by John Daubney
In a worship service, music has the potential to open up hearts and minds to the possibility of healing and love. Music also prepares the way for Spirit to be heard in a profound way. When it comes to providing service to our community, music is Pete Furlong’s particular niche. Music is his gift, talent, passion and ministry. Watch his delight as he provides beautiful vocal harmonies, guitar or piano accompaniment, or rhythm and percussion from his tambourine or African drums. Pete models for each of us that using our gift or skill in service to others rewards the giver in a way that makes life fulfilling and joyful.
My first two Unity services were at the “Burning Bowl” services on New Year’s Eve in 2008 and 2009. Friends had suggested I check out Unity. Although I’d never been a churchgoer, I had seen a Unity slide at the Spectrum Theater, featuring Eckhart Tolle who had been life-changing for me. This was a quiet nudge, I’m sure.
The 2009 Burning Bowl moved me to tears. My father had passed that September, and maybe I was ripe. A spiritual tingle surged in my body that night, and a clear thought: You should start coming here emerged. I’ve learned those messages are the ones to really listen to. This ended up being correct in ways I couldn’t imagine.
A few people stand out to me as models of service at Unity. When she serves as platform assistant, Heather Diddel exudes a strength and clarity that brings credibility to the spiritual life. My growth into a deeper spirituality has often been challenged by how I was raised, and some of my false and shallow philosophies. Doubt is an indispensable part of a strong spiritual foundation, so I need to see and know people who are solidly grounded in theirs. (Thank you, Heather.)
Nancy Wells is another example of service I aspire to. I have known her for a long time now, and we have witnessed each other’s growth. I have been amazed by her light and lightness. I laugh out loud every time she does the platform service. Stop taking yourself so seriously Pete, this seems be reminding me. (Thank you, Nancy.)
The first regular service I performed at Unity was working the soundboard and slides. I remember Jim saying to do the service you get excited about…that calls to you. I loved that and it allowed me to shed another layer of baggage that said “work is not fun”. I’d wanted to re-familiarize myself with working a soundboard, and I always want more music in my life. (Thanks, Jim.)
I enjoyed so many parts of Unity’s music from the pews – the message, Roger Mock’s amazing guitar, a focus on love. I debated joining for a year or more, occasionally dipped my toe in, but was still having trouble stomaching the idea of going to church on Sundays.
I sang at several services, but when not feeling good about myself, fear would sometimes keep me from showing up. I would cancel last minute. Once or twice I didn’t come, even after having attended rehearsal. Man did that feel terrible! I think what began to break this pattern was an email to Roger to apologize. He replied in a way I will never forget. He said approximately “This being human thing isn’t easy”. I will forever be grateful to him for that, because it gave me permission to come as I am; radiant when I can be, or scared and awkward, but still showing up. (Thank you, Roger.)
I was – still am – learning to retrain my thinking and the mantra that says in a million different ways, “stay safe, don’t take risks.” Meditation, the love at Unity, a lot of healing work, amazing people in my life, and so many spiritual teachers, are helping me.
When Mark Shepard joined, he fused spirituality and songwriting in such a beautiful way. I imagined myself drumming along and adding rhythm to his songs. The casual thought, “I could do music here” became a more serious “I think I’m supposed to do music here.” (Thanks, Mark.)
My vibrant self shows up more regularly nowadays, when I give him permission to emerge…even on those weeks, when it occasionally occurs, that I don’t want to be there.
The opportunity to do service has been a continually renewing gift. At a small gig I played recently, my understanding of Perfect Divine Order deepened. All my growth – showing up almost every time now – was because people were counting on me. In doing a service, I wasn’t thinking of myself and, in that, I found myself a little more, a little deeper. Unity is a sacred space where I hear, but can let go, of the negative voices in my head that sometimes suddenly show up.
Doing service is a pleasure. Service need not come from feeling obligated, but from excitement. It seems to me that people who love to ‘play in the dirt’ are Unity’s gardeners. Those who love to teach are Sunday educators and others channel their “OCD” gifts when seasonal cleaning time arrives! Those who are handy help build us a new staircase, and reinforce our wheelchair ramps.
Playing music is not a “hobby” for me. I know I am supposed to be musical and creative! I have been told that my energy is dramatically different when I am engaged in music. Unity has done me the service of being in a place where I can stretch beyond my blocks so I can participate in what I love, with the gift I have to give. The gratitude I have is beyond my ability to describe it. So I’ll just say this: Thank you!