As I reflect back on the past year, I am filled with gratitude for the many blessings I have received.  Gifts exchanged over the holiday season come in
many different packages, sizes and shapes. Some glisten and sparkle, while others come simply covered in brown paper bag. Some oddly shaped presents can be difficult or are too large to wrap.  The same can be said for our blessings.  Some like unexpected income sparkle in our hands while the loss of a loved one, or a new president-elect who opposes the ideals and morals many believe in may be too difficult for us to wrap our hearts and minds around.

When we are enveloped in Spiritual Principle, we know that all experiences despite the packaging and the size of importance we give them gleam with opportunities for our greatest, highest Good. My capacity to see and experience Life, Love and Wisdom as I stood at the bedside of several individuals in our community who were preparing to make their transition blessed me and opened my heart in ways I can’t begin to put into words.  As my father was admitted to the hospital 5 times this past year, fearing during his last admittance this fall that he was preparing to leave this Earth, I understood the gift of surrender and the sacredness of each moment.  As chaos and scandal plague our president-elect, and our government, although at times we may find the packaging to be distasteful, let us know and affirm that the gift of Goodness is contained in this experience.  

I am also appreciative for the love and support I received from members and friends of Unity by the Shore as I began to spread my wings this year by creating new services, activities, and made changes to our Sunday service. On a few occasions when interacting with other individuals from larger communities, I heard them refer to UBTS as a little church or a small church.  Does the size of a building or the number of members determine the value or the power of a community?  I think not. Like the various gifts we exchange as a token of our love the essence of a gift comes in various shapes and sizes.  Our community has heart and soul and is filled with creative, giving, caring, and spiritual conscious individuals.  

As I look ahead to 2017, I am excited about the limitless possibilities that lie before me and our spiritual community.  This year at UBTS, I will be asking the question, “How can we move from being comfortable to flourishing?”  We will look at our current vision, mission, and core values to determine if they are still relevant and create excitement to unite us to stretch ourselves to be our boldest selves.  I will be asking you throughout the year how can you and we as a community glimmer, glisten, and sparkle like the true gift that we are?

“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering.” 
― Steve Maraboli

 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the
inn. Luke 2:7

Behold, the holiday season is upon us.  It is a time of year that can elicit a host of feelings.  Many are overcome with gratitude and joy as they gather with loved ones and friends and feast on a bounty of delectables and toast to the coming year with great cheer.  For some, feelings of sadness, grief, despair, and/or loneliness may arise as they face a healing challenge, cope with the physical loss of a loved one, or confront an “empty home” during this time of year.  We as a community have experienced the loss of several loved ones and have stood as Love with many of our brothers and sisters who have been faced with the experience of dis-ease this past year.  Let us continue to live with open hearts and also find room at our “inns” for those who welcome our support and our hospitality.  

Whatever emotions are stirring within you this season, I invite you to remember that all experiences are meant for your highest good as painful as life may seem at times.  One can only come to see and know this if he/she is willing to have a shift in consciousness.  Let us take a closer look at what it symbolically means to find a place in the inn.  Metaphysically speaking the birth of Jesus represents the birth of the awareness of our Christ or Divine Nature.  This awakening takes place every time you realize that although you have been given birth to in human form, the manger, you are the embodiment of the Divine.  This realization can only be brought into life by entering your upper room in consciousness where within the inn you overcome the world, the human domesticated sense of self.   

All experiences characterized with pain and suffering are opportunities for you to see where you have bought into the illusion that you are your experiences and are a separate limited human being.  All life events are ripe with the opportunity to return home to the Truth of who you really are.  Advent Season, the four weeks prior to Christmas, is a time to reflect on and give expression to our Divine qualities of Faith, Love, Peace and Joy.  When we do, we find room at the inn for the Christ to be born as us.  

You are the embodiment of Divine Faith when you  look beyond the craziness being played out politically in the US as a sign of new possibilities of hope and cooperation wanting to be birthed as the old paradigm of a “me” consciousness begins to collapse.  You are Faith in expression when you can hear a diagnosis of an illness and see Wholeness.  You are the embodiment of Love when you are gentle and nurturing to yourself during a challenging time, yet instead of contracting you choose to radiate mercy and compassion to others.  You are the embodiment of Peace when you choose to listen and look to understand instead of wanting to be right and prove a position, for you know that Peace begins within.    You are the embodiment of Joy when you count your blessings and see the beauty that exists within you and all around you.  Lastly, true Joy occurs when you show up as the radiant Christ light that you are, for nothing can bring greater joy.  So, my dear friends I invite you to find room at the inn to give expression to your boldest, brightest Divine Essence of Faith, Love, Peace, and Joy and behold the majesty of the birth of the Christ child.  

Recently, I have seen posts on Facebook that ask the reader to reflect on the varied plights of individuals from those who have cancer and have been forgotten about to children who are experiencing physical or cognitive disabilities who have been cast aside by society. These chain-like letter posts asks the reader to copy and paste the post to his/her timeline. These posts tug at the heart strings of the reader, and although I believe the intent of these posts is to raise awareness of the struggles of specific groups of people, I found myself feeling uneasy after reading several of them.

I began reflecting on my disturbed thoughts and feelings and discovered several things. One, the language used in many of these posts implies shame, victimization, and basically uses the language of separation. Most pressing for me was a thought that kept surfacing, “How do these posts really make a difference in the lives of the individuals being written about?” This question revealed something that has been alive in me and that is, “How do I and how does our community move from talking about and feeling sympathy for individuals to taking action to not only transform our own lives, but to make a difference in the lives of others? Simply put, “How do I/we move from understanding and talking Truth to living it?

Principle Five in Unity calls us to be the Presence in the world. I am grateful for the Love in action that many of you have displayed in reaching out to individuals in our community who have experienced loss or who are experiencing illness. You have provided meals and rides, and you have been empathetic companions who hug, touch, pray, and behold the sacred worth of those who really need a loving friend who can hold the high watch for them.

Now, I am calling us to be a Presence in our world beyond our walls. Recently, I have had several conversations with individuals from different organizations and non-profits who have elicited our support in out-reaches for foster children and the homeless in NJ. I have been in conversation with a representative from DYFS on how we can provide needed supplies, host a movie-fun night at UBTS, and bring Christmas gifts to foster children in our area. Additionally, on September 30th at 7 PM Jeff Ballo, creator of the movie Destiny’s Bridge, will be airing his documentary about how a minister begins a movement to find affordable housing for those in need. The movie will be free of charge, however, collections will be taken to support affordable housing. Although raising awareness and taking collections is important and noble, I would like us to go a step further. I have aspirations for us to establish relationships with foster children and the homeless. I ask you to join me in being companions of Love to these beautiful individuals who want to be seen, heard, hugged, and cherished. If you are interested in supporting either outreach please contact me at [email protected]. Let our Presence heal and uplift our fellow brothers and sisters.

Shock, horror, devastation, death tolls, political rhetoric, financial instability, terrorism and xenophobia are just a few of the themes that have dominated the news throughout the world during the past few weeks. The mass shooting in Orlando, the tragic flooding in West Virginia, the rash UK vote to leave the European Union, and the political infighting and gridlock in our national government has shaken up our souls individually and collectively. The mass consciousness of humanity has been permeated by waves of insecurity, instability, anxiety, and fear. Disturbed by these events many wonder, “What is this world coming to?”

Remaining spiritually grounded during such times can be challenging for even the most dedicated Truth students. Principle One of Unity’s teachings professes that God is the source and creator of all. There is no other enduring power. God is good and present everywhere. Many may ask, “If God is all there is, then how could such horrific things be happening and where is the good in all of this?” In John 7:24 Jesus reminds us, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” Here Jesus is telling us not to evaluate circumstance through the worldly lens of our five senses and through the consciousness of fear, scarcity, and separation. Instead the Master Teacher proclaims that we must live centered in the consciousness of Oneness viewing events through the discerning eye of the Christ within. In John 16:13 Jesus spoke of overcoming the world. He reminded us that we live simultaneously in two realms, the physical and the Absolute. In the physical realm we experience tribulation and impermanence. Since God is All-ness itself, we can never be separate from Divine Potential, therefore, we always move and breathe and have our very being in the Realm of All-Sufficiency and Absolute Good.

So, how can you rise above the pain and suffering and live from the consciousness of All-Sufficiency and of Love? Now more than ever it is important to not only be well versed in Spiritual Truth, but to step out in Divine Faith and live the Truth despite what is going on in our lives and all around us. Here are some ways you can put Spiritual Principle into action:

1. Release the practice of complaining and being critical of situations and people. When you join in the energy of fear and separation it individually and collectively intensifies. When you want a camp fire to stop burning you do not add another log or more lighter fluid to the fire. Every thought, word, and act that carries the vibration of cynicism, criticism, resistance, and worry ignites the experiences we disdain.

2.  Look for and know Good exists. As you move through the day look for the “good” and the light. Thousands of people every day are doing incredible things to make a difference. What you focus on, you will experience. Additionally, conflict and chaos or creative tension is a sign that new life desires to emerge. It seems that the old patriarchal paradigm of greed, competition, dominance, control, and inequality is crumbling right before our eyes. Hooray! Let us hold the knowing that we are birthing harmony, inclusion, cooperation, and equity into our collective experiences. How painful the birthing process will be is dependent upon the consciousness held by humanity. Science has shown that it takes only 10% of a population to hold a thought or an idea to affect change and shift the majority.

3. Be the Love and Light you seek. Throughout your day, it is important to use affirmative prayer to help you live from the inside out and to remain centered in the consciousness of Oneness. To pray without ceasing, you must know that it is not enough to utter words of Truth but to be them. It is very tempting and common place for many to resist and retract into their own little worlds of created comfort and safety when dreadful things are occurring. Again, when you resist, the very experiences you don’t want, persist in your life. In order to truly experience Divine Love and Life you must engage in acts that emulate this vibration. Throughout the day ask yourself these questions: “How am I showing up right now? “How can I be the Light in this situation?”

Dear friends, these are just some ways you can remain vibrantly alive, compassionate, joyous, and strong during times that seem to be daunting. Together let us courageously and powerfully bring the Light!

In the loveliness of the things of nature you may learn more of the wisdom of God than schoolmen know ~ unknown

Have you ever been filled with awe by the grandeur, opulence and mystery of the natural world? I have lost myself in the splendor of the divine on countless occasions. Gazing up at the stars on a clear night I have wondered how vast the universe is. One of the joys of being married to a photographer whose greatest passion is capturing landscapes in the raw, is being taken off the beaten path in our travels. Standing in fields of sunflowers, daffodils, and wheat grass growing in the wild that seemed to stretch on forever has taken my breath away. On a trip to La Jolla, California I can recall becoming mesmerized by the waves as they crashed over majestic rock forms and time seemed to stand still. I can go on forever recounting numerous other occasions spent in nature when I experienced Oneness that I could not begin to capture with words.

Myrtle Fillmore, cofounder of Unity, marveled, Nature is surely the glorified face of God. See the beauty about you and … see the manifestation of the infinite Mind. Not only can we see evidence of the Divine in nature, but many spiritual teachings can be gleamed from the natural world, such as, Oneness and Order. According to Principle One, one of five foundational tenets of Unity, God, Divine substance under all creation, is all there is, therefore, each one of us is connected and influenced by each other and the Whole of creation. A famous saying that reflects the theory of interconnectedness is that when a butterfly flaps its wings in one part of the world it can cause a hurricane in another part. Everything in nature is influenced by and interdependent on each other. We have become a mechanistic society, thereby, distancing ourselves from nature and each other. We need to be reminded of the Truth that every word uttered, every thought held in mind fueled with emotion, and every action taken by us has a profound impact not only on ourselves, but on others, our planet, and the universe. Pause for a moment and take in the depth of this reality and ask yourself this; Are my words, thoughts, and actions life affirming?

The field of science informs us that all “lower-life forms” have a built-in intelligence that enables them to adjust to their environment, complete a cycle of growth, and produce the results which are expected of them by virtue of their nature. All too often we have a great deal of difficulty adjusting to and finding harmony within ourselves, our varied environments and within our relationships. If the lower life forms, such as birds, trees, animals and plants can ebb and flow and adjust to changes in the environment, why can’t we? We have been conditioned to look outside of ourselves for the rules of living, therefore, we are not in touch with the intuitive voice of the Divine within, and we are not eager to put our faith in Principle. Our dualistic society has conditioned most of us to buy into norms of established concepts of what is “good” and what is “bad”. When life deals us a perceived bad hand one has a tendency to be filled with fear and resists life in protest. The Spiritual Power of Order enables us to organize, balance, sequence, and adjust our thoughts and actions. When we place our Faith in Principle One which reminds us God, Good, is all there is and is the source of our supply we empower ourselves to be open and flexible to change and growth. Let us remember that which we resist persists in our lives. Dear friends, like the lilies of the field, the trees in the forest, and the birds of the sky let us learn to live from the Spiritual Consciousness of Oneness and Order.

Love and Light,

Angela Denton MA; P.D. MFT; LUT
Spiritual Leader