Unity Church of Tucson

It is becoming clear to me and many others that the early Christians were not people who all thought alike or even interpreted Jesus’ teachings in the same way. The Greek word, “ecclesia” translated as the English word “church” would not have had the same meaning to them. Scholars say that the word translated as “church” simply meant a meeting of the free citizens of a city and had more of a political meaning such as a town meeting. The Scriptural reference to the “ecclesia of God” may have meant small groups with similar beliefs which gathered in someone’s home to talk about their beliefs. There probably were dozens of different groups and theologies within the years following Jesus’ life and ministry and it would be almost 300 years until formal doctrines and creeds were established during the Nicene Council.

The earliest followers of Jesus were predominantly Jews who continued to follow Mosaic Law. These followers would come to be referred to as the Ebionites and they believed Jesus was a Jewish Messiah who was sent in fulfillment of Scripture. They saw him as the son of God, not because of his divine nature or virgin birth, but because he was a human being like they were, only he kept the Law perfectly. We know they existed well into the third century of the Current Era because of what has been called the “Ebionite heresy” that was referenced in the writings of some of the later “Church” fathers such as Tertullian, Origen and Hippolytus.

There were other groups that existed during that time period which would include the Gnostics. The word “gnostic” is derived from the Greek word “gnosis” which means knowledge and it has been associated with many cultures and religions. A Gnostic believes divine knowledge or gnosis is the way to freedom or salvation. Gnosticism existed prior to Christianity and is not an offshoot of any group but instead combined elements of many religions including Judaism. Gnosticism involved the relational knowledge of the divine or spiritual nature within the individual and importance was placed upon what was considered to be the secret knowledge of the divine and of the universe.

The Gnostics who also embraced Jesus’ teachings are referred to as Gnostic Christians. They incorporated Hellenic philosophy along with their emphasis on the knowledge, or the gnosis which they believed Jesus brought to humanity. They believed the goal in life was enlightenment and that direct knowledge of the divine was through awareness of the divine within the individual. They believed that the teachings of Jesus were leading them to follow a path of never ending knowledge and enlightenment and that Jesus’ use of parables was to assist all followers in searching for the gnosis or knowledge. They believed the deeper teachings or mysteries of Inner Truth were shared by Jesus with only with his closest disciples. Their beliefs included constant renewal and rededication as the lifeblood of the “Body of Christ.” Tolerance of other religions was practiced and there was no discrimination because they believed Jesus treated men and women as equals.

By Molly Nelson

Unitics is for all those fun-loving, interested and interesting people who like to do things with other fun-loving interested and interesting people. Is it a singles group? No. Is it a seniors group? No. Are children welcome at the activities? Yes. How do I join? Send your email address to Unitics@q.com or phone 292.6579. Please fill out the form that I send so I can see what the are. No email? Phone me at 292.6579 and pick up a form in the bookstore.

Every week I send a schedule of what is happening by email, the activities are also listed on the calendar, the Sunday bulletin and the web-site (unitytucson.com, click on latest news.) The ongoing activities are listed below. If you want to add a new activity, call me at 292.6579.

Our on-going schedule for May and June is as follows (subject to change):
Beginning Bridge: 1st and 3rd Sundays, 12:30 pm,Harmony Hall.
Potluck and Program: 2nd Sunday, 12:30 pm, Harmony Hall, May 11th & June 8th, Spiritual Cinema Movies.
Abraham-Hicks Discussion Group: 4th Sunday 12:30 pm Annex Room 2.
Yoga, Every Tuesday: 9:00 am, Annex Room 3.
Northwest Dinner and Dessert: May 6th, June 17th, 7:00 pm.*
East Side Dinner: Tuesday, May 6th, 6:00 pm.*
Fun and Games: One Tuesday a month, time and location to be announced.
Crafts: First Wednesday of the Month, Annex Room 1.
Lunch and Movie: Every Wednesday, time and location to be announced in the Sunday Bulletin, by email or on the website.
Drumming and Chanting: 2nd and 4th Thursdays 6:30 pm Ramada.
Yoga: Every Thursday 6:00 pm, Annex Room 3.
First Friday Dinner: May 2nd, Vivace, 4310 N Campbell,5:30 pm. June 6th, to be announced.
Dancing at Eddies: Fridays and Saturdays, 8510 E Broadway, 7:30 pm.
EFT: 3rd Saturday at 10:00 am, Annex Room 3. May 24th (changed) and June 21st. $10 donation.
Dancing With Peggy: Sundays, 6:30 pm, Lariat in Catalina; Tuesdays, 7:30 pm, Maverick on Tanque Verde; Thursdays, 7:00 pm, Tucson Swing and Dance Club on Bellevue. Please call Peggy, 203.4141 for more information.
Bears in the Chairs: See article on page 3.
Possibilities: Trip to Boyce Thompson Arboretum, day camping up the mountain, and any suggestions that fun-loving, interested and interesting people can make.

*See Sunday Bulletin, Unitics@q.com or 292.6579
vrepresents adventures at Unity of Tucson
zrepresents Tucson area adventures

By Jim Stremel

The Board of Directors had their Spring Training event on March 15, 2008, in the Annex. We do this every year to allow the Board to step back and look at where we have been and where we want to go. Our Agenda included, a) list of past year accomplishments, b) facilities tour, c) AED training/emergency policies and procedures, d) leadership training ideas, and e) update of the organizational chart.

The accomplishments we noted included but were not limited to classes in Unity principles held on a consistent basis, ongoing Unitics activities, SOFIA activities, Prayer Chaplains program, expanded Health Ministry offerings, increased use of the Annex, the entry “welcome” rock and sculpture decorations, site signage upgrade, Peace Festival, Team Unity, the Labyrinth use, and a new copy/fax/scanner for the office. Also of note is the school appears to be on track again and is in the black. Of course many people are responsible for whatever success we achieve and if I tried to list them I would unintentionally leave someone out and so I will not attempt it.

The facilities tour is conducted to familiarize Board members where power and water controls are in case of emergency, where things are stored, etc. It is a “back of house” tour that new Board members especially appreciate. The AED and emergency training is self-explanatory, e.g. how to use the AED machine, what procedures are used in case of fire, medical emergency, etc. The organizational chart is probably of no particular interest but is available from the CEO (Larry). We may even get it on the church’s web site.

The items that generated considerable interest was that of “Leadership Training.” We have long felt that leadership in the congregation needs to be supported with offering specific programs. Indeed the programs could be a source of leaders in the congregation that are needed to keep us progressive and growing. Some thoughts to date include: looking into community resources such as the Free University, sponsoring a Toastmasters club, a course in non-Violent Communication, and exploring self-awareness and the mind-body connection similar to the course Board member Gary Gottlieb offered in the past. We have the hope that these “courses” would translate into people’s everyday lives and assist them in their work as well as prepare them for leadership roles in whatever they do. We then agreed the better title for this endeavor, rather than Leadership Training, would be “Life Skills and Spirituality.”

If this sounds interesting to you, we are eager to hear from you and any thoughts you may have. Gary has agreed to be the Board liaison for this effort so please contact him at ggottlieb04@comcast.net or any Board member or the ministers with your thoughts.

By The Pet Ministry

Sharing memories of pets was part of the Celebrating Your Pet’s Life event held on Sunday, April 13th. Larry Swartz opened the service with a special prayer for pets now departed from this physical realm. Following, talks and discussions were held about the importance of pets in our lives, the depth of grief that can be felt with their passing, and how to deal with that grief. Some aspects of coping are: allowing the grief process to unfold, honoring feelings, and commemorating your pet’s life. Many ideas for these aspects were brought forth and will be detailed in a future article for Expanding Horizons.

The service was closed with another prayer for pets and a prayer for pet guardians thanking God for our pets and helping us to let go and move forward in life. Although the group in attendance was small, this turned out well as it allowed an opportunity for everyone to share feelings and ideas. The Pet Ministry plans to host this wonderful and special service twice a year, with the next date to be in the fall.

Jeff Farmer started as an artist in his studies at Pepperdine University in Malibu, 1993 until 1997. In the summer of 1995, Jeff studied in Florence, Italy. In April 1997, he received his B.A. in Advertising with an emphasis in Art. After Graduation he immediately worked in Advertising at L.A.’s largest media buying company, Western International Media. Hired by the Los Angeles Times as a Social/Political Cartoonist, he worked 3 years in that position. He has maintained various sales and management positions where art has turned into a past-time hobby. Jeff often gives his work away as wedding gifts so you may see some of his completed works in a friend’s home. We hope you enjoy his unique works which are mainly Oil and Water Color.