What’s the Big Idea?

The Evolution of Unity’s Central Office and Regions

2 Foundational Ideas

1886 Spring – “I am a Child of God and therefore I do not inherit sickness!”

1886-1888 – “If I am Spirit and this God they talk about is Spirit, we can somehow

communicate or this whole thing is a fraud.”

2 Revelationary Ideas

1889 April: Modern Thought, first issueMotto: “Devoted to the Spiritualization of Humanity from an Independent Standpoint.”

1891 Spring: “UNITY, UNITY–that’s it! That’s the name of our work! That’s the name we’ve been looking for!”

4 Progressive Ideas

• 1909 – Correspondence School Two thousand students enrolled in 2 years

• 1914 – Charles merged UTS, SSU, UCS & S7 into “Unity School of Christianity.”

• 1915 – Field Department

• 1922 – Radio Broadcasts

The Field Department(as it evolved over the years)

• Operating guidelines• “Study classes” in local communities• Published “The Field Department Bulletin”• Published directory of centers and churches• Sent Unity-trained lecturers to local groups• Organized an annual conference• Participated with Unity Training School in

ordaining ministers and licensing of teachers

4 Organizing Ideas

• 1925 – “Unity Annual Conference” established. Adopted a set of rules and outlined a code of conduct for Unity teachers.

• 1933 – A ministerial training program began. • 1946 – Unity Minister’s Association • 1964 – 10 Unity ministers established a

holding corporation to gather funds for expanding the field ministry. (Association of Unity Churches)

Big Idea! 1964 – The Board of Trustees of Unity School formed a “Field Department

Study Committee”

Members: Barney Rickets, L. E. Meyer, May Rowland, Lillian Matthews, Elsie Shaw, Eric Butterworth, Sig Paulson and David Williamson

17 Focused Recommendations: # 1: … that Unity School, through its Field

Department, build a new image that more adequately communicates its sincere feelings of interest in, respect for, and appreciation of the leaders and Unity Centers in the Field.

#3: The Field Department has one of the most important functions in the entire

movement.

No longer simply a department of Unity School

An activity closely involved with every Unity group, center/church

A clearing house for all two-way and inter-Center activities between Unity school and the field

A placement and promotion bureau for ministers and teachers

Involved in licensing, ordination, employment, retirement, counseling, guidance, arbitrating disputes, administering policies, policing violations, and Y.O.U.

Idea: Field Department Study Committee thought Unity Minister’s Association should become part of new Field Department structure.

Unity School Response:“We’ve got a Bigger Idea!”

• *1965 December – Unity School decided to allow field ministries to operate independently, with no guidance or control from the School, and to abolish the Field Department.

• Charles R. Fillmore said responsibility for field ministries was to be transferred to the Unity Minister’s Association field ministers, referring to “many functions, which by their very nature can be handled more efficiently by the field itself.”

• “The Field Ministry now has the capacity and the need to take over these administrative functions.” 215 churches and study groups at the time

Another Reason for Bigger Idea

• 1966 - January Bulletin No. 8, Unity and the Search for Spiritual Meaning, Charles R. Fillmore stated that Unity’s (School) involvement was with individuals ….

• “We do not teach a class, we teach a classroom full of individuals….

• “We should prefer that churches become centers, that centers become centers of influence, that sermons become lessons, that ministers become teachers, that congregations become a gathering of disciples, that ritual become devotion, and that religion become spiritual movement….”

Big Idea “It’s Our Baby Now!”

1966 June 22 – first meeting of the Association of Unity Churches1966 July 22 – the Association of Unity Churches assumed

responsibilities formerly performed by the Field Department1966 July 22 – Responsible for Ministerial Education Program as of

19681967 Beginning Functions – Association of Unity Churches:

*Ordaining ministers *Licensing of ministers and teachers *Postgraduate education for ministers and teachers *Employment of ministers in the field movement *Personnel records of ministers, teachers and church records *Field liaison activities and ethics of ministers and teachers *Administering Sunday school and Y.O.U. activities

Great Ideas! Association of Unity Churches Annual Report to Membership June 1967

1st Purpose: To create a consciousness of unity among our ministers and teachers. All else is secondary to primary purpose of making you feel a vital part of our beloved Unity Family.

2nd Purpose: To create links of communication toward the accomplishment of common goals.

3rd Purpose: To create efficient and effectual organization for orderly progress of field ministry.

Oh! By the Way!

1975-1976 Barton Associates Study/Survey: Many of the ministers and ministries did not have a clear perspective of Association’s organizational structure or how services of the Association could be of meaningful assistance. Packet presentation prepared … effort/plan made to contact all ministries individually to present the packet and promote better understanding of what the Association offers. (250 ministries)

Unity Worldwide Ministries’ Regions Whose Big Idea?

“We have checked the Field Department Records and the records related to the Unity Ministers

Association, but have not found documents that relate to the origin of the Unity regions.”

Unity Library at Unity Village – Email dated November 21, 2014

Divine Idea“Hmm … I wonder how Butterworth is doing.”“Hey, Eric … It’s a little lonely out here! Let’s

get 3-4 of us together for lunch and friendship … maybe share some ideas.”

Regions Self-Evolved … ye olde “God Job”

Regional Ideas & Ideals

Eastern Region: 1940s and early 1950s – to serve, nurture, support and provide educational opportunities to enhance the growth and expansion of Unity Ministers, Licensed teachers and Ministries.

South Eastern Region: pre-1950s – “little old ladies in tennis shoes”…in every way possible support and help our ministers, leaders and families be vital, strong and healthy

Great Lakes Region: “fellowship and to share ideas for bringing more light into the world”

South Central Region: 1947 – dedicated to loving and serving our regional ministries.

South West Region: “to love, support and serve one another”

West Central Region: commitment to reach out through personal contact to the individual churches and centers in the region

Northwest Region: love, respect and support each other as we grow and empower ministries. (Canada, Puerto Rico, Pacific Rim are similar)

Some Big Ideas Now

To serve one another, i.e. ministers, leaders and families in every way possible, by creating a consciousness of unity, fellowship, love, respect, nurture, support, vitality, strength and health.

To create links of communication through personal contact and efficient and effectual organization and sharing ideas.

To bring more light into the world by enhancing the orderly progress, growth and expansion of Unity ministers, licensed teachers and Unity ministries.

Information for this report is based primarily on information gathered with gratitude from:Association of Unity Churches International by Glenn R. Mosley and Rebekah A. Dunlap (pub. 2006) Charles Fillmore – Herald of the New Age by Hugh D’Andrade (pub. 1974)