2022 Unity of Tallahassee Sunday Services

2022 Sunday Services

“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

We look out at the world and see so many natural events and human actions that plainly, on the face of it, are hurtful to our brothers and sisters in the human family, as well as in our own lives. Yet, in Unity, when we refer to the idea of God, we often add the descriptive term, “the Good”. How can we reconcile these two seemingly contradictory things? The evidence of our senses tugs at our heart and instills questioning and doubt. There is a way to realize the Reality that is encompassing and resolving all the appearance of suffering. This is not an ignoring of our experience; it is a transformation of the experience into Love. Some clues about how this transformation can be actualized in our lives are embedded in the statement by Jesus shown above. Let’s see if we can find the clues and put what they tell us into practice in our lives.

Bad Things, Good God? (Rev. Bill Williams, 7/31/22)

In living a human life, we assign meaning to ourselves, to our relationships, to our lives, and to the world. What meaning are we assigning and does it take us to a higher place or does it keep us in a rut? Although we perceive others and the world outside ourselves, how much of what we see is the result of our interpretation? Let’s take a look at how we can choose a different lens to perceive, interpret and experience a different world, a world much grander, intelligent, and expansive than we could have seen before.

What Do You See? (Theresa Krieger, 8/7/22)

We live in a world of opposites which gives rise to the appearance and the experience of separateness as our reality. The prevailing ‘common sense’ perception in this kind of world says that for me to be right someone else must be wrong; if I have more someone else must have less, and so on. The dual nature of this experience readily gives rise to the belief that people, events, circumstances, and situations are in opposition to our happiness and sense of well-being. Is it then possible to live in a world of opposites without living in a sense of opposition? The teachings of Unity and the good new that Jesus brought says a resounding, “Yes!”. Check us out this Sunday.

Reconciling Opposites (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/14/22

In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33b)

We use our hands without necessarily knowing all about the anatomy of the hands. We see with our eyes whether or not we understand how perception is shaped from the light images reaching our brain. We solve problems in our mind without knowing the part the brain plays in hosting that mind. We sense that we are a self that we call ‘I’ as who is having all these experiences. Then, there is the ever-present awareness encompassing all of that. Through the ages, sages and masters such as Jesus have appeared to point toward this Awareness as the Self which encompasses all of that which we identify as ‘I’. In Unity we call that Self, the Christ. It is Love Itself, and ones very own Self. Let’s journey a little further into the realization of who we are.

Transformation (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/21/22)

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

In an early encounter with Unity, I heard a teacher say, “You need to know the Truth about the situation.” This was new to me. The word, ‘Truth’, is capitalized in this statement to represent a transcendent realization beyond the seemingly obvious appearance of a ‘fact’. We live in a world of facts about all aspects of how we experience who we are and the life in which we live. So many of these so-called facts represent finite limitations to our sense of self. A product of this is that we experience life defined by limitation. Facts can show up as adverse life events, feelings of separateness, and various forms of suffering. What’s the difference between a fact in the world and the Truth of our being? What’s missing?

What's Missing? (Rev. Bill Williams, 8/28/22)

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! John 4:35b

The Sufi mystic, Rumi, said, “(T)here is a field, I will meet you there.” Jesus made numerous references to something he called the kingdom or heaven, seemingly pointing to a kind of spiritual field of infinite possibilities. Physicists have searched for a Unified Field Theory since the early 20th century. Do the various religious traditions have something fundamentally in common that is also being delved into by modern science? How would I be affected by knowing ‘there is a field’ where we meet?

There is a Field (Rev. Bill Williams, 9/4/22)

“You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.” -Marianne Williamson

The light of our consciousness can shine upon something that at first seems unpleasant and transform it into that which is sacred. When we open our awareness, darkness becomes light and we can see with greater insight and understanding. The treasures that were hidden can be found. As human beings, we have the privilege and responsibility of being spiritual alchemists. We can, “by the renewing of our minds” and our hearts, transmute any experience into one that nourishes, replenishes, inspires and enlightens us. Come join us on Sunday as we explore this ability which is a characteristic of being fully human and fully divine.

Transforming Garbage into Gold (Theresa Krieger, 9/11/22)

Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him. Luke 8:18

This saying of Jesus is not an offhand statement; not something he said in passing. It’s repeated four times by the Gospel writers. Jesus was flagging a fundamental principle referring to the nature of who we are and how that affects our experience of life, ourselves and the world around us. The ordinary way of living is to rely on our senses to give accurate input about our current status. How reliable is this input? Jesus was saying that the evidence of the senses reveals the contents of the mind and heart, not the contents of the world. Contrary to how this may sound, it is very practical advice. How so? Come this Sunday and find out.

From Fullness to Fullness (Rev. Bill Williams, 9/18/22)

It is like a man who traveled abroad and left his house and gave authority to his servants and to each man his work and he commanded the gatekeeper to be watchful. Mark 13:34

Where do you spend the most time during your day? Someone may say that I spend my time at work or at home or at the beach. If your answer was something like this, you are like most people in thinking that the question refers to where your body is located in the world. What if, instead, the inquiry is into what place in your mind you are living? In that case, where do you spend your day? This Sunday we will discuss how we can become more aware of where we are living inside of ourselves, how that affects the way we experience life, and how the experience of life can be radically and consciously changed through applying this understanding to ourselves.

The Upper Room (Rev. Bill Willliams, 9/25/22)

What are the heart impurities that are preventing us from seeing God? Much of the Sermon on the Mount points out that which clouds our perception so that our experience is of the absence of God, or Good, rather than the Presence. One of the familiar lessons Jesus used is the saying about the “mote in your brother’s eye”.  This teaching is just one of many examples he gave to say that nothing needs to be added to see the Presence of God, but many things must be removed for the "Isness" that is God to be revealed. This is the work of refraining from demonizing the people and things in our lives, and then moving toward divinizing them. This Sunday let’s see how we might cleanse the lens of our perception to learn to see God a little more clearly in our world.

How to See God (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/2/22)

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)

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21 (NKJ)

Consider for a moment who or what is the ‘you’ Jesus is referring to when he said “…the kingdom of God is within you.” If that ‘you’ is your body, then he’s talking about a pretty small kingdom in order to fit into the body. How big must ‘you’ be, or how small must the kingdom of God be, for this arrangement to work? Certainly, he is not saying you are the body or that the kingdom of God is a piece of geography. What is he referring to, then? How might understanding what he is saying change your life experience? Let’s see if we can solve the mystery together this Sunday.

It's Right Here (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/16/22)

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58 (NKJ)

Unity was founded upon the idea that our ills and sufferings are rooted in the perpetuation of a false sense of who we are that is held in our mind through self-defeating patterns of thinking. The antidote to this condition which must then be applied to our mind, is to negate, through Denials, that which is false, and acknowledge, by way of Affirmation, the Truth of our Being. Through the persistence of continuous application of Denials to the false, and faithfully planting the seeds of Truth through Affirmation in thought, word, and deed, one's life experience is changed. What more could one want? I am curious. Let’s see if there is more.

Knowing I Am (Rev. Bill Williams, 10/23/22)

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)

“Words move hearts and hearts move limbs.” - Hamza Yusuf

Would you like to transform ordinary conversations into remarkable experiences? Come join us this Sunday as we converge ancient spiritual teachings on “the Word” with modern scientific studies on communication. It turns out the ancient scriptures and the science of today are giving us the exact same advice. Using these new and yet old strategies, we can create more harmony and compassion within ourselves and consequently in the world. With our practice of conscious communication, this compassion generates more awareness and more love in all our interactions.

The Secret Life of Words (Theresa Krieger, 11/6/22)

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29

This Sunday begins a series in which we explore and deepen our understanding of what the heart of Unity really is. This journey is not about the history of an organization, a religion, or a movement. It is an attempt to understand the universal nature of unity itself. Merriam-Webster says, “The meaning of UNITY is the quality or state of not being multiple : oneness.”  This definition says unity is a state of being. A state of being is an innate or inherent quality of who you are, who I am. This series will seek to discover how the experience and expression of this already present, yet often unrealized truth might shine forth in you and me. Thus, true unity is realized.

Realizing Unity, Part 1: "True Rest" (Rev. Bill Williams, 11/13/22)

Continuing our exploration of what it means to realize unity as our true state of being, this Sunday we will attempt to get in touch with how our sense of self is so often misplaced. The upsets, unhappiness, stress, and suffering we experience in life naturally follow the fallacy of identifying and living as who we are not, rather than who we really are. The correction of this fundamental error is what we call our spiritual journey. Different religions and traditions describe this error in different ways and prescribe a variety of solutions. Fundamental Christianity uses the term "original sin". In Unity we call it "error thought".  Samsara is what Hinduism and Buddhism name it. Other traditions have their own version of this universal human condition of the experience of our unrealized wholeness. By whatever name it is given, this conditioning of our true Self is not in our way; it is the Way to realizing our Wholeness.

Realizing Unity, Part 2: "No Such Separate Self" (Rev. Bill Williams, 11/20/22)

Continuing our exploration of what it means to realize unity as our true state of being, this Sunday we will seek to understand how the mind can either reveal or obscure the oneness that is our true nature. Charles Fillmore put a great emphasis on getting to know the mind and its functions, particularly thoughts. As a matter of fact, Jesus did as well. His teachings about "take no thought for tomorrow", "judge not", and many others, were a way to train the powers of focus and attention; a way to clarify and unify the mind. We have been given an amazing instrument to use. The thing is, human beings are quite often unconsciously used by the mind, rather than consciously use the mind to realize that which is greater, which is transcendent to the mind. Join us as we continue on our path of ‘"Realizing Unity".

Realizing Unity, Part 3: "A Unified Mind" (Rev. Bill Williams, 11/27/22)

“…(God) causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45(b)

We live in a world with which we engage diversity of every sort. Some activities and people in the world appear to be pleasant and just what we would prefer. Then there are the "others". These people and conditions  are experienced as disagreeable and definitely not preferable or conducive to what we may judge to be good. After living for a while in such a diverse world, we may arrive at the conclusion that we do not have the power to change or control the world of appearances all around us. So, what are we to do? How do we reconcile the concept of fundamental Goodness being the ground of everything, with the experience of everyday life seeming to be anything but goodness and peace itself? Join in as we expand our spiritual practice of mediating the opposites in our life experience.

Mediated by Love (Rev. Bill Williams, 12/4/22)

“They alone live, who live for others.” – Vivekananda

Every day, in so many ways, we are being called forth to participate in deeper, more meaningful ways with others and therefore within ourselves. Life is like an open hand ready to receive the gifts we are willing to offer. Life is also like a mirror, reflecting back to us the love we are willing to share. Every day we are invited to express ourselves in ways that allow us to be channels of compassion, peace, and joy. How do we hear that invitation and respond? This Sunday we will explore this invitation and an example found in a traditional Christmas song that models how we could courageously answer that call.

The Little Drummer Boy in Us All (Theresa Krieger, 12/11/22)

Rev. Bill Williams is Senior Minister at Unity of Tallahassee in Tallahassee, Florida