Rev Vicky's Message September 16, 2021

It’s finally here…Our Roaring 20's UMB Banquet & Auction – tomorrow night (Friday 9-17) (at the Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Club). Doors open at 6 p.m. with a no-host bar, auction item browsing, and actual in-person socializing!!! Dinner will be served at 7 p.m.

Masks are optional for fully vaccinated individuals and mandatory for anyone who is not vaccinated.

Our very first Banquet and Auction was held in 2010, the enterprising idea of James Bogan – our own Mr. Prosperity – as a way to get our Unity Community financially “out of the red and into the black.”

UMB had been thriving spiritually, but lacking financially, for a number of years – thus the BLACK tie theme and emphasis (“no red allowed”).

When James suggested we charge $100 a ticket for a fun, dressy, dinner and silent auction, in a country club atmosphere (rather than our own downstairs community hall) – he was inviting us to take a big step into a larger prosperity consciousness (we’d never charged more than $25 for any of our events).

As Rev. Stretton Smith described it, in his 4-T Prosperity Course (which James taught at least once a year for over a decade), James was asking us to “swallow the frog.”

(To be honest, I never quite got the 4-T “swallow the frog” concept. So, I looked it up as I wrote this message – and learned it referred to a Mark Twain quote: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” It was adapted by Brian Tracy (management guru) to suggest, “if people wish to be successful in their lives, then they have to take immediate, and necessary actions without overthinking too much.” In the case of Prosperity Consciousness, the “frog” was making a commitment to TITHE 10% to one’s spiritual source…)

Once we determined we could maintain our commitment to being fully inclusive – with Angel Tickets – we did indeed, “swallow that frog!”

That first event was a HUGE success – and accomplished its goal of moving UMB financially into the black, and more importantly moving us spiritually into a greater prosperity consciousness that continues to sustain us a decade later.

As they say, “the rest is history.” This is our 11th annual Banquet and Auction (we had to skip last year’s due to the Covid Pandemic). A few years back, thanks to Sue Rojcewicz, we added a “live-auction” component, which has only increased the fun and excitement.

So, thank you James for your love, leadership, and audacious prosperity consciousness! You and Dori (whose giving is quieter and usually behind the scenes – but ever-present and irreplaceable, nonetheless) continue to bless UMB with your love, wisdom, dedication, generosity of spirit, and “Yea God” faith.

For this and so many other reasons to be grateful – I look forward to coming together for this joyous occasion to PARTY – IN PERSON!

And – you won’t want to miss our Sunday service (in person or on zoom) with guest speaker, Molly Steele, sharing her inspired insights on meditation.

Blessings and virtual hugs, Rev. Vicky