena M. Hill, will perform at the opening. Events on Thursday will include a fountain dedication ceremony, a seminar based on Rev. Eric Butterworth's book In the Flow of Life, and a closing celebration and ceremony.
Visit the World Day of Prayer website for details and information on other events that will be live-streamed.
Unity Seminary Sunday: Funding Our Future
For those involved in the Unity movement, help pave the way for the next generation of Unity leaders by participating in a new campaign to benefit current and future ministerial students (like myself) -- Unity Seminary Sunday.
Unity churches are invited to choose a Sunday in October 2010 or March 2011 to let congregants know about Unity Institute and up-and-coming Unity ministers, and take a second offering to support them. If you feel so inclined, you may arrange for a ministerial student or faculty member to speak at your church or center on the designated Sunday.
According to Unity and Unity Worldwide Ministries (formerly the Association of Unity Churches, Intl.), this campaign is designed to give congregations an opportunity to join with Unity School and Unity Worldwide Ministries to create a stronger, more vibrant learning community to serve congregants, churches, and the wider Unity movement.
Here's a video about Unity Seminary Sunday:
Unity churches are invited to choose a Sunday in October 2010 or March 2011 to let congregants know about Unity Institute and up-and-coming Unity ministers, and take a second offering to support them. If you feel so inclined, you may arrange for a ministerial student or faculty member to speak at your church or center on the designated Sunday.
According to Unity and Unity Worldwide Ministries (formerly the Association of Unity Churches, Intl.), this campaign is designed to give congregations an opportunity to join with Unity School and Unity Worldwide Ministries to create a stronger, more vibrant learning community to serve congregants, churches, and the wider Unity movement.
Here's a video about Unity Seminary Sunday:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Evangelical Pastor Tests 1st Amendment
Evangelical pastor, Rev. H. Wayne Williams, is endorsing from the pulpit conservative Republican gubernatorial candidate Gordon Howie (South Dakota), likely hoping to take this issue all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Now, I don't often make posts concerning issues explicitly related to politics and government, but this activity is a blatant disregard of the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which guarantees the freedom of practicing any (or no) religion that we choose and freedom from any religion being established as a state religion or being favored over others, and I'm a huge advocate in support of this very important Amendment (in line with the advocacy of the Interfaith Alliance).
The issue is this: the Johnson Amendment of 1954 enacted by Congress states that no 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization can make political endorsements. This is because tax-exemption status amounts to a public subsidy since the rest of the tax-payers shoulder more tax burden of this exemption. Congress determined (appropriately and fairly) that such organizations that benefit from tax-payer subsidies shouldn't be able to endorse political candidates.
So, along with Episcopal priest and U.S. religious historian Randall Balmer, I say to these folks who want to have tax-exemption AND the benefit of political endorsement -- if you want to endorse political candidates, fine, but to make it balanced and fair, give up your tax-exempt status and thus your subsidies from the people, the tax-payers.
The no establishment clause of the 1st Amendment is the very reason why religion flourishes in great and rich diversity in the U.S. When freedom of religion and freedom from religion being tied to the government functions as a legislative principle, then religious plurality and variety and fervor burgeons, which is a wonderful thing and which is a great asset to our nation.
Those of us who are religious leaders certainly, as American citizens, have the right to walk our religious path any way we choose (granted it doesn't infringe on the rights of others) and endorse privately as a citizen any candidate we want. But the Johnson Amendment rightly disallows us from endorsing these candidates on behalf of a non-profit tax-exempt organization. And this has been upheld by the Supreme Court for years.
This is definitely a 1st Amendment separation of religion and government issue. To learn more about this issue, read Randall Balmers post on Religion Dispatches, or visit the Interfaith Alliance website. It's and excellent and informed read.
Now, I don't often make posts concerning issues explicitly related to politics and government, but this activity is a blatant disregard of the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which guarantees the freedom of practicing any (or no) religion that we choose and freedom from any religion being established as a state religion or being favored over others, and I'm a huge advocate in support of this very important Amendment (in line with the advocacy of the Interfaith Alliance).
The issue is this: the Johnson Amendment of 1954 enacted by Congress states that no 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization can make political endorsements. This is because tax-exemption status amounts to a public subsidy since the rest of the tax-payers shoulder more tax burden of this exemption. Congress determined (appropriately and fairly) that such organizations that benefit from tax-payer subsidies shouldn't be able to endorse political candidates.
So, along with Episcopal priest and U.S. religious historian Randall Balmer, I say to these folks who want to have tax-exemption AND the benefit of political endorsement -- if you want to endorse political candidates, fine, but to make it balanced and fair, give up your tax-exempt status and thus your subsidies from the people, the tax-payers.
The no establishment clause of the 1st Amendment is the very reason why religion flourishes in great and rich diversity in the U.S. When freedom of religion and freedom from religion being tied to the government functions as a legislative principle, then religious plurality and variety and fervor burgeons, which is a wonderful thing and which is a great asset to our nation.
Those of us who are religious leaders certainly, as American citizens, have the right to walk our religious path any way we choose (granted it doesn't infringe on the rights of others) and endorse privately as a citizen any candidate we want. But the Johnson Amendment rightly disallows us from endorsing these candidates on behalf of a non-profit tax-exempt organization. And this has been upheld by the Supreme Court for years.
This is definitely a 1st Amendment separation of religion and government issue. To learn more about this issue, read Randall Balmers post on Religion Dispatches, or visit the Interfaith Alliance website. It's and excellent and informed read.
Monday, June 21, 2010
'UN' of Faith Groups Set Roles in Disaster Relief
For every disaster - be it natural or otherwise - there always comes help from religious groups, setting aside their denominational, doctrinal, and worldview differences to come together and offer physical, emotional, and financial support: food, water, money, and crews of volunteers to come and help out in practical ways.
Tom Breen of the Associated Press writes an article about this often largely unknown hodgepodge of religious communities and their dedication of social action. Read the story here.
Tom Breen of the Associated Press writes an article about this often largely unknown hodgepodge of religious communities and their dedication of social action. Read the story here.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
New Book on Scripture to Comfort the Sick
With so much focus in America on health care and health care reform, a new book by Beth Bosserman, Medicine from God: Scripture Verses to Encourage and Comfort the Sick (Pleasant Word, 2010), takes a pastoral care angle by offering a treasury of Bible verses offering strength, encouragement, comfort, and inspiration for those who are ill and for those who minister to the ill.
In the midst of debate, contention, and controversy over the legislation and implementation of new health care models, this book is a rather different and important Christian spiritual angle to address the needs of the sick. This is a side not covered very much in the media and so I'm glad to see it's being addressed in this way.
For more, read the entire story here at RNS.
In the midst of debate, contention, and controversy over the legislation and implementation of new health care models, this book is a rather different and important Christian spiritual angle to address the needs of the sick. This is a side not covered very much in the media and so I'm glad to see it's being addressed in this way.
For more, read the entire story here at RNS.
Christian Science Names New President
For those New Thought folks out there, Christian Science (the New Thought movement grounded in prayer-healing and founded by Mary Baker Eddy) has just named a new president. Fujiko Signs, a Japanese-born practitioner, will take the annual position as president.
According to the Religion News Service, Ms. Signs says, "...my passion is to communicate the universality of Christian Science."
Since Signs is a woman from Tokyo, this appointment certainly speaks to the global reach of the Christian Science movement, the oldest of the New Thought churches. I wish Ms. Signs well and hope she shines in her role as president, leader and advocate for the power of prayer and of the mind to influence our experiences for the better.
The RNS has the whole story.
According to the Religion News Service, Ms. Signs says, "...my passion is to communicate the universality of Christian Science."
Since Signs is a woman from Tokyo, this appointment certainly speaks to the global reach of the Christian Science movement, the oldest of the New Thought churches. I wish Ms. Signs well and hope she shines in her role as president, leader and advocate for the power of prayer and of the mind to influence our experiences for the better.
The RNS has the whole story.
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