Be Open to Infinite Possibilities!

When we first decided to hold 10 weeks of classes on Rev. Ken Daigle’s new book, Unapologetic Manifestation: 5 Steps to Create the Life You Want, I thought we might get perhaps 20 students.

I was amazed when we wound up with over 70 eager students in the class! This was not the first time that I recently vastly underestimated the interest there would be in a Spiritual Life Center activity.

For example, when A.R. Powell came to me and first proposed our holding a Passover Seder at SLC, I said we should do it in the kitchen because we’d probably only attract about 20 people. Thank goodness A.R. and the SLC staff convinced me otherwise, because we had well over 65 people fill up the entire sanctuary for the ceremony and dinner.

Rev. Ken, who is the Senior Minister at Unity of San Francisco, really stresses that we should be open to the infinite possibilities when we align with Spirit. I have been writing blogs/columns that examine each of Ken’s steps for “unapologetic manifestation.” Let’s remind ourselves what those five steps are. They include:

1. Focus our mind

2. Shift our consciousness

3. Take concrete steps

4. Share your journey

5. Be open

Concerning being open, Ken writes: “When your good shows up differently than you imagined, it’s often a sign that it is from Spirit rather than your ego. Spirit is unlimited, and contains more than we could ever conceive. When we are open and receptive, we can see beyond form to the good in things and situations that don’t conform to our limited expectations.”

Peg and I certainly saw this happen during our recent search for a new congregation. For various reasons, we both felt that it was time to leave the Commonwealth of Virginia. We thought that we would wind up at Unity of X (it is probably best not to mention the specific city and church.)

We both have grown children who live in the City of X, and Unity of X is one of the leading congregations in the Unity network. It is a wonderful congregation, and the physical church and property is very beautiful.

I had wonderful interviews with their search committee and their board of trustees. I was invited to do a tryout weekend, and this weekend went very well. I think it is fair to say that I was a very serious candidate for Unity of X, and Peg and I started envisioning what it would be like living in that city — which is really a very interesting and dynamic part of the world.

But then something very interesting happened. I had a tryout weekend at this church in Sacramento, California. Prior to that, I had some wonderful interviews with both the search committee and the board of trustees of Spiritual Life Center. The Sunday services were well beyond my expectations.

I started to feel deeply moved by SLC. At that point I felt that Spirit might be calling us to Sacramento and not X. The last time I searched for a new church, Unity of Santa Barbara had expressed real interest in me. But I was scared off by California real estate prices. I said that this time I would not be scared off. I would have faith in that old saying: “Whom God calls, God equips.”

It was the day that the American Pope was announced to the world, and I received a phone call from the president of the board of SLC. Rev Janée Marth told me that, similar to what happened in the Vatican, the SLC board had “seen white smoke.” We both laughed, and then Rev. Janée asked me if I would serve as SLC’s senior minister. I, of course, said I would be honored to do so.

In retrospect, I can now see certain things that I did not fully consider at the time as to why SLC was the right way to go. When I went to Unity Institute and Seminary, the study of world religions was mandatory. However, several recent changes have happened, and it will now be possible for somebody to become an ordained Unity Minister and never have studied anything other than Judeo-Christian scriptures.

This is symbolic of several recent changes that I disagree with and that I believe are not in the spirit of Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. I can see how important it is that the church I serve be deeply committed to interfaith spirituality — as SLC is. On top of this are the wonderful people of SLC, our music ministry, and all that Revs. Michael and Faith Moran started at SLC.

So my advice is to be open to the infinite possibilities that God can — and does— provide for us. Our good may often be manifested in ways that are different from our original “game plan.”

What I am thinking about right now are the olden battles between the earth centered and the Sun centered models of the universe. I love to look at pictures of our universe that come from the Hubble and Webb telescopes out in space.

It turns out that neither the earth nor the Sun are the centers of the universe, and it turns out that the universe is even more beautiful and more mysterious than any of these ancient models. And on top of that, some scientists now talk of a multiverse where our universe is but one of zillions.

We have every good reason to be open to possibilities beyond our limited dreams. As Jesus put it so well: “It is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

Many blessings,

Rev. Rick