Congregation strives to bring even more 'Unity' to the South Shore

By Dr. Stew Bittman
Unity at the Lake began as a small study group in Karen Martin's living room and 17 years later is a thriving, diverse and open spiritual community that well over a hundred locals and visitors call their spiritual home. Their spiritual leaders, Stew and Hillary Bittman, are currently in the process of becoming ordained Interfaith Ministers. Unity has published the "Daily Word" since 1924.

Unity at the Lake's regular "spiritual but not religious" activities and services include a 10am Sunday Celebration gathering with an uplifting and relevant message, contemporary music and a program of empowerment for children. There are also weekly meditation and prayer circles, drum circles, healing circles, and a Wednesday night book study and classes on positive spiritual thinking and living.

In addition, Unity at the Lake has financially supported numerous local events and charities, including the Women's Center, Clean Tahoe, Bread and Broth, Christmas Cheer and many others. They have participated actively in local Habitat for Humanity projects, as well as providing a volunteer serving team at Bread and Broth once a month.

For years they have sponsored and facilitated the local observances of both the Season for Peace and Nonviolence and the World Day of Prayer. In 1998 they were responsible for bringing Wayne Dyer here to speak at Harvey's. Their annual holiday "bear-a-thon" has allowed local fire departments, law enforcement and the Women's Center to provide "stuffed friends" to over a thousand children in our community in need of comfort.

Unity's music ministry, OneVoice, has done significant outreach in the community, performing at the Lake Tahoe Marathon, Hands and Hearts for Haiti and especially the last several years at Barton Hospice's annual Tree
of Remembrance Ceremony.

After many years of meeting on Sundays at the Senior Center and envisioning their own sacred space, they are about to move into their own building.

In their new permanent home at 1195 Rufus Allen Blvd., across from the Rec. Center, they intend to expand on these activities and services, becoming a true center of light, service and inspiration as well as a full-time warm and welcoming presence in our Lake Tahoe community. They hope to be in full operation in their new home by December and plan to kick it all off with an open house. Call 530-544-2266 for more information or visit Unity's website at www.unityatthelake.org.