October Blessings from the Great Lakes Region of Unity
"People, Power, Purpose"
Hello Friends.
I call you friend, even if I've not met you--yet. I’ve returned from our 2024 hybrid conference with a renewed sense of connection with my Unity tribe, and perplexing questions. As I think of the eight states in our Great Lakes Region (GLR), I celebrate with you that nine states were represented with a diverse participation including active ministry volunteers, retired ministers, many LUT, and board members. The conference was for me a culmination of a year with the board influenced by a willingness to vision, to bridge from what we’ve known in the past with faith creating a consciousness for connection. Great connection. This was accomplished in so many ways; all of it required change, risk, willingness, and an abundance of support.
Questions regarding the need for a conference must be noticed. Questions about what serves our leaders who are navigating through unprecedented changes must be answered. 53 GLR ministries (much reduced since I moved to the GLR in 2003), all with unique but similar challenges are poised for claiming relevant and innovative support. My guidance for this coming year came from Rev. Pat Williamson when I asked him what would serve him best. He replied, “Reminding me of what called me to ministry.”
There is a power that is, has been, and always will be, moving through you with intelligence, love and wisdom. “For where two or three are assembled in my name, there I AM in the midst of them. (Matt 8:10)” Right now, this power is radiating through ideas that are present though clouded by the sense of need. In our Region, there are ministries eager to hire spiritual leadership. Another ministry is eager for LUT’s. Retired ministers are ready to evolve their work in support of others. Another is plagued by board relationships. Another is ending. And in and around all of them, there are people striving to overcome challenges–suffering.
Thank you friends for all that you share. Be encouraged. Let the Board and our new Regional Rep & Outreach Ambassador know about your needs. Together let’s discover the radiant ideas that will evolve our ability to serve many in this beautiful Great Lakes bioregion in Unity, and for unity.
With love, your 2024 Board President,
Kathy Harwood Long
Unity Minister
CONFERENCE WAS GREAT!
Many joy-filled thanks to Jenny Hahn, for facilitating a soul-growth experience through her inspiring keynote talk, and her "Creative Flow" Process Painting Workshop. Both were phenomenal! We are so blessed you could be such an integral part in effecting this experience, Jenny. Special thanks goes to Kim-Char Meredith, for providing energetic, upbeat, positive music for our Conference - and for her technical support; we are also grateful for Vadym Valihun, who worked with Kim-Char behind the scenes to make the technical execution of this multi-site event flawless. Great job, both of you!
Additionally, we give thanks to our guest speakers, Rev. Jim Blake and Rev. Roxanne Graves, for providing timely updates as to the goings-on at UWH and UWM, respectively. (See below for video links.) Also, a special "shout-out" to Rev. Toni Fish at Unity Minneapolis, for facilitating a dignified, reflective, Spirit-filled Memorial Service.
I want to thank our Conference Planning Committee: Susan Liddell, LUT; Janith Griffith, LUT; Rev. Wilma Taylor-Costen, LUT; and Nancy Berdasco, LUT (Board Liaison) for their ideas and collaboration as we've worked over the last five months coordinating this event. This would not have been possible were it not for them.
Sending blessings to our Regional Board (those I haven't already mentioned, that is) - outgoing President Rev. Cindy Yamamoto; incoming President Rev. Kathy Harwood-Long; outgoing Treasurer Rev. Ray Nelson; outgoing Secretary Rev. Michael Davis; incoming Secretary Rev. Debra Carter Williams; UWM Liaison Sue Riley; and last, but not least, new Trustee Rev. Jeff Berry! The governance of our Region is in good hands (read: "God-hands").
Expressing appreciation for the GLR staff: Sheila Watts, CPA, Bookkeeper; Cassidy Meeks, Youth and Family Coordinator; and Cindi Cousineau, our luminous Administrator. Thank you for answering the call of Spirit and keeping your oars in the water, guiding and steering our ship...
Special CONGRATULATIONS to our new Regional Representative, Rev. Diane Robinson! Welcome to Great Lakes Unity!
Finally, I express overflowing showers of thanksgiving to the host ministries - Unity In Naperville and Rev. Kitty Benson (who also served as "Keeper Of the Flame" for the Conference); Unity Center Of Cedar Rapids, Susan Liddell, LUT, and Jan Griffith, LUT; and Unity Of Columbus, Sydney Sher, Board President, Rev. Dan Holloway, Minister of Record, and Veronica Carter, Treasurer and Lunch Coordinator. I am so grateful for each of you, and for your volunteers and staff for making this possible... You rock, as well as roll!
By popular request, here are the links to the videos that were shared by our parent organizations during this year's Conference; please share with your Boards and / or congregations!
Lots of activity happening throughout our Unity Movement, as well as our Great Lakes Region! There is much to be excited about, and I am grateful to be a part of it all. Let's keep in touch... seriously. If this Conference has proved anything, it is that we are truly in this journey called Unity - together. Please reach out to one another, keep that Conference "vibe" going all through the year: Share ideas, collaborate on online classes and events, be a "sounding board" for one another, and build a network of loving support for your ministries and communities. As this year's Planning Committee Chair, that is my invitation to you... Perhaps someone may need a guest speaker some Sunday; you've no doubt met and/or experienced at least one this week!
Again, thank you for being a part of this year's unique, yet memorable, event. I behold the Christ in you... Have a blessed weekend, and we will be in touch.
Great-FULLY yours,
Daryn L. Wells
Licensed Unity Teacher (LUT)
2024 Conference Planning Committee Chair, Great Lakes Region
Memorial service with Rev. Toni Fish and Kim-Char Meredith was wonderful.
Quotes from Attendees: Kim-Char is so energetic! You're lucky to have her in Naperville! Well Done Toni & Kim-Char (Memorial Service)
Loved the videos, slides, experiential ideas for services.
This was a perfect location for me and Kitty was exceptional in bringing forth the Spirit and energy of Creative Flow. Wow!
Wonderful Conference - beautiful balance of words/senses/movement/creative expression.
I liked the locations. Lunches at the church were great!
Lovely location. Warm and inviting. The Unity church volunteers were so helpful and friendly.
I love this model. Would be willing to host. Keynote speaker Jenny Hahn was absolutely marvelous. Business meeting very organized. Tech worked well. Creative ways to do ministry!
Jenny Hahn offered her book Creative Flow and two Oracle Decks for sale, one on the Wisdom of the Divine Feminine and one on Wisdom of the Shadow. (Did you know Jenny worked at Silent Unity?) If you are interested in more, or learning a little more about what you missed, contact her through her website www.jennyhahnart.com
YFM
An important video message from Cassidy Meeks - click here
Invitation to Support Great Lakes YFM You can help keep registration affordable for those attending the Fall 2024 Youth Retreat, allowing more youth to experience beloved community where they are celebrated and accepted for exactly who they are while having opportunities to grow in consciousness.
We would be honored to receive your financial support in whatever amount is doable for you! Send a check to the Region at UWM-GLR, PO Box 162, Greenville, WI 54942, or contribute online at www.greatlakesunity.com/. Be sure to designate your gift as "Youth & Family Love Offerings." Thank you for your support of our young people!
Youth directors, ministers, board members, and others who work with young people come together to share best practices and skills around ministering to and with families, and support each other in this important work. In October, we’ll discuss Christmas programming. Join on Zoom.
Learn all about the fascinating history and legacy of our Y.O.U. program (featuring Maya Angelou, Eric Butterworth, the United Nations and more). Get your popcorn and prepare to be entertained! Watch it here
- Registration Now Open for the Regional Fall Youth Retreat Nov 8-10
Early Bird registration ends Oct 2nd and regular registration
Online UWM YFM Summit Oct 30th - Registration Open This free event goes from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Central. Encourage your YFM folks to attend. Register by Oct 28th.
From Diane Robinson, Regional Rep and Outreach Ambassador
Wonderful colleagues,
It was truly wonderful meeting some of you at the Great Lakes Regional Conference last week. I had the pleasure of attending at Naperville, a beautiful facility led by Rev. Kitty Bensen with the fabulous Kim-Char Meredith as music director.
Because we were in three locations, I did not get to meet you all in person and I’d really like to do that in the near future. I’d like to get to know each of the ministers, spiritual leaders and Licensed Unity Teachers in the region. I know that’s a tall order!!
One of the blessings of Covid was Zoom. While we can’t all be in person, we can see one another and communicate better than with just a phone call. I’d like to start with a zoom call and then maybe branch out into a few zoom calls according to the needs of the group. I could foresee in the future having a call for ministers and spiritual leaders and another call for LUT’s and maybe yet another for board members and /or retired ministers. But let’s start with one and see how that goes.
Here’s the link to the first Zoom Session. We will meet on the first Thursday of each month at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
Topic: GLR Meeting
Time: Oct 3, 2024 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Unity of Bay City has a PSPX 16 channel snake sound board with 150' cable that has never been used and we are wondering if another Unity community might be able to use it. It was purchased several years ago for $415.....we are open to offers. Before listing it locally, we wanted to reach out to you and wondered if there was a way to get the word out. Contact: office@unityofbaycity.com
Wednesdays, 7 - 8 PM ET via Zoom By Friends of Unity in Plymouth, MI. As we enter the season of Gratitude and Intentional Living, they hope you will join them in a 40 Day Study Group based on: “The Abundance Book” by John Randolph Price. We will be learning from other Unity Prosperity teachers as well including Charles Fillmore and Martha Giudici. We will learn how to increase our “Prosperity Consciousness” with book resources, affirmations, scientific prayer, meditation and Gratitude.
Based on the Amazon summary: “This classic book introduces readers to a 40-day prosperity plan which points out what “money” really is and teaches a six-step program which shows you how to free your mind from limiting beliefs.”
A little about John Randolph Price: John, and his wife, Jan were originators of World Healing Day, a global mind-link for peace involving millions of people that began on December 31, 1986 — with the Los Angeles Times reporting up to 400-million participants. The event has continued on the same date and time each year. In recognition of this effort for peace, they were presented the Light of God Expressing Award by the Association of Unity Churches in 1986.
We will be learning from other Unity Prosperity teachers as well including Charles Fillmore and Martha Giudici. We will learn how to increase our “Prosperity Consciousness” with book resources, affirmations, scientific prayer, meditation and Gratitude.
There will be an option to join a group text for daily support.
It’s important to have the book available for quick reference throughout your day. It’s pocket size in order to carry it with you easily. More information is available here.
Secrets of the Egyptian Mystics:
Presentation Format
The Secrets of Egyptian Mystics: On-Line Course is a gift to students of New Thought offering a “deep dive” into the secret knowledge of the old Egyptian djedimadefamous in the Star Wars Movies. Students of New Thought will experience 35 captivating video programs and 7 transformative creative visualizations called imaginizations to initiate their 7 primary chakras and release the awesome power of their imaginations.
Ideally, the Course should be taught at a local church or spiritual group with the facilitator and students assembling mid-week or after church on Sunday for 7 consecutive weeks to (1) discuss the 5 weekly video programs they viewed prior to the class and (2) experience each week’s half-hour imaginization as a group.
Your students will be given metaphysical teachings taught to Candidate-Initiates in the sacred mystery schools thousands of years ago. They will learn how to cleanse their mind and body of negative thoughts, feelings and strong emotions with the Cleanse Mind and BodyExercise. Heal old wounds with the Healing Old Wounds imaginization. Rejuvenate their loving energy with the Living in Truth imaginization. Become more emotionally secure with the Mother Earth imaginization. Let go of their personal version of “not enough” with the Let Go of Not Enough imaginization. Meet their best friend with the Meet Your Higher Self imaginization. And, with the Opening of the Way imaginization, go on a profound mystical journey to discover that they are truly so much more than a physical body.
My path, vision, and goal is to connect the dots between people of all faiths and the secret knowledge of the old Egyptian djedi. My aim for the Secrets of Egyptian Mystics: On-Line Course is to make relevant the secret knowledge of the old Egyptian djedi for today’s modern audiences, to present them as ethical options in our time, and to assist in the restoration of a truth-grounded world for us all.
I’d like to make an introductory limited offer to each SM/facilitator in GLR of a free Course and a 50% discount of the Course fee of $67 for the students. https://www.secretsofmystics.com/
Myrtle and Charles Fillmore were greatly influenced by the ageless wisdom of Egypt included in my Course.
Jim Phillips
admin@secretsofmystics.com
Phone: 818-448-4552
UWM-Great Lakes Region Board of Trustees
2023-24
(left to right) Rev. Kathy Harwood Long, President, Communications Liaison, YFM Liaison; Nancy Berdasco, LUI, V.P. Conference Liaison Rev. Ray Nelson, Treasurer and Finance Team Leader; Rev. Debra Carter Williams Secretary; Susan Liddell, LUT Liaison and Nominating Team Liaison; Jeff Berry, Trustee, Sue Riley, UWM Board Liaison. Thank you, all.
