THIS YEAR'S ABUNDANCE IN AUGUST PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE GREAT BOOK SPIRITUAL ECONOMICS by Eric Butterworth. Prosperity banks will be given out August 1 and are due back on Sunday, Sept. 13.

The little Unity Prosperity Bank was the divine idea of Lowell Fillmore, son of Unity co-founders, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore way back in 1912.

The power is in the prayer practice Lowell created, acknowledging God as our source and repeating the affirmations daily with our deposits.

We have Joan Goodman to thank for the current Prosperity Bank design and the current affirmations. You can think of her every time you use your bank, and send your blessings to her and to Ross for all of their wonderful work.

Pick up a prosperity bank and begin making daily deposits, affirming the statements, affirming prosperity for yourself and for Unity of Tampa. And watch your abundance grow! Do it in August and do it always!

Join us for this six-week series and learn how to transform your living and thinking into an abundant life!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2009, MARKS THE 16TH  ANNUAL UNITY WORLD DAY OF PRAYER.  For Unity employees, students, and  members at the  Association of Unity Churches in Unity Village, Missouri, this is a 24-hour event. Someone reads all the names that have been sent to Unity for prayer during this annual event.

For those of us who can't be at Unity Village personally, we are encouraged to unite with them by affirming peace, abundance, and love on an individual and global level.

You can submit your individual names to Clara in the bookstore to be sent to Unity Village for the World Day of Prayer event. Clara will mail in the names she receives on Monday, August 31, so be sure to have yours in before then, or you can go online to www.worlddayofprayer.org to submit your list directly.

This year Unity is inviting you to express peace and compassion by reaching out to help others in the community. Your spiritual action can be anything you are guided to do from volunteering for a worthy cause to sharing an uplifting video clip. Any action, no matter how great or small, makes a difference.

At Unity of Tampa, we will have meditations at noon and 6:00 pm. Rev. Enrique Amoros will lead a meditation in Spanish at 6 pm in the Margaret Giles Room.

Be with us as we join with our Unity Institute and Association of Unity Churches in praying together on the Unity World Day of Prayer.

YOU ARE INVITED ON A JOURNEY, A SACRED JOURNEY INTO THE UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES OF LIVING BASED ON UNITY'S PRACTICE OF POSITIVE PRAYER. Each week the Sunday lesson will focus on an aspect of Positive Prayer to deepen your mystical connection with the Divine. You will have an opportunity to strengthen your personal experience of prayer. You are also encouraged to share the heart of your own prayer expression by participating weekly in a small group for prayer and study. You are called to deepen and expand your awareness of prayer and of the powerful energy of Positive Prayer. This is a journey of transformation and creativity.

Our text is a very practical book, The Handbook of Positive Prayer by Hypatia Hasbrouck. The author draws on her extensive experience as a Minister and Dean of Unity's Ministerial Education Program. Her book demonstrates practical and uplifting ways that Positive Prayer can work in your life, including understanding spiritual law, using a prayer journal, affirmations and denials, visualizations, and other special prayer treatments and techniques.

When we choose to make a commitment, whether to ourselves, to another, or to our spiritual community, we step closer to our ultimate commitment: an alliance with God, our Source. Just imagine everyone in this ministry focusing all our sacred intentions and our attention on deepening our connection to God through personal and community prayer, gathering in small groups, and celebrating the co-creative process that is in each one of us!

BE A FACILITATOR OR HOST!

You are invited to participate during the next seven weeks:

• Read The Handbook of Positive Prayer by Hypatia Hasbrouck.
• Make the daily practices part of your routine prayer time.
• Repeat our weekly affirmations, and post your affirmation card.
• Participate in a weekly prayer and study group; sign up in Fellowship Hall.
• Host or Facilitate a home-study group. Facilitator training is offered Sun., Sept 13, 2-4 pm, OR Tues., Sept. 16, 6-8 pm, in the Margaret Giles Room. Sign up in Fellowship Hall.
• Attend Sunday services and our Gratitude Celebration.
• Write in your Prayer Journal.
  

WHILE REV. ALLEN IS HEALING, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE REV. RHONDA K. LILES TO HELP OUT.

Rev. Rhonda K. Liles, MHS, completed Unity Seminary and was ordained in 2003. Her extensive background includes work with Silent Unity in the telephone prayer ministry, as well as a position as Senior Minister at Unity Church in Metairie, LA. Rev. Rhonda has worked with Unity of Sarasota as the Youth and Family Minister and been a guest speaker at other area Unity churches. A dynamic speaker and presenter, she believes in "practicing what she preaches."

Prior to entering ministerial school, Rev. Rhonda worked in healthcare as a nursing home social- services director, hospital program director, and community mental health counselor. She has a Masters degree in counseling. She brings her education, work, and prayer experience to Spiritual Counseling to help others realize the Presence within for guidance and support.

Rev. Rhonda is available for Spiritual Counseling on a love-offering basis. Please consider that professional fees for counseling average $50-$100 per hour; however, Rev. Rhonda will be open to your heartfelt love offerings of any amount.

You can leave a message for Rev. Rhonda Liles on the 100 line at Unity of Tampa: 813-870-0731 Ext. 100.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE UNITY OF TAMPA SUPPER CLUB KICK-OFF on Saturday, September 12, at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall!

Supper Club is an adult social activity that offers an opportunity for singles and couples from the church to get to know each other and become friends. This is an important way to build community since Unity of Tampa has members through out the area. Meeting together once a month allows members to get to know one another on a deeper level than is possible just visiting on Sunday mornings.

Supper Club Circles are formed at the September meeting, with 10-12 people per Circle.

Each Circle member agrees to host a dinner and activity for their group once during the 12-month period, so the obligation to host rotates throughout the group until everyone has had a turn. The dinners can be held at home, in a "borrowed" home, as a picnic, in a restaurant, even on a boat! Any creative location is a possibility.

The Circles stay together for one year, and then new ones are formed at the next annual dinner in September. A successful Supper Club requires a commitment, but it's lots of fun and the food is always great. The Supper Club has been a part of Unity of Tampa for over 15 years. This year, after several years serving as coordinator, Sherry Keller is stepping down. Many thanks to Sherry for a job well done! Carolyn Brooker has come forward as this year's coordinator, and Kathryn Matras will continue as her assistant.

If you are ready to expand your circle of friends here at Tampa Unity, look for the Supper Club sign-up sheet in Fellowship Hall. If you have questions or need more information, see Carolyn Brooker or Kathryn Matras.

ON JUNE 28, 2009, A COURT OF HONOR WAS HELD AT UNITY OF TAMPA TO RECOGNIZE YOU GRADUATE RUSSELL BAILEY FOR ATTAINING SCOUTING'S HIGHEST RANK, EAGLE SCOUT. His sister, Miranda, presented a poem she wrote to honor her him.

Russell's trail to Eagle began in September 1998, as a Bobcat with Den1, Pack 21, of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Tampa. There he earned his Religious Emblem and all twenty activity badges, and he was awarded the Arrow of Light in March 2002.

In August 2006, as a Life Scout, he joined Troop 47, "The Zoo Troop," of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo. Among other accomplishments, Russell has participated in Junior Leadership Training, Buckskin National Youth Leadership Training.

For his Eagle Project, Russell planned, raised funds, and supervised the restoration of the historic entrance at Hillsborough River State Park, which included the construction of a massive wooden gate. With the combined efforts of Troop members, family, and friends, the project took 274 hours to complete.

Russell is a 2009 graduate of Blake High School of the Arts, where he graduated with honors and received the Phyllis Alexandroff Award for Excellence in Art. He has attended Unity of Tampa since 1991 and has been an active member of the Y.O.U. In August, he begins a new adventure in Jacksonville, attending the University of North Florida.

Congratulations, Russell!

Last Tendon Stretched Before Flight
By Miranda Bailey for her brother, Russell

The muscles in my legs were never strong
Enough to carry me over the fence
like my brother,
who leapt like spring.

I was jealous
of the simple muscles that
loved to make him run.
I followed after, tasting
the fruits of summer,
speaking to ants that bit
between my toes, but that fence
would not lend itself to my flight.

And while I built ladders
and climbed slowly over,
my brother sprang from his heels
his body sang the ringing trumpet
song of the conqueror,
of the masked lover beneath the moon,
and the wind loved him
for his glorious wayward flight.

WHEN I FIRST BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, REV. DEBBIE TOLD ME THERE WAS NO WAY FOR ONE PERSON TO KNOW ALL THAT WAS GOING ON AT UNITY OF TAMPA. Two years and a multitude of committee meetings later, I have come to the conclusion that she is 100% correct. Our community is one of the most active ones of any group that I have been associated with in my lifetime.

One example is our Vision Teams, who set goals for Unity of Tampa. Subcommittees are formed to work on projects and achieve these goals. Each and every goal set by the Vision Teams gets accomplished. It is truly amazing!

But this doesn't even touch on everything that is going on at Unity of Tampa. If you are not involved and are just attending Sunday services, you are missing out on one of the most incredible experiences ever. It's not just about doing work for the church, it is putting Unity Principles into action, and as all of you know, "Action" is our 5th Unity Principle. It is about being a part of our community at a much deeper level.

We are about to start our "Abundance in August" series of sermon/lessons and classes. This is always a great time of year to study this, because the Summer is a quieter time in many people lives. It gives us a chance to truly own our Unity Principles.

As abundant as we all are, it is always good to be reminded of the principles that create this abundance in our lives.

by Dr. Scott Barry

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE BOOKSTORE LATELY? ONE NEW ITEM you'll want to check out are magnetic angel pins. They are great; no pins to stick you - just a magnet that keeps your angel secure.

Have you ever "smudged" or want to try it for the first time? We have an excellent starter kit that includes a book and everything you need. We also have sweet grass for smokeless smudging; it's great for the office or those places where a fire isn't advisable. A lavender mist is available for your purse or car when you need a calming effect or to just get rid any negative energy.

For the kids: Wayne Dyer has a new book out, NO EXCUSES, for ages 4 to 8. Eckhart Tolle's book, MILTON'S SECRET, for ages 6 to 10, has great illustrations by Robert Friedman. Louise Hay's newest title is I THINK, I AM, for ages 4 to 8. Any of these make great summer reading.

August is Prosperity Month and the book we'll be studying is Eric Butterworth's Spiritual Economics. Also in stock is a large list of excellent reading including Edwene Gaines (who is coming to Unity of Tampa in October), The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity; Catherine Ponder, The Prosperity Secrets of the Ages, Open your Mind to Prosperity, The Millionaires of Genesis, The Millionaire Joshua, The Millionaire Moses, and The Millionaire from Nazareth; and Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Getting Rich.

Keep reading!

By Clara McLaughlin