August/September 2010 Update

As summer winds down, we continue to have great enthusiasm about the progress being made at Unity Institute. We recently renewed our F-1 Visa eligibility for our diploma program, which opens the door for foreign students to attend classes at Unity Village. In addition, we have 24 Spiritual Education and Enrichment classes available online now, and will offer a total of 15 graduate classes online by the end of this year.

We recently launched The Myrtle Fillmore Collection—an online exhibit that profiles the personal writings and correspondence of Myrtle Fillmore. I'd like to extend a big thank you to the class of 2006—whose donations contributed to making this project possible. This exhibit makes Myrtle Fillmore's works more widely accessible to the public and Unity leaders.

Also in archives news, we are thrilled to be cataloguing and preparing The Eric Butterworth Collection, which was recently transferred to us by the Eric Butterworth Foundation. Look for more information about this collection coming soon.

I am pleased to note that the Unity Institute Alumni Association now has over 50 minister/LUT members and continues to grow.

Churches are also signing up to have faculty and staff speak at their centers as part of the Unity Institute Seminary Sunday program, which officially kicks off in October.

If you haven't had a chance to learn about Unity's upcoming trip to Egypt (a fund-raiser for Unity Institute) in March, you'll want to do so now. You are invited to join others who have already registered for this enlightening spiritual journey.

Many thanks on behalf of the students, staff and faculty of Unity Institute for your continued support. 
 
Blessings,
 
Dean Ted

June/July 2010 Update

I am thrilled to be back from the Peoples' Convention in San Diego where we welcomed dozens of new members to the new Unity Institute Alumni Association. We also launched the Institute's Seminary Sunday campaign with a new DVD and reported to the field about the many exciting developments at Unity Institute.

We have launched two new Fillmore classes in the SEE program (one specifically focused on Myrtle's writings), and I am proud to announce that we have expanded our online course offerings to include alI SEE courses plus 10 courses in the Ministry and Religious Studies program. In addition, we have five more online classes under development.

The Eric Butterworth Foundation recently donated a collection of Eric Butterworth's audio recordings, lectures, sermons and more to the Unity Library and Archives. Unity staff are currently sorting and documenting the items.

We are also moving forward with a dedicated online archive for Myrtle Fillmore's writings and photos, which will be unveiled in August 2010.

Be sure to watch upcoming issues of Contact magazine and Unity Magazine® for information about our wonderful Unity trip to Egypt in March 2011.

With nine graduates this June heading into the field and 19 new students expected this year, we see wonderful growth and a bright future for the Institute and the Unity movement. Many thanks to all of you who continue to support our future spiritual leaders. We are truly blessed.
 

April/May 2010 Update
“It was just a year and a half ago that I boldly stepped out of a position without a new job in place,” remembers Collins. “I knew I no longer belonged in that role, but did not know where my next calling would be…yet Spirit answered. Immediately upon resigning my position, I unexpectedly received a financial gift that would tide me over for three months, so I was able to take time to sit in the silence and see where I was guided. ‘Coincidentally' the job at Unity appeared and, after the application, interview, and hiring process, it was virtually three months to the day that I began my new position.”

Many exciting initiatives are underway at Unity Institute under Collins' direction. “The first graduates of the master's and certificate programs have entered the world,” he says. “Our accreditation process is moving forward and we welcomed a dozen new future ministers to our programs.”

Additionally, Unity Institute continues to expand its online course offerings and recently welcomed Reverend Mark Fuss as a full time admissions representative.

Unity Institute is also launching its first-ever alumni association in May. “Creating a full-fledged alumni association will bring our past, present, and future ministers together while building a strong alliance with the Association, Unity School and Unity Institute to ensure a prosperous future for the movement,” notes Collins.

Unity Institute will also host a scholarly trip to Egypt in March of 2011. Look for more information coming soon about this noteworthy trip.