Happy New Year

This letter from the Senior Minister, Rev. Jean-Marie Schweizer, was sent out to the congregation on New Year’s Day. It included a reflection of 2020 while looking ahead into the new year. Additionally, as part of this time of transition, the membership renewal process was announced and initiated accordingly. The letter is saved as a blog post to allow for sharing and reflection.

Dear Friends,

As we celebrate the new year of 2021, we will likely not easily forget the year we just left behind. While hope is on the horizon, uncertainty may continue to exist for some if not all of us. This year's transition is one of a kind as many would acknowledge. One of a kind in ways that brought great challenges to us, however, also one of a kind that allowed us to see new opportunities. My hope for you is that you were able to see such opportunities throughout all the challenges you may have faced.

In the epistle to the Romans (12:2), Paul wrote, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." Every new year, month, day, hour, or even minute is an opportunity for us to renew our minds as opposed to continue conformity where it no longer serves us. The pandemic may have helped becoming aware of where and when our conformity hindered rather than supported our progress. Now is the time to renew and set out for new things so that we may discern what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Membership Renewal

Every year, our bylaws require our membership to renew their commitment to our community. What may seem to be a tedioius task is in fact an act of reaffirmation of what it means to be a member and in what ways we are able and willing to contribute to the fullment of Unity Fort Worth's mission of teaching and living universal Truth, unconditional Love, and abundant Life. The renewal process is also a reminder for everyone how foundational the feeling of being part of a community is and how nurturing such feelings enlivens the membership and the greater congregation.

During this pandemic, we have been challenged in creating such feelings, forced to isolate and come up with new ways of connecting, which may still feel far from what we have known to be meaningful to us. Yet, in many ways, we have also come to learn that alternative ways of connecting provide many opportunities not available before. Looking back at what has been accomplished by our membership and congregation despite the limitations we all learned to live with, we could not be any less pleased with how far we have come.

Our office and volunteer teams put together a list of accomplishments we published as a blog post on our website. Take some time to review these small but not any less impacting successes at this link: unityfortworth.org/news/2020.

For your membership revewal, please review our 2021 Membership Renewal page and fill out the renewal form once you are ready: unityfortworth.org/renewal.

Looking Forward and Upward

There is much to look forward and upward to in 2021. First, Unity Fort Worth is celebrating its 70th Anniversary on January 24, which happens to be on a Sunday, giving us an opportunity to recognize this special day accordingly. Second, our new YFM team is working hard on developing policies that are current and relevant to a new way of educating and taking care of our youngest ones. Third, our newly-established Unity Friends team continues to take care of our congregation with prayer and pastoral care, which is one of the most welcomed ways of supporting you we can give throughout this pandemic. Fourth, our tech team continues to make significant strides regarding the setup for our next generation live stream and other technological advances. And finally, as the world learns to handle the pandemic safely and carefully, we will be able to move back into a new normal, however that might look like. Everything is possible, nothing is denied.

So, then, as we all look forward and upward into this new year, let us affirm: "Our hearts are wide and open as we release any worries and concerns. We affirm the Truth of who we are as we move into this brand new year—fresh and renewed. We see us thriving in all aspects of our lives as we embrace the opportunities that lie ahead. And so it is. Amen."

Happy New Year,

Rev. Jean-Marie Schweizer
Senior Minister Unity Fort Worth