Unity is a worldwide Christian organization founded more than 100 years ago and headquartered in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Though often confused with other organizations, Unity has no connection with Unitarianism or the Unification Church. Unity of East Louisville was founded in 2002 by Rev. Carole Mahaffey, an ordained Unity minister. The congregation, which began with about 20 founding members, continues to attract those who seek a positive approach to life and deeper connection with Spirit.
Unity is often referred to as “practical Christianity,” simply because the Unity ideal is the actual practice of Jesus’ teachings on a seven-day-a-week basis. Offering techniques through which people of all backgrounds and beliefs can demonstrate or utilize Spiritual Law, Unity considers itself Christian, with Jesus, the Christ, as the way shower and master teacher.
Unity has no man-made creed or dogma. Rather, it seeks to find the Truth in Scripture and meaning beyond the literal translation. Unity proclaims the divinity of Jesus, but goes further in belief that we, as children of God, too, are divine in nature. Jesus lived as the highest expression of divinity and Oneness with God, expressing salvation as the understanding and acceptance of one’s innate divinity.
5 Basic Unity Principles
- There is only one Presence and one Power active as the universe and as my life, God the Good.
- Our essence is of God; therefore, we are inherently good. This God essence was fully expressed in Jesus, the Christ.
- We are co-creators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in mind.
- Through prayer and meditation, we align our heart-mind with God. Denials and affirmations are tools we use.
- Through thoughts, words and actions, we live the Truth we know.
Today, millions of people read The Daily Word and Unity Magazine in many languages and join in prayer with Silent Unity, which has maintained an around-the-clock prayer vigil for over 100 years.
Often mistakenly associated with New Age, a movement that includes astrology, numerology, channeling, crystals and other interests, Unity is part of a broader exploration called "
Our Vision
"We are realizing miracles through living our oneness with God and each other."
Our Mission
"We are a spiritual community inspiring peaceful transformation in ourselves and in the world through love, joy, and integrity."
What does Unity believe?
God
God is Spirit, the loving source of all that is. God is the one power, all good, everywhere present, all wisdom. God is divine energy, continually creating, expressing and sustaining all creation. In God, we live and move and have our being. In Unity, some other ways we speak of God are Life, Light, Love, Substance, Principle, Law and Universal Mind.
Jesus
We believe that Jesus expressed his divine potential and sought to show humankind how to express ours as well. We see Jesus as a master teacher of universal truths and as our Way Shower. In Unity, we use the term Christ to mean the divinity in humankind. Jesus is the great example of the Christ in expression.
The Nature of Humankind
We are each individual, eternal expressions of God. Our essential nature is divine and therefore inherently good. Our purpose is to express our divine potential as realized and demonstrated by Jesus and other master teachers. The more we awaken to our divine nature, the more fully God expresses in and through our lives.
The Bible
Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore studied the Bible as history and allegory and interpreted it as a metaphysical representation of humankind’s evolutionary journey toward spiritual awakening. In addition, Unity recognizes that the Bible is a complex collection of writings compiled over many centuries. We honor the writings as reflecting the understanding and inspiration of the writers at the time they were written. The Bible continues to be a valuable spiritual resource for us.
Our Teachings
Unity teaches that each person is a unique expression of God created with sacred worth. Living from that awareness transforms our lives and the world. Unity emphasizes the creative power of thought in our life experience. We refer to this as the Law of Mind Action. When we take personal responsibility to choose life-affirming thoughts, words and actions, we experience a more fulfilling and abundant life.
Unity emphasizes the importance of applying spiritual principles in our daily lives.
Unity teachings continue to evolve as we identify, embrace and apply spiritual insights and the spiritual implications of new discoveries.
Prayer and Meditation
Affirmative prayer is the highest form of creative thought. It includes the release of counterproductive, negative thoughts, as well as holding in mind statements of spiritual truth. Through meditation, we experience the presence of God. Prayer and meditation heighten our awareness and thereby transform our lives.
Youth and Family Ministry
Unity recognizes that there are many expressions of family life. All are welcome. Unity creates an affirming environment that fosters positive self-image, personal responsibility and unconditional love and acceptance.
Unity:
- Beholds all children as whole and perfect expressions of God.
- Empowers children to fulfill their divine potential.
- Teaches children to meditate and pray.
- Invites children to experience a loving God.
- Unity provides a strong spiritual foundation for children’s lives.