Mary Alice Brown was a Unity minister who served the Unity church in Teaneck, New Jersey from 1982 until her retirement in October 2000.
She was ordained in 1975 (that is her 2nd row, 2nd from the right). Her granddaughter posted this Youtube video on the celebration of her 95th birthday.
MARY ALICE BROWN FEATURED August 18, 1989 THE RECORD
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 1989__RELIGION
Reaching out and touching in faith
RELIGION IN SUBURBIA
When you “dial a blessing” and the Rev. Mary Alice Brown responds, you’re likely to get enough inspiration to take you through a tough day.
“Release the past, the yesterdays. Begin anew today ... Be good to yourself ... Reach out ... Let your hand be in the hand of God ... Reach out to others to I give and get radiating blessings. Do you have a smile? Give that.. . Have a comforting handshake? Give that... A silent prayer? Give that . .. Every person is needed and important in God’s world ...”
On another day, she might say, via Ma Bell: “God accepts you as you are. You grow within yourself. You thought you had to be someone else. In trying to please everyone, you please no one. God works through each one of us as we are.”
Brown is minister of Unity Church of Christ in Teaneck, affiliated with the Unity School of Christianity in Unity Village, Mo. Founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in Kansas City, Mo., in 1889, the Unity movement applies the teachings of Jesus to everyday life, primarily through its many publications and prayer network. The movement’s best-known proponent, famous for his radio programs is Dr. Eric Butterworth, minister of the Unity Center of Practical Christianity in New York.
Brown was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1920, but the Depression and her father’s illness caused the family to move first to Michigan and then to Kansas City, Mo. Her father was a Methodist and her mother a Catholic convert. She became aware of the Unity movement at age 11 when her grandmother gave her the popular Unity pamphlet, “Daily Word.”
“My father, grandfather, and aunt had died within three < months, and I was bewildered,” Brown says. “I read the daily reflection in the booklet, and I couldn’t believe anyone could have understood how I felt. It was like the voice of the Lord was whispering to me.”
Through all the uprootings of her childhood, Brown had a dream — to settle in California. When she was 21, she bused it to Los Angeles, with $10 in her pocket and the name of a friend of a friend. That contact led her to a room where she could stay in a house two blocks from a Unity church. Its minister became her spiritual guide, one of the great influences on her life.
“I was in awe of this lady, Rev. Mother Pearl Woods,” Brown says. “She was a black woman, the first mentor of my life. Every time the church was open, I was there.”
During World War II, she worked on the assembly line building warplanes for Lockheed Corp. She began attending Los Angeles City College. In her spare time, she took trumpet and piano lessons and helped out at her church.
After a marriage that ended in divorce, Brown and her three small sons moved to her native state, Iowa, and settled in Des Moines, where she attended nursing school and then worked as a licensed practical nurse to raise and educate her children.
When they were in college, her local Unity Church offered to send her to the seminary of the Unity School of Christianity in Missouri. “After 18 years of serving in every phase of church work — from nursery school to Sunday school to being on the board — I knew this is what God wanted me to do,” she says. She graduated in 1975 and was ordained.
With few ministry openings, Brown faced a tough decision. “The seminary wanted me to go to New York City,” she recalls. “The only thing I knew about New York was what I read in the newspapers. No way did I want to go there. Then one day, while driving, I knew God was saying to me, ‘You’re going to New York.’ ”
In November, she became minister of the Unity Church of Practical Christianity at 360 W. 125t,h St. “A friend told me I was like a sheep being led to slaughter,” she says. “I never saw anything like this city. Riding the subway, everybody was afraid to look at you. I was totally devastated.” However, she was befriended by a young Unity minister and his wife who every weekend invited her to their home.“Truly, without these two people I could not have stayed in New York,” she says.
Shortly after getting an apartment in Corona in Queens, her car was stolen near her home. She didn’t have insurance coverage or money to replace the car. She figured this too was in God’s plan — “I must be without a car for a reason.” Riding the subway, she began smiling at people — and trusting God more.
An illness in 1977 forced her to resign the church post and return to Des Moines. In a hospital there, she says, “I heard that voice saying, ‘I sent you to New York to know me.’
[THE FOLLOWING IS FROM A CLIPPED PART OF THE STORY]
I didn’t n I can understand wl speaks.”
Brown returned tc the fall and worke worth’s Unity Centei City, 213 W. 58th some classes and < chores. Finally, a cal interim minister at church. In 1982, sh full-time minister. Dialing a blessing
The 68-year-old n services at 11 a.m. S p.m. Wednesdays at 1 735 Rutland Ave., Unity classes in Tes Butterworth’s cente: pastoral counseling, the Dial-A-Blessing 6122) early every mo ers get an uplifting m going to work.
“I’m not really the says. “The teacher is you, the hope of glorj we call it the School ity — you are in t spiritual learning. As scriptures, you know inner meaning to th lets you live it in a p You learn how to live good.”
In counseling, Br the fearful: “I want that you may be in a but you always hav You just must trust i
“At first, I thoughl in New York,” she ad love New York. I love too. I’ve got to dig in f come from farm coi love plants and gar Lord has put me in places. I don’t knoi serve him next. But I everywhere to know need to fight. The means for us to love c
ien they were in college, her Unity Church offered to send o the seminary of the Unity jl of Christianity in Missouri, r 18 years of serving in every s of church work — from ry school to Sunday school to on the board — I knew this it God wanted me to do,” she She graduated in 1975 and irdained.
;h few ministry openings, n faced a tough decision, seminary wanted me to go to York City,” she recalls. “The hing I knew about New York what I read in the newspapers, ay did I want to go there, one day, while driving, I God was saying to me, e going to New York.’ ” November, she became min-jf the Unity Church of Prac-Jhristianity at 360 W. 125th t friend told me I was like a being led to slaughter,” she “I never saw anything like ity. Riding the subway, ev-dy was afraid to look at you. totally devastated.” Howev-e was befriended by a young minister and his wife who weekend invited her to their “Truly, without these two ; I could not have stayed in fork,” she says, rtly after getting an apart -in Corona in Queens, her car tolen near her home. She have insurance coverage or j to replace the car. She fig-his too was in God’s plan — st be without a car for a rea-Riding the subway, she be-liling at people — and trust-id more. illness in 1977 forced her to the church post and return Moines. In a hospital there, ys, “I heard that voice say-sent you to New York to know me.’ I didn’t need any more; I can understand when the Spirit speaks.”
[END OF CLIPPED PORTION OF STORY]
Brown returned to New York in the fall and worked at Butter-worth’s Unity Center of New York City, 213 W. 58th St., teaching some classes and doing clerical chores. Finally, a call came for an interim minister at the Teaneck church. In 1982, she became its full-time minister.
Dialing a blessing
The 68-year-old minister leads services at 11 a.m. Sundays and 8 p.m. Wednesdays at the church at 735 Rutland Ave.,. also teaches Unity classes in Teaneck and at Butterworth’s center, and does pastoral counseling. She changes the Dial-A-Blessing tape (836-6122) early every morning so callers get an uplifting message before going to work.
“I’m not really the teacher,” she says. “The teacher is the Christ in you, the hope of glory. In Unity — we call it the School of Christianity — you are in the school of spiritual learning. As you read the scriptures, you know there is an inner meaning to the words that lets you live it in a practicial way. You learn how to live a life that is good.”
In counseling, Brown assures the fearful: “I want you to know that you may be in a lonely place, but you always have God near. You just must trust in him.”
“At first, I thought I would die in New York,” she admits. “Now I love New York. I love New Jersey, too. I’ve got to dig in the earth — I come from farm country, and I love plants and gardening. The Lord has put me in the perfect places. I don’t know where I’ll serve him next. But I want people everywhere to know there is no need to fight. The Lord really means for us to love one another.”
« Do you have a smile? Give that... Have a comforting handshake? Give that . . . A silent prayer? Give that. . . Every person is needed and important in God’s world. The Rev. Mary Alice Brown Dial-A-Blessing
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