Revealing Word
Newsletter
Mar. & Apr. 2016
Our Mission
“Unity of NEPA provides our diverse
community with practical, spiritual
teachings of self-empowerment and
compassionate living.”
140 SOUTH GRANT STREET, WILKES BARRE, PA 18702
Greetings
by Reverend Diane Sickler
Dear Friends,
Easter is early this year and we
are already in the midst of the season
Christians call ‘lent’. Traditionally we are
supposed to give up something that
brings us joy in order to get our minds
ready to really celebrate the resurrection.
In Unity we often think to give up things
that are not good for us, but not easy to
let go of. I’ve decided to work again to
give up worry. We can worry about the
weather, the economy, something we did,
something we did not do, something that
someone else did, what did the boss
mean by a particular comment… the list
goes on and on. What we are worrying
about isn’t important; what we do about it
is.
Once we realize we are
worrying, the first question to ask
ourselves is: “What can we do about it?”
and our answer should be “first we pray
and then we give it to God”!
Actually it is almost a two step
prayer process. First we pray asking God
for guidance and wisdom in doing what is
ours to do. In this first step we remain
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open and receptive and willing to take
responsibility and following through on
Divine guidance.
Then after doing what we can,
we give whatever or whoever we are
worrying about to God. By giving it to
God we are putting into action the most
powerful force available. And God’s
power is not reserved just for the BIG
issues; God’s power can and will adjust
whatever needs adjusting.
Trusting that God can and will be
the Divine Mind that controls all events in
the universe sounds easy. First, of
course, we have to believe not only that
God is omnipotent (all-powerful),
omniscient (all-knowing), and
omnipresent (everywhere-present); but
also God is willing. Actually that means
that we trust Divine Mind is functioning at
peak efficiency. And we trust that
whatever Spirit decides needs to happen
– Spirit will make sure happens. And we
trust that whatever our desire is not as
important as having it effectively resolved.
It also means that if whatever we are
worrying about isn’t resolved that too is
O.K. because God has it under control.
Once we remind ourselves that
all of this is true it is time to pray again.
This time we focus on all that is true
about the presence of Divine Love in our
lives. We acknowledge Spirit is doing Its
UNITYOFNEPA.ORG
perfect work and is in charge of this as all
things. This prayer activity has as its goal
– perfect peace of mind. If we discover
we are not peaceful, our prayer work is
not done. Then we absolutely have to let
it go and let God take over.
When the impulse to worry
comes back into our consciousness we
need to say to that thought “No”… I have
given this one to God and let it go.
Whenever we are unable to do this then
we need to go back to the centering
prayer which reminds us of God’s
powerful presence at work.
Through it all we are trusting that
God will let us know in clear uncertain
terms if there is something we are
supposed to do. This doing does not
come in the form of “maybe we should”,
or “perhaps we could try”, or “what about
this”. God will be clearer than that… just
give Spirit time to do the work that is
Spirits to do.
What would happen if this Lent –
we let go of worry?
Love and Blessings,
Rev. Diane
REVEALING MARCH/APRIL 2016 | Issue 3/4
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from our Ministerial and Licensed Unity
Teacher candidates as part of their
curriculum, and our Board of Trustees
are well grounded in Unity Truth
Principles. We round out our
celebrations with ministers and
musicians from both Unity Worldwide
Ministries and the New Thought
movement. Brightest blessings always
and all ways!
Sunday Speakers
We are very
fortunate to have a wide array of
Spiritual Speakers sharing their light
with us here at Unity NEPA. Our Head
Minister, Rev. Diane speaks on Sunday
twice a month. We have guest speakers
March 6 – The Philosophy of
Denial - Richard Pacheco,
Speaker
March 13 – The Affirmative
Word - Rev. Diane Sickler,
Speaker
March 20 – Spiritualizing the
Intellect - Lee Vanderhoof,
Speaker
March 27 – Let there be Easter!
Rev. Diane Sickler, Speaker
April 3 – Conscious Mind and
Subconscious Mind - Cheri-Kim
Race, Speaker
April 10 – Reincarnation - Rev.
Diane Sickler, Speaker
April 17 – God’s AbundanceTawnia Converse, Speaker
April 24 – Faith Thinking - Rev.
Diane Sickler, Speaker
NGU Corner: Jaleel McNeil
Walking into a church was not something I saw myself doing, at least not until I was older and had
children. For my family church and religion was something that was very established. I remember small things
like thanking god and saying a prayer before bed but even things like that were very sporadic. Honestly I've
never really read a bible. Before Unity my only other experience in a church was when I was about 7 or 8 years
old. I was a very timid kid so I was intimidated when I got there and the only think I really remember is a nasty
drink and cracker and crying to leave. After that I kind of steered clear of religious practices until I decided I was
ready to accept it into my life. During the beginning of our relationship, my fiancé Caleb actually persuaded me
to join him at his "church". After seeing my expression he assured me it wasn't your typical church and after
much resistance, I finally caved in.
Thus I began to come to Unity of NEPA, which by far is not like your typical church. My first service was
nothing like I anticipated, to be honest I don't even know what I expected. I expected, maybe someone telling
me how I was flawed, or how I need to change my lifestyle. Instead I was greeted and welcome with much
hospitality and I can honestly say even with my little knowledge in religion the service made sense to me. I
understood the message and felt a connection, that's difficult for me to even express. Joining the services at
Unity of NEPA makes me feel more positive, understanding and overall it helps me feel great about myself. I
feel connected to everyone else around me, it's like I can feel their emotion as if it were my own. The thing I
enjoy most about unity is the endless amount of love generating from one another. A few years ago you couldn't
catch me inside a church and now I feel extreme pleasure in saying that "I am a part of Unity of NEPA."
Jaleel McNeil
Stay Connected with Unity Ministries
Listen to Unity live
programming 24 hours a day at
Unity.fm online.
Catch up on New Thought
insights with Unity Magazine
Our uPray and Daily Word
Apps uplift you throughout
your day.
Daily Word – our international publication is
available in booklet subscription, online,
and on app. Your prayers are enfolded in 30
days of continuous affirmation.
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WWW.SILENTUNITY.ORG
This Five-Step Prayer
Process is designed to help enrich your
experience and your awareness of the
Divine Presence.
1. Relax
Close your eyes. Relax, breathe deeply, and
let go of outer concerns.
2. Concentrate
Quiet your mind. Begin to focus your
thoughts on the spirit of God within you.
3. Meditate
With an open mind and a receptive heart,
feel the peace of God’s presence. “Be still,
and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 ).
4. Embrace the Silence
In the silence of your soul, know that you
are one with God. Allow this realization to
permeate your being.
5. Give Thanks
A Moment with Your Board President:
We are coming up to our annual meeting we begin to look
at how we can make this spiritual center better. To do that we need
to come together in consciousness and begin to look at our
community. What can we do to begin to make Unity of NEPA more
welcoming to everyone? I feel I am blessed because of the chance
to study at Unity Urban Ministerial School for the tools and
knowledge they are equipping me with. Rev. Ruth M. Mosley, an
ordained Unity minister, founded the Unity Urban Ministerial
School. She realized a need within the inner cities to teach the
Unity principles for living. She understood that urban youth and
adults alike needed to be shown their inherent worth and their
ability to create better lives. Urban Ministry strives to reach out to
individuals where they are and to teach them that their lives matter,
their lives have purpose, and they have within themselves the
ability to create happy, prosperous and fulfilling lives. UUMS has a
goal of educating and equipping ministers to be strong spiritual
teachers and leaders, thereby transforming lives and communities.
(www.unityurbanministerialschool.org).
I look out at Wilkes-Barre and see the inner city who needs
our open doors and is available to everyone. Over the last 4
semesters I have learned more about ministering to everyone, no
boundaries needed or warranted. Today we have a chance to live
that mission to help change people’s lives as the Fillmore’s began.
We would all agree that our present generations need these
principles. They need to learn how each of us own our lives. It all
starts with us. I like to say I cannot change “2 seconds ago” so I do
not stress the past. I also will not be anxious about the future.
RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW let’s begin to do the work and together
we can be a change the world needs. I have a dream that one day
that we can fill every seat in our spiritual center, where all children
are blessed with the principles of love and peace. Where
abundance flows and everyone benefits. Where there is no
thoughts of lack, but thoughts of gratitude and we see everything
as a miracle. Join me as we bring this dream to this world. Each of
you have the power and together we can be the change that this
world needs. Namaste’
Love and Sincere Blessings
Richard A. Pacheco
REVEALING MARCH/APRIL 2016 | Issue 3/4
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Events During Lent:
Wilkes-Barre Downtown Ministerium Lenten Series
Each Wednesday during Lent at St. Stephen’s church
(On Franklin Street right behind Boscov’s)
11:30 – Pipe Organ recital
(various fantastic Pipe Organists from all over the region come out to dazzle us with their brilliance… this music
is Fantastic!)
12:00 – Service until 12:30
MARCH 16th Rev. Diane Will be preaching at this service.
12:30 – 1:00 Soup and Sandwich luncheon ($4.00 to benefit “Making a Difference Ministries”) again Unity of
NEPA will be providing the luncheon on the 16th.
Volunteers need to make sandwiches and then help serve on the 16th. Please contact Vickie if you can help.
We will meet at Unity at 10 to make the sandwiches. Go to St. Stephen’s at 11:15 to set up and then serve at
12:30.
Easter Sunday at Unity of NEPA
Our service will again include the floral cross and God’s blessings for all.
Come and enjoy the amazing joy of the resurrection!
Volunteers are needed beginning Easter morning at 8:30 to help us assemble the cross. Thank you for your
assistance.
Sunday March 13th – Annual Membership Meeting
We will be meeting after the pot luck in Harmony Hall. This year’s candidates for the Board of Trustees are
Nancy Jackson
Marilynn Putriment
Cheri-Kim Race
We will be electing 2 for three year terms.
Vickie Tauzin
One will finish out Davienne Piatt’s term (since her new job for the Eastern Unity Ministries region, Davienne has
decided to resign at this time).
And the last candidate will become our Alternate Board member.
REVEALING MARCH/APRIL 2016 | Issue 3/4
“Letting Go of Holding On”
How many times have you found yourself holding on to something that no longer serves you? We all do
it. We cling to relationships that are draining. We cling to patterns of thought and movement that cause us
pain. We cling to the familiar, no matter how unhealthy. What is it that keeps us entwined with the people,
memories and circumstances that sap our radiance and reduce us to less than the brilliant divine beings we
are? Often, it is fear. Make no mistake; fear comes to us disguised as pragmatism, practicality and a healthy
dose of reality. It masquerades as “what is best for us” and convinces us that the known is infinitely better (and
safer) than the unknown. Pema Chodron tells us that “the truth you believe in and cling to makes you
unavailable to hear anything new.” When that truth is rooted in fear, we inadvertently limit our access to all the
good that is available to us. We are unavailable to hear the Truth of our divine nature because we have
accepted otherwise. What is it in your life that you are holding on to? What truths have you accepted that keep
you from hearing the still, small voice within and from sharing your divine spark? When we practice letting go
of what no longer serves us through meditation and breath work, we create space for greater possibility, for the
effortless flow of health and vitality that is our divine inheritance. Thai meditation master Achaan Chah put it
this way: “If you let go a little, you will have a little happiness. If you let go a lot, you will have a lot of
happiness. And if you let go completely, you will be free.”
Tawnia Converse
“Pray until you feel God’s presence enfolding you." –Mary Rowland
Standing Strong in Unity Theology
(Taken from Unity Leaders Journal, February 15, 2016)
Characterizing the core identity of any religion or tradition is fraught with difficulty. Yet, gaining a sense of what
teachings are seen as distinctive and vital is an important endeavor for any spiritual group of people. Religious
communities throughout history have found enhanced meaning and solidarity by discerning a shared theological
identity. While this identity may shift and change over time, embracing it with both commitment and openness is a
crucial way to honor that which unites a particular people of faith in a common vision and purpose.
For many of us in Unity, pinpointing the core of our theological identity is often confusing, frustrating, and/or
daunting. How many times have you been asked to boil the complexities of our movement down to a two-minute
elevator speech for people inquiring about what Unity is? How many times have you had to clarify, “No, actually
we’re not Unitarians”?
Even as we give informed answers, we cannot truly claim to speak for the entirety of the movement, since there
are so many different varieties of understanding. Our cherished heritage of respecting the freedom of individuals
to shape their own spiritual journeys comes with the downside of pronounced ambiguity—and often
disagreement—about who exactly we are as a positive path for spiritual living.
As a Unity theologian, I recognize five key spiritual teachings that shape our distinct identity:
1) God as Universal Principle. While there have been some instances of non-personal God ideas in Christian
thought, God has largely been seen as personal. Alternatively, on a Unity view, God may be personal to and
personalized as each individual human, but is ultimately not a person. God is not like a human being writ large.
Rather, God is understood as absolute unchanging Principle that is universally present and accessible. Seeing
God as Universal Principle shapes the way we pray.
2) Affirmative Prayer. If God is unchanging Principle, everywhere present and available, then there is no need to
beseech or petition God to grant answers to our prayers. We pray affirming that God-Mind already holds the good
that we are seeking. Our work is to open up and attune to God, trusting that the answers we need are unfolding in
the right time and way. As the greatest form of mind-action, affirmative prayer involves releasing
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REVEALING MARCH/APRIL 2016 | Issue 3/4
counterproductive thoughts of lack and separation, and embracing the spiritual truth that God-Mind is fully present
within as abundance.
3) Humankind and Salvation. Unlike those forms of religion that insist human nature is fundamentally flawed
and sinful, we in Unity claim the inherent integrity and worth of each individual human being as a dynamic
expression of God. In other words, our essential nature isn’t depravity but divinity. Our purpose is to continually
demonstrate this innate divinity, which we call our Christ nature. When we more fully awaken to our Christ self,
God more fully manifests in and through our lives. Salvation is not a once and for all event that occurs after
death—you know, the whole “pie in the sky when we die, by and by” adage. It is instead a process of spiritual
transformation that happens here and now. As we take responsibility for ourselves by choosing God-aligned
thoughts, words and actions, we experience greater unity and love in our lives.
4) Metaphysical Bible Interpretation. The Bible was vital to the teachings of the founding Fillmores. They
understood the biblical scriptures to represent humanity’s evolution into greater expression of Christ
consciousness. Our metaphysical approach to the Bible in Unity is really a type of allegorical interpretation, which
has been a central part of scriptural insight in our Christian heritage since its beginnings. Yet, for the past century
conservative forms of Christianity have focused on the literal sense of these texts, often almost totally abandoning
their rich symbolic significance. What metaphysical Bible interpretation does is uncover the “more-than-literal”
meaning by inviting us to see how the people, places, events, and relationships in the stories represent aspects of
an individual’s consciousness. This allows the Bible to become more spiritually relatable and applicable in daily
life.
5) Jesus as Way Shower. There is no doubt that Jesus is important in Unity theology, as he is in the wider
Christian world. However, there are many different ways to grasp his influence in the life of faith. Jesus isn’t a
cosmic rescuer swooping in to save us from our wretched selves. He is our Way Shower who fully demonstrated
for us the Christ nature. As we often say, he is the great example of our spiritual potential, not the great exception.
Through his teaching and living of universal truths, we have a concrete illustration of what the perfect pattern of
divinity looks like in human life. Progressive Christianity also holds to this Way Shower view of Jesus, but Unity’s
emphasis on it is a distinct part of our theological identity.
We may wonder what the best way is to get congregants on board with knowing these characteristic Unity
teachings. It’s important that we don’t assume congregants and board members are uninterested in Unity
theology. Often they simply aren’t aware of avenues through which they may enrich their understanding, or
distinctly Unity teachings are not being communicated. While there is no universal or “one-size-fits-all” answer,
perhaps one effective way of approaching this is to integrate these basic theological principles into practically
everything we do at church. Sure, our preaching and teaching in talks and classes are the most obvious ways to
educate people about what makes Unity special. Yet, we might also think about incorporating our theology more
explicitly into other less obvious arenas, such as ecumenical or interfaith activities and board training.
When our local congregations participate in ecumenical and interfaith interests (e.g., councils, prayer services,
and/or charitable work) this becomes an opportunity for leaders and congregants to not only learn about other
faiths but also inform those other faiths about Unity. Teaching is also a form of learning. So, while Unity
congregants are preparing for and presenting Unity in interfaith exchange, they naturally deepen their
understanding of their own Unity faith perspective. This is especially the case when guided by a devoted
ministerial leader committed to teaching Unity principles.
Board members usually already have a strong commitment to the spiritual community and may have a better
working knowledge of Unity than most congregants. However, ministers and spiritual leaders can (re)orient board
members to our Unity theology by intentionally and openly assimilating our principles into board training. This
takes a greater commitment, but is worthwhile in the long run. Ministerial leaders could also invite the board
members to lead a “Unity 101” or “Unity for Me” type of class a couple times a year for new members. It could be
guided by either a minister, LUT, or even a board member with a familiarity with Unity basics and who is adept at
facilitation. This kind of project would give board members a chance to enrich their appreciation of Unity theology.
Pinpointing our core Unity theological identity is not easy. We tend to be “decidedly eclectic” in our theology, to
use the words co-founder Myrtle Fillmore once wrote about her own theological views. Yet, there are definitely
some theological basics that unite us. The more we are able to name them and find ways to further incorporate
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them into our practice of ministry, the greater unity-in-diversity we will find in our identity. So, friends, let’s stand
strong in our unique Unity theology!
Jesse Tanner
Rev Dr Jesse Tanner is professor of Scriptural and Religious Studies at Unity Institute & Seminary. He holds a
PhD in the Philosophy of Religion, and his interests include religious pluralism, interfaith dialogue, theological
hermeneutics and early Christian history.
Our Classes:
Truth Thursdays Sacred Circle: Living Originally
Join us every 1st and 3rd Thursday as we continue our journey through the book ”Living Originally: Ten Spiritual
Practices to Transform Your Life” In his latest title, Living Originally, celebrated Unity author and teacher Robert
Brumet explores how many perceived problems stem not from the world, but from a false sense of self.
Living originally is the art of knowing and being your true self. Using the book’s 10 spiritual practices, rediscover
your origin--the truth of who you are. When you learn to live from this state, everything in your world will fall
naturally into place.
Metaphysics 1: With Rev. Diane Sickler
Join us every 4th Sunday as we are lead by Rev. Diane into a journey of discovery. This course explores some of
Unity’s fundamental Principles as well as the highest form of mind action, prayer. Students will be encouraged to
awaken your awareness and understanding of spiritual Truth in order to employ it in your everyday life. Topics
explored in this class are:
• Metaphysics and Truth
• Life Is Consciousness
• Spiritual Evolution, Building Consciousness
• Our Purpose, Divine Will, Divine Plan, Divine Guidance
• The Silence
• Meditation
• Prayer
• Praying With Others
All classes are offered on a love offering basis and no one will be turned away. Books are available through the
High shelf Bookstore or through our link on Amazon.
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Our Community Needs Your Help to Grow
“Our Volunteers’ are the reason of our Successes”
We are looking for Talented People to Help Us in Our Mission
Youth Workers
Musicians / Singers
Hospitality
Social Media, Web Site, Online Presence
Publicity / Marketing
Building / Grounds Crew
Prayer Chaplains (Training & Certification Provided)
Platformer / Ushers / Greeters / Readers
If you do not see something here lets us know your talents and I am sure there is a place
for you to serve.
Contact Us via Phone, Web Site, or Email.
We thank those already filling positions and the service you do
We Love You and We Bless Each of You