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Wednesday "Faith Lift" Meditation: 7:00 PM Lessons in Truth Class (Zoom): 7:00 PM
Table Talk Thursday (Zoom): 12:00 PM
Sunday Service: 10:45 AM
Sunday Social (Zoom): 12:00 PM
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The Lifting Mind & High Flight
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Many great voices have spoken the words of this poem; Merle Oberon and Orson Wells, famously recited these words in their illustrious careers. President Ronald Reagan recited the first and last lines of this poem to comfort our nation after the crash of the Challenger in December of 1986. Meghan McCain quoted the poem in her eulogy to her father, John McCain, American statesman, warrior, aviator, and hero, in September, 2018.
“High Flight,” by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.,
written in 1941 by an American aviator of only 19 years, who flew for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), a few months before he lost his life when his plane crashed over RAF Cranwell. It is the official poem of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air....
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
– Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."
American recording artist, John Denver, made transition in 1997 when his plane crashed on the California shores. In 1983, he had released this song “High Flight,” to music composed by Denver with Joe Henry and Lee Holdridge, adding this chorus to their version:
“The higher we fly, the farther we go, the closer we are to each other.
The darker the night, the brighter the stars, in peace go my sisters and brothers.”
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“The Lifting Mind”
by Leddy Hammock, Summer of Corona, 2020
inspired by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.’s “High Flight”
Is this a night so dark with hopelessness and doubt and fear
that we cannot look up to see if stars are shining there?
So earthbound, huddled in a dismal hiding place of fright,
are we as helpless as a once-strong, injured bird of flight?
Pull up and heal those heavy hearts! Breathe in! Reach up to find
those bright, high flying thoughts of Truth, freed by the lifting Mind!
Take back the sky! Remember that you still know how to fly. |
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This Sunday's Lesson: - Give Me Strength
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“Increase my faith in the things I cannot see, the things I cannot prove, yet I choose to believe. When my confidence fades, it’s these words I pray: Increase my faith, increase my faith.
Open my mind to the things I need to know, thoughts I need to hold and the ones I can let go. Help me be wise, see the world through others’ eyes. Oh, open my mind. Open my mind.
Peaceful and free, that’s how I want to be, the gift I want to give to the people I need. Let each of us see our own harmony. Oh, peaceful and free, peaceful and free.
Increases my faith in the things I cannot see, the things I cannot prove, yet I choose to believe. When my confidence fades, it’s these words I pray: Increase my faith. Increase my faith.” |
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Two Ways To Watch on Sunday & Wednesday (click images below)
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Lessons in Truth Class (ZOOM)
All Are Invited to Join in
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Tuesdays
7:00 PM
Zoom
Want to learn more about Unity? This is the class for that!
Join Associate Minister, Judy Tafelski, for a new class series, Lessons in Truth, based on the same title of the book by Dr. H. Emilie Cady. Lessons in Truth and the Bible are Unity’s two primary textbooks.
All Are Welcome! All UCC classes are offered on a free will love offering basis.
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It's a Virtual PosiPalooza!
Hosted by emPower Music & Arts Sponsored by Unity of Buffalo Live Streamed on the UCC Facebook Page
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| Saturday, September 12 - 7:00 PM
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| UCC is helping out Unity of Buffalo and emPower by live streaming the concert.
You don't have to purchase a ticket to watch this virtual concert, however, generous Love Offerings will be gratefully accepted!
Proceeds will be shared between the artists and Unity of Buffalo |
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| September 22 is National Voter Registration Day
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| Our neighbors, The Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, are having a Voter Registration "drive thru" on Tuesday, September 22 from 3:00 - 8:00 PM.
If you haven't registered you're invited to stop by that day to do so.
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A letter from our dear member, Mary MacKenzie, returning the full value of her Faith Bond to UCC. The Faith Bond Opportunity Fund was initiated a decade ago and the remaining Faith Bonds come due as of December 31, 2020.
"The Faith Bond Opportunity was a great opportunity for all of us and I am pleased to have been a small part of the process. I have no 'proof' that being a part of this adventure has blessed me with good health and good luck but I firmly believe that an investment in my Church has prospered me in every way. I have been richly blessed. Please keep my modest investment for the benefit of our Church."
We are deeply grateful, Mary! We continue to see you richly blessed in both visible and invisible ways right now and going forward! Much love from our congregation and Board of Directors!
("Mary Mac" is also the loving main benefactress of the renewal of our Butterfly Garden at UCC! Thanks to all our helpers as blessings wing their way to UCC!)
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THURSDAYS & SUNDAYS! Join Us on Zoom! It's Easy!!
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Thursdays
12:00 PM
Bring your lunch and let's get together and chat!
Board Member & President of Hospitality, Deb Larkin is hosting a weekly Zoom "Table Talk Thursday" call so we can see each others faces and hear each others voices.
Why Table Talk? Well, because that's one thing we miss during this time. Sitting around a table in the café and talking together.
The table talk will last about an hour. Feel free to drop in for a few minutes or spend the whole hour with us.
Each week Deb will have a new topic and you will have the opportunity to learn something new about each other and to share your thoughts. You can choose to participate or just listen in, whatever is comfortable for you. It will be a fun time for all as we enjoy our Unity community and navigate a new normal of virtual social distancing.
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THURSDAY Meeting Login Info:
Call in By Phone if Preferred:
646-558-8656 or 301-715-8592
(You'll Need the ID and Password Below)
Meeting ID:
899 2533 1726
Password:
345849
Topic:
What was your first car and how did you learn to drive?
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Join Leddy on Zoom and share your thoughts after the service. Bring your coffee and enjoy some casual face time with us.
We miss seeing you and are looking forward to spending an hour or so with you.
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SUNDAY Meeting Login Info:
Invite Link:
Call in By Phone if Preferred:
646-558-8656 or 301-715-8592
(You'll Need the ID and Password Below)
Meeting ID:
884 0094 7378
Password:
670771
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Below Are Links To Help You Get Set Up with Zoom
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We still are getting frequent questions has been: "what's the best way to send an offering to the church?"
We're checking mail every day, so checks sent through the mail are fine as are checks sent from your bank's online bill pay.
If you feel led you might consider setting up an automatic recurring donation. This can be done through your banks bill pay or on the church's donation form.
We've also been asked about the processing fees the church has to pay when the online form is used. The fees are a small percentage (3&-4%) of the total donation, however there is an option to cover fees that you may select if you feel so inclined. Every little bit helps and we're grateful if you decide to turn that option on.
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Now Available: Text Giving
Text "Give" (without quotes) to 833-679-1105 and follow the prompts.
Giving by text is quick & easy! Our processor has come up with a couple of videos to explain the process. Click below to watch one.
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“…You will find in the Psalms, ‘God is the strength of my life.’ God is the strength of my life, and I am powerful in every part’ is a splendid affirmation. If you make that affirmation and get the swing of it in your organism, you're bound to get strong. It is not necessary that you take physical exercise to gain strength. Exercise your mind, the great strength field, and will be translated into your character muscles. Then the exercise will come in doing with strength and vigor that which you love to be. We will take, as our central prayer this morning, 'God is the strength of my life, and I am powerful in every part.’ Now, as you hold it, feel it, realize it. . . . Let it sweep through your body . . . . First we will repeat it aloud, then silently: ‘God is the strength of my Life, and I am powerful in every part’” (Lecture, “The First Consciousness of Spiritual strength” by Charles Fillmore at Unity Auditorium 913 Tracy Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri, Sunday Morning, September 28, 1913). |
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Your Weekly Affirmation:
“GOD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE, AND I AM POWERFUL IN EVERY PART.”
THANK YOU, GOD!
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