Rev. Vicky's Message November 20. 2025

Last Sunday night, Michelle texted me with some news she saw on FaceBook. (Now that I don’t have FB on my phone, I miss some things… though I still don’t regret removing it from my phone).

My first minister, Phil Pierson, passed away on Sunday. He was actually one of my two first ministers. His wife, Dorothy Pierson, who I mention from time to time, passed away in 2013 at the age of 97. Phil was 98 when he passed. I didn’t want to say this was “sad” news, because they both lived long, meaningful, and joyous lives on this plane – and I know that their consciousness lives on eternally.

One of my favorite Phil Pierson quotes is “I look upon that which is before me with wonder. Miracle follows miracle. And wonders never cease.”

I’m sure you recognize the second part from our Sunday affirmation. (The first part came from Rev. Michael Moran—another mentor of Rory’s and mine).

Thank You God for this most amazing day –

Miracle follows miracle and wonders never cease.

Phil and Dorothy were legends in the Unity movement, touching the lives of countless people – including Rory, me and my whole family – during over 60 years in church and television ministry. They were our ministers when we first found Unity in 1981 (and Dorothy actually told us we would become ministers, long before we had personally heard the call). We had sought out Unity after studying A Course In Miracles, in response to Rory’s diagnosis of cancer at the age of 32 (he was given only a 30% chance to live longer than a year).

I am certain that the teachings of Unity and the prayers and mentoring by Phil and Dorothy had everything to do with Rory’s healing from cancer, as well as his emotional and spiritual healing (they were all interconnected as he shared in his book, Life On the Line, Challenges, Choices, and Changes). He thrived for 25 years beyond his original prognosis.

As I’ve shared before, Dorothy knew the Fillmore’s personally, working at Silent Unity during the late 1930’s, after healing herself from TB through Unity prayer practices (much like Myrtle Fillmore). They served as co-ministers of Unity churches in Seattle, Honolulu, and then at Christ Unity in Sacramento – where we were blessed to meet them. They helped initiate the infamous Asilomar retreats, as well as leading multiple Hawaiian retreats. Hundreds of Unity students would come together to deepen our spiritual journeys at these events. Many who attended the retreats had been introduced to Unity through the Pierson’s TV ministry, “The Best Is Yet to Be.” (Yes, this is another saying we adopted from Phil and Dorothy – which Rory added to... “The good in now…the rest is blessed…and the Best Is Yet to Be.”)

We were blessed to have the Piersons take us under their wing and guide us spiritually, ultimately into ministry. They married Rory and I in 1987, and became Travis’s Godparents in 1988. It was also Phil who introduced my dad to Unity, first on the golf-course, and then, over the years, into becoming a faith-filled Unity student. (My mom had grown up in Unity, so she was already on board.) 

And our own Unity of Monterey Bay was an outreach church of Christ Unity for over a decade, sponsored by Phil and Dorothy. And they are the reason that Rory and I first came here to be your ministers – straight out of seminary.

I will be forever grateful for having had Phil and Dorothy as my and Rory’s spiritual teachers, friends, and mentors. Their teachings and love still live in my heart and soul.

Phil – I love you, I bless you, I appreciate you, and I behold the light in you – as you begin your next great adventure. The Best IS Yet to Be!

Blessings, Rev. Vicky