Unity Church of Tucson

You are invited to attend this 93rd International

Phoenix, Arizona
July 15th - 19th
Embassy Suites North

For information and
registration form contact:
International New Thought Alliance
5003 E Broadway Rd
Mesa AZ 85206
Phone: 480.830.2461
Fax: 480.830.2561
email: azinta@qwest.net
www.newthoughtalliance.org.

By Janet Wilson, Director

Children on the Quest is a curriculum designed for ages 5 through 11. We are currently exploring these lessons in our classes for 1st and 2nd grade and with the older students in grades 3 through 5. The curriculum includes Children’s literature in addition to Bible stories or verses. Our children are attracted to the combination. The materials lend themselves to every day applications of Unity principles. Concepts are presented in a simple, understandable manner. We encourage discussion, questions, and are often amazed with the creative thinkers developing at Unity.

Families from our Youth Education Program gathered the first Sunday of April to share bagels and donuts and meet one another. We will continue to meet the first Sunday of each month at 10:15 am in the pre-school room adjacent to the playground.

Parents attending are interested in meeting other families who are expressing Unity principles in their own lives and sharing them with their children. We want to provide a wonderful support system for families with opportunities to learn, grow and have fun together. Our next 2 meetings will be May 4th and June 1st. Please join us.

Kid’s Camp, a fun and spiritual Unity Camp for students who have graduated from grades 2-5, will be held near Wrightwood, California from June 22nd - 26th. Some of the activities included are archery, canoeing, swimming, morning chapel, vespers, campfires, arts and crafts. Camp can offer a memorable, life changing experience for children.

Complete information regarding Kid’s Camp has been distributed to many Unity families. The deadline for qualified registrations is May 16th and will be accepted on a space available basis. If you have not received the information and are interested, please contact Janet Wilson at 749.9009 or jwils@att.net.

by Sammie Alijagic

“Joy, joy, joy. I LIKE to feel joy. It is a good feeling. I like my mom to feel joy. I respect her hard work. So joy is good for her, too.

“Here is an example about joy. I did some things with my friends the other day, we laughed and it was joy for all of us. It was good to have joy with all of my friends. They agreed.
But my mom did not. Now my mom feels mad, mad, mad. And I will have no more joy for at least two weeks. And that is why I am writing this paper. It brings my mother joy to make me do it. So maybe I can return to joy feelings with my friends again real soon. Then my friends will feel joy. And I will feel joy. And my mom will feel joy. She is the most important person in the world. So I do not feel joy when she is sad.”

Writing essays was a part of my children’s “groundation” punishment. The above represents but one-fourth of an essay my younger wrote after one of her escapades. We lived very close to the beach in Venice, California, and Escapades was her middle name. But, my point is, she was a bright ninth-grader and wrote with this incredible redundancy for three pages. joy, joy, joy.

The topic was chosen by her by pulling a card from “The Angel Cards.” They are about 50 little cards 2 « x _ inches, each with one word on them. I made her pull three, and write three pages on each. Trust me, each was as redundant as the other.

The other day I revisited this memory. That’s because I re-read what I wrote for last issue’s Expanding Horizons. I must have used the term “point-of-view” four dozen times. I don’t know - I was too appalled to read it twice and count it up. It could have been five dozen. I wasn’t trying to pull one over on anyone, as my little angel-child did way back in ninth grade, but it sure sounded like it! Admittedly, though, “Bookstories” last issue was written as if I were a procrastinator!

So, let me have another go at my point:

Points of view expressed, contemplated and shared are an important way to develop introspective opinions. Expressing ourselves helps us to be understood, and we extend the courtesy to listen to others. This allows us ever greater opportunities to let spiritual energy encompass us. The Unity Metaphysical Bookstore, and this was my point last issue, houses about 3500 Points of View. They are based on New Thought. Topics of Wellness, Self-Empowerment, Holistic Lifestyles, Spiritual Wisdoms fill up the floors and rafters. And that is very cool. It’s beautiful in the bookstore, too.

And those Angel Cards my daughters had to write essays from? They have been re-issued in beautiful gift packaging. They are called, “The Original Angel Cards.” Each daughter got that as a gift this year. I believe, if you give yourself a gift of them, you, too, will feel joy when you look at them, joy when you think about them. Joy is good. Joy is nice to spread.

Thank you for Being at Unity Metaphysical Bookstore.

May 11th is Mother’s Day and this opens “bear season” at Unity of Tucson - the annual collection of new stuffed animals for community programs and charities. This Bear Season, also known as the Love Bears or the Bears in the Chairs has been going on for six years, sponsored by SOFIA (Sisters of Faith in Action) and the Pet Ministry last year. This year, the Unitics are in charge of the plush critters (bears, bunnies, doggies, kitties, and maybe a hippo, even a gorilla). Invite a few of your best new stuffies to Unity on Sundays to be hugged and filled with love during the service and left in the chair as you head for home. You may continue to bring critters every Sunday or just sit and hug one that someone else brought.

Last year 240 critters were collected and distributed by the Pet Ministry to 7 local groups: Tucson Medical Center, Tucson Police Department, Rural Metro, Aviva, Brewster Center, Women’s Pregnancy Centers, and Catalina Community Resource Center. We know that other programs within our community would gladly take the animals if more could be hunted down!

Towards the end of July, we will be saying good-bye to this “full of love” group of “Huggables,” pack them up and send them on their way to those with special needs.

So, get ready! Bear season is upon us. Start hunting ‘em down and bringing ‘em in - NEW ONES please. We have chairs and arms to fill. (Bear season ends on Christmas in July Sunday at Unity of Tucson.)

The challenge this year…collecting MORE stuffed animals. Just think of the joy that could be spread! All those huggables full of love, peace and joy on their way to a new adventure. Remember, large stuffed animals are rather difficult to transport to their new homes, 8-18″ tall is almost perfect and appreciated.

June 9th - 14th
Wigwam Resort, Phoenix, Arizona

Contact Kim Shawd, convast@unity.org

Also…SpiritPath Retreat at Unity Village
Information is available in the bookstore.