Unity Center of Light

Mary-Frances has been in Unity and affiliated with this church since 2005. She serves as president of this board and is an expert on organization effectiveness issues. In addition, she has been co-facilitator with the 4-T program.

She is president and founder of The Winters Group, an organization development and diversity-consulting firm she estasblished in 1984, specializing in research, strategic planning, training, and public speaking with an emphasis in ethnic and multicultural issues.  Prior to founding The Winters Group, she was affirmative action officer and senior market analyst at Eastman Kodak Company, where she worked for 11 years. She is a graduate of the University of Rochester with undergraduate degrees in English and Psychology, and a master’s degree in business administration from the William E. Simon Executive Development Program. She received an honorary doctorate from Roberts Wesleyan College in 1997 and has served as a mentor for the Emerging Leaders Program Sponsored by the Centers for Leadership and Public Affairs at Duke University and the University of Cape Town.  Dr. Winters is a life member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Rochester.

She has been a frequent contributor to the editorial page of USA Today on workplace and diversity related issues. She has been published in many other venues, including theInternational Personnel Management Association Newsletter; Profiles in Diversity Journal; the Society of Human Resource Management’s Mosaics Newsletter and many others. She is the author of three books: Only Wet Babies Like Change: Workplace Wisdom for Baby Boomers;Inclusion Starts With “I;” and CEO’s Who Get It: Diversity Leadership from the Heart and Soul.

Pamela Paul has been affiliated with Unity and Unity Center of Light since 1996.  During that time she has participated in many spiritual development classes and workshops including The Four Agreements, Power vs. Force, The Eighth Habit, Twelve Spiritual Gifts, and the 4-Tprogram.  She has worked with the Youth Ministry for many years.

Pamela explains her understanding of Unity Truth Principles as follows:  “Unity is a spiritual path that is more a way of life than a religion.  We believe in a loving God that is all good and present in each person and in all aspects of everyone’s life.  We believe we are spiritual beings who have taken on physical form as a way to work on our spiritual development; and that we are all a part of the same one spiritual energy God is.  For us, Jesus is an elder brother, who showed us, by the example of his life, how to live our lives so as to express the Christ that is our essential being.”  Pamela notes that she is the daughter of a “praying mother” and grew up knowing how the regular practice of prayer, meditation and contemplation changes people and situations.  She strives to follow her mother’s example and to set a similar one for her own daughters.

Pamela has a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland College Park and over twenty-four years experience leading and managing diversity-related organization change initiatives in higher education and in the international development sectors.  Her career is in the field of organizational development and change.  She uses education and other behavior change approaches to help organizations become more diverse and inclusive, and to harness the benefits of diversity and inclusion for greater effectiveness.

She strives to integrate the spiritual lessons she is learning and the insights she is gaining in Unity into her daily life and her work.  For her, serving on the Board of Trustees is an opportunity to practice what she is learning and to contribute to the ongoing development of UCL.

Patie has attended Unity Center of Light since 2002 and from the moment she arrived, she knew this was her right, spiritual home. Desiring now to increase her service to ULC, Patie would like to be considered for membership on the Board of Trustees. Whether at home or traveling, her interests evolve around the study and practice of Truth principals. “It’s what I do for fun,” she states.

Patie was born in Washington, D.C., resides in Crofton, Maryland and has three+ amazing sons who are her pride and joy. Kyle, 22, is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland is employed (yiphee!) as an Acquisition Analyst and living in New York City. Dave, 20, is a fulltime student at the University of Maryland, majoring in Business Finance and Information Systems. Jordon, 16, attends South River High School and is soaking up the joy of getting his driver’s license. The baby of the family, Max, gets overly excited, walks on four paws and occasionally barks, but is often as adorable as her other three sons.

Professionally, Patie is an educator for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. She began her career 33 years ago as a middle school classroom teacher, and is currently a teacher specialist, directing Advanced Learner Programs in 79 elementary schools. Budget management, teacher training, and board policy are her areas of expertise.

To Victor Vyfhuis, Unity Center of Light’s Mission Statement is a constant reminder that the Christ within is the source of all power and good.  He says, “My life has been tremendously enriched since I embraced the Mission of UCL.  I am a child of God, tasked to do God’s work...”

Victor has been affiliated with UCL since 2005 during which time he has both taken and taught the 4T Prosperity Program, served on the Sunday set up, clean up team and on the Board of Trustees, as Treasurer. He now serves as a member of the team of Ushers, the Building Fund Team and the Board of Trustees.

An executive manager with over fifteen years of senior-level experience in operations and finance, Victor has served on committees, project teams and work groups.  He has successfully managed organizational budgets and designed cost containment models.  Strategic planning and financial reporting are also among his skills which he says, “I will be happy to share with the team as it focuses on the achievement of the Mission.”  He is a Certified Public Accountant.

In his own view of what it means to be a team player, Victor includes the commitment to service, respect, tolerance, and patience.  “I look forward to learning from and sharing with other members of the Board...” he says.

As he interprets Unity in his own words, Victor defines a “Christ-centered, educational movement that explores the metaphysical meaning of the Trinity.   It teaches us to discern and prove the Truth of Christianity.”

As Unity Principles unfold in his life, he says, “God guides the right person or circumstances in my path and uses them as channels through which my blessings flow.  Thus I am reminded that God is abundance and provides for my every need.” Being in service to God provides me opportunities to be a channel through which blessings flow to others.

Marshall has been affiliated with Unity Center of Light since the early 1990’s when the center was located at Bowie Senior High School. He is currently serving in as member of the team that cleans up after service and the refreshment committee. The thing Marshall enjoys most about being a member of Unity Center of Light is the practical lessons, and principles he learns from Reverend Mosby (and the books and movies he suggests), visiting ministers and other UCL members and being able to apply them to enrich his life and the lives of others. Unity is a way of living that Marshall looks to apply in all aspects of his life.

In his professional life, Marshall is a Project Manager with Core Techs, Inc. of Centreville, Va. He lives in Washington, DC with his wife Nan.

Maurice has been a Unity member and volunteer since 2007.  He expresses a strong desire to tithe additional time and talent to support our church home.

Maurice has been active in various church activities throughout his life, and chooses to serve God with his talents to help his church home.  While a member of the Colesville United Methodist, he served on the church’s Capital Improvement Committee (10 years)  which resulted in a number of major capital improvements to the church.

At Jerusalem Mount Pleasant church, Maurice assisted in the research and analysis to develop a Senior Citizens Housing Project.  Although, the project was ultimately rejected by the church (a great disappointment to Maurice), he significantly increased his knowledge regarding capital improvements processes.  More importantly, he became conscious of his spirituality and his role in the journey of his spiritual process.  This prepared him for greater challenges and success!

In addition to his other volunteer work, (Videorecording Project, Building Committee, Gala Committee, cleanup and setup) Maurice desires to provide his capital improvement knowledge and experience to help the Center achieve the goals of our physical home.

In summation, Maurice has adapted and aligned with Divine Love of the Universe a longing to provide strong support to his spiritual home.  He has a long history of conscientious and dedicated service to his church homes.  His love and passion centers on supporting church and other non-profit organizations achieve their capital improvement goals.  Maurice states “Unity has provided me with my next level of understanding of Christianity.  It has given me a greater understanding and practical use of the teachings of Jesus and God.”  By providing his talent, time and treasure to the Board of Trustees, he will make a significant contribution to the Unity Center of Light ministry.

Jo Blackstone has attended Unity Center of Light since 2001.  She finds comfort and joy in this most practical of approaches to knowing and serving God.  Her path to Unity weaves through a traditional Baptist approach. She believes the Unity way of living, serving, and loving from all powerful spirit which dwells within has steadied her course and created a new light unto her path.  During her years at Unity Jo has volunteered in a number of capacities: greeter, class facilitator, usher, Chaplain, and board member among other things.  She takes a wide variety of classes and has a particular affinity for the 4-T class.  Her commitment to a 4-T lifestyle has led her to her current collaborative efforts at developing a curriculum for continuing 4-T education. She has served as mentor, counselor, chaplain, class facilitator, prayer partner and more.

Jo delights in her role as a board member at UCL because it offers such fertile ground for growing in many ways.  She says she’s growing in knowledge of the intricacies and operations of our church home and growing in grace and she works with such a loving team.  She grows more in love with the congregation, her self and Spirit.

Jo retired from the federal government after approximately 30 years of service.  She retired as a regional director for a thirteen state area, widely known to be a decisive and fair administrator assisting government staffs and officials at local, state, and federal levels.  She now provides mental health services to families and youth.

She holds a masters degree in psychology and a certificate of advanced study in pastoral counseling.  She is also a licensed Heal Your Life teacher.

Milledge Mosby began attending Unity in 1973 at Detroit Unity Temple. He served as a volunteer at that church under Reverend Glenn Mosley and then under Reverend David Williamson. In 1978, the Mosbys moved to Maryland where they attended Unity of Washington, D.C., and soon thereafter, Milledge was asked by Reverend George Stone to work part-time for the church as the Business Manager. Within six months the part-time position became full-time, and was the beginning of a long, transforming career. After Reverend Stone left, Reverend Amalie Frank became the minister. Under Reverend Frank’s tutelage, Milledge began teaching classes in addition to serving as Business Manager. To further prepare him for serving as a spiritual teacher, he began studying at Unity Village in Missouri toward becoming a Licensed Unity Teacher. Milledge was groomed by Reverend Frank to eventually become her assistant minister. He stayed in that position until 1991 when he pioneered the new ministry, Unity Center of Light in Bowie, Maryland, in response to a growing demand for a Unity church in that area.

He completed his studies and was licensed as a Unity Teacher in 1991. He immediately applied for and was accepted into the Ministers’ Field Licensing program, a four-year process toward being ordained by the Association of Unity Churches. He was ordained as a minister in 1997. Milledge has been in Unity for 30 years, serving as an ordained minster for seven of those years.

Milledge’s background includes 15 years in the corporate world and he has been a Professor of Marketing and Sales at Prince George’s Community College since 1980. His position as a college professor allows him to teach, in a college environment, a formula for combining spiritual and business principles. He is perhaps best known for the creative way he combines spiritual principles, which are usually perceived as abstract, with business and success principles, which are usually perceived as more concrete.

In his own life, he demonstrates what he teaches through his disciplined involvement in a variety of activities, such as: bodybuilding, jogging, cycling, tennis, golf, photography, and researching and learning. These activities help him to continue to grow spiritually, mentally, and physically.