February 19, 2013  

Stand: Actively and Visibly Taking a Stand for Social Change

Tuesday Evening was opened with music by the Universal Gospel Choir, a mutli-faith and multi tradition choir, under the direction of Catha...

Tuesday Evening was opened with music by the Universal Gospel Choir, a mutli-faith and multi tradition choir, under the direction of Catharine Nicholson.

Rev. Andriette Earl introduced Rev. Michelle Synegal saying that her life is truly evidence of what a life in this practice yields.

Her topic “Stand: Actively and Visibly Taking a Stand for Social Change”

(Forgive inaccuracies.  I wanted to get you the rough draft notes as quickly as possible.  I’ll clean up text later.)

She invited the audience to stand and remain standing to create an experience that we could have together. We recited the Global Heart Vision together while standing to ground ourselves for the presentation, pausing between each stanza to take in the meaning of the words.

Four points

1. Visibility is our viability
2. Stand for Our Brand
3. Prayer and Action
4. Call to Action

Visibility is our viability: Critical Mass. Even a small segment of system, when it works together collectively for the common good, creates a rate of acceleration, a rate of expansion that spreads exponentially. “I know that you do admirable works in your individual Centers, but just imagine if we simultaneously engaged in acts of love at the same time all over the world? We would become visible, we would become a house-hold word and that is my hope and vision for this movement.”


I know the potentiality we have to affect the entire world and I’m on fire based on touching one individual’s life, and I know that the way we can transform the world is through the Science of Mind philosophy that has given me so much. We have to create more visibility for ourselves.

Stand for Our Brand: There is a psychology behind branding. The purpose of branding is to leave a lasting and distinctive image in the mind of consumers. A. When people see the star burst, they know who we are. Every time the see it they will recognize us and the questions about being a cult and so on will go away when we have our identity. Even a small movement with a brand create an impression that we are much larger than
we actually are. New people know that we are sizable and that we are going to be around for a while. B. Quality. When you invest in packaging your brand you are conveying excellence and professional which is concurrent with our teaching. “My vision is for us to become a household word. Just like FedEx which has become a verb.” Branding helps us to do that.

Prayer in Action: We know how to pray and we know that when we pray we can change circumstances and conditions. Let’s pray, but then let’s act. Let’s be about acting in a strategic way. When you do things in concert, in a collective way, when you present solidarity in a uniform front you have the power and potential to change what exists and if we are doing that collectively we will have a bigger impact, and realize that Global Heart Vision in a major way that can unify us even more.

“I believe that peace is possible. I believe that if we are engaged in activities all over the world where we are standing for peace we are making an indelible impression upon the Law that peace is possible.”
I believe that we can end hunger through activating compassion. When we work together as a collective we can do mighty things. I believe that we can eradicate hunger in our lifetime. Essential Ernest Holmes: statement about the great spiritual impulsion, and I believe that is us, and now is the time. The world is crying out for a better way, a different way and we have the solution, we have to believe that, with every cell and sinew of our being. We have to be bold a bodacious. I’m not saying proselytize! They will know we are Centers for spiritual Living by our good works in the world because we are in our communities eradicating hunger and homelessness.

Call To Action: I also believe that Unity in diversity is possible and that in order for us to increase oru numbers (and it is not about growth for growth’s sake, it’s about leaving a sizeable footprint on the planet. That RS walked upon this earth and effected a chance and embraced all saying “You are welcome here.” That is the boldness that I am calling us to. I love that our teaching empowers us. I have the audacity to declare the 14 September CSL World Day of Service?

Why? Because UNITY has World Day of Prayer on 13 September. So it gives us the opportunity to pray on the 13 and then to take it to the streets the next day and actuate love and compassion simultaneously. I’m asking every Center around the globe and do what you do, but stand for our brand, wear a t-shirt with our brand, if you’re feeding the homeless, do it with our brand on your t-shirt. If we are all doing that simultaneously, take your smart phones and video it and upload to Facebook and YouTube and we have the potential to do that and that is how we make an indelible mark upon this world and live the global heart vision.

“We agree to LIVE the Global Heart Vision.”