After a hiatus of several years, Thanksgiving Dinner is making a comeback at Unity Center for Spiritual Growth. Scott Mazer will be overseeing the preparation of the turkey and potatoes, while Nancy Burnette will be coordinating the assortment of side dishes and desserts. With their expertise, you can expect a memorable meal.
To ensure we have all the elements for a delightful dinner, we kindly ask you to inform Nancy of the side dish or dessert you plan to bring. Your contribution will contribute to a fantastic Thanksgiving feast.
In this edition of Heart Thoughts, you’ll notice our festive preparations for the upcoming holidays with some exclusive programs. As a precursor to the holiday season, our initial event involves adorning the sanctuary to usher in the Christmas spirit. Here’s another chance for you to participate, serving and savoring community together. I invite you to join me on Saturday, November 25, at 9:30 a.m. for the “Hanging of the Greens.” We’ll provide coffee and donuts, along with the joyous backdrop of Christmas carols.
Once again, the discussion from Dare to Be Yourself conveyed a message of great significance for everyone. The theme for this week centered around daring to walk through your fears and daring to commit. While numerous valuable insights were shared, one particularly stands out.
The power of words is undeniable, and a simple substitution can be transformative. Instead of labeling a challenge as a “problem,” consider referring to it as a “project.” Viewing a situation as a project reframes it as an invitation to succeed, an opportunity to create something new, exciting, and rewarding. Take a moment now to reflect on a situation in your life that you perceive as a problem, and experiment with shifting your perspective by calling it a project. Notice the difference in the energy it brings forth.
Although I didn’t get to say much about dare to commit as time was running out, I think these sums it up…commitment and fear go hand and hand…when I am making a commitment there is always the fear of can I follow through…as you can see commitment brings to the surface some of the hidden beliefs that are running us.
Alan writes: The invitation to commit is one of the grandest portals through which we may walk in a lifetime. God is entirely committed to being God, and when we commit ourselves to a noble path we reflect and live in majesty to the divine.
I am ending this with a poem written by Jewels Leonard, who was a friend and congregant when Rev LeRoy and I were ministers at Unity Church of Overland Park in Kansas. I found it in my old files when I was searching for talk material on fear.
My life has been built on fear
-fear of failure
-fear of success
-fear of feeling
-fear of being a Perfect Child of God
-fear of Love
-fear of being Who I AM
Paralyzing my Passion
-my life
-my Soul
Yet the Soul knows and continues to nudge me to step off the edge of the cliff
And the Struggle inside torments me so
As the Storms rage outside
Throwing my off balance and to the ground
With the Sand whipping my face
The eye of the Storm gently surrounds me
Blocking all from touching me
And in the eye of the Storm I am able to see
The disarray of my life that bounds me
But only if I allow it to
Drawing in the breath of Spirit allows me to face the fear and step off the cliff
Down I plunge
Falling faster and faster
Spiraling to Death
Death of Fear
And out of the Death of Fear
The Soul expands to know the Love
The Love of the Soul, Spirit and the Beloved
Experiencing heights that I never dreamed possible.
So, my beloved friend, what would you do if you were fearless? Do It!
A reminder next week will be Thanksgiving dinner and the message will be Dare to Do the Impossible. If you missed the service on Sunday, you can watch it here.
You are a blessing in my life,
Rev. Patricia Bessey
Labyrinths are ancient geometric figures. One leaves one’s worries and stress at the entrance and walks meditatively to the middle. As one walks to the center she/he becomes centered within her/himself, calmer, and more grounded. 
