by Paul Frament
Do you value the Unity messages that you hear on Sunday? Do you appreciate the people that attend Unity Services with you? To get more of the Unity experience attend one of the many classes that are offered. In the next few months, various classes will be offered Sunday thru Thursday evenings, and a book group meets at 10 AM on Tuesdays, with discussions on a variety of topics.
Our classes explore the same Unity concepts that we listen to on Sundays. But, the classes go deeper into the material, and they are very interactive. They provide ample opportunities to share what is happening to you on your Spiritual Path, to ask questions, and to hear the experiences of your Unity friends. The class presentations and the class books are a perfect starting point for each person to select the unique topics that they want to study and practice. Who knows where your individual reading and meditating will take you!
A quality class that many of us might ignore is the Unity Membership Class. It is conveniently offered on Sundays after our 11:00 Service. Many of us who are already members might assume that this class is not for us. But, they would be mistaken. When Reverend Crystal offered the Membership Class shortly after her arrival in Albany, I had been a Unity member for many years, but I took the class to experience Reverend Crystal as a teacher. In short, she is a great teacher– fully prepared, and very skillful at explaining Unity principles, which many of us never fully learned, or have forgotten. I highly recommend this class for members and non-members.
Another area of Unity study that we haven’t emphasized recently, is the Quest Class. Quest is a 48 week program of spiritual rediscovery for small groups, and each group is run completely by its members, who manage the time, place, and format for the weekly meetings. I took the Quest class twice. One group had 10 members, and the other group had 5 members. I would say that 5 to 7 members is small enough to be personal, and large enough to have a variety of thoughts and experiences to share. Completing the 48 lesson course of study may extend beyond a calendar year if the group decides to take a break or two. Quest classes require some effort, but much of the reading is done at home at your own pace. And the resulting change in your spiritual awareness and the bonds of friendship are well worth the effort that you apply. Quest classes used to be very popular, and those who participated are very glad that they did.
I have been an avid consumer of our Unity in Albany classes, and would be happy to share what I know about them. If you want more information about any of Unity classes, please call me, or catch me before or after Sunday service. I can either help, or point you to someone who can.