Community Conversation with the Transition Team

Sunday, April 17, 12:30pm (after service)

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.

Farewell Celebration in Honor of Rev. Dr. Patricia Keel

Friday, March 11 ~ 7pm Reception & Ceremony ~ 8:30-11pm Celebration & Dancing

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.

Sponsor a Bear – Bears and Prayers Project

Every Christmas at Unity of Berkeley we adopt bears to give to children in need.  This year we are adopting 165 bears and will be giving them to children from three local agencies.  In additon to the hugs and love we give to these cuddly bear, we also give our prayer attention to the young children who will receive these bears for the holidays.

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.

A message from the 13 Grandmothers

From Rev. Patricia, on October 21st
While traveling this summer I arranged to meet with two of the 13 indigenous grandmother, form the Grandmothers Council. We met on Pine Crest reservation in North Dakota. I believe they have a powerful mission to awaken us to the healing of our Mother earth.

Today I received this message from the traveling mission of the 13 grandmothers, who are in Japan.

Message from Grandmother Clara Shinobu Iura in Japan: October 21st, 2010

As you may know, the forces of Mother Nature are making decisions for us once again. We serve these forces and now we humbly bow to their power. The largest rainfall in 125 years fell upon Amami Oshima Island yesterday, October 20th. The floods have stopped many practical aspects of life in Amami. Even though the waters are subsiding, there are no flights to Amami as of today (October 22) and we have decided to hold the Council in Kagoshima. The Grandmothers are making their way to Kagoshima now. We will update you as soon as possible with futher details.

We, the Grandmothers, have come together to bring the message of the prophecies. These prophecies warn us to take care of nature, to open our hearts to prayer, so necessary in this great time of transformation. As humans, we have caused irreversible damage to our Earth Mother. The only solution now is to join together with one another.

Our Grandmothers Council has been meeting already for three days in Nagoya and participated in the COP10 conference on Global Biodiversity where we affirmed the need to take care of our Mother Earth. The Grandmothers asked those who have power over the future of our planet to have a greater discernment in their decisions, because already, this great danger is threatening our planet. These storms came as proof of the danger and as a test to our mission. All we could do was pray for those same men who have forgotten their true nature and attempted to control nature. But no one can control the rain and all of Natures’ phenomena. For all their scientific knowledge, no one can control these forces.

We completed our events in Nagoya, bringing those messages and our prayers. And while preparing ourselves to go to Amami Oshima we received the unexpected news of the torrential rains. And we found ourselves inside a storm ourselves without a notion of what to do. But we recovered from that storm, came back our prayers and we began to regain our balance. And we confirm our mission on earth to bring our messages for people to wake up, because the time is here.

There are no coincidences in the world. Precisely in this moment when we are in Japan, this thirteenth storm of the season has come upon us. Our presence is being announced. Our visions are manifesting. It is another warning within all the warnings. It is time for the people of the earth to wake and elevate our consciousness to the truth of all the spirits that reign over us. It is a moment of great transformation. It is time for all men and women that believe in God, from whatever way of worship, to unite to rescue our planet. The time is now. Many more unimaginable disasters will befall the earth. It is necessary for us to roll up our sleeves, put together the ten fingers of our hands and connect with the Great Spirit.

In truth, the gathering has already begun. Perhaps many of you may be experiencing some of your own storms as you approach the Council. But we will receive all those who have registered. We give thanks to many of you who are already aligning with us and supporting us in this difficult time. And all are believing that this is a great moment. No one that we have talked to is resisting, they are all persevering to be able to join together with us. They know that something very important is going to happen, particularly for their own transformation. I believe that this message that God is bringing to us through the manifestation of nature will open our eyes to the future of the Mother Earth.

People are coming together in the face of natural disaster, joining together in the name of unity and love, surrendering to the immediate needs of the world which the grandmothers do every day. We need to let go of our expectations of what it will be. It is a mini rehearsal of the times to come. We are bringing all of the Grandmothers to Kagoshima and our intention is to relocate the prayer from Amami. We encourage you all to meet us there as we also pray for the people of Amami and those affected by these storms. We thank you for your continued prayers and look forward to being with you in Kagoshima. Keep checking the websites for updated information.

With love,

Grandmother Clara Shinobu Iura

www.grandmotherscouncil.org

Labyrinth Walk and Prayer Vigil

Friday Night October 1st
7:00 to 10:00 Open for your to drop in and walk the labyrinth and pray.

Join us as we consecrate the beginning of our special Fall Program in October. Our theme this year is Finding Peace in Challenging Times. There is a daily focus on peace each day, as outlined the our book The Rhythms of Peace. The book is available at Unity office on Sunday for during the week.

7th Annual World Wisdom Traditions

“Unity puts into practice a true ecumenical approach… Unity sees itself as a vehicle for instruction, inspiration and prayer support for spiritual seekers regardless of their religious affiliations… as an ever-expanding expression of love, light, and peace. Therefore, it freely shares its teachings and believes in the oneness and freedom of all people.”
~ The Association of Unity Churches

For the last seven years, our August World Wisdom series has brought great spiritual teachers form many faiths to Unity of Berkeley. We invite you to experience the deep river of Spirit and Oneness that flows through all the speakers that will join us in August.

August 1 ~ Hinduism
Dr. Sunil Sanon heads Divine Light Trust in order to realize his dream of serving the poor, ailing, and the underserved. An innovative thinker, he has spoken on topics related to Mind Body Medicine, paradigm shifts, and ethics. He is a devout disciple of Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya, founder of Gayatri Pariwar.

Music: Sound Voice Healers and Members of Gayatri Pariwar.

August 8 ~ Judaism

Avram Davis, Ph.D. is the founder and Rabbi Emeritus of Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley. An international known writer and speaker sought after for his humor and joy, he is currently living in simplicity as the Farmer Rabbi. We welcome his wit and wisdom at Unity.

Music: Tad Toomay and the Unity House Band

August 15 ~ Taoism

Master Alex Feng directs the Taoist Center in Oakland and has a deep lineage in the Taoist tradition and ancient Chinese medicine. We welcome Master Feng for the third year. His presence has delighted many with great humor and insight.

August 22 ~ Indigenous Wisdom
Maria Owl Gutierrez has been serving her community as a spiritual healer and teacher for over fifteen years, pulling deep wisdom from her own indigenous identity, as well as spiritual traditions she was initiated into. Through her intentional research, dreamwork and personal experience she has come to realize her work as a multi-ethnic bridge-builder between cultures and traditions. Maria received her BA from New College of California, in Ecology & Sustainable Community. She received her MA from the California Institute of Integral Studies in Integral Counseling Psychology. Maria also holds certifications in master level Intuition Medicine and Clinical Hypnotherapy. She has been a guest speaker at New College.

August 29 ~ Sufism
John “Wadude” Laird, M.D. is Dean of the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism in Pope Valley, California. He received his medical degree from Dartmouth and in addition to his deep loving presence, he is a master healer and teacher. Wadude will lead a Sufi Zikr as his contribution to our World Wisdom series.
Music: Charles Moselle

Andrew Oser: Two Transformational Workshops in July

Over the past 25 years, Andrew has helped thousands of individuals make breakthroughs in their lives. A summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University, he brings a joyful spirit and a wide range of experience to this work. In these powerful workshops, you will be guided to:

• Transform limiting beliefs and fears
• Discover new ways to access clear Inner Guidance
• Shift your identification from ego to Self

HOW ALTERNATION CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Sunday, July 18 , 1:30-4 pm

Would you like more ease and balance in your life?  Alternation is the basic rhythm of the universe.  When you understand the alternation principle and apply it in all areas of your life, you will find a deep sense of peace and happiness.  This workshop offers effective tools to bring healing and balance to your body, mind, and emotions, and into your work and relationships.   Suggested donation is $15-25.

USING INNER GUIDANCE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH LIFE
Monday, July 19, 7-9 pm

Are you interested on taking your inner guidance to the next level?  Participants will learn an extremely effective method for discerning between desires coming from your mind/ego and those coming from your heart/Spirit.  You will also gain powerful insights on how to use the process of checking your inner guidance as a tool for letting go of attachments and awakening more fully to the Truth of who you are. Suggested donation is $15-25.

Andrew is also available for Private Sessions July 18-21.  Contact him at 760-525-4512 or adoser777@yahoo.com for details.

VisitAndrew’s website at www.summitcoachingservices.net for more information about his work.

“Andrew is a gifted spiritual guide and teacher who brought all of us to a place of peace, wholeness and unity through his workshop. The gifts I received were deep and life-transforming.”
–Kaye Leedham, Unity Center of Walnut Creek

Oneness Awakening Weekend

Friday, May 21 ~ 7-10pm
Saturday, May 22 ~ 9am-6pm plus Live Webcast With Sri Bhagavan at 8:30
Patricia Keel & Elizabeth Scherwenka

Join us on an inward journey that starts from where you are and moves you towards a state of Oneness, a state where there is no resistance, no conflict, no suffering –a state of joy and peace.

• Receive transfers of the Oneness Blessing® and learn how to meet the challenges of life with joy
• Experience samskara shuddhi, an ancient technique to heal relationships and release negative and limiting patterns
• Be initiated as a Oneness Blessing Giver and offer the blessing to others

Register by emailing Elizabeth at eschwerenka@gmail.com

Weekend pre-registration fee for new initiates $195; at the door $215

Weekend fee for Oneness Blessing Givers $125

Pre-register online at www.onenessprogram.com

Here II Here Concert: Awakening into Peace

Saturday, May 15 ~ 7pm

Fundraiser for Unity Peace Project. HERE II HERE, recently featured on ABC GOOD MORNING AMERICA in front of 4 million viewers, is an intoxicating “Conscious Pop” music group of five experienced entertainers dedicated to creating powerfully infectious mainstream songs that promote a peaceful planet. Driven by their signature rhythmic blend of tribal pop, illuminated rock, and oul-inspired R&B harmonies, HERE II HERE’s music penetrates audiences straight into the heart with moving, innovative lyrics of peace, awareness, connection, laughter, and of course – divine love.

Formed in 2002 (as “Inner Voice”), HERE II HERE’s iriesistably mesmerizing live performances have garnered them wide attention as the foremost up-and-coming “mainstream-spiritual“ music band of our time. Their unique style has led to performances at the United Nations; on ABC TV; at Miami Dolphin Stadium; at Agape International Center (LA); as well as appearances on “conscious music” expert panels at major music conferences and performances alongside the most world-renowned spiritual leaders and best-selling authors of our time.

Tickets $20-$50 (no one turned away) http://unityberkeley.org/donate-to-unity/

www.hereiihere.com

Oneness Experience Weekend

with Rev. Patricia Keel and Elizabeth Schwekenka, Certified Oneness Trainers
Friday – Sunday, Feb. 26-28, 2010
Friday 7-10 PM; Saturday 9-6 PM; Sunday, Meditation and Initiation 1-5 PM

Join us on an inward journey that starts from where you are and moves you towards a state of Oneness, a state where there is no resistance, no conflict, no suffering –
a state of joy and peace.

** Receive transfers of the Oneness Blessing® and learn how to meet the
challenges of life with joy
** Experience samskara shuddhi, an ancient technique to heal relationships
and release negative and limiting patterns
** Learn a simple formula for success and happiness in inner and outer life
** Become a Oneness Facilitator and give the gift of the Oneness Blessing
to others

The Oneness Blessing is an energy transfer by touch or by the power of intent. It often facilitates a change in consciousness by creating a shift in our perceptions and our experiences of life. The Oneness Blessing is a non-denominational experience that awakens our connection with the Oneness in everything, allowing us to deepen our relationship with the Divine, with those we love, with ourselves, and with all that is. Bring a Mat and something to cover yourself, also water. Instructions will be sent upon registration.

Location: Unity of Berkeley 2401 Le Conte Ave. at Scenic Ave.
Cost: Early registration $195 (through February 20th) $215 thereafter
To register, contact Elizabeth Scherwenka, escherwenka@gmail.com, 415-497-6992.

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