Unity of London
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Unity
The Church For Today
What is Unity? The Adventure Called Unity - I suppose that the question
most often asked me is, What is Unity? I find that trying to answer this
question meaningfully is an interesting challenge. I believe that Unity
can make one’s life an adventure, because Unity arouses interest in our
spiritual nature. It whets our desire to find out what our true relationship
with God is. It poses questions to which we must seek understandable answers. |
Unity tells
us that our minds are our connecting links with God, and that if we are
to control our spiritual growth and unfoldment, we must control our thinking.
Such statements are highly motivating to that part of the intellect that
seeks answers.
In this
world of seeming turmoil, conflict, and unrest, Unity reaffirms the bold
statement: We know that in everything God works for good with those who
love him, who are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28). To some
this may sound implausible, but it certainly makes one curious to find
out the basis on which such a statement can be made.
Unity says
that other spiritually illumined persons - ministers, priests, or religious
teachers - can help one get started on the right path to finding God, but
ultimately each person must find God individually. In other words, Unity
says that true religious growth is a do-it yourself project. Others can
help you find a beginning; books and lessons can get you started by pointing
you in the right direction, but if you truly want to know God, you must
become acquainted with Him yourself.
Unity does
not emphasize formal membership and has never been preoccupied with gaining
converts merely for the sake of numbers. In fact, Unity says that one can
subscribe to its teachings and still retain membership in any other church.
Unity’s viewpoint is that there need be no conflict of religious beliefs.
Unity believes that there is good in every religion, and that we should
keep our minds open so that we may find that good when the opportunity
is presented. In keeping with this attitude, people of various religions
the world over find good in the practical Christian principles taught and
promulgated by Unity. Unity has no strict creed or dogma. One might describe
Unity as a religious philosophy with an open end, seeking to find God’s
truth in all of life, wherever it may be.
God gave
us freedom of choice. Unfortunately, we have used this freedom to bind
ourselves in chains of ignorance. As individuals we have thrown up walls
of self-incrimination and guilt in our consciousness, thus cutting ourselves
off from the abundant good that God has in store for us. Collectively,
people have built up false beliefs about sin, sickness, and death, causing
us to lose sight of the true meaning of life, which is that we are all
children of God. As such, it is our privilege, in fact, our mission, to
be heirs to His kingdom.
Unity tells
us that the number and seriousness of our past mistakes do not matter to
God. He holds no grudges and has no account book. For those of us who have
gone astray, who have wandered down the wrong pathway, Unity says that
there is no depth to which we can sink where God cannot find us; that He
is ever ready to give us a helping hand if we sincerely wish to be lifted
up.
Unity teaches
us that there is a divine law of prosperity, by means of which we can avail
ourselves of the riches of the kingdom of heaven. By getting in rhythm
with the law of giving and receiving as it is often called, we can demonstrate
unlimited supply to meet all our needs. The secret is that we must learn
to become open, receptive, responsive, and obedient to the law so that
we make ourselves channels for the inflow and outflow of God’s good.
Unity assures
us that if just one person has learned the secret of successful living,
then anyone can, because God is no respecter of persons.
Unity is
an adventure because it teaches us how to pray affirmatively.
Our prayer
ministry, Silent Unity, has been answering requests for prayer from all
over the world since 1890. A group of dedicated persons is in prayer 24
hours a day, 365 days a year. Have they learned how to help other people
pray? I wish you could see the thousands of testimonials Silent Unity receives!
Prayer
in its purest form is simple. It is a matter of concentrating on one’s
entire intellect on God, affirming a positive statement of truth, meditating
on divine principle, and finally turning within one’s own being in a wonderful
time of quiet which Unity calls the silence, wherein one becomes receptive
to the still small voice of God.
Finally,
Unity is an adventure because it brings God and His heaven right down into
the here and now, and makes God available as a full-time partner in our
daily living.
Even in
this space age, we have a tendency to visualize God on a golden throne,
in a heaven with pearly gates, somewhere off in the far beyond. In times
of trouble, some of us still pray to a great man with long white whiskers.
We often betray our belief in an anthropomorphic God when a seeming miracle
happens in life, and we say, I owe it all to the man upstairs, or, Someone
up there must love me!
Today leading
theologians realize that we must expand our thinking where God is concerned
if we are to keep the findings of science and religion compatible.
Unity says
that heaven can’t wait. Too many people are putting heaven off until some
time in the future. But it can’t wait. It is around and about us here and
now, pressing in upon us, waiting for us to acknowledge and accept it.
Each of us is a unique spiritual creation, a divine original with his or
her own special God-given spark, capable of becoming a channel for God’s
love to pour forth into the world. That is God’s plan. It is up to us to
get into harmony with it.
Yes, life
can become a thrilling adventure. Unity helps us on this magnificent journey
by arousing our curiosity about our spiritual nature; by telling us how
to be open and receptive to our good; by helping us to learn to pray successfully;
and by making God a full-time partner in our living.
Of course
it is not possible for me to tell you all about Unity in these few pages.
We do want to share with you the adventure called Unity, however, and we
are eager to send you more information upon request.
Unity publishes
several magazines and we would be happy to send you sample copies of any
or all of them. The first Unity publication was established in 1889, and
is still being published monthly: Unity is a respected metaphysical magazine.
Its subtitle is A Way of Life, and in its pages you will find the new,
exciting, and inspiring writing of many of our leading authors in the field
of religion, education, science....in fact, every facet of contemporary
life.
Daily Word
is our magazine for daily prayer and meditation; each page carries a lesson
for that day, a prayer, and a Scripture quotation. The magazine also features
poetry, articles, and there special material.
Daily Word
in Large Type is printed in easy-to-read type to meet the needs of those
who cannot comfortably read smaller print. The monthly magazine is produced
in black and white and is exactly the same in content as the regular Daily
Word.
For children,
Unity has [in the past] published Wee Wisdom since 1893; it is America’s
oldest magazine for children. To make it more interesting and meaningful
to today’s children, Wee Wisdom contains illustrated stories, poems, puzzles,
a monthly calendar, and art and craft projects. It is expressly planned
for children through age 12 (and thousands of schoolteachers use it and
love it, too). [This magazine has been dropped and is being replaced with
a CD-ROM which will interest countless children.]
Remember,
we want to send you sample copies of any or all of the magazines listed.
Your request is all we need.
Elsewhere
I have mentioned Silent Unity’s prayer ministry. This laboratory for affirmative
meditation is available to you without cost, 24 hours a day. All you need
to do is write your prayer request (whether it be for health, prosperity,
or harmony in your life), and mail it to the Silent Unity. If you prefer,
you may phone Silent Unity at (816-246-5400).
If you
have an urgent need and no means of paying for a call, dial our toll-free
number: 1-800-669-7729. This does not include calls from Alaska or foreign
countries.
Unity also
offers TTY, a telephone communication service for the deaf and hearing-impaired.
The number is 816-525-1155.
Unity exists
to be of service to all humankind. It makes us happy to serve you.
This item
is an excerpt from the pamphlet "The Adventure Called Unity" by Charles
R. Fillmore, and reproduced with the express permission of Unity School
of Christianity, Unity Village, MO.
WE BELIEVE
in our common unity with all life and the "new commandment" of Jesus Christ:
"that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 13:34).
WE BELIEVE
in universal principles and spiritual values as revealed and demonstrated
by Jesus Christ and the continuing revelations of the Christ Presence.
WE BELIEVE
in practicing prayer and meditation as our primary means of becoming conscious
of our oneness with God.
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