Daily Word: Hot off the Press
Growing up, Daily Word was always on the coffee table in our family room or at our breakfast table. Someone in our family was reading it most every day, sometimes aloud, sometimes in quiet reflection. When I graduated from college and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, I got my own subscription.
These days, I sometimes read Daily Word in the morning for several days in a row. Other times, it sits on my coffee table for several days, then I read six or seven daily messages all in one meditation session. Sometimes I refer to the word calendar and turn to the message that speaks directly to what I’m interested in at that moment. In whatever way the month unfolds, Daily Word is my spiritual companion and teacher—sometimes reminding me of spiritual Truths I already know but have temporarily forgotten, other times opening my mind to new ideas for growth. Daily Word helps me stay “prayed up,” to remain continuously conscious of Truth principles and how I can apply them in my daily living—an important practice taught by our brother and Way Shower, Jesus.
Running a Printing and Mailing Company
My family has run a high-volume printing and mailing company since 1958. My father started the business from scratch. I worked in the business when I was a kid and began working with my dad full time after I graduated from college. When my father passed away in 1985, I bought the business from his estate, and that’s been my primary business focus ever since.
After my father passed, I gave a great deal of thought to the higher purpose of the business: What we should be striving for in the years ahead and how we could best serve humanity, our associates, and clients. Creating a good place for our associates to work, helping clients grow and build on their missions, and earning a profit—all good, but it seemed as if the higher purpose for the existence of our business should be much more.
Daily Word is my spiritual companion and teacher—sometimes reminding me of spiritual Truths I already know but have temporarily forgotten, other times opening my mind to new ideas for growth.
As I personally strive each day to be a perfect expression of the goodness of God, I came to understand the higher purpose for our business is to do the same: to serve God and be a perfect expression of all the goodness of God for the benefit of humankind, our associates, clients, and community. God expresses through the activities of, and operations of, our businesses. This is my ongoing prayer for our businesses.
My family attended a Unity church all my life, and I became a supporter of Unity Village, visiting for retreats at least yearly. When then-CEO Tom Zender learned I was involved in publishing and direct mail, he asked whether I would like to see the Daily Word operation and took me on an impromptu tour of the Unity publishing department. In those days, Daily Word was printed at a commercial printer in Kansas City, Missouri, and printed sheets were delivered to the Unity publishing department. Unity then folded the sheets, bound the magazine, and mailed it from Unity Village to hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
Daily Word in the 21st Century
Always mindful of the importance of being good stewards of its funds, Unity was evaluating the most cost-effective way to produce Daily Word in the 21st century. After a careful study, it was determined that it would be more efficient to use a commercial printer for all facets of the operation. Unity put out a request for proposals, and our Fisher Group ultimately won the high honor of serving as the printer and mailer of the magazine. I was truly thrilled and continue to be so today. I felt this was a dream come true because our family would be playing a meaningful role in supporting a ministry that is so important to so many people in the world. I feel the opportunity to serve Unity supports my intention for the higher purpose of our organization: to serve God and humankind and to be a perfect expression of all the goodness of God.
When we are in production with Daily Word, I love to walk through our plant and watch the pages coming off the presses, bringing the beautiful photographs and spiritual Truth messages to life and to the world. I love to watch the pages being bound into finished magazines, then inserted in envelopes, inkjet addressed, and put in the mail stream. It really is a beautiful thing!
Everyone who works on Daily Word magazine does so with such care and commitment. The writers, editors, graphic artists, circulation associates, and our team members in printing and mailing each realize the significance of the ministry that is Daily Word. While I am indeed grateful for all of our clients, I am honored and truly grateful for the opportunity to play our role in supporting the Daily Word ministry.