By John Daubney
For those of us who tend to be on the shy side, getting involved in service can definitely be cathartic. There is something powerfully ascendant about breaking through that protective shell of protection and doing something we haven’t done before. We are all so much more than we think we are and Peggy Kauffman and others have experienced that phenomenon by bravely stepping out to give of themselves in service here at Unity. Thanks Peggy; you provide us all a role model for what we are capable of, with what you do for others.
“I first heard about Unity through friends in recovery over ten years ago. As a 12 step recovering person, I found that Unity was a natural extension of the spiritual work I’d been doing.
“I grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and attended a Methodist church because it was the church in the neighborhood that my parents chose. But as a young adult, I rejected all organized religion and was turned off by the mention of God. Through my years in recovery, however, I gradually became more open and receptive to the idea of God, as I developed in my spiritual program. I also learned about the concept of service through many years of active service in my recovery programs.
“What I immediately liked about Unity was that it was spiritual without being religious in a dogmatic way. I also heard familiar concepts that I had learned in recovery, such as “let go and let God”. For many years, I came to Unity sporadically but not in a committed way. It’s been in the past several years that I’ve become more involved. I started to usher, I took the membership classes and became a member, I participated in Wednesday meditation and classes, and I came to love kirtan as a mode of meditation. I started to see Unity as my spiritual home. Then when Rev. Jim and Kay announced that they were moving on, I was afraid that my home would change. But when Rev. Crystal became our new minister, I was overjoyed. I was able to recruit her to co-officiate at my wedding this past September, which was amazing. As a result, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know her more and feel a deep connection
“I also went to the Unity retreat and loved it. Through all of this, I’ve grown in my spirituality immensely, and I feel more at home at Unity than ever. In addition, I’ve participated in the Albany Peace Project from the beginning, as well as the subcommittee bringing mindfulness meditation into the schools. I had been doing meditation in my classroom for years, independently, so it was really nice to connect with others who are interested in the same thing.
“For me, becoming more involved at Unity has also meant becoming more visible, which as a relatively shy person, is a challenge for me. But the more involved I’ve gotten, the better it feels. I love getting to know people more and feeling connected. I recently retired from teaching, and one of my primary goals is to get more involved in Unity. My first step was to take on the adopted family project this past Christmas, and I really enjoyed doing that. I’ve also spoken to Rev. Crystal about my interest in community outreach and other ways to become more involved.
“I’ve gradually learned through my participation that I have something of value to give to this community and it’s been a wonderful growth experience for me. Unity has truly become my spiritual home. So if anyone is considering getting more involved but hesitant in any way, I’d say go for it in any way you feel comfortable and let it grow from there. The personal benefits of service are amazing.