SUNDAY LIVESTREAM SERVICE: Join us and many other friends of Unity live at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday at https://www.facebook.com/unityofthevalley (you don’t have to be a Facebook member). Other links and news are posted after the message. Last Sunday’s (7/3/22) service can be watched at https://www.facebook.com/unityofthevalley/videos/7-3-22-what-does-it-mean-to-be-truly-free/584751993254146/.

INDEPENDENCE DAY
A message from Rev. Sherry Lady

A walk in the park on a gorgeous sunshiny day is a perfect way to clear out a cobwebby brain clogged with the details of an at-task morning. The main task had been cleaning off a very messy desk, resulting in a strong tugging by a body needing to release the stiffness of confinement to an office chair. So, with a clogged brain and stiff body asking for immediate attention, I put on my walking shoes and headed out, sunglasses in hand.

I knew it would be crowded wherever I went, but that was okay since it was a holiday. And without family here, I could watch young America at play and remember having my own kids to entertain, topped off with hot dogs washed down by lemonade. Pulling into the parking lot, I rolled down the car window and heard the joyous sounds of families at play on this, their day of independence, celebrated with the freedom we have come to cherish through the years and generations.

Suddenly a saying, shared by Sir Winston Churchill when he was Prime Minister of Great Britain, came to mind: “A nation that forgets its past has no future.” This was also framed a little differently and spoken by a man named George Santayana in his book, The Life of Reason, published in 1905. In that moment, my heart hoped that a good percentage of the people present in that beautiful outdoor place had some understanding of why they were able to be there together on this particular day of celebration.

As I strolled down the walkway toward the swimming pool, I observed a young woman sitting under a tree reading a Dr. Seuss book to her children. They were sitting on towels on the grass with wet swimming suits beside them and eating what looked like power bars. Books and swimming suits? On a warm sunny day in the park? I had to smile at that. It made me think of the children’s book library from my teaching days that I saved for my grandchildren who are now too big to be interested. But since I cannot yet let it go, it remains at my house. I’m like that. Maybe you are, too. Some things are just too special, and their presence brings us comfort.

Our lives are like libraries…rich in experiences tucked between the bookends of our existence. Many of our individual experiences and collective remembrances can be grouped into categories: family history, favorite recipes, vacation sagas, holidays, birthdays, relationships, etc. Some memories may be grouped, like our library shelves at church, under broader themes such as humor, self-awareness, faith, inspiration, prayer, healing, forgiveness, etc.  The most meaningful keepsakes of the heart and soul underpin all the other categories of our lives. If we allow them to, they will grow within us and make us who we are to become.

What we do with the libraries of our lives is of utmost importance. They contain both fiction and non-fiction. Fiction arises because our emotional reactions sometimes color the truth of what happened. Such fictions can create past feelings of fear, embarrassment, or unworthiness. Sometimes we can recover the hidden gifts of a past experience simply by holding it up in the light and love of our divine essence. For that is the truth of our being.

When encountering one of our painful fictions, we might try to remove them from our shelves, pack them in a box in the basement of our thoughts, let the dust settle over them, stack other boxes on top of them, or hope they will go away if we run away from them. But this rarely removes them for good. A more healing approach is to change our relationship with our past. We can start by making more frequent selections from the spiritual shelves–the experiences that speak of hope, forgiveness, compassion, wisdom, the power of prayer, the teachings of the masters, and so on. 

When we decide it’s time to approach memories we’ve kept hidden in darkness, we have the option to bring our brightest awareness to them. Instead of reliving the same old emotions, we can say: “I experienced that before, but I no longer will let that define me. I will carry the book of wisdom close to my heart until the infinite library of the Holy Spirit is unveiled within me. I will not fear my past nor bury it out of fear. I will take the lessons learned and the wisdom gained into my present and future moments. I will build a library of my life that will honor, bless, uphold, and encourage the future readers of my story while it does the same for me. The library will have no late fees, and each book will have a shiny cover in honor of the Spirit of Life.

Knowing I will stumble along the way, more than once, I reaffirm my Independence Day….to Love, Serve, and Remember the beauty of life. I am so happy to be here – with you. Come walk in the park with me. I love the company.

Love,
Sherry

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SUNDAY GATHERING FOR YOUTH: We currently offer fun and inspiration for kids ages 5 to 10 years old (4th grade) who are fully vaccinated. There is a puppet show each Sunday for the first 10 minutes. Parents are asked to drop off their children starting at 10:20 a.m. See our Safety Precautions below for younger children.

OUR COVID SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

1.      Proof of Vaccination/Booster: Our in-person attendees will need to verify they are fully vaccinated with the recommended dose of the vaccine they have chosen, including at least one booster shot. We ask that you send in this proof or additional proof of booster to Géna at unityval@riousa.com to minimize the document checking on Sunday mornings.

2.     Masking: We appreciate your patience as we continue requiring masks at Unity for everyone’s protection. 

3.     Small Children: Families who have small children too young to be vaccinated may attend on a reservation basis.

Reminder: If you OR anyone in your family has been exposed to the Covid-19 virus, OR if you or anyone in your family is not feeling well, please do not come to the in-person service but rather join us on our livestream service.

We are reviewing this policy on a monthly basis.

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 10

10:30 a.m. Livestream & In-Person Service – “Keep Smiling, It’s Almost Over." Guest Speakers Ted Taylor and Julia Linebarger-Taylor take a lighthearted look into family life and retirement, finding adventure, joy, and compassion in the rollercoaster of daily living.

NEXT SUNDAY, JULY 17

10:30 a.m. Livestream & In-Person Service – “Finding What Makes Us Happy—and Doing It” with Rev. Sherry Lady.

UNITY COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Unity Food Drive Extended – Our Unity Community did a great job donating food for our Food Drive throughout the month of June to help Food For Lane County keep the local pantries stocked. THANK YOU! We have decided to extend the food drive throughout the summer. These pantries serve as emergency assistance for people who are in need of food, and the need is high right now. Donated items should be shelf-stable food (i.e., canned or no refrigeration needed). Suggested items: protein such as peanut butter, canned meat, tuna, chicken, etc., canned food, soup, spices, cooking oil, broths, shelf-stable non-dairy milk alternative like almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc., cereal, grains, pasta, rice, baby food, baby formula. Please help us fill the barrel in the foyer in June! 

To find out what’s happening with our Unity Community, check out our July Bulletin at http://unityofthevalley.org/pdfs/July2022.pdf. It’s filled with messages from a variety of people, volunteer opportunities, community outreach information, prayer, and so much more. 

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Church Openers serve one Sunday a month and unlock doors and prepare the sanctuary and other rooms for the Sunday service. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Géna at 541-345-9913, ext. 11.

Church Closers serve one Sunday a month and help count the love offering after the service, and lock and close the church after the service. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Géna at 541-345-9913, ext. 11.

PowerPoint Volunteers serve one Sunday per month in the sound booth advancing PowerPoint slides during the service. Substitutes needed as well. If you would like to volunteer, contact Géna at 541-345-9913, ext. 11.

Youth & Family Ministry Volunteer. We are currently looking for teachers for our Unikids (ages 5-10 years old) to teach two Sundays per month. The curriculum and lesson plans are provided. NOTE: All persons working in the youth program must complete an application, be interviewed, and pass a state required background check, prior to working with the children. For more information, contact Alice Sparks at 971-254-7564.

OUR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT FUND

We want to thank those of you who have contributed to Our Spiritual Community Support Fund, more famously known as OSCSF. With your support, OSCSF has been a vital way to provide temporary assistance for people in our Unity community struggling to meet basic needs. (For more information about this fund, see the bottom of this email.) To contribute, send a check payable to Unity of the Valley and include OSCSF in the memo line. It makes a difference!

UNITY’S SIMPLE GIVING PROGRAM

Unity of the Valley’s Simple Giving Program is an easy, automatic means by which you can give gifts or tithes to the church in the amount you specify at the frequency you select. To sign up and for more information, click http://www.unityofthevalley.org/pdfs/simplegivingform.pdf. If you have any questions, contact our Administrator, Géna, at 541-345-9913, ext. 11.

UNITY COMMUNITY CONNECTION VIA ZOOM

WEDNESDAYS (2:00-3:00 p.m.) - Community Connect moderated by Rev. Dick Everts. This is a one hour, drop in, chatting session for discussing topics of spiritual interest, personal growth, etc. There is a new topic each Wednesday. To take part, send an email request to Rev. Dick at richard.everts@comcast.net.

SACRED WEDNESDAY MORNING YOGA with Donna O’Neil (10:00-11:30 a.m.) – Level 1 mindful yoga practices for strength, balance, and flexibility. Classes are on Zoom. For cost and more details, go to https://yogawithdonna.com/classes-and-schedule. Contact Donna at yogawithdonna@gmail.com or text to 541-632-0105. Let her know you are coming at least 15 minutes before the start of class so you can get the Zoom link. 

SATURDAYS (10:00 a.m.) - Triple-Gong-Relaxation Sound Bath, Donation Basis, Live on Zoom with Sunny & Vicky Hills at https://www.sunnyhillsmeditation.com, or watch several free full-length classes on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQzQzujz_jdq0dnkaypT3g.

UNITY’S COUNCIL OF ELDERS meet once a week via Zoom. If you are 60 or older and would like to explore the journey and wisdom of elderhood, please join us. If interested contact Bonnie Paquin at blpaquin2@gmail.com or 541-345-8873.

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Your Prayer Team is Here for You!
Do you have a prayer request? Email Rev. Inge Tarantola your name and prayer request at ingetar@pacinfo.com.

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Unity of the Valley’s Music Releases can be found at
https://www.facebook.com/unityofthevalley/videos/368369060857899/.

Our final "Connecting from the Heart" video can be viewed at
https://www.facebook.com/unityofthevalley/videos/794071654589784 .

We also post Unity videos, when possible, at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqUL3d7-JjO_45Bo3vLfrWQ/videos

You can visit Unity Online at:
Website: http://www.unityofthevalley.org

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OUR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT FUND
The Unity Board has approved the creation of Our Spiritual Community Support Fund. This fund was inspired by a Unity member who offered her government stimulus funds to assist individuals in our spiritual community who need it most. 

WAYS YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY

 Send a check to Unity of the Valley, 3912 Dillard Rd., Eugene, OR 97405 with a note designating if it’s for OSCSF or general Unity finances.

Send a donation through PayPal using the yellow DONATE button below.

This can be a one-time donation, repeated as often as you wish for different amounts, or a monthly recurring donation for a set amount. Make sure you designate whether you want your donation to be applied to OSCSF or to general Unity finances.

Send an email to unityval@riousa.com stating that you wish to pledge a certain amount, possibly from your government stimulus check to the OSCSF or to general Unity finances. Give your phone number so Géna can contact you to arrange how and when you wish to donate.

 You can write a letter stating you wish to join our Simple Giving Fund to contribute a set amount (state the amount) on a regular basis (state how often) with your bank account routing and account number. Just designate what portion should be used for OSCSF or general Unity finances. Géna, our Office Administrator, opens all our mail in private. So, it is safe to include your account information in a letter, but not in an email.

IF YOU NEED MONETARY ASSISTANCE
To request monetary help, you can write a letter or an email (unityval@riousa.com) directed to the Ministerial Team. Please include the following information:
1. Your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
2. Your association with Unity of the Valley.
3. Name of reference at Unity of the Valley (someone who knows you).
4. Brief description of your financial need.
5. How much you are requesting.
6. Do you think your financial needs will require monthly support? 

Requests for monetary help will be reviewed by our Ministerial Team. If a request is approved, the amount granted will be dependent on how many requests we receive and how much money is available in the OSCSF.

Thank you all for being an integral part of our loving and supportive community.

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