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Seattle Unity Updates and Announcements for 2008
For scheduled events please go to our
Events Page
Visit the
Seeds of Action Blog to contribute your stories.
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Calendar
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
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The Sunday Bulletin is now
printed monthly and includes a Calendar!
A copy of the Bulletin will only be included in the program
the first Sunday of each month. In line with the church's
desire to be thinking green, it was discussed that having
all the bulletin information in Calendar format would be
very helpful - one that is used to plan and refer to all
month long.
 You will need Adobe Reader to
view this pdf file.
Download a free copy of Adobe Reader by clicking here.
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Doors Opening....Doors Closing... I am safe, it's only
change.....
September 14, 2008
Dear Friends,
Doors opening.... Doors closing.... Doors opening
I am safe it's only change I am safe it's only change.
For those of you who attend Seattle Unity regularly it will come
as no surprise that doorways have become very symbolic for
Maureen and me. We have found life to be a series of doorways
that we walk in and out of many times throughout our time here
on earth.
Five years ago we walked through the doorway marked Seattle
Unity Church, and with you, co-created a spiritual home for
hundreds of people. We have laughed together, cried together,
and most importantly, we have deepened our spiritual practices
together. We have accomplished so much together, including
making our church home something of which we can all be very
proud.
Now the door to Seattle Unity is closing and another one is
opening for Maureen and me. Spirit has made it very clear that
our work here is finished and that it is time for us to move on
into unknown territory. Our last Sunday with you will be October
19th.
Our time here has been an incredible gift to us. We have enjoyed
our New Year's Eves together, the gardening parties, the
auctions, the amazing special services, and our outstanding
music. Our Sunday services and the Wednesday Evening Deepenings
have made our hearts sing, and working with Karen and each and
every member of the board and our dedicated staff has been an
honor and a privilege. We have grown spiritually and have become
better leaders for having served at Seattle Unity.
This has not been an easy decision for us to make. We love you
all so much and can't thank you enough for your support and
willingness to grow in Unity with us. As Maureen and I walk
through the doorway out of this experience into our next
assignment we leave with gratitude and deep appreciation for
each one of you.
We leave you in the capable hands of your board and incredible
staff. We know that there is a great new spiritual leader
waiting to walk through the door of Seattle Unity to take you to
your next stage of evolution!
In love and gratitude,
Richard & Maureen Levy
Print a Copy
A farewell party for Richard and Maureen is being
planned for Friday, October 17th at 6:30 pm. On Sunday, September
28th at 2:00 pm, in the Library the initial planning meeting for the
farewell party for Rev. Richard & Maureen Levy will be held. E-mail and let us know you want to help:
AnnieC@SeattleUnity.org.
We are putting together a memory book for
Richard and Maureen.
If you would like to write a special memory, note of thanks or well
wishes to add to the book, please use a 4x6 card of any color and
return it to the Information Center by Sunday, Oct. 12. There will
be cards available at church for your use as well. Thanks in advance
for taking the time to jot down a special remembrance about Richard
and Maureen.
Questions - email Barbara Ashley: BAshley@lwsd.org
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A Message from the Board -
September 15, 2008
Print a copy
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I'm sure
that you are saddened, as we were as a board, to hear that
Richard is moving on. We have been blessed by his insight,
his humor and his energy, and we will remember his teachings
for the rest of our lives. We give him our most heartfelt
thanks, and wish Richard and Maureen a prosperous journey
with the hope that they find the highest and best use for
their great gifts and talents.
We want you
to know that the board and the staff are working hard to
make sure that the good energy will continue on. Reverend
Karen will be stepping up as our temporary Senior Minister,
while we begin our search, and we will have some exciting
guest speakers as well. The youth programs, the wonderful
music presentations, Wednesday services and oneness
blessings, as well as other scheduled programs will
continue.
Change is
what we at Unity know is life, and we encourage you to stick
with us through this process. We value your input and
continued support and acknowledge that all our time, talents
and treasures are so very vital to this spiritual community.
Spirit works
in amazing ways. To help us with our continued prosperity,
we have received an unexpected bequest from a quiet angel of
a man, Robert McDonald, who made his transition earlier this
year. His bequest of $363,000 will allow us to move on with
our plan for our next step without a dent in our prosperity
consciousness. We know he will be with us as well
overseeing these next few months!
The
following are answers to some questions we think you will be
asking, and if you have more, please contact a board member
by leaving a voice mail message on the Board voice mail box
at 206-622-8475 X256. A Board member will contact you
within 48 hours.
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How will a new minister be selected?
The process
for selecting a new minister is well documented and
understood. The selection process is governed by Unity
Association guidelines and our Church bylaws. A selection
committee will be formed of Church and Board
members. Additional congregant feedback on applicants will
be solicited following "tryouts" at regularly scheduled
services. Communication on the process will be forthcoming
and continuous communication during the selection process
will be an important attribute of that process.
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What can I do to help?
Continue to
live by Unity principles. Affirm and know that the perfect
manifestation of this transition is being divinely guided.
Grieve over the change and be gentle with yourselves. Pray,
meditate, and practice loving kindness. Continue to support
Seattle Unity with your time, talent and treasures.
Actively participate in the selection process with feedback
and spiritual support to Reverends Karen, Richard, Maureen,
the staff, the Board, the selection committee, and each
other. We are truly blessed with an exceptional Chaplains
program - use them.
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Will there be a going away party for
Richard and Maureen?
Of course!
It's a time to celebrate and reflect on the accomplishments
of this great team and wish them well. You're definitely
invited and we will be making announcements on the website
and at church as soon a plan is in the works. Party
volunteers are encouraged as well!
In loving
service,
Judy Curran
Chair, Seattle Unity Board of Trustees
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"Many Hands
One Heart" |
This Twelve Powers Quilt was presented to the
congregation at Seattle Unity on Sunday, September 21st. It
contains the shapes of the hands of children, youth and
volunteers of the Youth and Family Ministry program. Also
included in the project were the children and teachers of
Beginnings II Day Care that shared the children's classrooms
with us for nine months.
The yellow and gold
background represents the Light of God that shines through
each of us in unique and beautiful ways. The rainbow of
colors represent the Twelve Powers or spiritual faculties
inherent in each of us as children of God.
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Seeds Of Action
Seeds of Action Blog |
Seeds of Action
How are you
using your talents?
On Sunday, May 4, Rev.
Richard Levy's talk was on the Spiritual Practice of
Generosity.
This talk is posted on the
talks and messages
page. Talents, were given out as "seed money" ($10) to those
who wished to put this principal into action. The
Seeds of
Action Blog was created as a place for you to share
ideas and your story, ask for help, and offer your
assistance. Go there to read what others are saying. Click
on the comment box and type in your thoughts. If the blog
format seems "too confusing" - write up your story and hand
it to someone who can email your story to the address below
and we will get it posted.
On June 29, we came together
in a festival to celebrate the
increase and gift back to
the church the talents we were entrusted with and more!
How have you used your
talents? Would you like some assistance making them grow?
Visit the blog for ideas and put in a request for help. As a
community we can not only inspire each other to watch our
seeds grow, we can have fun together creating unlimited
possibilities. What are you working on now?
Contact Howard Langeveld for
additional information.
hlangeveld@comcast.net
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Going Green -
In January 2008, Seattle Unity Church moved to
a Paperless Newsletters. To be good stewards of the resources of
the church and of our Mother Earth we are not publishing a paper
newsletter at this time.
The Seattle Unity website contains
a printable monthly calendar and information sheets.
To receive emailed
information about programming, ministries and classes, subscribe to our e-mailed Unity Updates. We send a long version
at the beginning of each month and then a shorter weekly
version. Send your email request to be added to our list to
anniec@seattleunity.org.
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