• I cannot accept religious beliefs on faith alone. Is there a church for me?
• I believe in many things: equality, human dignity, the need for community, the ongoing search for truth. Is there a church for people with open minds, instead of dogma?
• Is there something more to life than producing and consuming? Is there a church that can open my heart without closing my mind?
• Shouldn't "family values" apply to all kinds of families? Aren't "freedom" and "acceptance" values worth nurturing in our society?
• Is there a religion that honestly encourages the fullest possible use of logic and reason?
• Don't all the world's spiritual teachers teach an essentially similar message: love for God and each other? Why do so many religions think they have the "only right way" to God?
• Can persons of any religious background - Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, etc. -- find welcome in one church... without conversion or renunciation of their other beliefs?
• Some of the things in the Bible don't make sense in our modern world. Is there another way to understand Jesus' teachings?
• If God is just and loving and compassionate, then why would He condemn half the world's people to eternal damnation just because they've never heard of Jesus?

If you find some of your own thoughts, experiences, and searching in these questions, you would probably find a church home and a spiritual family at our Unity Center. We accept and encourage a wide variety of religious opinions, believing that we can find unity in our diversity.

Together we quest for:

• Wholehearted exploration of religious beliefs and practices.
• Respect for the individual search for truth and the spiritual practices of all cultures.
• Hearty enjoyment of the many blessings of life.
• Reverence for the teachings of Jesus rather than the person.
• Desire for religion to be relevant, practical, meaningful, and personal.
• Faith in the working of Universal Spiritual Principles.
• The necessity for selfless service on the spiritual path.

Unity is a form of Christianity which was founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in Kansas City, Missouri, during the late 1800's. Begun as individual prayer and study groups, Unity has evolved into a religion that embraces the modern diversity of philosophical thinking. Belief in the healing power of affirmative prayer has led Unity to the forefront of exploring new methods of healing and toward the reconciliation of scientific thought and religion.

Often labeled "New Thought" or "New Age," Unity has deep roots to sustain the search for Spiritual Principles to guide our lives. In addition to the teachings of Jesus Christ, we embrace the Universal Truths which were taught by all the conscious master teachers who have walked the earth.

Unity School in Missouri currently publishes two magazines: Daily Word (a daily devotional) and Unity Magazine (spiritual articles and poems), as well as books by the Fillmores, Emilie Cady, and other metaphysical authors.

A light is always shining in Silent Unity, also at Unity Village, Missouri, for someone is always praying, 24 hours a day, continuously for the past 100 years!

Each Unity church is autonomous. Although we belong to a voluntary national Association of Unity Churches to share resources and support each other, each Unity church is governed by its own Bylaws, hires its own minister and staff, and elects its own Board members. The "home office" does not tell us what to do or believe.

The heart of Unity religion is a positive faith in universal principles rather than doctrines. We are far more interested in practices than in articles of faith, in character and conduct than in doctrines or creeds.

"But what do you believe in Unity?" we are asked. "What is your creed?"

We have no creed or catechism. We follow The Ten Commandments, the sayings of Jesus, and the calling of our own hearts. We are expected to follow the dictates of reason, conscience, and experience. Unity churches make no official pronouncements on God, the Bible, immortality, codes of morality, or any other theological questions. We believe in individual freedom of religious belief - that we must each open our mind and heart to receive truth and inspiration from every possible source. Further, we believe that the mere confession of faith is a poor substitute for its practice in daily life.

We view religion as an ever-changing journey, rather than a destination. We are continually challenged with new opportunities to test the strength of our convictions, to keep our hearts open. As we search for answers, we must each learn to "walk the walk, not just talk the talk."

We believe that the Bible is one expression of divine thought. Transcribed and translated by the limited understanding of humans, the Bible is a wonderful guide to spiritual unfolding, but it must be understood as a metaphor, rather than literally. We especially focus on the teachings of Jesus, who taught through parables - stories - rather than the gospels written by Paul (who never met Jesus). The works of Bible scholars  Dr. George Lamsa and Dr. Rocco Errico in translating the Bible from the original Aramaic (the language spoken by Jesus) are especially useful ways to clarify teachings in the context of the culture and language idioms.

We believe that we must each accept responsibility for our actions and for the way we experience our world. We create our inner reality one thought at a time by choosing where to focus our attention. We can gain dominion over our mind through conscious study and spiritual practice, such as meditation.

We believe we are born in the image and likeness of God... therefore, with infinite potential and without any "original" sin. Every person is a child of God. We cultivate responsible behavior by remembering we will each "reap what we sow." The Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" - like the Hindu idea of karma - teaches us that the "good" you do comes back to you.

Jesus taught an uncompromisingly spiritual gospel centered on love, acceptance, tolerance, and compassion. We choose to work on overcoming all forms of injustice and bigotry, in the world and in our own hearts.

Because we are all still learning, we learn to forgive each other and ourselves, recognizing that each human being is a process. We look for the spiritual truth beyond the ego-centered appearances.

Every interaction, indeed every moment of our lives, is a lesson, an opportunity for growth and spiritual practice.

Through our Love In Action volunteer program, we encourage each person to find their "bliss" - to express and share their own unique gifts and talents through service, an important part of the path of spiritual growth.

What can you expect at a Unity Sunday morning service? People of all ages, dressed however they feel comfortable (from jeans to suits), coming together for fellowship, to learn to create a more joyful, harmonious life, and to experience a spiritual connection to God.

A typical worship service includes:

• Contemporary, original music, both sung together by the congregation and performed by Lytingale and The Unitic Band,
• A few teaching jokes and stories,
• A time of meditation and healing prayers,
• Singing The Lord's Prayer together,
• A lesson from our unique minister, Rev. Chad O'Shea (described as a cross between George Carlin and Ram Dass!)

We laugh, we sing, we cry, we meditate, we learn, we hug, and we do our best to take this joyful experience out into our daily lives to transform our world.

This is just one opinion! Because Unity is open-ended and diverse, we invite you to visit other Unity churches and their web sites for a different view!

Directory of all Unity Churches

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