Minister's Message
The Month of Love Is A Great Time To Play Ball

Unity Church of Christianity Appleton, Wisconsin

February 2007

The Month of Love Is A Great Time To Play Ball

February is about Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, the Chinese New Year and the fondest of words to a baseball fan’s ear (and your minister’s ear as well) - “Pitchers and catchers report to training!” All of this is packed into 28 days. As you peruse this newsletter you will note we have lots of events packed into this month from our annual meeting to a special concert to our annual Mardi Gras open mic talent night!

Let us briefly look at that topic of love and how it may be demonstrated in our lives. For the purpose of this brief essay I would like to define love as a deep friendship, personal regard, or compassion. These gifts come about as a result of loving service, taking risks, trying something new, and stepping into the unknown.

Last year I stepped out and undertook an intensive training program sponsored by the Wisconsin Mankind Project. What surprised me most about this experience besides the intensity of soul searching was how each man shares with the community in our weekly meetings by showing up consistently and supporting one another. It offers an opportunity to grow with men who would not usually fall into my circle of acquaintances. This has given me a more grounded respect for the “earthly” challenges we all face and pushed me away from my tendency to live in the world of spiritual ideas and concepts.

Some things take time to grow. Over the last year, our Unity men’s group has become a powerful fellowship that uses the Master Mind prayer model in support of one another. Men share openly, heal deeply, and grow spiritually. This happens because they show up consistently and support one another. Men, who show up each month, have grown to trust one another, and there is an unconditional regard for one another that goes beyond words. That unconditional love I believe is the ability to see the Christ in one another even as shadow aspects of our being are revealed and healed at deep levels.

I encourage each of you to find an opportunity of service in Unity that will allow you to be the love that you are. Members of our ministries are strongly encouraged to spend part of their time together in mutual support and prayer as well as “getting the job done”. Many of our ministries would benefit with an infusion of new energy and we advertised those opportunities with you in our “Love in Action” bulletin insert. The deeper we grow as community, the stronger we will be in service to one another and to the hundreds we are visualizing who will be joining us and saying “these Unity principles are exciting and they work.”

So come and “play ball” with us! This requires you to show up in a disciplined fashion and be of service and maybe provide coaching for new congregants or our youth! You will have wonderful opportunities to grow your unconditional love during this season of love and possibility!

Blessings,


Reverend Morgan
minister@unityofappleton.org