“At a dozen unadorned buildings around the country, small congregations gather regularly for church services. There are no altars, no images and no cross, except perhaps a square one in a circle with a fernleaf in the centre…”
This was the introduction to a National Radio programme about the Spiritualist Church of New Zealand in the “Connections” series. It was broadcast in July and was a major exercise in promotion and explanation to the general public about our beliefs. It was a prompt and significant result of the creation of a Public Relations portfolio, undertaken by National President Gary Williams, at the Executive Committee meeting in April.
The programme was skilfully produced and presented by Hugh Young. The SCNZ is not new to National Radio. It has previously broadcast a church service from Dunedin and Past National President Doreen Haslam contributed for several years to “Faith For Today”.
This programme was entitled “There is no death”. It put aside the Victorian images of spectacular effects from mediums in darkened rooms. National Vice President Muriel Clapton explained that the role of mediumship in modern spiritualism is to prove life after death. She emphasised that the love of those in spirit for family and friends on earth is what draws them to communicate. The discipline and standards required of our mediums and healers was repeatedly made clear.
Throughout the programme Gary Williams and others also stressed the freedom of individual spiritualists to accept or reject teachings, according to their own judgement. The Seven Principles were presented as our common ground and some were discussed. Part of Gary’s explanation of “The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels” was – We are not alone because all around us at all times we have our angels or friends from “the other side”. They love us, protect, guide and help us in our everyday life; people are aware of them. You can see and feel them.
Difficult subjects such as abortion and our relationship with orthodox Christianity were responded to honestly by Gary and added to by Joyce Williams President of the Wainuiomata Church. When asked to define God, Joyce said, “To me God is definitely love and is the living force within all things and creates all things.” Such explanations as these would have revealed to many listeners the simple and universal nature of our beliefs.
Spiritual healing was a prominent feature of the programme. Healer Len Gallagher explained the role of the healer as a transformer using his/her own spirit to channel healing energies from God to the patient’s spirit which in turn is able to heal its own physical body. Len revealed himself to be a sincere and humble man, explaining the need for healers to have pure intent in their work. Listeners would have been impressed by this and even more so by his example of a patient who had been cured of severe osteo-arthritis in five cervical vertebra after six healing sessions.
John Goldingham is the President and a Minister of the Petone Church. He highlighted spiritualism’s ability to teach people how to be in touch with the God within. He explained that our circles and meditation groups empower us to have a direct relationship with the source of all life, without the need for another person to act as an intermediary.
For many listeners unfamiliar to Spiritualism, the whole programme must have been enlightening. “There are a thousand roads to God and each one of us has to find our own.”, said Muriel Clapton. Thanks to all those who worked hard to put this programme together. The SCNZ certainly found an excellent road to revealing and explaining our path to God.
– Editor
Source: Vision, The Magazine of the Spiritualist Church of New Zealand, Spring 1993.