New Year's Eve in Unity

I attended the 7 pm Burning Bowl Ceremony at Unity Spiritual Center of Albuquerque. 

Unity is a spiritual organization that came about during the New Thought Movement of the late 1880's. The founders, Myrtle and Charles Filmore, attributed prayer and positive thought to the healing of illnesses that they both had. Unity as a faith believe in positive, practical Christianity and, "teach the effective daily application of the principles of Truth taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ." 

Unity is most well known for their belief in the Power of Prayer: 

       

       Affirmative prayer is the highest form of creative thought. It includes

               the release of counterproductive, negative thoughts, as well as holding in mind 

               statements of spiritual truth. Through meditation, we experience the presence 

              of God. Prayer and meditation heighten our awareness and thereby transform 

              our lives. (Unity.org)

Their national organization runs the well known publication Daily Word and the 24 hour prayer line Silent Unity. 

Unity does not believe in original sin. They believe people are inherently good because we are, "created in the image and likeness of God, and as such we are originally blessed."

The Albuquerque Unity Church has a pastoral couple, Reverends Ross and Jude Campbell. 

Rev. Ross started the service with a prayer about the "boundless riches of God," inspired by Ephesians 3:8.

They had a pianist and a soloist. The congregation greeted each other and they advised the packed house that chaplains were available for anyone with prayer needs after the service. Rev. Jude gave a brief sermon about the New Year. She spoke of rather than making a New Year resolution, make a New Year intention. She spoke of tonight's ceremony as a ritual of release, bless the past year without making any judgements and let it go to pave the way for our new intentions.

♥♥Let Go and Let God♥♥

Every person was given a small piece of "flash" paper. We were instructed to write an aspect of our life that we wanted to release. We then each went up to bowls that had a flame and threw the papers into the bowls as a purging ceremony. While people were composing their papers, Rev. Ross conducted a guided meditation. He spoke affirming words and encouraged people to forgive in the New Year - not only others, but also themselves. 

After the ceremony, everyone wrote a letter to themselves. A letter about your intentions for 2014, what you wanted to draw to you, or whatever you would like really. The letters were collected, they will be prayed over throughout the year, and sometime after Thanksgiving the church will mail them back to the recipient. 

The musicians performed some more songs, people rose up singing and clapping, a few even danced. The service was concluded with a prayer and song while everyone held hands. Fellowship followed the service. What a wonderful way to bring in the New Year. 

The Unities are an eclectic and energetic group that are joyously striving to live a Christ conscious life. 

THANK YOU 

Unity Spiritual Center for letting me participate in your renewal service.

HAPPY NEW YEAR