Hi Friends -

In January 2012 I will launch a class in Round Rock, Texas based on The Unity Society Correspondence School course. As far as I can tell, it is the first time in over 35 years that this pristine, classic Unity teaching is being used to teach Unity principles.

The eighteen lessons of the course were developed in 1909 by Charles Fillmore and he constantly referred to them when he gave his many talks. This course was Unity's primary way to teach it's principles to lay people and ministers. Prior to 1931, when the ministerial school was launched, it was the requirement for ordination. After then it was the pre-requisite for entering ministerial school. In 1973, Unity and many other denominations abandoned most anything that looked "traditional," thinking that religion was in decline and that new teachings and new language was the future. The Correspondence School was replaced by what we now call Spiritual Education and Enrichment. The material now sits in the archives at Unity Institute Library and Archives.

I first learned of this course from the minister at 9th and Tracy, Unity's historic, original facility, when I asked him, "If I want a first class education in Metaphysics, where do I go?" He thought for a moment and then said to check out the Correspondence Course. So, in October 2010, I spent three weeks at the Unity archives with a scanner, obtaining over 800 pages of material, including Charles Fillmore's original copies.

The minister at 9th and Tracy is right -- the material is practical, powerful and inspiring. It is a "first class education in Metaphysics." I drew from these lessons in delivering Sunday talks at Georgetown. I have also discovered that the lessons are being corroborated by the latest research in Positive Psychology and Cognitive Science.

The plan is to cover one lesson per month, taking off the months of April, August and December, completing the 18 lessons over a two year schedule. We meet at 9am Sunday mornings, beginning January 22, 2012 at the Baca Center. Our one hour "Sunday Morning Experience" will have approximately 30 minutes of lesson and discussion, followed by 30 minutes of chant, mediation and Silence. It will feel like a sacred moment but it will also be a learning experience.

The location is in central Round Rock, ten miles equidistant to three Unity churches - Unity Hills, Unity Center and Unity Georgetown. My aim is to serve these three churches with an class early enough so that everyone can get to their home church and also to establish a Unity presence in Round Rock, a city of over 100,000 residents.

I have given the name "Unity Wings" to the revival of this classic Unity teaching and other licensed teachers and ministers are invited to offer similar classes. Information about this project is at unitywings.org or www.truthunity.net/unitywings

Many blessings,

Mark Hicks