CAROL'S FRONT PAGE

Dear Friends, 

Many of you may be logging on to the Monday night class with Oprah and Eckhart Tolle based on his book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose. I find it extremely heartening that ten million people world wide are sharing in this teaching simultaneously. It is a thrill to know that ten million people are recognizing that the present prevailing consciousness is not just the way people are. Tolle writes:

"If we look more deeply into humanity's ancient religions and spiritual traditions, we will find that underneath the many surface differences there are two core insights that most of them agree on. The words they use to describe those insights differ, yet they all point to a twofold fundamental truth. The first part of this truth is the realization that the 'normal' state of mind of most human beings contains a strong element of what we might call dysfunction or even madness."

"We only need to watch the daily news on television to realize that the madness has not abated, that it is continuing into the twenty-first century. Another aspect of the collective dysfunction of the human mind is the unprecedented violence that humans are inflicting on other life-forms and the planet itself - the destruction of oxygen-producing forests and other plant and animal life; ill-treatment of animals in factory farms; and poisoning of rivers, oceans and air. Driven by greed, ignorant of their connectedness to the whole, humans persist in behavior that, if continued unchecked, can only result in their own destruction.

"The collective manifestations of the insanity that lies at the heart of the human condition constitute the greater part of human history. It is to a large extent a history of madness. If the history of humanity were the clinical case history of a single human being, the diagnosis would have to be chronic paranoid delusions, a pathological propensity to commit murder and acts of extreme violence and cruelty against his perceived 'enemies' - his own unconsciousness projected outward. Criminally insane, with a few brief lucid intervals."

How refreshing to hear the truth! What we are taught as normal is, in fact, dysfunction and madness. But Tolle shares another idea:

"Most ancient religions and spiritual traditions share the common insight - that our 'normal' state of mind is marred by a fundamental defect. However, out of this insight into the nature of the human condition - we may call it the bad news - arises a second insight: the good news of the possibility of a radical transformation of human consciousness. In Hindu teachings (and sometimes in Buddhism also), this transformation is called enlightenment. In the teachings of Jesus, it is salvation, and in Buddhism, it is the end of suffering. Liberation and awakening are other terms used to describe this transformation."

"Those rare individuals then spoke to their contemporaries. They spoke of sin, of suffering, of delusion. They said, 'Look how you live. See what you are doing, the suffering you create.' They then pointed to the possibility of awakening from the collective nightmare of 'normal' human existence. They showed the way.

"The world was not yet ready for them, and yet they were a vital and necessary part of human awakening. Inevitably, they were mostly misunderstood by their contemporaries, as well as by subsequent generations. Their teachings, although both simple and powerful, became distorted and misinterpreted . . . Teachings that pointed the way beyond the dysfunction of the human mind, the way out of the collective insanity, were distorted and became themselves part of the insanity."

"And yet . . . and yet . . . in spite of all the insane deeds perpetrated in the name of religion, the Truth to which they point still shines at their core. . . Throughout history, there have always been rare individuals who experienced a shift in consciousness and so realized within themselves that toward which all religions point."

We each have within us that "rare individual." We have the capacity to go beyond "me" and "mine," beyond fear, beyond appearances to our eternal spiritual identity! Perhaps you can log on or buy the book and join in!.

Carol
Blessings,

   

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Greetings from the Board,

The main item on the agenda this month was a discussion of Board membership. We have four Board members rotating off this year, so we need to start thinking about filling those spaces. The primary qualification is that you are a member, and Carol is offering a membership class in May (see related article). The other qualification is that you be interested is helping guide our journey here at Unity North. If anyone is interested in serving on the Board of Trustees, contact Carol or me.

Another big item on our agenda was the possible acquisition of a small bus for the YOU and use by the community to travel as a group to various functions outside of church. We have a very generous donation of a vehicle that we can possibly trade for a small bus. We have our eye on one that would fit nicely and will be pursuing that option further. Let's all pray for the right opportunity to provide this for the youth of our community.

Our finances took a turn for the better in March. Easter was a good week for us, and the income from Good for You Day supplemented our budget nicely. We thank all those who helped make this possible. Let's keep believing in our prosperity and be thankful for it. Here is the good news:

Cash Flow:

February 2008

Inflow - $9,318.51
Outflow - $12,562.47
Net - ($3,243.96)
 

March 2008

Inflow - $16,253.01
Outflow - $10,352.74
Net - $5,900.27

Mark Haapoja, President
Unity Board of Trustees
 

OUTREACH NEWS

FAMILY M&M's IN MAY

Saturday, May 31, 5 PM Family M&M's features SPIRITED AWAY-a Hayao Miyazaki triumph! Spirited Away is a wonderful fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world.

Please join us for Oriental Fare, Popcorn, and M&M's!!
 

Prayer Teams & Prayer Request Line
  Now Available!

There will be several teams available to take your prayer requests. To activate a prayer team, you may (1) speak with Wendy Erickson or Laura Drube at the church; (2) leave a phone message for Carol Kniskern at 763-754-6489, line 2; or call our new prayer request line at 763-754-6489, line 3. This line will be checked twice daily and requests assigned to a confidential prayer team. Prayer requests will be prayed over for 30 days.
 

UNITY NORTH BOOK CLUB, 7:00 p.m.

May 8—The Isaiah Effect by Gregg Braden
 

Friday, May 9
Begins at 7:00 PM - 90-minute documentary
$5.00 Suggested Love Offering.
Discussion circle and fellowship to follow
10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

How do you reconcile a commitment to non-violence when faced with violence? Why do the poor often seem happier than the rich? Must a society lose its traditions in order to move into the future?

These are some of the questions posed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama by filmmaker and explorer Rick Ray. Ray examines some of the fundamental questions of our time by weaving together observations from his own journeys throughout India and the Middle East and the wisdom of an extraordinary spiritual leader. This is his story, as told and filmed by Rick Ray in this fascinating documentary that intertwines an interview with the Dalai Lama, a look back at the history of the spiritual leader and an exploration of the culture of the small city of Dharamsala, India, where His Holiness was exiled 50 years ago. After emailing the Dalai Lama to set up an interview, filmmaker Rick Ray spends the three months until the promised meeting getting a firsthand view of the living conditions and economy in Dharamsala. Also included is rare historical footage as well as footage supplied by individuals who, at great personal risk, filmed with hidden cameras within Tibet. Part biography, part philosophy, part adventure and part politics, 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama conveys more than history and more than answers - it opens a window into the heart of an inspiring man.

If you had only one hour, what would you ask?
 

UNITY YARD AND GARDEN CLUB

PLEASE RECYCLE!!!

Thank you for your continued support of Unity North's ongoing aluminum can drive. We appreciate your contributions. Your plastic bags of aluminum cans (including all aluminum containers such as cat food cans and pie plates) may be left near the shed in the church parking lot. Please do NOT deposit your bags in the Walter's Recycling container.

LOOKING FOR SUMMERTIME USHERS!

If you ever wanted to try ushering, now is the time. We need help now because a lot of the regular ushers take time off in the summer. You can pick what day or days you wish to usher and also which service (8:45 or 11:00).

There is a sign-up sheet at the church, or contact Diane Cooke. I will go over with you ahead of time what you need to do as an usher.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Unity Nursery is seeking one fun-loving individual to step into the Coordinator position. The tasks are minimal and the rewards are great. You'll be working with a terrific team of Care Providers. If interested in learning more, please talk to Chris Haapoja, 763-438-3583.

SUMMER NEWSLETTER

The summer issue of the newsletter will contain information for the months of June and July. If you are submitting information, please do so by May 20.

Looking Ahead . . .
PET BLESSING

June 8 - Regular Service Times
At this outdoor pet blessing, we will bless all the pets, whether present or held in mind, and give gratitude for the gifts they bring into our lives and the world.
See related article - Northern Enlightenment Series.

CHURCH PICNIC COORDINATOR

Our annual church picnic is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, August 17. Even though the current weather doesn't seem very summery, we know that those precious months will be here soon and will fly by!

There is already a location that just needs to be reserved, and we need a coordinator to do a little organizing as far as the particulars. Please look inside your heart and see if this might be calling to you.

This picnic is a wonderful way to continue building community. Let Sara in the church office know if you are interested.
 

RESOURCE LIST

MAY CALENDAR

May 2, Dance, Drum, Journey, 7 PM
May 4, Yard & Garden, 1 PM
May 5 and 19, Watercolor Class, 10:30 AM
May 6, 13, 20, Membership Class 7-9 PM
May 8, Book Club, 7 PM
May 9, Spiritual Cinema, 7 PM
May 18, Outreach Committee, 10 AM
May 18 and 25, Purchase Head Start Books
May 20, Articles Due for Summer Newsletter
May 25, Yard & Garden, 12:30 PM
May 31, Family Spiritual Cinema, 5 PM
June 1, Animal Communicator Workshop, 1PM
June 8, Pet Blessing Services

ONGOING

Church Services, Sundays, 8:45 and 11 AM
Midweek Recharge, Wednesdays at 7 PM
CoDA, Thursdays at 6 PM
16-Step Group, Fridays, 6:30 PM