Lovelight
Unity of Fairfax
2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton VA 22124
First Quarter 2010
Mission Statement: To awaken each life to spiritual awareness as revealed by Jesus, the Christ.
Vision Statement: We are a vibrant community of spirit making a loving difference in the world.
Are We Flying Yet?
We have engaged the process of The Transformation
Experience – the 3-year pilot program offered by the
Association of Unity Churches International. The TE
Pilot Program logo is that of a beautiful blue butterfly
representing transformation and our ability to fly – but
many people want to better understand what the TE
experience is and what we will get from it in a tangible way.
one another to partnering with one another.
Here is a snapshot of where we are in the
process so far and what is coming up:
Leadership Group (LG) – The LG provides the overall coordination for this program. The LG consists of
the full board of trustees, our three ministers, Carole
Tomhave as music director, Gregg Lacey as youth ed
coordinator, and Licensed Unity Teacher Nancy Star,
Midd Hunt, Garnett Gamble, Charles Coyle, and Tina
O‘Shaunassey as lay leadership council members. Jacquie Smith is the coordinator. The LG has met once
and is still orienting to its purpose and mission.
The primary thing to remember, as we go through the
next three years, is that this is a process-oriented experience. There isn‘t a defined outcome that will be
imposed on us by anyone from the outside, but this
process will help us clarify who we are, our mission,
vision and core values, and will support us in fulfilling Evolutionary Council (EC) – This group is commore of our unique potential as a ministry. The intent prised of 14 people representative of the diversity of
is not to make us something we‘re not, but rather, to
Continued page 12
help us discover more about ourselves and to live
more fully from that vision. With the support of consultants and some structured processes, the intent is
to empower ourselves to fulfill the vision and accomplish the goals we establish.
The transformational shifts inherent in the process involve four areas: 1. Leadership Consciousness: Developing leaders who move from situationdriven decisions to mission-driven decisions; whose
actions shift from managing to modeling. 2. Organization: Our infrastructures, practices and systems
shift from a top-down structure to a top-down and
bottom-up structure involving input from all. 3. Culture: The congregation‘s identity shifts from being
centered on the minister to that of the mission, vision, and community consciousness. 4. Social Systems: Congregants shift from ‗belonging‖ to the
Lovelight
Quarter 2010
church ~toFirst
ownership
of the ministry; from parenting Reverend Donna and Lin O‟Neill, UofF‟s Consultant Guide
So, who will hold the sky up, when our brothers are
brought down?
Who will hold our roots firmly in the ground?
We must plant, and harvest, and boldly carry on
When our beloved oak twins are now and finally gone.
Twin Oaks
By Roger Tomhave ©2009
Their mighty father saw the time before white man.
And marked the winding ridge trail for the traveling Indian.
The trail would become the road from the stream at Hunter
Mill
Along the forested way to the top of Flint Hill.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Prayer ministry members (12) record an inspiring message each day for your benefit. These messages are available 24 hours a day to uplift you by calling (703) 2810335. Please contact Joanna Shows, Lay Leader for
Prayer Ministry, if you are interested in becoming involved in the ―Thought for the Day ― team.
[email protected] (703) 644-0996
When they were young, their grove oversaw
The mining company, denied passage to Alexandria,
Build the Ox Road with sweat and brawn,
To move the silver laden ox carts to the wharf at Occoquan.
They stood shivering as other brothers in blue and gray
Fought on, unable to find a peaceful way
To live in harmony and brotherhood.
Even then, for Unity they stood.
Table of Contents
Are We Flying Yet? ~ page 1 (continued on page 12)
Twin Oaks ~ page 2
Ministerial Musings ~ page 3
Music Department ~ page 3
Prayer Chaplains‘ Corner ~ page 4
BePeace Foundations Course ~ page 5
Discovery Circles ~ page 6
Stormwater Management Project ~ pages 6-7
Volunteers of the Month ~
Midd Hunt (October) ~ page 8
Rick Hartley (November) ~ page 9
Block Party (December) ~ page 10
Barbara van der Vate (January) ~ page 10
Service as a Gift ~ page 8
UofF Calendar ~ page 11
Connections Calendar ~ page 12
15,000 men camped within their hilltop view.
Many would die before the war was finally through.
But tree scars heal and scratches fade away
And trees live to see a peaceful, brighter day.
Their mighty brother gave Oakton its current name
When Flint Hill was a burg already claimed.
The children from the Oakton School would roam
And among these branches would build a treehouse home.
The twins have held the high watch for all their faithful
years
Til beneath their cooling shadow, a little church appears.
They have proudly watched the greening of this land
Through buildings raised and expansions planned.
But, even mighty oaks must one day fall
For nothing stands forever, no matter how tall.
As the leaves beneath their soaring wings float down
Their lovely greens must now fade to final brown.
UNITY OF FAIRFAX MINISTRY TEAM AND CONTACT INFORMATION
2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton VA 22124 ~ Office Phone: 703/281-1767 ~ Fax: 703/281-1739
Senior Minister: Reverend Donna Johnson
Associate Minister: Reverend Sandra Butler
Pastoral Care Minister: Reverend Jane St. John
Music Director: Carole Tomhave
SUNDAY SERVICES
9:00 a.m. (Contemplative Service) ~ 11:00 a.m. (Celebratory Service) ~ Nursery: 10:30 a.m.-Noon ~ Youth Education: 11:00 a.m.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.unityoffairfax.org
Podcasts: www.unityoffairfax.org and www.unity.fm
Rev. Donna’s email: [email protected]
Rev. Sandra’s email: [email protected]
UNITY
Office Hours ~ 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Monday-Thursday. Closed Friday)
Bookstore Hours ~ 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Monday-Thursday. Closed Friday);
Sunday 10:00-11:00 a.m. and 12 noon-1:00 p.m.
CDs and written transcripts of Sunday messages are available in the Bookstore.
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
2
Ministerial Musings ~ Who Will We Be?
Hold on to your hats because 2010 has already arrived
with great gusto! More than ever, we are living in a
time of accelerated change. We must proactively plan
for and engage in the transformation that will be necessary in order to assure our relevance in the future.
The Unity message is timeless, but we are here, embodied for a specific time. How will we make the most
of who we are and what we‘ve been given? How will
we truly make a loving difference in the world?
all growth and change is
comfortable. Often we are
called to accept something
without knowing what
new thing is trying to
emerge. And we‘re not all
at the same place in consciousness at the same
time. We don‘t all adapt at
This year, we launch fully into the 3-year Transforma- the same rate. How will
tional Experience Pilot Program. We will be identify- we handle the chaos of
ing who we, as a community, are here to be - now and transformation and our angst, as a community? Will
we be patient or demanding? Lovingly helpful or critiin the future. But identifying ourselves and defining
our vision is just the beginning; we must also create a cally undermining? Will we persevere with our big
plan of how to embody that vision – of how to put feet vision or falter with the pot holes of everyday chalto our prayers and roots to our dreams so we can give lenges? Will we be willing and able to let go of ―good
enough‖ in order to get the best and be our best?
from our deepest and most inspired selves. Unity of
Fairfax has been blessed with 53 years of rich history Every day offers us a new beginning and a new oppor– of being a spiritual beacon in the Northern Virginia tunity, and certainly a new year is even more procommunity. Now, from the gifts and successes of the nounced, at least in our calendar-oriented consciouspast, we must, and will, build a bridge to the shore of a ness. As individuals and as a community, I encourage
all of us to be proactive in creating a future that not
rapidly emerging future.
only survives but thrives. Let us adapt, embrace and
It is exciting to dream and plan! But the most awecreate from our deepest selves. In this way, we will
some thing is the transformation that will take place
achieve our highest dreams and know our sweetest
within us as we stretch and grow into our vision. As
fulfillment.
~ Rev. Donna
exciting as growth is, it can be daunting as well. Not
Full Range of Diversity and Brilliance
The Music Department is back in full swing for the
new year with new choir members and new events!
Here are some important dates for your calendar:
A group is forming to attend this
performance by two terrific New
Thought songwriters, whose inspirational songs have reached
out to enough people that they
are playing this great venue!
Peter Mayer is the writer of our
favorite ―Holy Now.‖ Tickets
are $25 and are available at
www.birchmere.com.
Friday, February 26, 7:30 pm – “Who is My
Neighbor?” benefit concert for Africa
This is the first in a series of Spiritual Social Action
concerts presented by our music department. Each
concert will benefit a charitable organization doing
Music Director
important work in the world—the music will all be
Carole Tomhave
chosen to fit the theme. Included in this concert will
be New Day, the Unity Chorus, Kalea and drumming. EASTER SERVICES
Plan to come and bring a friend!
Friday, April 2 – Good Friday service, 7:00 pm
Sunday, April 4 – Easter Sunday
Thursday, March 25 – Peter Mayer and Carrie
Newcomer at the Birchmere!
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
Music by the Unity Chorus and brass , both services
3
Prayer Chaplains’ Corner
“Me? Serve as a Prayer Chaplain?”
Do you believe in the power of prayer? Do you have Rev. Jane is now interviewing new Prayer Chaplain
an active Prayer life? Are you able to ―tune in‖ to the Candidates for the coming year. More information
Christ of your being in times of prayer and meditaabout basic requirements can be found on our Web
tion? Have you ever experienced the peace and com- site: www.unityoffairfax.org; click on Programs>
fort of simply resting in the siPrayer Chaplain Program, on
lence as another person holds
“Yes, You! Why not you?” the bar within that section.
you in the light with uplifting
You will see a picture of curprayer? If the answer to all or
rent Prayer Chaplains – click on the 4th line of inforsome of the above questions is, yes, perhaps it‘s time mation above the picture to visit the Prayer Chaplain
for you to consider serving as a Prayer Chaplain for
Program Page to learn what Prayer Chaplains do, the
our church community.
basic requirements to become a candidate, the selecThose who have served in the past, and those who are
serving now, have many positive comments about
their experience. It has been called an amazing journey! Many who have reached out to a Prayer Chaplain have truly felt blessed, and those who serve are
also blessed. Serving in this way is a wonderful opportunity for continuous growth on one‘s own spiritual
journey, as well as for major transformations in relations with family and friends.
tion process, training program and commitment.
If you are interested in looking into this possibility for
yourself, please contact Rev. Jane St. John ASAP, 703
-281-1767, x 114, or email: [email protected].
The first required training will be on Saturday, February 20.
Give it some consideration ...
Unity of Fairfax January 2010
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
4
Global Leader for Peace
Brings "BePeace"
to Unity of Fairfax
March 29 to April 2!
The BePeace Foundations Course is a 40-hour experiential workshop in which participants use easy-tolearn techniques to master the power of heart wisdom
through scientifically proven methods. BePeace synergistically combines the intelligence of the heart and
compassionate communication into a daily practice for
creative, peaceful living.
says, ―I yearned all my life to be a peacemaker, but I
was missing a solid ‗how-to.‘ With the practice of
BePeace, I improve every day in my ability to actually
model peace.‖
Through this course, participants will become skilled
in how to ―feel peace‖ and enhance intelligence
through the practice of physiological coherence beThis practice evolved from the work of the Institute of tween the heart and the brain. Then, by learning the
HeartMath™ (www.heartmath.org), and the work of
steps of compassionate communication, participants
Marshall B. Rosenberg at the Center for Nonviolent
will learn how to ―speak peace‖ by connecting more
Communication™ (www.cnvc.org). Rasur Foundation consciously with the feelings and needs of themselves
Founding Director, Rita Marie Johnson realized the
and those around them.
powerful synergy between these two methods and de- ―I am a different person than I was five years ago beveloped the practice of BePeace to combine coherence cause of this skill,‖ Rita Marie says. ―People are
through appreciation and connection to universal
amazed at how quickly they can begin to have transneeds through empathy and honesty. Ms. Johnson
formative experiences using BePeace.‖
Through the BePeace Foundations Course you will
learn about:
Building Heart/Brain Coherence
Heart Guidance
Connection through Empathy and Honesty
The BePeace Path, a high impact exercise for resolving conflict
Transforming Core Unmet Needs
BePeace Mediation
The Inner Dance of Wisdom and Compassion.
For additional information, visit our local Web site
www.bepeacefairfax.org and the Rasur Foundation
International Web site: rasurinternational.org. Early
registration until February 12th is $495 and registration after February 12th is $545. For questions or registration contact [email protected]
If you want to achieve a quantum leap in your
ability to “feel peace” and “speak peace” as a true
peacemaker, sign up now for this transformative
training!
Donna Lee and Steve Marcom with Rita Marie Johnson on a Web feed at U of F.
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
5
Discovery Circles Come to Unity
A Discovery Circle (DC): Eight to 12 adults gather to
open their hearts, spirits and minds to the writings of
leading experts in self-directed discovery circles meeting for several sessions supported by a mentor.
All courses promote dialogue, not consensus. With the
aid of the course books and the discussion format, participants learn from themselves and from each other.
In offering the discussion courses, NWEI has a singular purpose to inspire people to take
responsibility for Earth. Because
participants come into the course
with diverse values, attitudes, and
habits, accepting greater responsibility is an individual matter.
Six different curriculums have been
created by The Northwest Earth
Institute in Portland, Oregon on
relevant Earth topics. They are:
1. Global Warming, Changing
CO2urse addresses the urgent
need to respond to climate
change.
2. Choices for Sustainable Living
explores choices each of us
make that have an impact on Earth.
3. Voluntary Simplicity explores the personal and environmental benefits of living simply.
4. Healthy Children – Healthy Planet examines the
influence of consumer culture on children and how
families can deal with these influences.
5. Discovering a Sense of Place considers the benefits of knowing and protecting our place.
6. Exploring Deep Ecology examines our relationship
and responsibility to Earth.
Our first DC in 2010 is Menu for the
Future, seven sessions (usually once
a week) on food. Everybody eats!
This DC invites participants to learn
more about food systems and to reflect upon their own role as eaters in a global marketplace. The readings consider food from multiple perspectives – cultural, economic, ecological, health, social – each presenting a different, though often complementary, angle on the complex modern food systems most of us depend upon.
A 30-minute informative orientation in room 7 is
scheduled for Sunday, February 7 at 12:30 to determine meeting dates and location. The course will begin the week of February 14 and end in April with no
session the week before Easter.
Sponsored by EarthCare Ministry
Our Stormwater Management Project Goes Spiritual
3) developing the land as an environmental education and demonstration site for our local community.
by Rick Hartley
EarthCare Ministry
January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2009 - the time
frame that our two grants have been operating to support the beginning and completion of Unity‘s Stormwater Management Project. What a joyful ride these
years have been with a number of surprises along the
way!
Cost for the total project was $104,281 with $31,600
coming from the grant awards and $74,281 from our
congregation and local supporters. Of this latter
amount, $20,825 of matching funds were donated by
members of the congregation based upon their volunteer time - time spent in planting and maintaining the
land, fundraising for the green roof construction, and
administrating the grants.
Within the two years, the three phases of the project
have been completed:
1) retro-fitting the construction of our green roof
on the Mildred Park Center (MPC);
Not to neglect the educational information, but I‘d like
to tell you about what made this project so special.
2) developing the detention pond to filter and slow The educational information is really important and
stormwater runoff by planting sponge and pollinacontinued next page
tor gardens and enhancing a riparian buffer zone;
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
6
can be found by going to
www.unityoffairfax.org and clicking on EarthCare or by walking the
self-tour later this spring. For now,
however, I‘d like to share with you
an outcome that is far more spiritual than explaining bayscaping
techniques.
The project from start to finish was
filled with examples of the perfect
person(s) coming forward at the
right time to do what was needed or
to provide a solution that had not
been anticipated. We knew to have
a well thought out plan from start to
finish, but we learned that if we
could stay open, be flexible, and
trust as we moved forward, new
light would be shed on what was
next for us to do. When we approached things this way, the universe gave us great energy and joy
to see what we created. In truth, we
received a wonderful dose of faith
that we were being directed by a
much higher source than the planning of a few.
Here are some examples:
Even before the green roof, the
meditation garden was created
when the Prayer Ministry was
silently praying for an outdoor
prayer garden. In a matter of
days, Rick and Anita Hartley
notified the church that they had
many native plants that needed
to be rescued and asked if they
could create a garden on church
grounds.
Pete Clifford agreed to help rescue a few plants from Rick‘s
yard for a day, which then turns
into a long-time commitment –
five years now – working as a
loyal, dedicated partner focusing his time, talent, and great
energy on our church grounds
for the health of the planet.
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
Large stones (boulders) had to
be moved from the school‘s
soccer field and were placed in
the valley garden at the right of
the church entrance. Just weeks
later, David Pinkham asked the
church if there was a project he
could lead that could earn him
the Eagle Scout award. The
result was landscaping using the
stones and extending the riparian buffer to help restore natural
habitat – an extension of our
stormwater management project
and utilizing a BayScaping
strategy for mitigating runoff.
Shane Shreve, a Boy Scout in
our church community, was
looking for an Eagle Scout project just as we were trying to
find funds and human resources
to bring water and electricity to
the meditation garden.
Experience in creating the mediation garden results in beginning composting and establishing a church landscape policy.
We establish a recycling program and are given a recycling
bin valued more than $900.
A stone mason is commissioned
for $130 an hour to provide instruction on creating the foundation for our stone wall. After
seeing the project, he decides to
volunteer his time.
In perfect time, as the landscaping work winds down, the Mildred Park Center needs a new
roof and the Board of Trustees
is receptive to installing a green
roof while aware of the environmental advantages but also the
added expense.
fund the Unity of Fairfax
Stormwater Management Project for $31,600.
An environmentally conscious
congregation, with a potential
of $31,600 in grants, strongly
supports the project in a one
session meeting and raises
$57,000 in eight weeks by implementing creative marketing
ideas and lots of prayer.
When the call goes out for periodic maintenance and project
help, the congregation steps up
and the work gets done with
enthusiasm, humor, and high
energy.
Kyle Pinkham asked for an Eagle Scout Project just as our
project entered the educational
phase. His work results in construction of six project information stands, placement of the
native plant ID signs, and creation of the self-guided walking
tour map as centerfold for the
project educational brochure.
While attending the SmartMarket at the Unitarian Universalist
church on Hunter Mill Road,
Pete Clifford and Rick Hartley
told the Market‘s director
(unbeknown to them) about the
―green‖ activities at Unity,
which resulted in moving the
farmers‘ market to our church
parking lot within a month.
When we put our attention to something, the universe provides in ways
we could never imagine.
This ride has been inspiring and has
personally furthered my faith. I am
proud and honored to be a part of a
congregation with a collective conThree grants were submitted by sciousness that supports our planet
a first-time grant writer, and
and is awakened to the connection
two are awarded to partially
and diversity of all life.
7
Midd Hunt ~ Volunteer of the Month for October
C. Middleton Hunt,
otherwise known as
Midd, was born in
Washington, DC in
April, 1941. He is
married to Ellie whom
he met at U of F on
Christmas Eve, 2004.
They were married at
the Fairfax Hunt Club,
with four Unity ministers officiating. (how‘s
that for ―blessed.‖)
Together with friends
and family all celebrated this happiest of days.
poodle, Sophie. When in need of transportation, Midd
prefers a motorcycle (51 years riding), his Segway or
electric bicycle.
His career and passion have always been audiovisual
and media work, and he‘s been in the media business
since 1967. Today, Midd owns his own company, established in 1983, Mirus Digital Media, Inc. He started
in photography by taking pictures of his cave exploring in Southwest Virginia while at college. National
Geographic magazine took a keen interest in his creative ―spelunking‖ pictures for ―America Underground.‖ He first used his camera skills professionally
as an industrial DoD photographer in Viet Nam. He
keeps his cameras as busy as possible volunteering
with U of F in still photography and video activities.
You can see a lot of his work in the ―community‖ section of our new directory.
Midd‘s son Kevin lives in Portland, Oregon, and is
studying to be a physician. He and Ellie share a cat
named Darshan, which means ―way shower,‖ and a
Continued next page
Service as a Gift
states, ―Work, of whatever nature, is to render living
service, in obedience to the law of giving and receiving. For you, it is for the purpose of expressing your
God-given faculties and powers, to the end that you
may manifest the divine ideas God has implanted, the
perfect pattern of His Son.‖
This is not to say that we need to be thinking of helping someone all of the time. Relax a little and let the
divine ideas that are with you manifest themselves to
you. The ideas will come; God will direct you to your
higher good.
Jesus, our Wayshower, is the ultimate example of one
who gave service. Fundamentally, he taught that giving service to other people was tantamount to giving
service to God. Look around Unity of Fairfax. Plenty
of places exist for you to offer your time and talent to
helping our church and its congregants to thrive and
grow.
This year when birthdays, anniversaries, or other giftgiving occasions roll around, consider giving a gift
from your heart. Make up a gift certificate that allows
you to run an errand or cook a meal. You could clean,
repair, or build something. Whatever you do, do it
with as much excellence as you can impart. Your recipient will thank you for the thoughtful gift and you
will feel good about giving of yourself.
by Carl W. McClure
The Dalai Lama said once, ―Our greatest duty and our
main responsibility is to help others. But please, if you
can‘t help them, would you please not hurt them.‖
We all know what service is. In its essence, it is giving
assistance or advantage to someone, while emphasizing the needs of that person as being more important
than yours.
I find that giving service is satisfying on many levels.
To me, giving service goes beyond holding the door
open for strangers or yielding to another driver at the
stop sign. I find that doing such everyday deeds, however small, makes me contented. There is something
about giving of myself that provides satisfaction.
True service to others is not a quid pro quo transaction. Giving, in its true form, is from the heart. No
form of compensation is expected or accepted. In
Unity we know that giving and serving are true expressions of abundance.
Holding a job in the service sector of the economy is a
perfect way to serve your fellow humans. Coaching
little league or reshelving books at the local library are
perfect examples of serving others. Myrtle Fillmore, in
her book How to Let God Help You (chapter 30)
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
8
Midd first came to Unity of Fairfax in 1994. He
started volunteering at Unity of Fairfax by doing audio
recordings with George Ruby when we were meeting
in the Mildred Park Center. He and India Fuller Cox
worked on the original volumes of Love Light, our
Unity of Fairfax newsletter.
from Ch. 10, featured Rev. EJ Niles, Rev. Jane St.
John and Unity guests. The show was based on the
book Building Your Field of Dreams by Mary Mannin
Morresy. The series was well received repeated for a
total of 20 weeks on cable.
Midd is such a romantic and sentimental guy. This
summer, he and Ellie visited Long Island to see the
church where his parents were married in 1931. He
carried a picture of his parents standing outside of the
church on their wedding day. He and Ellie took a replica picture posing in the same place and position
where his parents were in 1931.
Midd was inspired by Rev. Sandy‘s sermon September 2005 which included the challenging words – ―…
put feet to your prayers…‖ So much so, in fact, he
was immediately energized to donate his 26-foot RV
to a Unity church in the devastated New Orleans area.
He recruited Steve Graham to be co-driver, and together they drove south with the van completely
loaded to the roof with relief supplies from Unity of
Fairfax for hurricane Katrina folks. The RV, named
Jerome, soon became the new home for a displaced
Unity minister in Long Beach, Miss.
Currently, Midd is on the lay leadership council as
communications liaison within the church; Manager of
Lovelight newsletter production; acts as ―webmaster‖
for our revitalized website; and as photographer/
videographer when and where needed.
In 1995, he organized and facilitated, with the help of
25 U of F volunteers, a cable TV program on cable
channel 10. The program, shot, edited and broadcast
To help keep his spiritual growth and mind-―fullness‖
in focus, he is a long-term member of James Jones‘
Transformational Practices Group.
Rick Hartley ~ Volunteer of the Month for November
There are many who
volunteer much time to
keep our church operating efficiently, and then
there is one man who
has truly dedicated his
time, talents and treasures to create and maintain the foundation of
Unity of Fairfax. This
man is Richard William
Hartley, better known as
Rick. The Board of Trustees has chosen Rick, as our
Volunteer of the Month for November, for all the
dedication and love he bestows upon our church.
Rick came to our church in 1988 and held many volunteer positions. He was on the Board of Trustees
from 1990-93 as treasurer and vice-chair.
Most of you know him as the person who has spearheaded our church going ―Green.‖ It was Rick who
raised our consciousness and made us more environmentally aware. It was Rick who was able to get the
grants to help us create the Green roof on the Mildred
Park Center. Almost any day of the week, you can see
Rick and Pete Clifford working tirelessly on the land,
planting flowers, working on the retaining wall, and
any other work that needs to be done on our property.
When asked why he volunteers, Rick replied that he
receives so much more than he gives. He receives tremendous enjoyment just being on the land and being a
model for the planet.
Rick got his Bachelors in Mathematics from Wake
Forrest, Masters at UVA and his Phd in Education and
Business at Virginia Tech. He spent 31 years of his
career in the Fairfax County School system as a math
teacher, Principal, Director of Student Activities and
Director of Human Resources. He has two grown
daughters and four grandsons, all under the age of 4.
His beloved wife, Anita, is always by his side and is a
true partner in his life‘s work.
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
Three people who he admires are (1) Bill Parkin for
his spirit and ―can do‖ attitude and the fact that he has
lived at least 20 lives; (2)Pete Clifford for being such
a great friend and like a brother to him; and (3) EJ
Niles and Harv Marrow for their minds, energy and
their approach to life. It‘s no wonder that he chose
these amazing people, because all of these qualities
reside in this great guy, our friend, Rick Hartley.
9
Block Party Teams 1997-2009
~ Volunteers of the Month for December
First, there was this huge flamingo donated by a longtime member to sell at a UoF yard sale. But, the Pink
guy wasn‘t put up for sale. He was set aside for another day. Then, on July 19, 1997, the Block Party
burst forth in black and white.
However, a few years later, someone looked at this
huge Flamingo and loved its delicious pinkness, and
said, ―Let the Block Party be pink and full of flamingos.‖ And people flocked to volunteer. They embraced the details of cataloging and inventorying, and
making delicious food and setting up the bid boards
and creating, stamping and mailing the flyers. They
set up and tore down, created games for the kids and
welcomed the music of our home-grown bands.
Block Party Team 2009 ready to rock „n roll, slip
and slide into another successful, over-the-top
UofF party!
As prayed for, people came from all around to bid on
delicious dinners, weekends in New York and paintings by true artists. There was interesting stuff to buy
and events to fill everyone‘s calendar for the whole
year.
Barbara van der Vate ~ Volunteer of the Month for January
These attributes are synonymous with our Barbara van
der Vate: committed/commitment, dependable, trustworthy, authentic, loving and generous. A loyal, happily hardworking volunteer in all that she does for
Unity of Fairfax, Barbara continually comes up with
ways to make things better. Barbara has been a member of UoF for 23.5 years. She helped found the Block
Party, and has stepped in to lead and do whatever project is at hand each and every year.
always thinking of how
to make things better for
her brothers and sisters.
Barbara created Circulation Day at Unity of Fairfax,
so that church members and people in the community
would have a place and day to exchange clothes and
stuff in good condition with no money changing
hands. What a great Idea! But, that‘s our Barbara ~
long commute. She doesn‘t care. She attends meetings
and Sunday service as though she lived right around
the corner.
Another passion is healing with essential oils.
She will take any opportunity to demonstrate
their healing powers . If
you have a headache,
An environmentalist at heart, with a passion for recy- pain, upset tummy, just
cling, Barbara will make sure that paper, plastics, alu- ask and she will reach
minum, metal, etc., are neatly separated and sent to
into her bag and produce
their rightful destinations. She will drive recyclables
just what you need.
there herself if no one else seems interested. She is a
Barbara was born in Washington D.C. and raised in
dedicated member of EarthCare Ministry, researching Vienna, Virginia, but, for now, lives in Laurel, Marymaterials that might be relevant to healing the earth.
land because she works for the Census Bureau. It‘s a
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
Oh, here are more synonyms … thoughtful and caring
and a good friend to all …
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Book Review by Ann Brady
“Reflection on a
Spiritual Journey”
Reflection on a Spiritual Journey is the story of one man‘s
journey through life told in poems. To read his poems is to
journey with him into the darkness, through the pain and over the bridge into
forever. I cried, I laughed and I felt his peace. I
have never been a big fan of poetry, but I will
keep this book within easy reach. You can open it
anywhere and get to know Bill.~ William S. Bolivar, 1957-1991. This passionate book will be presented February 20 at the Authors’ Reading and
Book Signing by Carolee Bolivar Egan, Bill‘s
loving mother and friend. She published it as testament of her love and dedication. Her acknowledgement and excerpts are thoughtfully descriptive and beautifully written. This book would
make a lovely gift to yourself or someone you
love.
Enthusiastically waiting to “take off” in the 2009 DC
AIDS Walk are church members of The Spiritual
Social Action Committee. Participating: ladies, left
to right, Lynn, Anita, Tina, Connie and Autumn;
guys, left to right, are Rick, Roger, Pete, Carl and
David.
Unity of Fairfax Calendar
Friday, February 5 – Transformation Experience
with Potluck– open invitation, 6-7 pm, ―Envisioning
Our Future Together,‖ facilitator: Susan Beck. Sign up
in atrium or call church 703-281-1767. Bring a dish.
the Unity of Richmond. Registration fees: $60 now,
$75 February 12 and later. Includes meals, local housing. More info at http://snipurl.com/ngueastern or
email [email protected].
Sunday, February 7 – Unity Basics– Starting with
Principle 1, 10:10 – 10:45 am, between services. Facilitated by licensed teachers Kitty Crawford and
Nancy Star.
Friday/Saturday, March 19-20 – Transformational
Experience, part 2, w/ Lin O‘Neill, Friday, 7- 9:30
pm; Saturday, 9-5pm. See update on TE part 1 on
page 1, ―Are We Flying Yet?‖
Thursday, February 18 – TE Experience Webinar –
8 pm in the sanctuary. ―Spiritual Evolution and Emotional Intelligence: What Is Required for Conscious
Evolution,‖ presented by Cindy Wigglesworth. Free
Monday/Friday, March 29 – April 2 – BePeace
Foundation’s Course – a 40-hour experiential workshop. Note: price before February 12: $495; after,
$545. See details on page 5.
Saturday, February 20 – Prayer Workshop – for
more details call Rev. Jane at 703-281-1767.
Saturday, May 1 – Community Shred– Have paper,
confidential or not, that you would like to get rid of?
Shredding will take place in our parking lot.
Sunday, February 21 – Unity of Fairfax Authors’
Reading and Book Signing, 1:30 – 4 pm.
To see the full calendar, go to:
Friday/Sunday, February 26-28 – Next Generation
of Unity Retreat – ―The Fire of Divine Inspiration,‖ a
spiritual retreat for young adults 18 – 35ish. Sponsored by the Eastern Region of Unity and hosted by
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
www.unityoffairfax.org
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Are We Flying Yet continued from page 1
of Unity Churches International.
age, interests, longevity, demographics, etc. within our
congregation. Their purpose is to facilitate conversations within the ministry about the ministry. These
will be called ―Conscious Conversations‖ and will illicit information about what people appreciate, what is
working or not working, our hopes, dreams and ideas
for excellence. The EC will also help us map our
growth and progress through the process.
Enlightened Leaders Webinars – These series of webinars are providing learning opportunities for everyone. The presenters are top-notch professional trainers
who offer us exposure to cutting-edge ideas that would
normally cost hundreds of dollars, but the webinars
are free to any Unity person wishing to attend. They
will be offered quarter throughout the three-year program.
Consultant Guide Visits – We had our first visit with
our consultant guide, Lin O’Neill, on November 2022, 2009. Many people participated in a Friday night
community introduction session and many returned on
Saturday. One of the primary outcomes of the weekend was beginning the work of writing up a set of core
values for the ministry. Although we have existing
core values, (and mission and vision), the TE will take
us through the process of re-creating these elements
(which may or may not change) so this congregation…not just the congregation of nine years ago…
identifies and supports them.
On March 19th and 20th, Lin O’Neill will be making
her second visit with us. She will be working with us
once per quarter for the three-year duration of the TE
pilot program. During this visit, Lin will lead us
through an experience that is known as a ―geno-gram‖
of our ministry – to appreciate our past and learn more
about the foundation upon which we are building our
future.
The first Enlightened Leader Webinar featured Doug
Krug on the subject of What is Enlightened Leadership? On Thursday, February 18th at 8 pm in the
sanctuary, the second webinar will feature the topic
“Spiritual and Emotional Intelligence: What is Required for Conscious Evolution” with Cindy Wigglesworth. Often, there is homework that will enhance
the webinar. These pre-assignments and post assignments can be retrieved for a special TE website designed just for churches in the pilot program. After
each live, interactive presentation, these programs are
archived on a website for viewing.
TE Web Site – www.TEinteractive.org. To log into
the TE Web site, you must register yourself as a user
and give the registration code TE09x111 and follow
the prompts.
The best way to give your input into this process is to
come and participate! Please join us as we deepen and
expand our commitment and ownership of this spiritual community!
The Weekend of February 5-6 – “The Four Whys”
is a process designed to help us review/update our
mission and vision. The entire congregation is invited
to participate on Friday night with a potluck from 67pm, followed by the workshop from 7-9:30, which
will be facilitated by Susan Beck from the Association
Lovelight Wants
Your Input!
Articles and Photos taken at recent
UoF events. Next
deadline = April 9.
Email your input
to Ann Brady [email protected],
(subject line:
LOVELIGHT).
Lovelight ~ First Quarter 2010
Connections
For everyone! singles, couples, families
Saturday, February 20 ~ Pizza & Game Night. 6
-9 p.m. in the church atrium. Sign-up Required
(at the Welcome Table or calling 703-262-0930
or email to [email protected])
Saturday, May 1 ~ Sky Meadow State Park,
Paris, Va., Nature Hike & Picnic, 10-2:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 18 ~ Fun Team Bowling,
Fairfax (time TBD)
Sunday, December 12 ~ Holiday Cookie Exchange at the church after the 11 o‟clock service
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