Day of Prayer

wil

wil

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At church last night we just finished 24 hours of prayer, praying for specific peoples that folks asked for hundreds of them, and all peoples, all religions, and our planet as well...

We started 7 pm on Wednesday with a service honoring all religions and had representatives of a number of them and lit a candle for those that could not come. As Muslims and Jews just started their holy days, they had their ceremony to attend to and were not there, we held a space for them and read their prayers for peace. In the past when we've had Rabbis and Imams present with folks from Bahai, Sufi, Jain, Indigenous beliefs, Hindu Priests, Buddhist Monks etc. the discussions and talks have always been awesome.

They were this time as well, but the presence and input these very influential Abrahamic belief systems were missed the other night in comparison to years past. It is quiet in the wee hours of the night in the sanctuary contemplating what was heard during the service and in discussion afterword, contemplating the names of those we are praying for on the walls, contemplating the lotus mandala of religious symbols just as the dove in my avatar...

As the sun came up, and other folks came in to hold the space in prayer, I showered and headed out to the world to work. I returned last night for the closing service, one of great love and emotion...and this morning, back at work again, back on the computer on this site, I contemplate how far we have to go to achieve the oneness felt in that room.

I consider the metaphor of Brian tearing down the walls, loosening the control, modifying the code of conduct on these boards a while ago. And how we all need to either do that, or just be satisfied with divisions.

There was one prayer that struck me, and I have to find out what religion and who was quoted...and the exact quote...but paraphrased...it went something like.

Peace and love is the only answer, as there will always be a more determined foe, and a bigger weapon, but no weapon can compete with peace, forgiveness and love.

It is a gross modification of the original....but I will find it and post it.

Peace, forgiveness and love to all.
 
17th Angel said:
I find praying for some one of another faith strange..... Not sure if the concept seems too alien or just insulting.... Not sure on that one.
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Blanket prayers end up praying for other faiths all the time...praying for those affected by tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes, war, famine, etc.

My prayers for myself and everyone have left the specific and for the good of all concerned (oops darn duality)...

What I find extremely interesting and quite disconcerting at first was praying in another faith or language...now it is amazingly enjoyable. When we do chant or prayers or Dances for Universal Peace, the energy is not unlike KiGong or Tai Chi, definitely levitating...
 
The service and 24 hours of prayer sound awesome! What kind of church is this- UU?
Imagine what extraordinary accomplishments in the area of world peace would happen if all faiths held days like this once a month...... The feelings of unity, love and forgiveness each participating member would create and feel might overwhelm our desire to fight with one another about who is "right".

:) Michelle
 
fourgrtkidos said:
The service and 24 hours of prayer sound awesome! What kind of church is this- UU?
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Namaste 4gr8

Close, not Unitarian but Unity...all our churches do the 24 hour simultaneously once a year...our church planned and started doing ecumenical services amazingly enough on 9/11/2001. It was an incredible service, with every speaker from every religion focusing on peace and love on that day (that evening we had a Rabbi, an Imam, a Preacher, Buddhist Monk, Hindu Priest, and speakers from Bahai, Sufi, Native American, Jain, and honored many more not physically represented)....and then the fact that our sanctuary was in prayer for the next day was of great benefit to the community...

Silent Unity has had people in constant 24/7 prayer for a hundred years at the headquarters in Missouri.
 
wil said:
and proud of it!
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According to Mirriam-Webster....

Main Entry: cult
Pronunciation: 'k&lt
Function: noun
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: French & Latin; French culte, from Latin cultus care, adoration, from colere to cultivate -
1 : formal religious veneration : [SIZE=-1]WORSHIP[/SIZE]
2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>
5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : the object of such devotion c : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion


Over the years I've heard the 'cult' mentioned so often I looked up the definition and wear it with pride... Not to say the Unity movement does. Unity was started as a bible study group and metaphysical interpretation...an outgrowth from the transcendentalism movement. The Fillmores were big into healing with prayer....Charles studied from a metaphysical and scientific questioning bent, his wife Myrtle from a spiritual faithfilled belief. They formed groups of people who studied with them during the week and they all returned to their churches on Sunday....They published their thoughts in a monthly magazine and the Daily Word (still sent worldwide).

Over time, folks wanted to study Unity thought w/o returning to their home church and a church was formed, today there maybe a church or study group near you. As it had always been based on prayer Silent Unity was developed and a building dedicated to having people in prayer 24/7...and they are there today reading the letters, taking phone calls and creating a prayerful space for anyone.

This week we'll have about 60 middles school kids coming to learn about various religions and peace for a weekend retreat...I mean indoctrination...and in a couple weeks my kids will be headed to their first high school rally with over a hundred YOUers (youth of unity). These young kids spoke at the UN to start their Season for Nonviolence Program and I've seen them raise funds to build a school in Zambia...

As I said....if this is a cult, I'm proud to be a member!
 
The Unity Church here in my Florida town doesn't sound as great as yours...... too bad. I'm still looking for a spiritual "home".

Wish more faiths did as much outreach and intentional peace building as your does.....
:)Michelle
 
fourgrtkidos said:
The Unity Church here in my Florida town doesn't sound as great as yours...... too bad. I'm still looking for a spiritual "home".

Wish more faiths did as much outreach and intentional peace building as your does.....
:)Michelle
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Unity churches have as many different flavors as most. I've been in a number and the preachers and congregations are all decidedly different. But I've also found that the same in various denominations...My mother's Methodist Church cringes as the move a good Minister away or rejoices as they move one they didn't appreciate on...this happens to them every two years...
 
17th Angel said:
looked like you went on some holy crusade on her ass, and kinda ranted her down a size or two lol...
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I did? Then I am the one who must apologize. I was just trying to provide info. Seriously the 'cult' label is actually one I enjoy discussing. As I wonder why our common usage of the term is by one religion/denomination/group condescendingly referring to another religion/denomination/group...however in reality by definition all religions are cults??

And I must admit, when we are doing drum circles, chant, or dances for universal peace....and we get guests coming in for the first time....they look a little askance at us!

Or last week we had an Australian speaker and digerdoo lessons just before the sacrifices...
 
wil said:
I did? Then I am the one who must apologize. I was just trying to provide info. Seriously the 'cult' label is actually one I enjoy discussing. As I wonder why our common usage of the term is by one religion/denomination/group condescendingly referring to another religion/denomination/group...however in reality by definition all religions are cults??

And I must admit, when we are doing drum circles, chant, or dances for universal peace....and we get guests coming in for the first time....they look a little askance at us!

Or last week we had an Australian speaker and digerdoo lessons just before the sacrifices...
Click to expand...

Aaaah she's only a scouser, de nada.....
 
The cult weekend update:

Over 50 kids from Syracuse NY to Roanoke, VA showed up to play with us this weekend.

We began by honoring the four directions of the earth and earth, water, air and fire elements. And we began an exploration of the Divine Goddess, Native American, New Thought, Shinto, and Bahai traditions...packed a lot into a 26 hour period.

We sang, we drummed, we danced. We made journals, alters, and prayer flags. We had a fire and in ceremony burned attitudes and perceptions we wished to release....and the next morning we had more ceremony honoring the four directions...and held a stone...tried to stay in reverence for a period of time...our effort to each hold a stone still...and stay in a moment of reflection and silence was used as our own personal parable of what it would take to get the world to cooperate on peace.

The kids were ages 11-14...great years where they are trying to break the barriers and boundaries made by adults and find their own selves as they grow... We had great fun....and they headed back to their home churches with some increased awareness, some expansion and exposure to more of the world...

fun stuff...
 
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