O Holy Night

The birth of the Christ child was the beginning of a spiritual awakening continuing to this day. The love and care of Jesus’ birth inspires a rebirth of our own spiritual connection.

As we express our love for family and friends, as we select gifts for loved ones, we are each affirming the value of love in our lives. God is love. The more we allow ourselves to feel and express our love, the deeper our spiritual rebirth becomes.

The Christmas carols, the manger scene and our beautiful Christmas services each call us to remember what is really important. They call us to recommit to living the love we really are. Let your heart enjoy the birth of your love into a whole new level of living this Christmas.

—Rev. David McArthur

Who is Santa

The commercialization of Christmas is one of the most sacred parts! Thank goodness Spirit doesn't confine itself to just the religious community. Perhaps you do not like God at all. Yet, Santa gets to you.
 
 Metaphysically, Santa shows up Christmas Eve when we celebrate the birth of a new baby, which represents the birth of a new consciousness. Santa comes from the sky-- from that greater consciousness. And it doesn't seem possible that Santa can come to every house in just one night, but, metaphysically, the higher consciousness is omnipresent, and Santa (the God figure) responds to every one of us. Within the house (your state of consciousness) Santa enters through the place of light and warmth. That is the greater consciousness coming through the heart-- that child place of fulfilling dreams and desires. And you don't get to see Santa, you just get to see the gifts he leaves.

How God – Santa – shows up in an even greater way is the experience of the amazing consciousness of Christmas. It is one of the deepest and most important parts of Christmas. It happens through us. We are the love that happens, that touches, uplifts, and blesses. We are Santa. We understand that Jesus came to give us the awareness of the love that flows through us. Now we get an opportunity to bless. You can be Santa.
  
 You are invited to give to a Santa fund in the sanctuary or in the book center. The second way you can experience the amazing consciousness of Christmas is to open and accept that which blesses you. Express your need or the need of someone you know. Make out your Christmas list. Email Unity Walnut Creek or call the office with you request.
 
Who has the greater joy-- the giver or the receiver? Give and receive. Allow the flow. Budgets are not as important. Let the love be your only guide. Because of you, “Santa Claus is coming to town!”

from Mike McGuire, Prayer Team
Summary of Rev. David's sermon

Be an Instrument

The angels of the Christmas story show God communicates with us directly, that we are connected with God and that it is a two way street. And the message in the Christmas story calls us each to be an instrument for bringing forth that which is greater. With our willingness and commitment to do so, and our moving on it, we need not know for what end. We might be an instrument of healing of body or heart. Or maybe we'll bring peace into a family. We likely will never know, but the world will change because of our faithful action.

So with each Christmas carol you hear this season, with every gift you choose and every cookie you bake, celebrate. Celebrate because you got the message, God is talking to you. If you listen, if you reply, "What is mine to do?", and open up to it, then, just as on that first Christmas night, the angels will sing “Glory to God in the highest; peace to all of good will”.

from Mike McGuire, Prayer Team
Summary of Rev. David's sermon

Christmas - Clebrating a new birth of Consciousness

Christmas is celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus, the birth of a new consciousness and the birth of the joy that is hope eternal in our hearts. We bring out the symbols of our new birth—the bells of celebration, the cheery red Christmas ribbon, the gaiety of presents, the warmth of the fireside, and the abundance of family feasts and presents. In the dark of wintertime, we light the candles of our hope, symbolizing our faith that the light of goodness is responding to our common humanity. Our hearts awaken in our new birth and we reach out to the poor, those struggling or in need. We affirm our love for family and friends and we are reborn to the radiant love that fills our hearts. Celebrate that wonderful love, that miraculous birth this Christmas Eve with your Unity family.

Our children will warm your hearts at our 5:30 pm family service, and at the 8:00 pm service, the beauty of the candlelight will rekindle the sacred flame of divine love in your heart.

—Rev. David McArthur

A Blessed Christmas

The message of Christmas is one of the most profound revelations given to us as growing spiritual beings. It is the revelation that the Divine is incarnate in us in our human experience. We are no longer to view ourselves as separate from Divine Love, but rather as children and heirs of that love. The Divinity celebrated in the Christ Child is the story of the discovery of the Divine presence within ourselves. This is not just the celebration of His birth, but also the celebration of our birth into the awareness of our oneness with Divine Love. It is no wonder that during the Christmas season, we feel the peace that the angels proclaimed, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

You are invited to renew the peace of Christmas in your heart at our special services of remembrance, Christmas music and candle lighting. Let the deep peace of Divine Love fill your heart throughout this sacred season.

—Reverend David McArthur