Awakening Oneness, we empower an evolving consciousness that spiritually transforms the world. We serve, inspire, and empower ministries, ministers, credentialed leaders, and laity.
2024 CONFERENCE THIS MONTH!
Save $50 with Early Bird Discount -Extended until 11:59:59 Sept. 5th!!!
Join us at either Unity of Naperville, IL; Unity of Columbus, OH; or Unity of Cedar Rapids, IA, for a unique experience - Our Great Lakes Region Annual Fall Conference will be held at 3 local Unity centers. This is a "first" in the history of our Region!
This year’s theme is “Creative Flow,” based upon the recently-published book by author / artist Jenny Hahn, who is also the Keynote Speaker on Tuesday, September 24. Copies of her book will be available at each site for purchase.
On Wednesday, September 25, Jenny will be facilitating a powerful Process Painting workshop – a truly exciting, experiential, meditative exercise, designed to evoke the creative spark in us.
Other speakers include Rev. Jim Blake, CEO of Unity World Headquarters and Rev. Roxanne Graves, COO of Unity Worldwide Ministries. Singer-songwriter Kim-Char Meredith will inspire us with her amazing music throughout the Conference.
Each site will have breakout sessions in the afternoons, which will vary by location, as well as many opportunities to connect, network, and build relationships with congregants and leaders from other Unity ministries.
The Creative Flow of the Universe takes shape in many ways – which we bring into expression. Don't miss this exciting experience! Click HERE for more information and to register!
Visual artist, author, and process art workshop facilitator Jenny Hahn captures the inward journey through bold expression and a vibrant palette. She holds a bachelor’s degree in fine art, and her acrylic paintings and fine art prints are collected around the world as well as licensed for inspirational products including book covers, calendars, posters, and the critically-acclaimed Wisdom of the Shadow and Wisdom of the Divine Feminine oracle card decks. Her award-winning debut book, Creative Flow: Tap and Express Your Juicy Essence offers a roadmap for moving through blocks and releasing self-criticism in order to discover the joy of free-flowing creativity and self-connection.
As a certified mindfulness teacher and co-founder of Creative Nectar Studio, Jenny leads workshops across the country helping people recover their innate wholeness and creativity using painting as a tool for mindfulness and self-discovery. She is co-host of the twice monthly podcast Creative Nectar: Talks & Tools for Heart-Centered Living in a Changing World, and serves on the leadership board of the Unity Arts Ministry, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creative expression as a path for spiritual living. Jenny is also a liaison working in film production and coordination for Pangea Media Partners. She lives and works near Kansas City, MO.
Jenny's goal as an artist is to uplift and inspire with images that feed the heart and soul.
Kim-Char
Meredith
Singer-Songwriter
A dynamic and award-winning singer/songwriter, Kim-Char’s music career spans over four decades with 17 albums to her credit.
“Meredith’s performance, when she opened for Melissa Etheridge…was perhaps the best concert pairing of the year” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin). Her cds? An “Extraordinary exhibition of vocal talent” (Southern Guitar) that showcase Kim-Char’s “nearly immeasurable songwriting gifts…” (Windy City Times).
Kim-Char is owner of Pahzee Music (MPAKT Music & Media LLC), which specializes in music and media production, championing small churches and creative professionals.
She also joyfully serves as Music & Creative Director at Unity In Naperville, and is a member of the Unity Worldwide Ministries Music Team.
Did you know that every ministry has four votes, whether they have an intact spiritual leader or not/ This is something that was new to my understanding effective with last year's conference. I think this might be true for many, and at the same time I'd love to see more participation from the Ministries, more representation. - Rev. Kathy Long
From UWM:
Voting at the Virtual Business Meeting, November 6, 2024
Please review the following to prepare for the Virtual Business meeting that will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.
Please consider selecting your voting delegate(s) ASAP as the deadline for completing the course and having the delegate letter on file is Oct. 17, 2024.
Credentialed Leaders
All credentialed leaders who have a Credentialed Leader Report (CLR) on file with UWM are eligible to vote.
A delegate letter is not needed for credentialed leaders.
Ministries
All traditional member ministries with a current Annual Ministry Report (AMR) on file with UWM are eligible to send up to 4 voting delegates.
All alterative ministries with a current Annual Ministry Report (AMR) on file with UWM are eligible to send up to 2 voting delegates.
Confirmation that each delegate must complete the self-directed Voting Delegate Course.
Any delegates not completing these 2 requirements by the due date will be ineligible to vote at the business meeting Nov. 6, 2024.
Voting Delegate Training Course
The Membership Model requires that anyone designated as a voter by an active ministry for the Annual Business meeting completes the Voting Delegate Training Course.
From the Membership Model, Definition #7 Ministry Delegate
Delegates are chosen by the ministry’s board of trustees, from the ministry’s current membership, before the UWM annual business meeting.
Delegates vote on behalf of the ministry.
Ministry delegates must have completed the UWM designated class to be eligible to vote.
The course is self-directed and can be accessed here: Voting
Image is of our 2024-25 YOU Regional Officer Team: Joey, Alex and Maddie!
EARTHCARE NEWS
GREEN STAR AWARDS--3 in Great Lakes Region
The Green Star Award recognizes Unity congregations that have completed at least three significant environmental activities during the calendar year that foster awareness of our spiritual oneness with the Earth and promote active care of creation for the environment. Twelve ministries are honored this year (doubling those recognized in 2023!): Unity of Traverse City, MI; Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing, MI; Unity of Minneapolis, MN; Unity of Fayetteville, Center for Conscious Living, AS; Unity of the Blue Ridge, NC; Unity of Walnut Creek, CA; Unity Bay Area Houston, TX; Unity Center of Vero Beach, FL; Unity of Fort Collins, CO; Unity Sante Fe, NM; Unity of Whidbey, WA; Midtown Unity, FL.
The Great Lakes ministries will be honored at this year's regional conference! We share our appreciation with them now, and to each and every ministry making efforts to care for creation.
Unity Spiritual Center, Lansing, MI
Unity of Traverse City, MI
Unity of Minneapolis, MN
Region Highlights (send us your story!)
Congratulations to Cedar Rapids
who has their 100th anniversary this month!!! They have 3 Licensed Unity Teachers, one of them being on the Regional Board, and are planning on adding a 4th LUT by the end of the year. They will have a Centennial Celebration Dinner on September 14th and host Rev. Ellen Debenport. Visit here for more information :https://unitycr.org/events/september-14-centennial-celebration-dinner/2024-09-14
Unity of Blue Water Michigan Celebrates 35 years
This September Unity of Blue Water finds itself in a new home, poised for growth and renewal. In September 2023, the longtime UBW building was destroyed by fire. For most of the following year, it met at the Dry Dock Recovery Center in Port Huron while searching for a new home. That new home is on Port Huron’s South Side, at 2912 25th Street, in a building that was formerly the St. Paul A.M.E. Church. Many updates are required, as Unity of Blue Water builds from the ground up - quite literally.
One of the first projects to be tackled is a new basement floor. With a newly decorated and remodeled basement, they can now once again host fellowship coffee hours, along with a host of book studies and workshops, as well as making the space available to twelve step programs and others who might use it. All is in divine order, and any help with Unity of Blue Water’s rebuilding efforts, supplies, and donations, would be greatly appreciated.
(left to right) Rev. Cindy Yamamoto, President and Communications Liaison; Rev. Kathy Harwood-Long, V.P. and YFM Liaison; Rev. Ray Nelson, Treasurer and Finance Team Leader; Rev. Michael Davis, Secretary; Rev. Debra Carter Williams, Trustee; Nancy Ann Berdasco, Trustee and Conference Liaison; Susan Liddell, LUT Liaison and Nominating Team Liaison; Marty Thurman, Alternate. Thank you, all.
