Special enote from Reverend Carolyn Warnemuende

April 3, 2020

Dear Hearts,

On this beautiful sunny, crisp spring morning, I feel grateful for how our UCIR community is staying connected. By now, many of you have received a telephone call from Rev. Ken, one of our Board members, or me. We plan to make weekly calls to you during this sheltering-in time as a way of keeping us together as a congregation. If you have not received a call and would like contact, please let us know by calling the church at 246-9544. We check messages regularly. If you want to be sure to reach someone, please call me directly at 605-6306. Our desire is to make each of you feel supported and cared for by us when we cannot see you face-to-face.

A second way we are staying in touch is through the weekly eBlast and monthly eNews. It is here that you will be updated on what is happening with the running of the church while we are not physically there. You can trust that all is in good hands. 

Finally, and I find this exciting, in the eBlast we will provide the link to a weekly service. Since we do not have the capacity to live stream at this time, the service is recorded mid-week. You can access it anytime, and as many times as you’d like, by keeping the link available. For our Palm Sunday service, Ken spoke, Nancy Johnson provided music, and I read the Daily Word. For each weekly service, Ken and I will alternate the speaking, and Nancy will provide music. The services will be about 15 or 20 minutes long. We trust that they provide the spiritual support you want, and that they remind you to use our principles.

Earlier this week, I read this quote by Unity writer Ernest C. Wilson: Times of change are times of fearfulness and times of opportunity. Which they are to be for you depends on your attitude toward them. If you are like me, sometimes change feels very challenging and at other times quite exciting. Right now, my biggest challenge is learning to use technology effectively. I’ve always learned only as much as I’ve needed to get by with my computer and iPhone. I’m discovering that to be your minister from a distance, I need to have more skill than just getting by! I definitely am in a learning curve. I think we are all learning—new things about ourselves and our family members as we experience more intense contact; learning how to be close with our friends when we can’t see them regularly. It is indeed an interesting time.

As I completed the above paragraph, I learned some great news from Kevin Burch, our webmaster. Sixty-five people watched our video message last week. The Unity message is getting out there! We are blessed.

Our noon meditation is drawing more people, and today we had seven participants. It is a lovely way to rest and center in the middle of the day. We’d love to have you join us.

Here are the links and numbers which will help you can stay connected:

UCIR Meditation service—Monday-Friday at noon:

Call 717-275-8940 (Do not dial a 1 first as if this were a long distance call)

Access code—1870764

Follow the one prompt

Palm Sunday Service—Available on this link on Friday:

UCIR Palm Sunday Service

Daily Word 2-3 minute meditations with lovely pictures:

Daily Word.org

When you enter the site, click on “Mindful Moments.” These are beautiful!

UCIR Website Link:

www.unityinredding.org

UCIR Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/UnityChurchRedding

I am very grateful to have this weekly contact with you. I hold you in my heart and in my prayers.

Lovingly,

Reverend Carolyn

March 27, 2020 Update:

Dear Hearts,

It is with love for each of you and for our sacred spiritual community that I write this week’s message. As we complete our second week of sheltering in, I have heard interesting stories about how people are beginning to use their time. Most are taking up hobbies they had set aside, reaching out to others through email, phone calls, and even snail mail letters. Many are increasing their prayer and meditation practices. However you are stepping into this time of spending more time in your home, I trust that it is beginning to feel fulfilling. We have opportunities to become more intentional and creative in choosing how to live.

We have an exciting opportunity emerging at UCIR. Beginning this week, you will have access to a weekly service via YouTube. We will bring you the lighting of the Christ Candle, the reading of the Daily Word, and a short message. You will also have the opportunity to participate in some of our classes Online. You will be able to access by phone or by your computer.   You can even access our Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday noon meditations by phone.  Information on accessing classes and meditations soon. If you are like me, while this sounds exciting, it may also sound daunting. I promise you that the process is easy. If I can do it, you can, too! Take this as an opportunity to expand your technological skills and to stay in connection with UCIR. 

To access our service, click on the link below. If that doesn’t work, copy the link and paste it in the address line on the search bar on your homepage: https://youtu.be/ytKqBNebQB4  You will receive a new link in the eBlast each week. If you have trouble, please call the church and leave a message (246-9544) or Rev. Carolyn at 605-6306.

We will begin this process with a mini service, probably about 20 minutes.  It will be available on Fridays on our web page. We want you to let us know by email or phone call if you like staying connected in this way. Soon we will offer a service that also includes music. Just like you are trying out what works in your personal life, we are trying out what best works for us keeping in touch with you. It’s all new and a growing opportunity.

I love each of you and hold you in your growth as we move forward during this time.

Lovingly,

Reverend Carolyn