wings 2011 june - First Unity Church of St...

Wings

FIRST UNITY CHURCH – Serving the spiritual needs of the St. Louis community for over eighty-five years.

The Newsletter ofFirst Unity Church

Of Saint Louis

June 2011

v Inspiration

v Information

v Illumination

Inside this issue:

News and events

Truth Thoughts

Quotable Quotes

Calendar

Humor

The 13Commandments

How to Use theGolden KeyBy Emmet Fox

Scientific prayer will enable you toget yourself, or anyone else, out of anydifficulty. It is the golden key to harmonyand happiness.

To those who have noacquaintance with themightiest power inexistence, this may appearto be a rash claim, but itneeds only a fair trial toprove that, without a shadow of doubt, itis a just one. You need take no one's wordfor it, and you should not. Simply try itfor yourself.

God is omnipotent, and we are God'simage and likeness and have dominionover all things. This is the inspiredteaching, and it is intended to be takenliterally, at its face value. The ability todraw on this power is not the specialprerogative of the mystic or the saint, as isso often supposed, or even of the highlytrained practitioner. Everyone has thisability. Whoever you are, wherever youmay be, the golden key to harmony is inyour hand now. This is because inscientific prayer it is God who works, andnot you, and so your particular limitationsor weaknesses are of no account in theprocess. You are only the channel throughwhich the divine action takes place, and

your treatment will be just the getting ofyourself out of the way. Beginners oftenget startling results the first time, for allthat is essential is to have an open mind

and sufficient faith to trythe experiment. Apartfrom that, you may holdany views on religion, ornone.

As for the actualmethod of working, like

all fundamental things, it is simplicityitself. All you have to do is this: Stopthinking about the difficulty, whatever itis, and think about God instead. This isthe complete rule, and if only you will dothis, the trouble, whatever it is, willdisappear. It makes no difference whatkind of trouble it is. It may be a big thingor a little thing; it may concern health,finance, a lawsuit, a quarrel, an accidentor anything else conceivable; but what-ever it is, stop thinking about it and thinkof God instead that is all you have to do.

It could not be simpler, could it? Godcould scarcely have made it simpler, andyet it never fails to work when given afair trial.

--Continued on Page Six

Rev. Randy SchmeligSenior Minister

Rev. Sharon AllmondAssociate Minister

LICENSED UNITY TEACHERSDeb FryJan MourningJo Warren

BOARD OF TRUSTEESPaul Henley, PresidentTom Bullock, Vice PresidentKit Whittington, SecretaryMary Tumminello, TreasurerCarol EllermanJim HarrRoy VaisvilJohn YoungCathy Zehner

BOOKSTORE MANAGERJane Vondruska

OFFICE MANAGERMary McKenzie

MUSICAnne Hartupee, Piano/OrganDean Wiegert, Soloist

YOUTH MINISTRY TEAMDenise Halbert Reggio, DirectorGlenda GebhardtCindy Gibbs

WINGS NEWSLETTERFaye Schmelig, EditorEmail: [email protected]

OFFICE HOURSMonday – Thursday, 9am – 3pmChurch phone: 314-845-8540Prayer Line: 314-845-6936Minister’s home: 314-892-3017Fax: 314-845-0022www.firstunitychurchstlouis.org/Email: [email protected]@att.netSilent Unity: 1-800-669-7729

WingsJune 2011

Board ElectionsAt our May meeting we re-elected Paul

Henley president, Tom Bullock vicepresident, Kit Whittington secretary, andMary Tumminello treasurer for another year.We look forward to the continued service ofour dedicated officers.

Race for the Cure – 2011For the second year, First Unity Church

is sponsoring a team at the Susan KomenRace for the Cure event. This year we haveeight people who signed up on our teamheaded up by Virgil Tucker. The Race isbeing held the morning of June 11th. Lastyear, St. Louis had the distinction of beingthe largest Race for the Cure in the nation.We are proud to send our own team to be apart of such a worthy effort. Our prayers andblessings go with our team members!

Special ThanksOur special thanks to Gloria at Kehrts

Nursery for the donation of 8 maple trees tobeautify our church grounds. This is a partinggift from our neighbor at the corner of ButlerHill and Tesson Ferry. They are closing theirbusiness after many years.

We offer a hearty thank you as well toChuck Seger who tracked down thisdonation, picked up the trees, and along withPaul Henley, Joey Davis and our Sundayschool children, planted them along the backof the church.

May Fashion ShowOur May fashion show was a great

success! Everyone had a wonderful time, andbetween ticket sales and the silent auction,we raised $1,400.00 for our church.

Tai Chi WorkshopOn Saturday, June 4th Tai Chi instructor,

Sue Steffen will present a half-day workshopfrom 9:00 to Noon. Tai Chi is a wonderfulway to reduce stress, improve balance andover-all flexibility. Sometimes described as“meditation in motion,” it promotes serenitythrough gentle movements that help make aconnection between mind and body.Originally developed as a martial art inancient China, Tai Chi evolved into agraceful form of exercise that is now used fora variety of health conditions throughout theworld and is considered by many to be a kind

of “fountain of youth” for the challenges ofageing. The cost for the class is $25.

This month the Ladies’ NightOut Group will be meetingMonday evening, June 20, at5:30 at Cusanelli’s, 705 LemayFerry Road. For more

information call Mary Tumminello - Home:314-843-1807 Cell: 314-814-4530. All arewelcome!

Feed My PeopleIt may seem early to be

talking about schoolsupplies, but in order todistribute them in early August;collection must begin now to have anadequate supply. They already haveplenty of white glue and crayons on hand,but could use markers, #2 pencils, pens,paper, binders, spiral notebooks, etc.

www.feed-my-people.org

Silent UnityJune Affirmations

Inner Peace: I radiatepeace with every thought,word, and action.

Guidance: The wisdomof God lives within me.

Healing: I claim my wholeness as aperfect child of God.

Prosperity: I am prospered by theinfinite flow of divine ideas.

World Peace: I see the world throughthe eyes of love.

Quiet Space

Rest is not idleness,” said JohnLubbock, “and to lie sometimes on the grasson a summer day listening to the murmur ofwater or watching the clouds float across thesky is hardly a waste of time.”

Most of us need more, not less, rest builtinto our daily routine. Only when we arequiet can we hear God’s whisper.

Summer is a great time to find apeaceful, outdoor spot to read, rest and pray— even if only for a few minutes. God iseagerly waiting for us to make space for him.

Like father, like child

As wecelebrateFather’s Day,we likely seetraits in ourdads (or otherfather figures)that we hope

to be known for ourselves:integrity, gentleness, a great senseof humor, a love of learning, ahumble spirit.

Amy Grant’s song “Father’sEyes” tells of a young girl whowants nothing more than for othersto recognize her father — and herheavenly Father — in her. “Whenpeople look inside my life, I wantto hear them say, ‘She's got herfather's eyes.’”

What characteristics of Godyour Father are reflected in youreyes, heart and life? And whatgodly qualities would you like tocultivate?

May others see our heavenlyFather in us!

A father’s influence

Studies show that if themother of a family attendsworship, there’s a 16 percentchance that the rest of the familywill also attend.

Yet when a father attendsworship, there’s a 93 percentchance that other family memberswill be present, too.

Just think, Dad, of the cloutyou have. Hope to see you inchurch this weekend!

Life is an echo

A man and his young sonwere walking on a mountain trailwhen the boy tripped on a rock andtwisted his ankle. “Ahhhhh!” hescreamed in pain.

“Ahhhhh!” came a distantreply from the mountain.

The startled boy shouted

back, “Who are you?”“Who are you?” replied the

voice from the mountain.This made him angry, so he

shouted, “You’re a big coward!”“You’re a big coward!” was

the reply.The puzzled boy looked at his

father and asked, “Dad, what’sgoing on?”

“Son,” the father replied,“listen to this.” He then shouted, “Iadmire you!”

“I admire you!” answered thevoice.

“You are wonderful!” shoutedthe dad.

And the voice replied, “Youare wonderful!”

The father turned to his sonand explained, “People call that anecho, but it’s really life. Lifealways gives back to you what yougive to it. Life is a mirror of allyour actions. If you want to beloved, give love. If you wantrespect, give respect. If you wantpeople to be patient with you, bepatient with them. This rule ofnature applies to every part of ourlives.”

An enthusiastic faith

Fred Rogers, the giftedminister to children known as“Mister Rogers,” said: “Attitudesare caught, not taught. The bestway to cultivate faith in children isto share our own enthusiasm aboutwhat we believe.”

God’sprecious earth

1854, as ChiefSeattletransferred Indian lands to thefederal government, he said: “Thiswe know. The earth does notbelong to the humans, humansbelong to the earth. Whateverbefalls the earth befalls children ofthe earth. The humans did not

weave the web of life; they aremerely strands in it. Whatever theydo to the web, they do tothemselves. … This earth isprecious to God, and to harm theearth is to heap contempt on itscreator.”

“Quotable Quotes”

My father didn’t tell me how tolive; he lived, and let me watchhim do it.”

-Clarence Kelland

I have mixed emotions when Ireceive Father’s Day gifts. I’mglad my children remember me,but I’m disappointed that theyactually think I dress that way.

-Mike Dugan

Man wishes to be happy evenwhen he lives as to makehappiness impossible.

-St. Augustine of Hippo

The miracle is this — the more weshare, the more we have.

-Leonard Nimoy

We must all work to make theworld worthy of its children.

-Pablo Casals

Lord, make me see thy glory inevery place.

-Michelangelo

The world is round, and the placewhich may seem like the end mayalso be the beginning.

-Ivy Baker Priest

Untilled ground, however rich, willbring forth thistles and thorns; soalso the mind of man.

-St. Teresa of Avila

A father’s words are like athermostat that sets thetemperature in the house.

-Paul Lewis

The ThirteenCommandments

By J. Sig Paulson

As I Have Loved You

As we grow up mentally andphysically, we discover that life hasmore important and tougherassignments for us. This is true also aswe grow spiritually.

The twelfth commandment –“Thou shalt love thy neighbor asthyself” – represents the highestattainment possible to our self-consciousness. When we can love ourneighbor as ourselves, when we candesire peace and good will for ourneighbor, when we can understandhim as an individual and come intosome comprehension of the deepurges and desires within him, we havetaken a great stride in consciousness.But this is just the beginning; we haveyet another assignment.

We might say that the firsttwelve commandments – the TenCommandments of the Old Testamentand the two commandments of lovereiterated in the New Testament –constitute the call of duty. Every oneof us has the responsibility torecognize the presence of God withinhimself and to love and recognize thatsame presence within his neighbor.But now we are moving into a newrealm, a realm beyond the call of duty.

To move into this new realm, wemust pass from self-consciousness toGod-consciousness. This realm – wemight call it the realm of joy ofservice – is one into which we enterconsciously. It is a matter of choice.The fulfillment of the first twelvecommandments has been a question ofchoice, too, to a great degree, but infulfilling them we have merelydischarged our duty. Through themwe have reached the highest point atwhich the self-consciousness is able to

express itself. All of these steps inconsciousness are important becausethey prepare us for the discipleship ofthe Christ.

Now we come to a greatcommandment (I like to think of it asthe thirteenth commandment), thecommandment of example, ordemonstration, which was given to usby Jesus Christ. Only He could giveus this commandment because Hedemonstrated it. He earned the right tomake His life an example for us. Hedemonstrated the Truth of the Spirit ofGod within Him, and in His fellowmen. This is the commandment as Hegave it to us: “A new commandment Igive unto you, that ye love oneanother; even as I have loved you, thatye also love one another. By this shallall men know that ye are my disciples,if ye have love one to another.”

This is not only a commandment;it is the very essence of religion. It isthe acid test of our religion.It reveals to us and to the worldwhether we do or do not follow theChrist. You will notice that JesusChrist does not say that if yousubscribe to the doctrines of Unity, orof the Catholic Church or thePresbyterians or the Methodists,people will know that you are Hisdisciples; He does not say that if youare members of a certain organizationor a certain group, the world willknow that you are His disciples. No!He says that if you love each other inthe way that He has loved you, thenwill the world know that you are Hisdisciples. This is the proving groundfor our so-called Christianity: not howmany doctrines or dogmas or theorieswe subscribe to, but whether we trulylove one another. This is thefoundation for the society of the dis-ciples of the Christ.

A little further on in the gospel ofJohn, Jesus expands this idea: “Hereinis my Father glorified, that ye bearmuch fruit; and so shall ye be my dis-ciples. Even as the Father hath loved

me, I also have loved you: abide ye inmy love. If ye keep my com-mandments, ye shall abide in my love;even as I have kept my Father’scommandments, and abide in his love.These things have I spoken unto you,that my joy may be in you, and thatyour joy may be made full. This is mycommandment, that ye loveone another, even as I have loved you.Greater love hath no man than this,that a man lay down his life for hisfriends. Ye are my friends if ye do thethings which I command you….These things I command you, that yemay love one another.”

Here is the criterion by which wecan judge our own consciousness, ourown discipleship: that we love oneanother as Jesus Christ demonstratedthat He loved His disciples. Thisbrings us into a new consciousness.The first twelve commandments areour duty, and there is always a senseof burden when we do things out of asense of duty, even if it is duty to Godand to our fellow men. But here in thethirteenth commandment a newelement appears. Jesus says that weare to keep His commandments andHis words that His joy may be in usand that our joy may be full. Here is acommandment that we are going toenjoy keeping. We are going to dis-cover a new sense of peace and joy aswe come into an understanding of thenature of this wonderfulcommandment and apply it in our life.

How did Jesus love Hisdisciples? He certainly did not bindthem; He did not tie them to Him withhuman affection. Instead, Herecognized something about them thatcame from the recognition of theTruth of His own being. This is thefirst step that we are to take in lovingeach other as Jesus loved Hisdisciples. This step of recognition ofthe universal brotherhood of man inGod – the Truth of our own being, thetruth that the Spirit of God lives in usand in all men and women, ourneighbors, our brothers, our sisters,

our employers, our employees, ourassociates – this is a joyous step, onethat we take not from a sense of dutybut from the joy of recognition of theTruth.

We can answer this call to thediscipleship of the Christ byrecognizing that the presence of God,the Spirit of God, is within us, that itis within our fellow men, that we areone, and that we no longer live fromthe limited sense of self. We are nolonger using our love or under-standing to bargain on the humanlevel. We are no longer trying to getsomething by being loving. We havecome into the realization that wealready have all there is to have andthis same great truth applies to ourneighbor.

Jesus Christ said, “The kingdomof God is within you.” There is noquibbling here: “The kingdom of Godis within you.” This is a recognitionthat we too must make, not only forourselves but for our fellow men. “Iam the light of the world,” Jesus said;but He followed it up with an equallypowerful statement: “Ye are the lightof the world.” You see, this thirteenthcommandment can be fulfilled by usonly when we come into theconsciousness of the Truth of ourbeing. We can no longer seek toobtain things, to hold things; we canno longer strive to “feather our ownnests,” as it were. We are recognizingthe truth of man’s oneness to God.Jesus recognized this oneness in Hisdisciples; if we are truly to followHim and keep His commandments,we must recognize this truth in ourfellow men, particularly those who areclose to us.

Jesus expected His disciples tolive up to the Truth of their being. Heexpected them to live like the godsthey were. But He did not just preachat them and tell them, “You are to dothis, and believe this, and do this.” Hedemonstrated the truth of the kingdomof God within Himself.

This brings us to the second greatstep we must take if we are to keepthis commandment: demonstration.We must demonstrate the fact that webelieve the kingdom of God to bewithin us and within our fellow men.We must demonstrate the fact that webelieve in the brotherhood of manunder the fatherhood of God. We arenot to enforce our ideas of unity orour ideas of oneness upon someoneelse. We are to demonstrate them inour own life. A unity, a oneness, abrotherhood that is enforceddegenerates into conformity. Jesusrecognized the presence of thekingdom of God, the Spirit of Godwithin each man, and He respected it.He knew that each one had to expressthe Spirit in his own unique andwonderful way. He demonstrated inHis own life that He really believedthat mankind is one, that there is oneGod, that God is in each and everyone of us.

We have the opportunity, too, todemonstrate this. This means lesspreaching and more doing. But wehave to demonstrate it; we have todemonstrate that we believe thathumanity is one, that the brotherhoodof mankind is a reality, a truth bywhich we are willing to live. So weare willing to love our fellow men,whether they seemingly love us ornot. We are willing to recognize thepresence of God the divine potential,in each and every one of them:whether they know it or not. We arewilling to encourage them by ourdemonstration of the Truth by ourdemonstration of the divine potentialthat we have within ourselves.

There is a third step, which isequally important: release. We mustbe willing to release our fellow men tothe Spirit of Truth within them,without trying to enforce our conceptof what is true on anyone. Jesus spentthree years with His disciples, butwhen He left them He told them, ineffect, “It is expedient for you that Ishould go away, because if I do not goyou will never learn to depend on the

Spirit of Truth within you.” If we areto love our fellow men as Jesus Christloved His disciples, we must bewilling to release them to theguidance of their own Spirit. In thatway we demonstrate our love for eachother – by recognizing the Truth ofour being, demonstrating this in ourown life, and then releasing those whoare in our life to their own guidingSpirit in order that they may becomefree and independent and strong andconscious of the presence of Godwithin them.

This takes some doing. This isnot for spiritual weaklings; this is onlyfor those who are willing to grow,who are willing to be true to the Spiritof God within them. This is for thosewho are willing to live in accordancewith their convictions and to let otherslive in accordance with the guidanceof their own indwelling Spirit. This isthe love that Jesus demands of Hisdisciples. This is what discipleship ofChrist means – the recognition of theuniversal brotherhood of man in God,and willingness to let that brotherhoodbe demonstrated in each person’s life.Now we are loving not to gain ourown ends, not from a sense of duty,but to express that which we are. Weare coming to the point where we canbegin to learn to love as our Creatorloves. We can give ourselvescompletely, lay down our life for ourfriends (which includes the wholeuniverse) by living the Truth weknow, by being willing to express andlive up to our own divine potentialand to encourage others to do thesame, and then to release them, to letthem go as they are guided to go.

We are called upon, then, notonly to love our neighbors asourselves, but to love because of ourown divine nature – and there is nojoy to compare with that which comeswhen we are true to our own nature.There is nothing that anyone can dothat will bring him as muchsatisfaction, as much peace, as muchjoy, as being true to his own nature.

Your nature is the nature of God.God is love; your nature is love. Givefree rein to your ability to love.Recognize who and what you are andlet this power to love your world, yourneighbor, your friends, your enemies,flow into joyous expression. Knowthat you are the Spirit of God, the loveof God, coming into expression. Youcan love without being concernedabout who is the object of your love,without being concerned aboutwhether your efforts are going to berewarded, praised, or criticized. Youcan love because of what you are: ason of the living God.

Jesus Christ said it in thesewords: “Ye have heard that it wassaid, Thou shalt love thy neighbor,and hate thine enemy: but I say untoyou, Love your enemies, and pray forthem that persecute you; that ye maybe sons of your Father who is inheaven: for he maketh his sun to riseon the evil and the good, and sendethrain on the just and the unjust. For ifye love them that love you, whatreward have ye? Do not even thepublicans the same? And if ye saluteyour brethren only, what do ye morethan others? Do not even the Gentilesthe same? Ye therefore shall beperfect, as your heavenly Father isperfect.”

The time has come in the historyof mankind when we must grow up,when we must be perfect as ourheavenly Father is perfect; when wemust be true to the Spirit of God, theSpirit of love within us. Can we do it?Yes, we can. By the grace of God andthrough the help of His Spirit withinus, we can set aside the old, limited,mental outlooks, attitudes and habitsof which we have been the victims,and we can let this sense of ouroneness with God and our fellow menexpress itself in everything we think,feel, say, and do. A big assignment?Yes, but the One who gave it to usknows the capacity of our souls. Godknows the stuff we are made of; Heput His own Spirit into us.

ACTION AFFIRMATION

I am called to be a disciple of theChrist. I love my neighbor for the joyof it, not from a sense of duty. I freeall men to the guidance of the Christand I rejoice in their freedom andunfoldment.

This concludes the book, The ThirteenCommandments, by J. Sig Paulson.

From Page One …Do not try to form

a picture of God, whichis impossible. Work byrehearsing anything oreverything that you

know about God. God is wisdom,truth, inconceivable love. God ispresent everywhere, has infinitepower, knows everything, and soon. It matters not how well youmay think you understand thesethings; go over them repeatedly.

But you must stop thinking ofthe trouble, whatever it is.The rule is to think about God. Ifyou are thinking about yourdifficulty, you are not thinkingabout God. To be continuallyglancing over your shoulder inorder to see how matters areprogressing is fatal, because it isthinking of the trouble, and youmust think of God and nothing else.Your object is to drive the thoughtof the difficulty out of yourconsciousness, for a few momentsat least, substituting for it thethought of God .

… If you are very frightenedor worried, at first it may bedifficult to get your thoughts awayfrom material things. But byconstantly repeating a statement ofabsolute Truth, such as:There is no power but God; I am achild of God, filled and surroundedby the perfect peace of God; God is

love: God is guiding me now; or,perhaps best and simplest of all,God is with me – howevermechanical or trite it may seem-you will soon find that … yourmind is clearing. Do not struggleviolently; be quiet, but insistent.Each time you find your attentionwandering, switch it back to God.

Do not try to think in advancewhat the solution to your difficultywill be …. Leave the question ofways and means to God. You wantto get out of your difficulty-that issufficient. You do your half, andGod will never fail to do God’s.

--Adapted from The Golden Key by Emmet Fox.

There is no power but God.

I am a child of God,filled and surrounded by the

perfect peace of God.

God is love.

God is guiding me now.

God is with me

June 2011Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 AA Men’s Group 10:00 AM

CA 7:00 PM

2 3 4 Choir & Bell Choir Rehearsal’s In Recess

Tai Chi9:00 AM – Noon

in fellowship

5 Sunday Service 10:30 AM Youth Ed 10:30 AM

6 7 Tai Chi 10:00 AM


CA 7:00 PM



13 14 Tai Chi 10:00AM


CA 7:00 PM



20Ladies Night Out

Cusanelli’s 705 Lemay Ferry Rd 5:30 PM

21 Tai Chi 10:00 AM


CA 7:00 PM



27 28 Tai Chi 10:00 AM


CA 7:00 PM

30

WingsWingsTHE JUNE NEWSLETTER OFFIRST UNITY CHURCH OF ST. LOUIS

First Unity Church4753 Butler Hill RoadSt. Louis, MO 63128

Phone: (314) 845-8540Fax: (314) 845-0022Email: [email protected]

www.firstunitychurchstlouis.org

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

q If you no longer wish to receive thisnewsletter, check this box and mark

return to sender, or call the church office.

The light side – Two little boysTwo little boys, ages 8 and 10,

were excessively mischievous. Theywere always getting into trouble andtheir parents knew all about it. If anymischief occurred in their town, thetwo boys were probably involved.The boys' mother heard that apreacher in town had been successfulin disciplining children, so she askedif he would speak with her boys.

The preacher agreed, but heasked to see them individually. So themother sent the 8 year old first, in themorning, with the older boy to see thepreacher in the afternoon. Thepreacher, a huge man with a boomingvoice, sat the younger boy down andasked him sternly, “Do you knowwhere God is, son?”

The boy's mouth dropped open,but he made no response, sitting therewide-eyed with his mouth hangingopen.

So the preacher repeated thequestion in an even sterner tone,“Where is God?”

Again, the boy madeno attempt to answer.The preacher raised hisvoice even more andshook his finger in theboy's face and bellowed,“Where is God?”

The boy screamedand bolted from the room, ran directlyhome and dove into his closet,slamming the door behind him.

When his older brother foundhim in the closet, he asked, “Whathappened?”

The younger brother, gasping forbreath, replied, “We are in BIGtrouble this time.”

“God is missing, and theythink we did it!”

-Thanks, Geri Barton

A short quiz:

Q: What time of day was Adam created?

A: A little before Eve.

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDSt. Louis MOPermit 909

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