The holidays are over and I hope Unity was part of what made the season jolly for you. There was certainly a lot of activity here with the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, the tree and church decorating, Products and Services Sunday, the youth group photo opportunity, and our wonderful Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve services.

“New Year” seems to be associated with “new beginnings” and personal “resolutions.” I am sure that many of you have a list of things you want to accomplish this year. Well, Unity of Tucson has a list too and your participation is on that list.

New classes require your attendance; Unitics are always on the move and that means you are hopping around having fun; Sofi a has a few plans of their own; and the machinery of every day activities need plenty of volunteers to keep it running smoothly.

Our Annual Meeting is scheduled for February 21, 2010 and I want to invite all of you, but especially our members, to attend. It is a time to find out about our inner workings and to fulfill the requirement of Unity of Tucson as an Arizona Corporation. Your presence and participation is very important. Together we can make Unity the best that it’s ever been. I want to wish everyone a very, happy and prosperous year and remember the words of our New Year’s Eve poem: “Wonderful, wonderful, fortunate you, this is the year that your dreams come true!” SPIRITUAL GIFTS

by Virginia Sosnick

The next couple of months we
will be busy planning for our Christmas Eve Extravaganza.
Others use the word Pageant but to me it is something more.
Somehow that evening the heavens conspire to bring a
program that is both insightful and inspiring, extraordinary
music by accomplished musicians, wonderful singers and
even our choir sounds “angelic.” But, why am I telling you?
Just plan to attend one of our two services and fi nd out for
yourself. Christmas Day without attending the Christmas
Eve program is just another feasting day to me.

And talking about feasting days, Thanksgiving is my
favorite holiday and it is just around the corner. Besides eating,
which I do quite a bit of, it is a day of refl ection upon
all the blessings I have received, not only in the current year,
but all my life. I can recall a lot of close calls, when things
could have been pretty scary, but they weren’t. For that I give
thanks. I give thanks for what I have and for what I don’t
have. Sometimes we want things that are not in our own best
interest, so I give thanks for God’s wisdom guiding my life.
I give thanks for friends and family, for without them my
life would not be as full. Full of joy and full of hurts, both
help me grow inside. I give thanks I live in a country that
makes giving thanks a national holiday; it affords me a day
when I can share with others the bounty I have been entrusted
with. Here at Unity we have a Thanksgiving Dinner and
everybody is invited to come and share food, friendship and
thanksgiving for blessings received or on their way. Nothing
we have and enjoy is truly ours except for what we give
from the heart. By giving thanks, we receive all that is holy
and whole.

Holy and whole is the way to start the year and our New
Year’s Eve service does that for me. Maybe it will do that
for you too. It is inspirational and a great alternative to the
partying, drinking and the morning after blahs.
Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Eve are
holidays when we share with others. I hope you share with
Unity this Holiday Season and allow Unity to share with
you its bounty of “love, inspiration, learning, wholeness
and joy.”

by Virginia Sosnick, Board President

The snowbirds have flown to cooler climates
and the rest of us endure the 100° weather while waiting
for the monsoons to bring rain to our parched desert.
Here at Unity we continue our weekly activities of
prayer, Sunday services, classes, and fun activities.
There is also the opportunity to practice 4-T principles:
Tithing of Time, Talent, and Treasure. The Board appreciates
the treasure you share with Unity and that allows
us to pay our bills every month. But we could use your
time as Kitchen Angel or at the Bookstore, or your talent
of navigating the soundboard on Sundays or teaching Sunday school.

There are many ways we can tithe to our Spiritual
Home. If you are “stressed” and time seems to
slip away, time is what you tithe so you can have more
time. If your chores or job seem to be a boring routine,
think of tithing the talents you have or allowing a new
skill to increase and diversify your talents. Life will take
a new direction or a more exciting path and you will
also be contributing to Unity. And of course, if more
money is what you have set your sights on, then money
is what you tithe.

In my personal life, when I perceive a shortage, I
always remember the story in 2 Kings 4 about the widow
whose son was going to be enslaved because she couldn’t
pay her debts and her only possession was a jar of oil. I
use whatever I have on hand to get the Abundance of
the Universe fl owing again. It never fails; the money,
ideas or whatever is necessary for me to achieve my
goal suddenly appears and all is well.
Unity can use your time and talent, as well as your
financial support, to continue offering a beautiful, empowering,
and supportive environment where you can
find “love, inspiration, learning, wholeness and joy.”

Since it has not been discussed for a while, and in the interest of transparency, I thought a look at what happens in a typical Board Meeting would be interesting especially to more recent newcomers.

It goes generally like this. The president calls the meeting to order and then Larry gives a centering prayer. This is followed by the Board Members reciting our mission statement and acknowledging that God is in charge of this ministry and board. We acknowledge the presence of Source Energy. Then, if any guests have been invited for some business purpose, they are introduced. Committee reports come next. Committees include Building and Grounds, Development Committee, Executive Committee, and Finance Committee.

Next written reports from various group leaders are reviewed. They include Y.O.U., Uniteens, Children’s Church, Unitics, Health Ministry, and SOFIA. The Treasurer gives a report that is then reviewed and approved by the Board.

Things start to get interesting when we move on to Continued Business where we hear about such current concerns as the school, extended leadership training, artwork hanging system, as we did at the July Board Meeting. A new activity group is discussed each month which for the month of July for example was the Youth Endowment Fund and its status.

These discussions are where the rubber hits the road so to speak since we determine just how to keep everything moving along to support our ultimate mission. Any new business is next. We remind each other of upcoming activities and money counting assignments. We close with a very powerful prayer circle led by Mary Ellen.

These meetings are energizing and rewarding and I believe that being on the Board is actually a way to pursue one’s spiritual path. I truly feel fortunate being a part of this ministry in this way. Again, let me urge you to go on line if you can.