STAFF

Minister of Record: Reverend Ed Conrad

Ministerial Support: Reverend Robin Haruna

Music Director: Elaine Beausoleil

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President and Secretary: Dorothy Tharsing

Vice-President and Treasurer: Amy Wilhite

Member at Large: Betty Ketsdever

SUPPORT TEAMS

Prayer Chaplains: Rev Robin (Coordinator), Laura Graham, Dorothy Tharsing

Peace Rocks Project: Amy Wilhite

Care Team: Glenda deJong, Louise Rodgers, Amy Wilhite

Audio-Visual: Sandy Woodside

Library: Louise Rodgers

VOLUNTEER STAFF

Prayer Chaplains: Laura Graham, Dorothy Tharsing (Trainer)

Unity of Bandon was a divine idea in the minds and hearts of a number people. Their faith and loving energy brought this spiritual community into expression. 

Peg Gorman, having moved here from San Jose, loved the beach and town – but something was missing.  She missed her Unity Church in Palo Alto and longed for a Unity presence in Bandon.  So she walked the beach and shouted affirmations into the sounds of the wind and waves. 

Agnes Garner, returning to her home state of Oregon from Sacramento where she attended Unity with Phil & Dorothy Pierson, was looking for a community in which she could retire.  Bandon was attractive, but there was no Unity church and that was essential.

Reverend Carole Rose (McArthur), minister at Unity by the Bay in Coos Bay, was being prompted to start a new ministry.  An ad seeking Daily Word readers was placed in the free daily paper. Some folks gathered to discuss their desires and the first service was held on Sunday, January 7, 1990 at the Bandon Senior Center.

Reverend E.J. Niles arrived in July as Unity of Bandon’s permanent minister.  Under her leadership, Unity incorporated in the State of Oregon.  Following her resignation in 1993, guest speakers filled in for nearly a year.  In February 1994, Reverend Nancy Cook was hired as an interim minister and a small office space was rented.

On September 11, 1994 Reverend Robin Haruna (Lock) began her tenure as Unity of Bandon’s minister. Under her leadership, the church moved to our present leased location on Highway 101. Reverend Robin retired in March 2022 after serving as minister for over 27 years. Unity of Bandon is a ministry of presence.  We are a spiritual community – newcomers are quickly adopted and enfolded into the “family”.  Here you will find joy, laughter, compassion and caring.

About the Unity Movement

Unity is a positive, practical, progressive approach to life based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer.  Unity honors the universal truths in all religions and respects an individual’s right to choose a spiritual path.  Unity is a “denomination” and much more; it is a way of life. We promote a way of life that leads to health, prosperity, happiness, and peace of mind. The Unity movement was founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. After Myrtle Fillmore's remarkable healing utilizing prayer and affirmations, many who were seeking help became interested in how she accomplished this healing. From small prayer circles in living rooms, Unity grew to an international movement.

The first issue of Unity magazine was published in 1889. The teaching of the practice of prayer, through classes and correspondence, led to the establishment of Silent Unity, Unity Institute, and Unity Worldwide Ministries.

What are Unity's basic teachings?

Unity encourages individuals to explore and apply Unity teachings based on their own spiritual understanding. We believe this spiritual understanding is enhanced through reflective prayer and meditation. Unity teaches people how to think rather than what to think.

The five basic ideas that make up the Unity belief system are:

1. God is the source and creator of all. God is good and present everywhere.

2. We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good.

3. We create our life experiences through our way of thinking.

4. There is power in affirmative prayer, which we believe increases our connection to God.

5. Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them. 

Statement for Peace

Unity stands for peace in the presence of conflict; for love in the presence of hatred;
for forgiveness in the presence of injury. Unity honors the many names for God, the
many paths to God, the many ways to worship God; for there is only one power and
presence of God and that God loves each one of us equally. It is therefore the position
of Unity Worldwide Ministries and Unity World Headquarters at Unity Village to urge
all nations, their leaders and their people to turn to God by whatever the name for
guidance during these challenging times and pursue peace, not war, for this is what
honors the God of all our faith traditions. Unity stands for peace in our lifetime.

Honoring Diversity Within the Unity Movement

We believe that all people are created with sacred worth. Therefore, we recognize
the importance of serving all people within the Unity family in spiritually and
emotionally caring ways. We strive for our ministries, publications and programs to
reach out to all who seek Unity support and spiritual growth. It is imperative that our
ministries and outreach be free of discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender,
age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, physical disability or sexual
orientation. Our sincere desire is to ensure that all Unity organizations are
nondiscriminatory and support diversity.

In our effort to reach out to all people as did our Way Shower, Jesus Christ, we
support the modification of our facilities to make them accessible to all people,
regardless of physical challenges; the translation of our materials into Braille and
other languages; and respect for the wonderful variety of human commitments and
relationships.

We encourage ministers, teachers and others within Unity to honor the strength of
diversity within their spiritual communities. It is with love and in celebration of our
unity, in the midst of our wondrous diversity, that we affirm this position.

(Adopted by Unity World Headquarters at Unity Village and Unity Worldwide
Ministries, January 23, 1995)