Continuing in our series of exploring eight precepts that are guidelines to connecting with our essential Self, we come to number four.  It says, “In all your outward activity remain inwardly free. Learn not to identify yourself with anything whatsoever.”  Well, that’s a pretty tall order.  The good news is that these precepts are not commandments one should follow, but descriptions of inner work we can address when we bump up against roadblocks to an ongoing sense of peace and well-being.  Let’s see how we can use Precept 4 to unlock a new sense of freedom.

Eight Precepts: 4. Solitude in the Crowd (Rev. Bill Williams, 7/18/21)

The Fifth Precept in our ongoing series is: "Remember your Friend, that is, God. Let the prayer of your tongue be the prayer of your heart." The human intellect cannot easily, if at all, conceive of boundlessness or of infinite power.  So, it is not hard to understand how religions have needed to construct finite images of a god that is the superhuman version of a person (usually a man) that resides in an almost cartoonish version of an ideal landscape. Human beings seem to have an innate need to connect with a force greater than themselves.  A doctrine that dogmatizes a way to believe in an almost magical power that also satisfies the intellect sufficiently is very attractive, especially if it offers admittance to a community that resonates in a feeling way.  Movements with these attributes emerge in all cultures and thrive in different ways. These religions serve the immediate needs of the masses. Jesus, as I see it, did not attempt to establish a religion but to show how to make an inner connection to a reality beyond thought, transcendent to any belief system; how to have a personal experience with the Infinite.

Eight Precepts: 5. Remembrance (Rev. Bill Williams, 7/25/21)

The Sixth Precept in our ongoing series is: Return to God. No aim but to attain Reality.

This Sunday we come to Precept No. 6 in our journey through the eight guidelines that assist us along the way to recognition and realization of who we have been created to be. This precept suggests that the return to God includes expanded understanding of three things: establishing an aim, working to attain it, and connecting with what is Real. Growing the understanding of these three things will be the focus of our lesson this Sunday.

Eight Precepts: 6. Return to God (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/1/21)

The Seventh Precept in our ongoing series is: Struggle with all alien thoughts. Keep your mind on what you are doing whether outwardly or inwardly.  Jesus said, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow…”  (Matt. 6:34 KJV).  Certainly, he was advising against worrying and fretting about what might be coming up, but beyond that obvious point is an idea even more basic. The spiritual journey begins with a thought leading to right thinking.  By the same token, the journey can be, and often is, sidetracked by a thought leading to wrong thinking. Herein lies the struggle this precept is pointing to.  This Sunday we will see if we can uncover some useful pointers about this key part of our journey of Self-realization.

Eight Precepts: 7. Observation (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/8/21)

The Eighth Precept in our ongoing series is: God is Present. Be constantly aware of the quality of the Divine Presence. Become used to recognizing the Presence of God in your heart.

This Sunday we conclude the series of eight precepts that are guidelines to assist in the awakening to who we have been created to be. This Precept represents both the beginning and the end steps of our journey.  When we encounter all events from the awareness of the presence of God, everything changes as we change.  Join us Sunday in the Sanctuary or by Zoom.

Eight Precepts: 8. God is Present (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/15/21)

Do you have family members or friends you have lost touch with and then tried to reconnect?  It is easy to get out of touch if we don’t make special efforts to stay connected.  It is also easy to lose touch with your essential Self, that sense of who you are beyond all thoughts of past and future.  It is perhaps the deeper meaning of the phrase in the old Gospel song, “Amazing Grace,” that says “I once was lost, but now am found.”  Let’s spend a few minutes this Sunday strengthening our ability to get in touch and stay in touch.

Staying in Touch (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/22/21)

One of the key threads woven throughout the tapestry of Jesus’ teaching is that transformation happens from the inside out, not the outside in. This Sunday we will explore how the realization of this truth changes everything we think, feel, say, and do and how we experience life itself. A certain and clear understanding of the reality of this concept is the birth into a new heaven and a new earth that Jesus kept pointing toward; a new inside and a new outside.

Inside Outside (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/29/21)

The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist marked the beginning of a remarkable three-year transformational experience that the disciples were called into. They and other closely involved members of the group constituted a School, established by Jesus, where he gave an intense course in awakening to a new dimension of possibilities. These people were not obviously remarkable in any way one would notice. They were ordinary people initiated into an extraordinary way of seeing and being. Let’s see if we can extract from the Gospel narrative a better understanding of what was taught in that School and what were some of the methods Jesus used that we can practice.

Moments of Awakening (Rev. Bill Williams, 9/5/21)

Last Sunday we began an exploration to better understand the relationships and dynamics in the group that formed with Jesus as the central force.  This group was a spiritual school whose purpose was to transform those within it and those who came into contact with it in the general population. The makeup of the school consisted of Jesus as Teacher (Rabbi), twelve designated messengers (Apostles), and those who directly followed Jesus as students (Disciples).   Jesus gave direct instruction in the form of teaching principles of living consciously.  Examples of this can be found in what is known as The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5, 6, & 7).  There were also less direct teachings through various parables and sayings, as well as indirect teaching by example and demonstration.  Perhaps the most powerful transformer of the followers and students was being in the force field of the presence of the Teacher.  The teaching assisted the students through the following three stages of transformation:
1) Awakening (alertness to the present)
2) Dying to the acquired or conditioned self (surrendering)
3) Rebirth (embodying ones True Self).
This Sunday we will further acquaint ourselves with how all of this is not just an historical event in the past, but a present time reality to be entered into.

More School Work (Rev. Bill Williams, 9/12/21)

This Sunday we continue to delve into the workings of the School that was established by Jesus.  Charles Fillmore, co-founder of Unity, was asked to define Unity.  He began his answer by saying, “Unity is a link in the great educational movement inaugurated by Jesus Christ…”  Since the founding of Unity it has been common to hear the participants in services and classes referred to as students, particularly in the early days and even up until fairly recently.  What is it like to be in this School, to be a student in a school with a transcendental point of view?

A Transcendental Point of View (Rev. Bill Williams, 9/19/21)

The narrative depicting Jesus’ work as given in the Gospel of John begins with an account of the supernatural transformation of water into wine that we are all familiar with.  What is the significance of this incident being the first attention-getting act of his ministry?  How does it tie into the teachings that follow, and what understanding does it lay the groundwork for?  What is the universal principle exemplified by this act?

Changing Water Into Wine (Rev. Bill Williams, 9/26/21)

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…” 1 John 4:18
There is a thread weaving throughout the transformational teaching of Jesus reiterating the idea of turning the lower into the higher.  Last Sunday we looked at this pattern as illustrated by the story of turning water into wine.  All beliefs, perceptions, and experiences of life that are lower and separating in their nature are fear-based and result in ever increasing suffering.  We can attempt to defeat our fears one-by-one or we can see if it is possible to meet life from a new, higher baseline of thinking, perceiving, and being that connects rather than separates.  Let’s explore how this might be made a reality in our lives.

The Defeat of Fear (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/3/21)

The disciples were initiates with access to different levels of understanding about who they really were.  Jesus guided them into a new awareness of how they could turn all the various life circumstances and events into the energy necessary for a change in level of being.  We will continue this Sunday to explore the nature of some of the instructions in the Gospel narrative that we can use as a guide for a change in our own realization of who we really are.

Instructions in the Kingdom of Heaven (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/10/21)

More than likely you have made a decision at some point to approach a difficult life situation differently after what you had been doing wasn't working out well.  You had a change of mind about the well-worn approach, but for some reason, the old way of doing things may have crept back into control of your experience. Is this a familiar pattern for you? If so, perhaps you not only need a change of mind, but also a change of heart. Let’s see if we can find some helpful ways to bring about real and lasting change; a complete attitude overhaul.

It's an Attitude Thing (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/17/21)

Among all the sayings of Jesus we find recorded in the Gospels, there is one that if heard and understood in the right way, encapsulates the direction and purpose of our spiritual work.  He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Who doesn’t long for peace and happiness in this lifetime? Maybe the possibility seems far away. Let’s see if we can discover how peace and good cheer is more accessible than most think is possible.

An Overcoming (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/24/21)

We will gather this Sunday on the grounds at the picnic tables near the Fellowship Hall for a special healing and renewal service.  Before our community can move forward with clarity and on a firm foundation, we must first acknowledge and be lovingly present with the feeling of loss.  Supporting one another in this experience is what will strengthen the bonds needed to move our community through the creative steps that must follow.  We will come together on our beautiful grounds that have been the setting for an amazing spiritual journey of the community we cherish deeply. It will be the beginning of the first step into the next phase of the continuation of that journey.  Bring a lawn chair, a warm sweater, and an open heart and together we will see through the haze of any sense of loss into what we truly have that is even greater.

Remembering, Honoring and Moving Forward (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/31/21)

You have often heard it said that life is a journey. And it sure seems that’s what it is. There are twists and turns, and bends in the road that reveal shocks and surprises. There is also a rather cynical saying that life is hard, then you die. What if there is another way to not only see, but to experience, life as a guided tour; that life is not a grind, but a revelation. Each event and encounter is encapsulated information revealing a little more of what the tour is all about. It doesn’t get harder. It becomes easier to take life in a new and expansive way. We’ll call it the Easy Jesus Tour. You’re invited to get on board.

The Easy Jesus Tour (Rev. Bill Williams, 11/7/21)

It can sometimes seem as if we’re part of random happenings that can knock us off our feet with no warning. The feeling of ‘life out of control’ is what many of us try so very hard to avoid. Indeed, the unpredictable nature of the world can tempt us to do everything we can think of to try to control events and outcomes. The Easy Jesus Tour is not about learning how to control life events, but how to recognize what is real and what is false in and around them. It is about knowing that all the events and circumstances are not destinations; they are places along the tour. This Sunday we will take a look at the itinerary and learn more about where we have been in a way that clarifies where we are going.

The Easy Jesus Tour: Part 2 (Rev. Bill Williams, 11/14/21)

The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas is deemed by many Biblical scholars to be worthy of standing beside the more familiar four gospels in the New Testament. In this class, we will conduct a metaphysical exploration of the 114 sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas.

Metaphysical Interpretation of the Gospel of Thomas: Sayings 65-70 (Rev. Bill Williams, 11/18/21)

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  Luke 12:32

When we find ourselves in life’s most turbulent moments, that’s when the greatest transformation and enlightenment can occur. Any of life’s challenges or changes, whether it be our health or relationships or finances or work, puts us smack on the precipice of a threshold. It is here we find ourselves teetering on the brink of the unknown and this causes our greatest fears to surface. This Sunday, we will be exploring what Jesus, Apostle Paul, and Charles Fillmore advise us to do when fear overcomes us.

Breaking Free From Fear (Theresa Krieger, 10/9/22)

A familiar plot line in the movies is one where the protagonist has amnesia and does not remember who he or she is. The quest to rediscover the lost identity then ensues. The idea being conveyed is that without a story to provide an identity, no one knows who they are. Our personal story is like a database that we refer to for answers to all sorts of life questions; it’s a kind of self-referral we have that tells us who and where we are along our lifeline. Our story can be a blessing or a curse, so to speak. We get useful information from our story, but we can also feel like we are burdened by our story. What is the truth about the story we tell?

What a Story (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/30/22)

In this inspiring and uplifting talk, I’ll share my personal journey of manifesting dreams despite facing constant doubt and negativity from those around me. Through persistence and an unwavering commitment to helping others, I turned discouragement into fuel for success. Together, we’ll explore the transformative power of positive support, the challenges of navigating negativity, and strategies to stay focused on your unique path.

Come recharge your spirit, gain practical insights for the months ahead, and leave feeling empowered to turn challenges into opportunities. Let this talk be the motivation you need to finish the year strong and step confidently into the new one!


"Thriving Against the Odds: Manifesting Dreams with Purpose and Persistence" Lisa Palmer, 12/1/2024

All experiences, pleasant and unpleasant, wanted and unwanted, are pointers indicating the true nature of our Being. Join us as we follow the trail, leading us back home where we see, beyond the shadow of doubt, that we are the unconditional peace, love, and joy that we seek.

"All Roads Lead to Home" Theresa Krieger, 4/6/2025

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” He also said, “You are the light of the world.” In both instances, he was reminding us of our true nature as beings of love and goodness. When we notice the suffering of others, or when we’re facing challenges of our own, we may lose sight of this truth. Identifying with and dwelling on our worries, upsets, and fears can trap us in a prison made of thoughts. What do we do when we’re attached to a habit of thinking that causes us to forget who we are? The Buddha proclaimed that there can be an end to suffering. He also said that no one should accept his words just because he was the Buddha. He taught students to come and see for themselves, testing the teachings through mindfulness, contemplation, and ethical conduct. Jesus, the Buddha, and other enlightened teachers understood the nature of human beings and the nature of suffering. Together let’s see if their lessons can show us the way to end our suffering and to experience peace and joy for ourselves. 

"You Are the Light of Your World"  with Paul Lawrence Smith, 7/20/2025

I’m excited to share the Mastermind Principle – a powerful prayer method first shared by the late Unity minister, Rev. Jack Boland.  Rev. Julie Keen brought it to Unity of Tallahassee in 1988.  Through this Principle, you combine your own faith and strength with that of at least one other person as well as that of your Higher Power, God, the Mastermind! This prayer process is based on the ancient principle that “If two of you agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.” Matthew 18: 19-20. 
 
We will learn the principles and share the power of this way of praying – and yes, there will be a handout!

"The Mastermind Principle"  with Kathryn Hathaway, 9/14/2025


In this service we  explore the power of "I Am" statements with a manifestation activity and open heart meditation. There will be time to share with others in the congregation in order to amplify our intent.

"Manifesting with an Open Heart"  with Laurel Jordan

Feeling overwhelmed by life’s chaos? Wondering how to find peace when things seem out of control? Join us as we explore “The Spiritual Power of Order” — how Divine Order is always at work, even when appearances suggest otherwise. 

Discover practical ways to align your thoughts, feelings, and actions with the natural flow of Life. We’ll talk about finding meaning in chaos, trusting God’s perfect timing, and experiencing more harmony, joy, and ease in daily life.

Come be inspired, uplifted, and reminded that everything is unfolding exactly as it is supposed to— even when we can’t yet see the bigger picture.


"The Spiritual Power of Order"  with Judee Light, 9//28/2025

Join us as we explore why we are here, what we are here to do, how we can best shine our light, and why religion is losing its importance in many people's lives. 

"Two Rules"  with Fred Harris, 10/5/2025

Have you ever found yourself struggling through life? Does every day seem like an uphill climb?  Join us as we discover four simple actions that can help us create an easier, more rewarding life filled with joy and love.


"Let it Be Easy"  with Anne Bewley and Barbara Schmidt, 10/12/2025


We’ll explore how to reignite that inner spark of enthusiasm that keeps us alive, awake, alert, and aware — even when life feels dim. Come be reminded that the flame of Spirit never goes out…it just waits for us to notice it again.

"The Spiritual Power of Zeal"  with Judee Light, 10/19/2025

We each have a certain number of humans that we will influence in any given lifetime. The more we are aligned with Spirit, the more our lives will joyfully influence the journey of their souls. 

"The Power of Our Influence"  with Vickie Spray, 10/26/2025

In my talk, I share from my own life and near-death experience — how life’s deepest pain can become a divine invitation to awaken. It’s about how fear and false beliefs create separation, and how life, often through people and circumstances that don’t feel loving at all, shows us where we’re not yet free.

By remembering the divine within, we find healing, love, and freedom. 

"From Fear to Freedom: A Near-Death Journey Through Darkness and Awakening"  with Michelle Ledbetter

In Unity, denials (or negations) are used to clear away false and negative thoughts, while affirmations are used to declare and claim spiritual truths. Join me as we explore these valuable tools for spiritual growth.

"Denials and Affirmations"  with Dr. Patty Ball Thomas, 11/9/2025


Adversity is painful and commonplace.  If God is all powerful, why are sin and evil allowed to exist?  Glad you asked.

"Why Does God Allow Imperfection?"  with Fred Harris

What if one simple shift — letting go — could bring more peace, clarity, and flow into your life? We will explore The Spiritual Power of Release and how it can transform our inner and outer worlds. When we release what no longer serves us, we open the door for Divine Order to unfold in powerful ways. When we release, we rise.

"The Spiritual Power of Release"  with Judee Light, 11/23/2025

It is often said, "God is Love," and yet that description can actually seem vague and hard to grasp. This is especially true when we experience difficult or tragic events and are left searching for answers. What does it really mean that "God is Love", and how can we experience God in a way that comforts and transforms us? Throughout human history, saints and sages have offered their thoughts regarding the nature of God to help show us the way.

Love Is The Answer (Paul Smith, 12/3/2017)

Throughout the gospels, when performing a miracle, Jesus would often say something like, "your faith has healed you", or "to the measure of your faith, so are you healed". What is faith? Is it just a matter of believing or is it something more? What qualities does it have that can transform us, and can we acquire more faith? Let's find out together.

Can Faith Work MIracles? (Paul Smith, 10/1/2017)

As we grow spiritually, we are sometimes confronted with a situation that requires we let go of a habit, idea, or belief that has served us for a long time.  Even when we know it is truly for our own benefit, still we may feel resistant or reluctant to do it.  How do we overcome our fear of letting go?  The great teachers throughout history have spoken of this and offered insight and solutions to help us.

Out with the Old, In with the New (Paul Smith, 9/3/2017)

The story of the birth of Jesus has led to yearly celebrations of Christmas for nearly 2 millennia. Some celebrate the story as a factual event while others focus on a more spiritual message. Whatever the point of view, this idea has permeated the collective consciousness of humanity. When we recognize that our own state of consciousness is the key to how we experience and express all things, a new understanding is born within us. This awareness is the greatest of all gifts and is one only we can give to ourselves.

Popular tracks by Unity of Tallahassee