Meet our Pastor at Interfaith UNITY Church

God, Self, and CommUNITY

Too often Spirit and community are perceived as opposites. However, Spirit is about relationships; self to the Creator God, and self to the Source of all in community. The word community shares roots with the verb commune. It means to break bread together, to work together, and to build a future together in unity. As we strive to do God’s will we also learn to serve each other at a deeper level. It is about believing, taking action, and doing good works. This is what we have truly shared this year, and in so doing, we have been abundantly blessed! There have been blessings of change and growth in strength of numbers, talent, finances, programs, and most importantly, in the strengthening of our faith.

There is only One Presence, One Power and One Activity in my life: God, the Good, Omnipotent

To make a full contribution to our Church and to the world, we must live a life of faith in action. The energy of change rests on a changeless foundation which can be sought and realized by anyone with the willingness to make that discovery a priority. It is time for us to do a personal inventory. Are we willing to commit to taking action; to be fearlessly and unshakably secure in our faith? Are we ready to establish a dynamic relationship between our inward lives and outward work that would result in goodness, peace, harmony, and love for CommUnity?

If we are ready to draw upon the deeper resources that abide within us, “The Wisdom of Gandhi,” previously studied here at Interfaith UNITY Church, will support us on a journey of “Faith In Action.” It is a powerful, practical and universal program based on the demonstration of Mahatma Gandhi and the writings of Eknath Easwaran's. It is designed to focus on the inner work of spiritual growth and transformation – the unfolding of the deep resources that lie within every person.

As we study Gandhi's life, we can see he had two main disciplines. When I began to practice these disciplines in my own life I realized dramatic transformation. My sense of Oneness in the Divine Unity of all Life deepened and I was able to step out of the world of fear more easily and live more frequently in the world of love. I learned to accept the inner capacity to remain at attention to my faith and focus on it’s sustaining grace.

I am not promising that we will not continue to experience the typical “ups” and “downs” of day to day living. What I assure you is that we can learn to utilize all experience for accepting the purpose of this life: the awareness that each of us is an integral creative part of the eternal reality of God. Through faith, you and I, together as one, can share goodness, love, humility, and wisdom and learn to use it to create our dreams. And, of additional importance; the energy we create will spontaneously radiate to the world around us. We stand now at a place and time in history when human needs cry out. We want our children and loved ones to be safe. We yearn for the world to turn away from terror, force, envy and fear – to dismiss all perceptions of lack. Gandhi himself said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Make your life about faith in action.

Let us live as Gandhi did in “sacred humanness” and let us commit to do it together as God, Self and CommUnity!

~ Rev. Julianne

Pastoral Counseling

Rev. Julianne offers spiritual counseling. This form of encouragement is designed to help an individual clarify his or her own life experiences in relation to the Christ teachings as interpreted by Unity.

This form of counseling is not psychological, neither is it directional. There may be times when the help of a licensed professional psychological counselor may be called on with the client's permission.

All counseling in Unity is confidential.

If you wish, you may make a voluntary contribution.

As always, your generosity will be sincerely appreciated.

Meet the Pastor

Photo courtesy of

Ken Hester Photography

Interfaith UNITY Church - Tempe Montessori School, 420 S. El Dorado Rd. - Mesa AZ 85202

Known by her congregation as "The Radical Rev," Julianne Lewis has a lively and passionate approach to New Thought ministry, A Course in Miracles and the study of major world religions.

She offers expansive and inspired talks on Sundays that entertain, illuminate and challenge. Her twenty years of ministry have only deepened both her understanding and her ability to spark and sustain spiritual growth.

Here is the Reverend Julianne with her special puppy, Mei Mei.