Thriving in Unity by Rev. Lane Williams
The word thrive is a splendid one. In such a few letters much is conveyed. Webster defines thriving as making steady progress, prospering, flourishing, and growing vigorously. This little word describes what’s happening at Unity of Vermont. We are progressing steadily, achieving many of the goals we set out for ourselves, and growing in numbers of people attending and in our spiritual consciousness also. We are prosperous in all the meanings of the word.
We have recently dedicated the new Memorial Prayer Garden, painted the office and classroom, cleaned and spiritually cleansed the church. We had a successful Circulation Day and JUMP food drive. We have begun supporting the new Winooski Dismas Halfway House every month. In the last year we have had 10 classes and begun the Abraham–Hicks and A Course in Miracles groups. We lovingly continue to provide a setting for the Deeksha activities in our area. A choir has been formed and we have a new musician joining the team. People report that they are experiencing joy, prosperity and satisfaction in their lives.
In the coming month we will have many activities to take part in: The Celebrating Oneness, Healing the World series of events, a workshop and class lead by Radha Buko, a new meditation class lead by Rick Chaffee, and a Unity Basics class for potential new members. Metaphysics I begins the end of September. A Course in Miracles group has resumed on a new night – Fridays twice a month. In October Rev. Giita Clark begins a Sunday morning class. So there is an abundance and variety of activity at Unity of Vermont.
When I look at where we have been, what we have accomplished and also what we have planned for the next couple of months, I sense that the source of this movement has come from the ministry’s commitment to tithe. We as a church tithe on all the money we receive every month. And one of the Truth principles I know and live by is that if you consistently and faithfully tithe, your life moves up a notch, into a new level of activity. Now of course it doesn’t quite work out if you tithe BECAUSE you want to get something for yourself, but when you consistently ask yourself, “Where am I being spiritually fed?” and tithe to that person or institution, you will experience the bounty of God’s good flowing into all the coffers of your life. You will be enriched in many different ways and in many different forms.
Remember God’s promise to us as expressed in the Old Testament, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herein, saith the Lord, if I will not open you the windows of heaven & pour you out a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10-12) When you start tithing, the windows of heaven open and a shower of good starts flowing into your life. You need something to catch the good with or it will be lost to you. Setting concrete, specific, and practical goals creates the vessel to catch this bountiful harvest.
So I invite you to begin the process of setting goals for our ministry. First, start with an idea of your desire. Think and feel prosperous about the idea. Nourish the idea with prayer and loving inner thoughts and feelings. Believe the idea. Take the appropriate outer action, if necessary. What would this ministry be like if we could have it being and doing anything we could imagine without constraints and limits? Remember it is not ours to figure out the how. That is God’s promise to us. Our job is to dream the dreams.
