Tad’s powerful presence and his enduring music urged us to love and peace and celebration. His transition on November 16 struck this community a blow. Please join us as we now lift up into spirit knowing and seeing that Tad’s legacy to us is alive and brilliantly singing through our lives. Knowing that death is not an end but a putting out of the lamp to welcome the dawn.

In this YouTube, Tad and the Unity House Band sing his song “Speak Peace.”

Our Beloved Friend, Barbara made her transition on Friday afternoon, December 23rd. She was at home with her cats, Tux and Jude. Barbara had been cared for and surrounded by her brother Craig and her dear friends for many days prior to her very swift passing. Her cousin Mary from the east coast shared this about her nightly calls to Barbara.

“There’s no question in my mind that Barbara knew her blessings, as I often reminded her that she was surrounded by people caring about her, trying to support her through all that was to come, holding her up as best we could.. There were many times in my working years, when I realized that there are SO many people, who are ALONE…. whether they are surrounded by people, or not… I asked Barbara how many people she could think of, whose cousin would call from clear across the country to do “bed checks” every night! She would laugh, but then turn it to counting her blessings. And, I really feel that she KNEW how to count those blessings, no matter what.”

World Meditation Day is an annual event at Unity of Berkeley and all Unity ministries across the world. The tradition originally began in December 31, 1986 when men, women, and children around the world gathered to participate in the most comprehensive prayer activity in history—a planetary affirmation of peace, love, forgiveness and understanding involving millions of people.

Leading this event for the fourth consecutive year, Melissa Heckman creates a peaceful environment to enjoy the sacred space of “going in,” envisioning world peace and setting your new year’s intentions. Participants will also share selected readings and a candle-lighting ceremony.

Please note: this takes place on the last day of the year at 4:00 a.m.

Tad made his transition on November 16 after a two-year journey with cancer. He was a compassionate and loving soul who created the Unity House Band and always finding the divine grace in all situations. Tad will be missed by many.

In this YouTube, Tad and the Unity House Band sing his song “Speak Peace.” Listen to Melissa Heckman’s Meditation for Tad from our November 20 service.

Marianne Williamson

Marianne Williamson spoke at Unity of Berkeley on Sunday, November 6th, at 1:00 p.m.

The title of her talk was “The Occupy Wall Street Movement: What’s Love Got to Do With It?”

Marianne was brilliant with salient points of understanding of the spiritual implications of the Occupy Movement. The discussion was alive with possibilities and connections for non-violent ways attend to this movement.

Every year Unity Village designates a day of prayer. This year, here, at Unity of Berkeley, Janis Eggleston and
Dee Clutts have graciously organized the day. You are invited to join together in the sanctuary for prayer with Dee Clutts, May Rose Ceccanese, Janis Eggleston anytime between 11:30am to 4pm.

Jeanette Monterio will hold a service in the evening at 7:30pm.

for more information about Unity World Day of Prayer go to www.worlddayofprayer.org

As part of the Transition Team’s continued movement towards the growth of ourselves and our community, it has focused on:

Major Theme: HEALING

Learning to embrace conflict
We are working towards embracing and healing conflict within our church as a way to move forward and create a thriving spiritual community:
• We are participating in The I of the Storm Workshop to learn to use conflict to identify what is missing, in ourselves and in our relationship with others:
o We accept the idea that “no one is against us.” We are learning to act not from defensiveness but from the belief that no one means to harm us.
o When a storm does arise, we are learning to return to our wholeness, our God (Good) inside.
Forgiveness Practice -
Since we believe that forgiveness of ourselves and others clears the field for greater abundance, team members are engaged in one of the several options for forgiveness practice, which were presented to us by our Transitional Ministry Specialist, Jeannette Monterio:
• Journaling Exercise – forgiveness exercise;
• Writing out 70 times each day for 7 days, that which we seek to release and let go (forgive); or
• Using the Day by Day Reconciliation Journal.

Major Theme: COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION

Since we are committed to encouraging better communication with (and within) the congregation, we have agreed to the following actions:
• We have adopted the principles of Agreeing and Disagreeing in Love.
o As we practice the in action items, we are committed to ending the practice of “Parking Lot” conversations and agreed to speak directly to anyone with whom we have conflict and refrain from behind- the- back conversations.
o We have established several communication opportunities to hear what the congregation wants and needs.
? Tea with the Team after church each Sunday at the transition team table
? Weekly opportunity to speak with members of the team
? Publish minutes of team meetings in the bulletin and online in Topica
? Telephone outreach to members who have not been coming to church
Team members have spent many hours on this project. A Subcommittee report on findings will be submitted at the 4/13 meeting.
As we continue to move forward with our efforts to improve Communication at Unity of Berkeley:
• We are exploring the process of speaking about feelings & needs rather than engaging in “story.” (This is part of compassionate communication)
• We will decide if we will adopt the materials provided from the non-violent communication model (which includes the Feelings and Needs model) and meet with the Board to see how we can incorporate these communication practices into the congregation; and
• We intend to deepen our understanding of Deep Listening, (which is part of the Rhythms in Peace materials, Day 16) and focus our communications with one another on listening for and exploring the underlying (and sometimes not well expressed) feelings, meaning, needs and longing, rather than to evaluate, advise or fix.

All are invited to bring your happy memories, fun photos, loving hearts, and dancing shoes!

For ten beautiful and love-filled years, Rev. Patricia has offered Divine Wisdom and Strength to this community. Now is the time to celebrate what we have received with the one person who has been there with us through it all!

Knowing and seeing that a parting of the ways is not a separation of heart nor a disconnection from the love forged but a true opportunity for becoming more wholly Divine.

Only $10 to sponsor a bear, simply go to the following link
https://secure.prestomart.com/cgi-bin/prestocart.com/order_confirm.pl?ref=unityberkeley&fm=1&or=385149&rd=&rdf=

When we are notified of your payment we will send you the name and age of your child, along with a special prayer that you may use to keep you children in your heart and in your prayer throughout the coming year.