Unity

The word "unity" is special to most of us. I hope I can add some perspectives to it today.

The word "unite" as a noun first appeared in writing in the English language around the year 1300. It was borrowed from Anglo-French and Old French and that was borrowed from Latin. It means oneness, sameness, agreement.

The idea that we all work together and be united I dare say has been around longer than that. A letter to a group of people living in Ephesus, Turkey around A.D. 57 talks about unity. Ephesus was an important seaport at the time, connecting Asia and Rome. Many cultures lived and/or passed through the city. The writer mentions 3 things to unite a group of people from different backgrounds, but I think this list could be adjusted to fit just about any situation:
1. forgive one another. In other words if something has happened between 2 cultures in the past, let it stay there -- in the past.
2. learning. Find something everyone wants to know more about.
3. work together. Volunteer for a service project or stretch out of your own comfort zone and find something to do together.

Here are some other ideas:
1. Pick a day of the week and for a whole month, say each Monday, invite a different neighbor or friend over for dinner/dessert. Get to know each other, find out their interests and talents. Or have a Banana Split get-together and invite several neighbors over at the same time. You provide the ice cream, bananas, a variety of toppings, and they bring their chairs.

2. Another idea for a group gathering and this is a variation on a family tree - -a neighborhood or friends tree. Have everyone paint their thumb and then print it on the back of a T-shirt(per person). Then draw/paint in the branches, limbs, and tree trunk. You are visually showing your support for one another. Write the person's first name next to their thumb print. You could also use other prints like a snowflake, dream catcher, etc. Create an e-mail group, etc. You may already know each other, but give it an "official" look.

3. When you have a division staff meeting, go to church, etc., do you always sit in the same place? Mix it up a bit, sit beside somebody new.

4. Think of something you usually do by yourself and ask someone to come along --exercising, grocery shopping for a new recipe with specialty ingredients, or  improving the lawn/adding to the flower garden.