About SOLSC

Sanctuary of Light Spiritualist Church

6391 Cherry St. PO Box #2

Williamsburg, IN 47393

Spiritualism: Modern American Spiritualism began around the year 1840 in the United States, although similar practices have existed since ancient times. The rappings of the Fox sisters and the extensive work of people, like Andrew Jackson Davis & Cora Richmond, spurred the faith into public popularity. Spiritualism grew out of and shares parts of many other traditions: Quaker, Methodist, Episcopal, Theosophy, Indigenous Faith systems, among others. By 1897 it was estimated that there were more than 8,000,000 followers, mostly in the US and English-speaking countries throughout the world. As with other religions, people developed differing practices, traditions and beliefs. It is no surprise that differences now exist between various Spiritualist groups.

All However Agree on These Concepts:

· A Belief In Spirit Communication

· The Continuity of the Soul

· Personal Responsibility (Thought, Word, Deed)

· Reformation in Life & Afterlife

· All Creation is Expression of God

· God Gives Endless Opportunities

· All People/Living Beings are Sacred

S.O.L.S.C is an Independent church within the greater Spiritualist community. We hold strong ties with various spiritual/religious traditions and welcome everyone to join us for worship and special events. Our foundational tenants are Love, Faith and Service; we welcome all who share a similar vision of a world in which our faith brings us not only closer with God, but with each other too. The following is a brief overview of our primary principles and beliefs.

1. We Believe in an Unconditionally Loving God: God loves and accepts us unconditionally, without restrictions or conditions, always and forever, no matter what. God's love calls us home to peace and happiness, always. We are created in the image of God, but God is viewed as infinite; as such, God is abstract and poetic, the ideal of Love personified and beyond all definition or description. We may refer to God in human terms (father, mother, grandmother etc.), but we recognize God is all this and greater. Some refer to God as Infinite Intelligence or Spirit; we think it best that each person use the phrase they find most comfortable.

2. We Believe that all the Universe, Nature, and Humanity are expressions of God's creativity: All forms of life were created by God (manifestations of infinite intelligence). Additionally, everything mental, physical and spiritual are of God's creativity. All things both living (plants and animals) and non-living (land forms, water, the atmosphere) originated in the mind of God. All things exist because of an infinitely creative source. All humans are viewed as children of God and everything alive is part of our sacred family.

3. We believe that as Divine sparks of God we are here to share the light of God's love with all of God's creation: We believe that the essence of God is within each of us. By showing respect for ourselves, others, animals, nature, and Mother Earth we live in harmony with Natural and Spiritual Law. We strive to allow every person to unfold on their unique path to wholeness in accordance with the universal plan of God.

4. Every day is a new beginning: We believe that everyone is on a path of spiritual growth, regardless of their past actions. As Spiritualists, we believe that we can change ourselves for the better: every sunrise brings the opportunity to begin anew and redefine who we are and who we wish to become. Our lives are filled with endless opportunities. We understand God as a constant source of support; always calling us to heal, grow and do better with each new day. Most importantly, the doorway to reformation is never closed, in this life or the next.

5. We believe in the communication and interaction with Spirit Guides, Guardian Angels and other Light Beings and they are here to assist us, if we ask: Spirit communication has been an integral part of the human experience since before written language. In the Bible, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, John the Baptist had experiences of Spirit and many of the Disciples had visions (visits from Spirit). All people can have a harmonious relationship with spirit beings. Prayer is an interaction or communication with Spirit; mediation is an act of listening. Each person has spirit helpers called guides to help them on their journey. Some people are naturally more attuned to the Spirit world, we call these people mediums or clairvoyants.

6. We believe there are many paths to God and that each person must find their own truth: There is no one right path that works for everyone. Each person must find the path that speaks to their heart, mind, and spirit. We do not discount or disparage the knowledge or path of others. We believe that individual differences are all part of God’s creative genius and that there are as many paths to God as there are people.

7. We believe in the Golden Rule of treating others as we would like to be treated: If all of humanity would treat others the way they choose to be treated, true harmony, peace and happiness would exist. All major world religions have the “Golden Rule” as a part of their core beliefs. Everyone wishes to be treated with respect and love and by doing so we recognize the essence of the Creator in every person.

8. We believe everyone is responsible for their own action and happiness: We as individuals are responsible for much of the world in which we live, including the way we live our life. No person can make our decisions for us or “make” us do anything. Each person must become aware of the power in our actions and how others are affected by them. Ultimately we are in charge of our actions or reactions which largely results in our happiness or unhappiness. However, victims are obviously not responsible for their suffering, but never loose the power to react differently. As Victor Frankl (holocaust survivor & founder of Logotherapy) famously said, “forces beyond our control can take away everything we posses except one thing, our freedom to choose how we will respond to the situation.”

9. We believe death is a transition and not an ending: Death is a natural consequence of all life. Our bodies will eventually decay. The spirit, mind and even the personality will continue a path of growth and healing. We believe that God continues to offer us the chance to improve and enhance our spiritual enlightenment and progress, in this life and all to come.

10. We believe prophecy and healing are expressions of God: We affirm the truths found in the Bible (1 Corinthians 12: 6-10 and 21-31) that define Prophecy and Healing as gifts. Sacred texts of all the major religions reference Healing and Prophecy as gifts witnessed in people. We affirm that prophecy and healing are universal and everlasting truths, which have been witnessed in all the ages of the world and continue as spiritual practices today.

A note on how we do Mediumship somewhat differently: First, we encourage our resident and guest mediums to connect with the parishioner first (opposed to calling a name and waiting on someone to claim it). Once connected, the medium identifies the spirit/presence with them, then delivers the spirit’s message. Second, we encourage everyone who feels so inspired to offer their voice too. Our mediums deliver most of the messages from the platform, but we end each demonstration with the opportunity for anyone present to give a message. Sometimes, to honor our traditions of the past, we all sit in meditation and give messages to each another from the pews. We believe these practice help honor the fellowship of spirit.

Healing at SOLSC: “Spiritual Healing” is an integral part of most Spiritualist churches. In general, spiritual healers are a medium or conduit between infinite intelligence and creation. Spirit moves through the healer to impart energy, lifeforce, prana, qi (numerous conceptualizations)etc. Spiritualist are not alone in this way of thinking. Chiropractic (founded on ideas from a séance), osteopathy, naturopathy, and naprapathy (to name a few common practices) all recognize “innate intelligence” within all living beings. For example, we do not have to think about it or decide for a wound to clot, scab over, and heal; growth and healing are possible due to innate or inner processes that we do not have to be aware of, it just happens. Spiritual healers connect our innate intelligence (soul) to infinite intelligence (God) to vitalize the processes of growth and healing that restore and sustain us every moment of our lives.

That said, most spiritualist healers consider themselves, in some way, to be energy workers . Reiki, therapeutic touch, and other new age practices are similar to spiritualist healing but not exactly the same. For example, Reiki is spiritual healing, but not all spiritual healing is Reiki. Any healing practice that connects the client to Spirit (infinite intelligence) to facilitate healing is Spiritual Healing.

In today’s church, largely due to regulations and professional standards, spiritual healing is a passive form of energy work with little to no physical touch. We have numerous healers at SOLSC with various gifts to offer. Reiki and therapeutic touch are the most common practices. Additionally, we have body workers, psychotherapist, herbalist, and drum healers. We do our best to preserve and foster the numerous avenues to healing relevant to the tradition of Spiritualism, historically and today.