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Valerie fromElgin, IL writes:

" I grew up ECLA Lutheran. My mother was raised Mennonite, whichcontributed pacifist beliefs. My father was an ordained Methodist ministerbut worked in a different profession. I married into a Lutheran family and myparents now worship at the United Methodist Church.

I tried very hard to 'make it work' in mainline Christianity. I read, Rescuingthe Bible from Fundamentalism and that started me on the path ofquestioning everything. I've been working my way through all of your booksand enjoying them quite a bit. Some of your sentences are so finely craftedand beautiful in their content. My mother and I constantly discuss your work.It is very difficult, however, to reconcile our newfound awareness with ourSunday morning experiences. Certain statements, hymn lyrics or rites haveto be outright rejected or translated in my mind. (I refused to allow the Creedat my daughter's baptism!)

I understand your desire for people to stay and fight for change within theirparticular churches, but that is like trying single-handedly to turn the Titanicaround. I have only one life to live. I need to go where my soul is fed. I haverecently found the Unity Church and started attending services. I aminterested to know what your opinion is of the Unity Church.

P.S. I highly respect your opinion, but please do not feel that I am waiting foryour answer in my decision to attend services. I do not mean to implyanything of that nature. "

Dear Valerie,

Thank you for your letter and for your kind words. I am glad that you have foundUnity. I think it is one of the most exciting movements within Christianity in theworld today.

I had never heard of Unity until about ten years ago. While on a lecture tour ofAlaska, I received an invitation to speak at the Unity Church of Anchorage. Myresponse was that "these people don't know how to spell Unitarian!" I had,however, already spoken at the Unitarian Church in Anchorage, meeting there theRev. Dr. Richard Gay who was, and is, one of the finest clergy I have everencountered, so I was in some wonderment about what Unity was. I went and thatwas the first of many enriching experiences I have had with the Unity Movement

across the United States and throughout the world.

Unity traces its roots to Mary Baker Eddy and what we once called the ChristianScience movement. It has, however, evolved well beyond its origins. It isdistinctively Christian but they have managed to escape the traditional Christianobsession with sin, guilt, rescue and control. They teach the goodness of God'screation, the capacity of human beings to grow spiritually and they avoid datedconcepts like sacrifice and the sacredness of shed blood.

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I have found their clergy to be bright, well trained, open and positive. Their SpiritualCenter and Training School is in Lee's Summit, Missouri. The things that attract meto Unity are their dedication to education; the consistently high quality of theirmusic; their commitment to affirm their children rather than to make them feelinadequate; their care for one another and the joy that permeates Unity worship. I

don't know that Unity will be the future of Christianity but I do believe that theChristianity of the future will have many of the marks of Unity within it. I find thatmany people are like you, they discover Unity when they awaken to whatChristianity can be and compare it to what they experience in many churches onSunday morning.

I remain committed to reforming the church of my birth but I am deeply grateful forwhat Unity has done for me and for the way that Unity has enriched my life.

I wish you well on your journey.

-- John Shelby Spong