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‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God’. How? What is it? How do you find it? And how does it differ from the Kingdom of Heaven? Is it a physical place, a psychological place, a spiritual place? In our modern world we have forgotten the reference points that made sense of the teachings of the Bible for the early Christians. Great Unity teachers like Charles and Myrtle Fillmore lived in a simpler era when there was time to consider, to contemplate and to absorb these ancient teachings at the soul level and they lived the Kingdom of God. But we are, nowadays, prone to disregarding these ancient, powerful nuances that made the teachings of Jesus so powerful that they started a whole revolution of peace. If we understood these phrases better, today, we might have fewer wars, less division and a kinder world. So, let’s find out what the deep inner meanings of these phrases might be, how to access such rarefied states of mind and soul and how this pivotal understanding will help us both to comprehend and follow Jesus’ teachings far more clearly. by Rev. Maggy Whitehouse In this video Maggy looks at the psychological state known in Kabbalah as 'Tiferet' - the place of truth and beauty. Also known as the Kingdom of Heaven, this is the place of our true self rather than our ego. Saturday Workshop : 16th October |
| We are once more fast approaching Unity’s annual World Day of Prayer, Thursday 9th September. For me, it is the best day in the Unity calendar. For prayer changes us – it uplifts the soul and reconnects us more deeply with God as the One Presence and One Power. On this special and powerful day of prayer, Unity Churches, centres, groups and all the Silent Unity headquarters around the world, come together in prayer. And you are warmly invited to take part with us, wherever you are, for we know you will experience a blessing. |  |
This year the theme is, “No matter the circumstance, all is well with my soul.” These words are true, no matter what is happening in our lives. Yes, we live with human tragedies. However, when we take time to get still and let go with quiet faith into God’s presence, we experience new guidance, love, healing and inner peace. We discover that we know what to do and how to do it, and can move forward with strength, faith, compassion and wisdom.
Personally, I know that time spent in prayer and meditation reconnects us with our good. We experience how powerfully we are supported when we turn our thoughts to God in quiet faith. This healing presence is always active in us and the world. And when we make space in our minds and hearts to look, we find and receive.
It really does help us cope with a challenge or problem we may be experiencing or witnessing. As Emmett Fox wrote in 1931 in The Golden Key: if we are thinking about the problem, we are not thinking about God. When we are not thinking about God, our minds and hearts struggle to tune into the goodness of God that is always here in the midst of us. But when we do connect with Spirit, we discover the deeper truth: that we are unique and loved, human beings and spiritual beings, with our own qualities to share with the world.
And so, knowing this as our truth, we here at Silent Unity UK hold a vigil of continuous prayer from 9am to 9pm on the World Day of Prayer. You can join us, even if for just a few moments; either sitting by yourself or, for anyone who has access to the internet, Zoom will enable you to connect with us online and experience the power of group prayer.
To join us, click on the form online. Here you will find all the details you need to join us online via Zoom. And you can also add to this form details of any names you want held in prayer. We will call out all the names shared with love and faith throughout the day. You can also commit to joining us in prayer at a time that most suits you.
If you have not experienced prayer with Unity before, this day is the perfect time to start. And I am sure that if you have experienced affirmative prayer with us, you will already know what a blessing this can be.
Let us come together on 9th September to share in the power of group affirmative prayer to know, “No matter the circumstance, all is well with my soul.”
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Personally, I know that time spent in prayer and meditation reconnects us with our good. We experience how powerfully we are supported when we turn our thoughts to God in quiet faith. This healing presence is always active in us and the world. And when we make space in our minds and hearts to look, we find and receive.
It really does help us cope with a challenge or problem we may be experiencing or witnessing. As Emmett Fox wrote in 1931 in The Golden Key: if we are thinking about the problem, we are not thinking about God. When we are not thinking about God, our minds and hearts struggle to tune into the goodness of God that is always here in the midst of us. But when we do connect with Spirit, we discover the deeper truth: that we are unique and loved, human beings and spiritual beings, with our own qualities to share with the world.
And so, knowing this as our truth, we here at Silent Unity UK hold a vigil of continuous prayer from 9am to 9pm on the World Day of Prayer. You can join us, even if for just a few moments; either sitting by yourself or, for anyone who has access to the internet, Zoom will enable you to connect with us online and experience the power of group prayer.
To join us, click on the form online. Here you will find all the details you need to join us online via Zoom. And you can also add to this form details of any names you want held in prayer. We will call out all the names shared with love and faith throughout the day. You can also commit to joining us in prayer at a time that most suits you.
If you have not experienced prayer with Unity before, this day is the perfect time to start. And I am sure that if you have experienced affirmative prayer with us, you will already know what a blessing this can be.
Let us come together on 9th September to share in the power of group affirmative prayer to know, “No matter the circumstance, all is well with my soul.”
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Have you been watching the Olympics?
Personally, I am not sporty or active at all - unless you count walking, gardening and yoga! However, I have found it inspirational watching the individual men and women put their all into their chosen sport and I have often joined them in their tears of ‘success’ or ‘failure’.
Somehow, it is the personal stories that touch me the most – their background, their relationships, how they see themselves as ordinary people yet we see them doing extra-ordinary things. Which, simply by being qualified to be there, they are.
It has made me reflect …
What inspires me? What inspires you? Is there something that you put your heart and soul into, like these Olympians? Is there something you are so dedicated to, that nothing else gets in the way?
I once went to a talk by Gerald Jampolsky and his wife Diane, where they described our desire to know God as being at its most powerful and effective when we are driven to focus on God to the same degree as when we need a toilet if we have diarrhoea!
We all laughed rather nervously at the time – but this talk was over 20 years ago and I have never forgotten those words. The Olympians remind me of this focus and drive. It asks of me, do I have the same focus and desire to know ‘God and I are indeed one’ as Jesus taught? Honestly, sometimes it is yes and sometimes it is no. I think that is a very human and normal response – even as a minister in Unity.
What helps inspire me to know our oneness with God? The human stories, the interactions, the struggles and amazing actions so many take, even though life feels so hard at times. This along with my desire to invite people into the experience that they are loved no matter what. Plus, the knowledge that we all have within us limitless potential, because all of God is always flowing in, through and as us. As Unity Minister Eric Butterworth taught, we can discover and use the power within. Of course, we only experience this to the degree that we recognise, claim it and allow it. Like the Olympians. So let us allow ourselves to experience this with all our heart, mind and body.
One of the real-life stories that touched me was watching Tom Daley win gold in the 10m synchronised dive with Matty Lee. The BBC spoke to Tom’s husband afterwards. Lance described how he told Tom, when he did not get gold at the Rio Olympics and Tom felt devastated by this, that it would enable him to get gold in Tokyo and that his son would watch him do this. Their son did and at three years old, he kept saying, so proud of daddy, so proud of daddy. It was beautiful.
So what is my message here today? Do not give up. Whatever you are striving to know and do, do it with all your heart, mind and soul, like the Olympians. When it feels like we fail, we don’t really. It is simply a step on the journey to success. Moreover, as Daily Word reminded us recently, we are on a journey back to God, from a place we never left. We have already won.
Personally, I am not sporty or active at all - unless you count walking, gardening and yoga! However, I have found it inspirational watching the individual men and women put their all into their chosen sport and I have often joined them in their tears of ‘success’ or ‘failure’.
Somehow, it is the personal stories that touch me the most – their background, their relationships, how they see themselves as ordinary people yet we see them doing extra-ordinary things. Which, simply by being qualified to be there, they are.
It has made me reflect …
What inspires me? What inspires you? Is there something that you put your heart and soul into, like these Olympians? Is there something you are so dedicated to, that nothing else gets in the way?
I once went to a talk by Gerald Jampolsky and his wife Diane, where they described our desire to know God as being at its most powerful and effective when we are driven to focus on God to the same degree as when we need a toilet if we have diarrhoea!
We all laughed rather nervously at the time – but this talk was over 20 years ago and I have never forgotten those words. The Olympians remind me of this focus and drive. It asks of me, do I have the same focus and desire to know ‘God and I are indeed one’ as Jesus taught? Honestly, sometimes it is yes and sometimes it is no. I think that is a very human and normal response – even as a minister in Unity.
What helps inspire me to know our oneness with God? The human stories, the interactions, the struggles and amazing actions so many take, even though life feels so hard at times. This along with my desire to invite people into the experience that they are loved no matter what. Plus, the knowledge that we all have within us limitless potential, because all of God is always flowing in, through and as us. As Unity Minister Eric Butterworth taught, we can discover and use the power within. Of course, we only experience this to the degree that we recognise, claim it and allow it. Like the Olympians. So let us allow ourselves to experience this with all our heart, mind and body.
One of the real-life stories that touched me was watching Tom Daley win gold in the 10m synchronised dive with Matty Lee. The BBC spoke to Tom’s husband afterwards. Lance described how he told Tom, when he did not get gold at the Rio Olympics and Tom felt devastated by this, that it would enable him to get gold in Tokyo and that his son would watch him do this. Their son did and at three years old, he kept saying, so proud of daddy, so proud of daddy. It was beautiful.
So what is my message here today? Do not give up. Whatever you are striving to know and do, do it with all your heart, mind and soul, like the Olympians. When it feels like we fail, we don’t really. It is simply a step on the journey to success. Moreover, as Daily Word reminded us recently, we are on a journey back to God, from a place we never left. We have already won.
This month we are preparing to meet together in person – finally!
It has felt like such a long time since we at Unity Maidenhead have done this. Zoom has been, and continues to be, an amazing tool to help us connect through lockdown. To those of you who join us online, please be assured that our Zoom meetings will continue and indeed go from strength to strength.
Yet there is nothing quite like being together in person. Therefore, we are excited, as we get ready to do this through two events coming up:
It has been of utmost importance to stay safe through the pandemic – to do what is right for us physically and yet, at the same time, support ourselves spiritually. Indeed, truthfully, we become better at the former by doing the latter.
Being together in person enables us to connect more deeply with the love and support we give and receive with each other, through the deepening awareness of God as Grace here with us always.
Being together enables us to really look each other in the eye and recognise the light and love that is present within us all.
Being together deepens our friendships and relationships as we learn the little and big things about each other that endear us to each other. Seeing the perfect and imperfect in another, with loving acceptance, helps us accept and love our own imperfection and perfection, as human and spiritual beings.
As we embrace our imperfections, rather like the oyster embraces the grit in its shell that becomes a pearl, our imperfections become the tool through which we grow and remember who we are – beloved of God and the presence of love in form.
So if you are feeling the call to join us, either in person or on Zoom, please do so. We continue to be here to support everyone in all the ways we do. Whenever we meet, we encourage all involved to share the love and wisdom that we all have and are. For each one of us has more than enough love and wisdom to give and receive. Through this giving and receiving, we are all blessed.
We look forward to sharing the adventure of living with you.
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
Yet there is nothing quite like being together in person. Therefore, we are excited, as we get ready to do this through two events coming up:
- Celebration Day, 28th July at Unity London
- August Retreat, 7th – 9th August at Holland House Retreat Centre, Pershore, Worcestershire
It has been of utmost importance to stay safe through the pandemic – to do what is right for us physically and yet, at the same time, support ourselves spiritually. Indeed, truthfully, we become better at the former by doing the latter.
Being together in person enables us to connect more deeply with the love and support we give and receive with each other, through the deepening awareness of God as Grace here with us always.
Being together enables us to really look each other in the eye and recognise the light and love that is present within us all.
Being together deepens our friendships and relationships as we learn the little and big things about each other that endear us to each other. Seeing the perfect and imperfect in another, with loving acceptance, helps us accept and love our own imperfection and perfection, as human and spiritual beings.
As we embrace our imperfections, rather like the oyster embraces the grit in its shell that becomes a pearl, our imperfections become the tool through which we grow and remember who we are – beloved of God and the presence of love in form.
So if you are feeling the call to join us, either in person or on Zoom, please do so. We continue to be here to support everyone in all the ways we do. Whenever we meet, we encourage all involved to share the love and wisdom that we all have and are. For each one of us has more than enough love and wisdom to give and receive. Through this giving and receiving, we are all blessed.
We look forward to sharing the adventure of living with you.
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
| Jesus taught us to abide in love, to love one another and that as we love, we will know 'my father', Jesus' loving Papa. (Gospel of John, chapters 13, 14 and 15) Sometimes this can feel extremely tough - I have been treated badly, why should I love! Yet when we hate, we are imprisoned by our own thoughts and feelings. |  |
It is written in Matthew 5:5 that Jesus said "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."
As taught by Neil Douglas Klotz in his book, Prayers of the Cosmos", the Aramaic language that Jesus and the Jews of his day spoke had many definitions, to be interpreted in several ways and at different levels of experience. Another definition could be:
"Blessed are the gentle, those who have softened the rigidity within them."
We are then invited to ask what the words rigid and soft have to do with our experience of life? Where am I too rigid in my thinking? As I soften, open and allow other ideas and experiences into my mind and heart, I will experience the abundance of nature, enjoy everything that appears in form. Including those who seem to persecute us.
The key for me is the deep, abiding experience that God is love. As I open, soften and allow God as love to heal the wounds in my heart and mind, I am changed - I am healed - mind, heart and body.
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
As taught by Neil Douglas Klotz in his book, Prayers of the Cosmos", the Aramaic language that Jesus and the Jews of his day spoke had many definitions, to be interpreted in several ways and at different levels of experience. Another definition could be:
"Blessed are the gentle, those who have softened the rigidity within them."
We are then invited to ask what the words rigid and soft have to do with our experience of life? Where am I too rigid in my thinking? As I soften, open and allow other ideas and experiences into my mind and heart, I will experience the abundance of nature, enjoy everything that appears in form. Including those who seem to persecute us.
The key for me is the deep, abiding experience that God is love. As I open, soften and allow God as love to heal the wounds in my heart and mind, I am changed - I am healed - mind, heart and body.
Rev. Kimerie Mapletoft
Director of Silent Unity and Daily Word UK
..."Let's take a moment to turn within and get centred and still..."
A short two minute meditation based on Silent Unity's Healing Prayer.
A short two minute meditation based on Silent Unity's Healing Prayer.
For more prayer support visit Silent Unity our prayer ministry
At a recent service, I illustrated my talk with the story of Dumbo and was subsequently asked if I would write a thought for the week about it. So, here goes….
Dumbo, as I’m sure you all know, was an elephant that was born with very large ears. So large, in fact, that he kept tripping over them! Sadly, folks from the circus where he lived started taking the mickey out of him and his mum, Jumbo, tried to protect him, got very angry and was locked up as a ‘mad elephant’. Dumbo’s best friend and mentor was Timothy, a mouse. Disney clearly had a sense of humour in choosing a mouse as elephants are supposed to be afraid of them – maybe a message for another day.
Timothy and Dumbo went to see Jumbo but managed to drink water that a bottle of champagne had fallen into – inevitably they got drunk. When they awoke, they found themselves perching on telegraph wires (I love that scene with the wires bending down to almost breaking point). Timothy quickly realised that they must have flown there. However, Dumbo did not believe he could fly so, some rather bemused crows gave him a ‘magic feather’; then, Dumbo could fly.
The scene changes to the big top with Dumbo launching off a high platform but, you’ve guessed it, Dumbo drops the feather and starts plummeting earthward to certain death. Imagine the scene as Timothy cries out to Dumbo that the feather is not magic, and that Dumbo can fly. Dumbo hears Timothy, flaps his ears and swoops back up to soar around the tent – Dumbo really can fly.
The point here is that Dumbo doubted himself and needed a prop for his confidence. However, when the prop disappeared (do you remember learning to ride a bike and then your parent letting go?) so did the confidence. But, for Dumbo, the still small voice of Timothy rang out – this is the voice and power of Love. Dumbo had Faith, he trusted his friend and followed what that still small voice told him. Then, together with his innate Strength, the Love and Faith combined to give Dumbo courage – The Courage to Be! The courage to be himself, to live his Truth and he soared…he soared into the sky of belief that is always there for us all. The very same Courage to Be that Jesus had when he rode on that donkey into Jerusalem.
Have the Courage to Be and we can all soar to ever greater spiritual heights.
Paul Mapletoft
Licensed Unity Teacher
Dumbo, as I’m sure you all know, was an elephant that was born with very large ears. So large, in fact, that he kept tripping over them! Sadly, folks from the circus where he lived started taking the mickey out of him and his mum, Jumbo, tried to protect him, got very angry and was locked up as a ‘mad elephant’. Dumbo’s best friend and mentor was Timothy, a mouse. Disney clearly had a sense of humour in choosing a mouse as elephants are supposed to be afraid of them – maybe a message for another day.
Timothy and Dumbo went to see Jumbo but managed to drink water that a bottle of champagne had fallen into – inevitably they got drunk. When they awoke, they found themselves perching on telegraph wires (I love that scene with the wires bending down to almost breaking point). Timothy quickly realised that they must have flown there. However, Dumbo did not believe he could fly so, some rather bemused crows gave him a ‘magic feather’; then, Dumbo could fly.
The scene changes to the big top with Dumbo launching off a high platform but, you’ve guessed it, Dumbo drops the feather and starts plummeting earthward to certain death. Imagine the scene as Timothy cries out to Dumbo that the feather is not magic, and that Dumbo can fly. Dumbo hears Timothy, flaps his ears and swoops back up to soar around the tent – Dumbo really can fly.
The point here is that Dumbo doubted himself and needed a prop for his confidence. However, when the prop disappeared (do you remember learning to ride a bike and then your parent letting go?) so did the confidence. But, for Dumbo, the still small voice of Timothy rang out – this is the voice and power of Love. Dumbo had Faith, he trusted his friend and followed what that still small voice told him. Then, together with his innate Strength, the Love and Faith combined to give Dumbo courage – The Courage to Be! The courage to be himself, to live his Truth and he soared…he soared into the sky of belief that is always there for us all. The very same Courage to Be that Jesus had when he rode on that donkey into Jerusalem.
Have the Courage to Be and we can all soar to ever greater spiritual heights.
Paul Mapletoft
Licensed Unity Teacher
If you are new to Unity Princples you may be wondering where to start and what to read. Here is a list of some good books and resources for beginners and those who would just like to know more.
Rev. Kimerie reads 'There is nothing to fear' by Mary Kupferle
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