The blog comes to life--again!

This is the official blog for members of our Unity ohana to comment and participate. Blogs are easy and fun. All you have to do to comment on a post, is click the "Comment" link at the bottom of any post and follow the easy steps outlined.

If you would like to have the ability to start a new post (a discussion string), please contact me and we can set you up with a higher level of permissions--so that YOU can start new blog entries (not just comment on them.) As it is set now, ANYONE can comment on anything--and we hope you will.

That is what will make this a robust community for us to express ourselves and our visions for Unity on Maui.

Relocation Team Leadership Wanted

With Cliff off island for a few months, the Board of Trustees is looking for someone to step in to a leadership role on our relocation committee. If you are interested, please post in the comments section below or contact Richard Welsch, Mary Omwake or myself.

Thanks

James Jacobson
email: jj@mauimedia.net

2/11/07: Notes on All Church New Location Visioning

Aloha!

On Sunday we held an All Church Visioning focused on finding a new location. This blog has been created to share the Vision and continue working and seeding it. More on how to use this blog below.

On Sunday, Mary led us through the Visioning and focused our attention and listening on the following questions:

1. What is God's Vision for our new location?
2. What am I asked to Become?
3. What am I asked to Release?
4. What are the three things that make Unity unique for me, without which it would no longer feel like home?
5. How am I being asked to serve this Vision, and what are my action steps to take?

After we sat in the Silence and listened for the answers to these questions, Mary led us in a sharing. Most people contributed what they had "caught" in their Visioning process.

Catherine Arp and I (Molly Theriault) served as "scribes" and recorded the sharing.

I have transcribed the Vision into four separate posts: Vision, What I am to Become, What Makes Unity Unity, and Action Steps/Service Plan.

Please read through all of these posts and make comments as you are moved. The point of a blog is to dialogue and let things unfold organically. Blogs make a wonderful forum for developing ideas ... and now, for Visions.

Much Aloha, love, light, peace and Joy to you,

Molly

PS: Don't forget to read each post and make comments as you are moved. Just click the "comment" link below the post. You can also send the post via email to a friend or friends by clicking the envelope underneath the post you want to send. Please tell others in our ohana about this blog and spread the word so we can all participate!

2/11: New Location Vision

This is a list of the Visions shared in response to the question "What is God's Vision for our new location?

We recorded these to the best of our ability and we hope they read well. Each bullet point represents a new voice. There are questions at the end of this post for you to comment on.

Consider your o'hana's Vision from 2/11:

• Unity Village on Maui - residences, sound system, rental hall, church hall, offices, edible gardens, keiki house, running water, and a democratic form of government.
• A big goblet, overflowing with water. The old water is releaseed, and an endless supply of pure water overflows so that we can all share.
• New building in North Kihei behind the Tesoro on the road that will eventually lead to Pukalani. The building looks functional outside, but it is beautiful inside. Lots of light, and you can smell new paint and carpet. There is a solar-powered water feature out front. It is very new, and very functional.
• North Kihei, high above the Piilani Hwy, near Lipoa. Large piece of land. We were building our buildings, but in the meantime using tents. There were lots of flags, like circus flags, colorful ones, strung up. Lots of grass, very green, children running and playing.
• Lots of palms and birds, a place for o'hana. We have arrived! This is something we'd see and say "Oh, how fabulous!" It's much more magnificent than we currently see. We'll know more by June or July. We'll have a sense of where it is. So much love and togetherness - it's overwhelming with joy.
• Larger, place for all people, a short-term plan will bring us to a place where ample funds are here. Others will come.
• Kihei. Lots of nature. Close enough to nature to feel like it's ours, even though we don't own it. It's not developed - existing beauty - perhaps a subdivision gift to them when we engagein it. Like a partnership. Near a golf course?
• Song of David: green pastures in the Valley of Maui (didn't get whole psalm)
• Stay where we are for now.
• Join with the community of Maui for functions more.
• Take our cameras and go out into the community and thank them for everything they do for God.
• Big piece of land with homes, wellness center, worldwide LOVE MAGNET.
• Build our own place. Financing is available. We will be able to swap our building for land to build upon.
• Very tall clear glass (wall?) with sun radiating through it. It's like a window. There's water, and everything outside is verdantly green. There's lots of life around. Easy access but set away from busy-ness. Quiet except for wind and birds. I also saw Kihei, but closer to Wailea, and up the hill, on par with/same altitude as Maui Meadows.
• Heard lots of water running.
• Be patient, it's coming, get your house in order.
• Trust and seek.
• Big benefactors are coming who want a tax writeoff. Also, working with clients came to mind - who are criminals - how the criminal mind gets what it wants. It tells it's story without ever asking for anything - which makes others feel like they just WANT to give and give. That's how they get what they want, and it could work for us, too. If we share what is going on with passion, no duty, no guilt, they will want to help us.
• Huge choir sending out ripples of love. Slopes of Haleakala/Kihei also. Natural amphitheater, everyone singing.
• Open to office building (existing) with large meeting room.
• Big beautiful piece of land we could have people buy homes there, already have people coming - lavish flow. We're the love magnet on Maui. Add others to grow with us. In the interim, people buy in. The more we talk about it and enlist and tell them our story, the more they show up.
• Short term, we should look for a Waikapu feeling (not location). Everything is focused and centered. We need to find a way not to be so fragmented.
• Begin at the beginning, essence of pioneer feeling, Vision created as huge community of love "UNITY CENTER" not Unity Church?

BLOG QUESTIONS:

What are the themes and keywords you notice happening again and again in these pieces of the Vision?

What else do you "catch" when you sit in silence with the question "What is God's Vision for Unity on Maui's new location?

Post your comment by clicking the word "comment" below. Clicking the envelope will allow you to email this post to someone else, so that they can come here and comment, also. Mahalo!

Much Aloha,

Molly

2/11: What We Must Embody

Here is a list of the answers to the question Reverend Mary asked:

What Must I Be or Become In Order to Embody God's Vision for Our New Location?

Each bullet point is a new voice. There are some questions at the end of this list, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, consider what your o'hana visioned becoming:

• strength in love
• trust
• radiant health
• connected love
• Christ of God
• Understanding
• Tolerant of other people who don't have the same ideas or agree with me
• creative expression
• a messenger
• prayer in motion
• more open to God to come through. I need to enlarge my orders to the Universe
• to become more fully myself
• contagious, powerful happiness
• calm
• practice, embrace, surrender
• open and receptive
• a Member of Unity on Maui
• a daughter of faith, which is the substance of things hoped for and not yet seen
• peaceable
• unconditional love
• peaceful

We also "released" the things that need releasing, but we did it in private visualizations, rather than out loud.

BLOG QUESTIONS:

What do I have to become in order for God's
Vision to be birthed through me?

What do I need to release in order for God's
Vision to be birthed through me?

Please post your comments by clicking the link called "comments" below. You can email this post to other members of our ohana by clicking the envelope below.

Mahalo!

Much Aloha,

Molly

2/11: What Makes Unity Unity?

Aloha!

Here is a list of all the things that matter most to us about Unity. Without these, Unity would not be the same:

• World Class Minister
• Classes with great teachers
• Prayer Chaplains
• O'hana
• opportunities to serve
• expressions through music
• flowers
• singing together
• Christ
• silence
• message
• celebratory spirit expressed in music and dance
• joy of using all modes (dance, art, music, etc.) with keiki
• community
• family
• unconditional love in diverse ohana community
• meeting lots of celestial celebrities
• deep heart connections
• new age thought
• music
• friends
• encouraged to grow spiritually
• principles are taught and we are encouraged to practice them
• feeling of coming home even on the first visit
• calmness
• it's ok to receive, heal, and sit
• clarity
• fun
• message from spirit, love
• Love always washes over me, and when I am ready and have received enough love, I can practice clear principles
• ease of flow
• teachings of unity - the five principles
• we have more fun than people should have in church
• hospitality
• cross-fertilization of speakers and guests from all faiths
• work with children in truth, not dogma
• positive thinkers
• beacon of love and peace
• hula
• nonjudgemental place to come
• silent meditation
• multicultural
• inclusive of all, no matter what/when/where

BLOG QUESTIONS:

What is at the core of Unity for me?

Please post your comment by clicking the "comment" link below. You can send this post to a friend by clicking the envelope.

Mahalo!

Much Aloha,

Molly

2/11: Action Steps

Aloha!

These were the responses to Reverend Mary's question:

What are the action steps God is asking Unity/me to take in service of God's Vision for our new location?

Here they are!

• Talk to Chabad about the possibility of working with them on their 40 acres of land above Paia. (Jason will)
• Put an ad in the paper saying we are looking for a home
• Write a series of articles telling the story of Unity as a church and Unity on Maui in particular.
• Start a 24 hour prayer chain to support further anchoring of this Vision
• Create a blog and start using technology to make this Vision happen. (Jim will)
• Invigorate the location committee to a broad, open dynamic vision. Day-long retreat.
• Time for a "Bon Voyage" party
• Accept donations from celebrities to build wings/halls for them. For instance the Wayne Dyer Hall, Ram Dass Keiki House, etc.
• Get artists to draw/paint the Vision
• form teams out of passion and commitment only - not out of obligation.
• Become more connected, get to know each other in a big circle, not relying on a connection to Rev. Mary.
• When good ideas come, email office@unityonmaui.com immediately.
• Sell High St. building
• 10:30pm every night will pray to anchor in the Vision
• Be grateful for High St.
• Capital Campaign

BLOG QUESTIONS:

What is God asking us/me to do in order to bring God's
Vision for our new location into the present?

Please post your comment by clicking the "comment" link below. You can also send this posting to a friend by clicking the envelope below.

Mahalo!

Much Aloha,

Molly