Upcoming Services and Special Events!

Sunday, November 18th

Before & after the service – Visit the Youth & Family table in the foyer for their Holiday Wreath Fundraiser. This is an opportunity to order a swag, wreath, or centerpiece for the holidays and help our kids raise money for their Spring Retreats.

10:30 a.m. Service: We will join with Jon West in asking "Is This the Hand of Grace?" as we explore the mysterious border between our greatest hardships and our growing edge.

3:00-3:45 p.m. – Healing Circle based on A Course in Miracles led by Dennis and Janet Chandler in the upstairs Fillmore Wing. This circle is dedicated to acquiring healing practices and demonstrations.

Sunday, November 25th

10:30 a.m. Service: How can we be responsive to the ever-changing events in life while staying serenely grounded in Eternal Truth? Jon West will lead us in that discovery “In the Forest of Grief, Grace, and Gratitude.”

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The Gift of Grace

A message from Reverend Sherry Lady

My best friend Ruthie was dying. She was only 10 years old and I was 9 on the day my grandfather took me into her room to say goodbye. I remember how she looked so pale and tired, but when my grandfather put my hand into hers, she squeezed it and said, “See you sometime. We’ll play some more.”

Upon leaving her room, I was told that God’s grace was taking her home so she wouldn’t suffer. I didn’t understand that until much later. All I could do was wonder if God was so powerful, why didn’t he just heal her? She was a nice person, born when her parents were in their 40s, and they needed her. Seemed to me God had a mean streak in his nature. Much later I found out she had an aggressive form of leukemia. I still questioned how death and Grace could be uttered in the same sentence.

The years have given me a much different slant on God and Grace. Grace, in its myriad of forms, does exist and we know its depth when we feel that Divine presence within us as a blessing of awe, wonder, gratitude, peace, hope, love, and knowing. While it is not us that decides in what form or with what gifts Grace will come, it is comforting to me to know that Grace cannot be known or acquired through words, beliefs, or deeds. It can only be experienced.

The Sufi tradition mentions Grace as the “over-turning of the cup of the heart, the conscious abandonment of the quest itself” which results in the strengthening of the intuition. This leads to ascending to higher and higher levels of consciousness until we know beyond a doubt that Grace resides within us and is ours to experience at any given (and often surprising) moment. We are never without the guardian angel of higher knowing to bless us.

I turned 82 on my birthday last week. One of my dearest friends sent me a card with these words: “There’s an angel watching over you, to keep you safe and always light your way.” I love that image of Grace. My young friend Ruthie had her angel–I’m sure of that­–and she was guided on her way with the Grace of knowing how much she was loved. The journey may be unsure, but we are not left to travel it alone.

I close with this quote: “In this season I give thanks for the time that remains. To resist animosity and fear, I want to devote it to becoming proficient at all sorts of Grace notes before the chords of closure resound into silence.” (Susan Gubar, author of Reading and Writing Cancer: How Words Heal.)

Graced by your presence in my life.

With love and devotion,

Sherry

 

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THIS WEEK,  NOVEMBER 12th to NOVEMBER 17th

THIS WEEK, NOVEMBER 12-17

TUESDAY (7:00 p.m.) – The November 13 Behind the Lens Seminar film is Pride and Prejudice directed by Robert Z. Leonard, followed by a Q&A session with Tom Blank.  Cost is $30 for series or $5 per time.

THURSDAY

– 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – Joy of Watercolor. The emphasis of this class is on joy. Come and explore painting with watercolor in an encouraging and fun atmosphere. All skill levels welcome. For more information, contact Ellen Ticknor at 541-344-1490.

– 7:00-9:00 p.m. - Therapeutic Touch in the Fillmore Wing. Donation basis. For more information, please contact Bev Forster at 541-520-9358.

FRIDAY (7:00 p.m.) – Friday Spiritual Cinema: Parables & Epiphanies, a series of films curated by Tom Blank. The November screening is The Long Day Closes, directed by Terence Davies. A Q & A session with Tom will follow. Donation basis.

SATURDAY - (6:00-9:00 p.m.) – Reiki Do Satori Open House. This monthly event is open to all who are interested in receiving a short, free Reiki session for relaxation and/or healing. Reiki practitioners who would like to be part of this event are also welcome. Donations accepted.

NEXT WEEK,  NOVEMBER 19th to NOVEMBER 24th

MONDAY (7:00-9:00 p.m.) – Unity Open Men’s Circle meets in the Fillmore Wing. This group is open to all men within our church community and our larger Eugene community. For more information, contact Raymond Albano at 541-285-3943 / ralban0@icloud.com or Jim Drews at 541-726-8510.

TUESDAY

- 6:30 p.m. - Board Meeting in the Garden Room. All are welcome to attend. If you would like to speak at the meeting, please contact Tim Harrow at 541-359-8499.

- 7:00 p.m. – The November 20 Behind the Lens Seminar film is All This and Heaven Too directed by Anatole Litvak, followed by a Q&A session with Tom Blank.  Cost is $30 for series or $5 per time.

WEDNESDAY – Spiritual Yoga, Meditation, & Gong with Sunny Hills (10:30-11:45 a.m.). $5 per class. For more information, contact Sunny at 808-359-4926.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22 – Thanksgiving Day Potluck at Unity of the Valley. We will gather at 3:00 p.m. and eat at 4:00 p.m. Bring a hot dish, salad, or dessert. Turkeys are provided. Sign up in the Fellowship Hall.

NOTE: If you can help with this event, please sign up in the Fellowship Hall or contact Ellen ASAP at 541-344-1490.

NOTE: The Church Office will be closed on Thursday, November 22 and Friday, November 23 for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

UPCOMING

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6 – Christmas Decorating at Unity (6:00-8:00 p.m.). We need at least 15 adults (the more, the merrier) to help with the big tree and garlands. We are also looking for families with children for craft activities and to decorate the small tree in the Fellowship Hall. We’ll have pizza, apple cider, and cookies. Come help us!

Service Opportunities   

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