Security, Serenity and Magic!

 

Midweek Faith Lift

July 25, 2018

Serenity, Security and Magic!

Rev. Heather Withers

 

Good Morning!

These are exciting days at Unity of Ames. Last Sunday we celebrated the church’s 25th anniversary. This coming Tuesday we will be offering food and hospitality to RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) riders and members of the Ames community.

 

Opening ‘ prayer’

If I prayed, “God, I’m crossing my fingers that all will go well today and during the week. And I’m knocking on wood, just to be sure. Amen” you would probably be somewhat puzzled. Crossing your fingers and knocking on wood are often seen as superstitions you hope will protect you.

Relying on Outer Security

Eric Butterworth, in Spiritual Economics, suggests that people often have this same magical faith that outer material things will bring them security. Houses, jobs, cars, bank accounts, degrees, etc. are seen as insurance against the vagaries of life.

 

But as we see or read every day in the news, houses can burn down or be flooded, jobs can be eliminated, cars can be totaled, bank accounts can lose value, college degrees don’t automatically bring success.

 

This is not to suggest that the desire for security is wrong or that we shouldn’t seek ways of achieving it. It is simply that when we place the emphasis on outer things, we miss the whole meaning of life. Life is for expressing, for growth and expansion.                                                        P. 130

 

Life is Lived from the Inside Out

Jesus reminded us

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust consume and thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven (within you) ... for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”     Matt. 6:19.

 

Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.” Matt. 6:33

 

Through prayer and meditation, readings, journaling, music, being in nature etc. we seek the

serenity within us rather than outside, a serenity that can still be there in times of turmoil.

 

A king seeking a picture of peace for his palace passed over a painting of a placid lake reflecting the mountains towering above it. Instead he selected one of a massive waterfall thundering to the rocks below. Right by the base of the fall, a mother bird sat placidly in her nest guarding her little ones. Peace in the heart is not necessarily the absence of turmoil in the outer world, but a sense of inner security which is not overwhelmed by outer circumstances.

 

From Security to Serenity at Unity Church of Ames

Back in 2004 we felt the need for a larger space for our church. This began a great adventure which started with an affirmation and ended with us purchasing the Christian Science building. Along the way we faced our fears, let go of our past security, developed An Audacious Dream for Our Church and trusted that with a mature and understanding faith, our good would manifest. And it did!

 

Growing Through Change - Here We Grow Again!

Over the years, we’ve made many changes in the building (accessibility, a kitchen, etc.) to serve the congregation and the community. The next project is to level the floor in the Community Room for accessibility and allow more activities e.g. yoga, Dances of Universal Peace, health fairs etc.

 

One of our fund raising activities is a pasta dinner on Tuesday for the RAGBRAI participants. We will have the opportunity to bless whoever comes as they bless us with their presence and their contributions. We will open our hands and hearts to welcome the magic of having people from all over the world at our table, including several teams of riders staying in our neighborhood who have been invited over for our pasta meal.

 

Love and blessings,

 

May you experience the magic as you move from outer security to inner serenity.

 

Heather