Science of Mind
Center for Spiritual Living
315 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12206(click above for map)
Ernest Holmes
What We Believe – Dr. Ernest Holmes
We believe in God, the living Spirit Almighty; one, indestructible, absolute, and self-existent Cause. This One manifests Itself in and through all creation, but is not absorbed by Its creation. The manifest universe is the body of God; it is the logical and necessary outcome of the infinite self-knowingness of God.
We believe in the individualization of the Spirit in Us, and that all people are individualizations of the One Spirit.
We believe in the eternality, the immortality, and the continuity of the individual soul, forever and ever expanding.
We believe that heaven is within us, and that we experience it to the degree that we become conscious of it.
We believe the ultimate goal of life to be a complete freedom from all discord of every nature, and that this goal is sure to be attained by all.
We believe in the unity of all life, and that the highest God and the innermost God is one God. We believe that God is personal to all who feel this indwelling presence.
We believe in the direct revelation of truth through our intuitive and spiritual nature, and that anyone may become a revealer of truth who lives in close contact with the indwelling God.
We believe that the Universal Spirit, which is God, operates through a Universal Mind, which is the Law of God; and that we are surrounded by this Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thought and acts upon it.
We believe in the healing of the sick through the power of this Mind.
We believe in the control of conditions through the power of this Mind.
We believe in the eternal Goodness, the eternal Loving-kindness, and the eternal Givingness of Life to all.
We believe in our own soul, our own spirit, and our own destiny; for we understand that the life of all is God.
Our Center's History
The Center has deep roots that were planted over 40 years ago by Leo and Betty Stockman. Celebrations of Life have been conducted every Sunday since that time at various locations throughout the Capital District.
On May 29, 1969, Leo Stockman recieved a letter from Raymond Charles Barker approving his Religious Science Thesis. Leo also received a letter from the International Association of Religious Science Churches (IARSC) Board of Directors granting his request for Reccogniton as Society Leader of Religious Science, to lead a group in Albany, NY. On September 16, 1969 a request had been made by the then acting Directors, Fred D. Shavor, Harris R. Gregory, Jr and Beverly B. Noord to have Leo V. Stockman be granted the status of “Licentiate Minister”. They petitioned IARSC for a Church Charter since they now were a active group of at least fifty members over the age of 18 years, since they had been operating as a Religious Science Society since May 19, 1969.
On October 1, 1969 the “Albany Society of Religious Science” was granted their Church Charter and Leo V. Stockman was granted Licentiate Ministerial status as Pastor of the Albany Church of Religious Science.
Rev. Leo V. Stockman received a letter from Dr. Frank E. Richelieu, President of IARSC, on October 15, 1969 extending his personal congratulations upon the attainment of full Church status. And so it began and on November 10, 1969 the Church of Religious Science of Albany was incorporated.
All of this came into being because of so many like minded people who joined together to study “Religious Science”. Leo and his good wife Betty hosted study groups in their apartment on North Pearl Street until there were too many people to accommodate so they moved the meetings to the Tom Sawyer Inn. For years they all readily listened to the radio broadcasts of Dr. Raymond Charles Barker (1911 - 1988) and wanted to be more involved with the teachings of Ernest Holmes (1887 - 1960) book Science of Mind first published in 1922. Holmes also originated the international periodical Science of Mind magazine in 1927.
Dr. Barker opened the First Church of Religious Science in New York City in 1946, was President of the International New Thought Alliance (INTA) and a well-known minister, author and teacher throughout the New Thought movement.
Barker had grown up in New Thought, being trained at the Unity Training School, and prior to his election as INTA president in 1943, was minister at the Unity Center in Rochester, New York. He was later to affiliate with the Church of Religious Science and became the leader of the First Church of Religious Science in New York City and president of the IARSC.
On March 31, 1975 Fred D. Shavor was unanimiously accepted and approved as Interin-Minister after the demise of Rev. Leo V. Stockman. October 29, 1976 Fred Shaver receives a letter from Raymond Charles Barker approving his work. Fred is welcomed into the ministry of Religious Science by letter on November 9, 1976 and becomes Rev. Fred D. Shavor. In a letter from Frank E. Richelieu written on November 9, 1978, Fred is advised that he was granted full ordination as minister on October 31, 1978 by the IARSC. Fred was ordained by Dr. Stewart Grayson on Saturday March 17, 1979.
Fred served as minister for until the early ‘90’s when he retired. Frankie Timmers was minister for three years and sadly left us for another opportunity in Morristown, NJ. Fred came out of retirement to serve this Center while we were again on the search for another minister.
Fred entered eternal rest on February of 2009. He kept us all together for over 25 years and is sadly missed.
Two of our main slogans are "Change your Thinking... Change your Life" and "God in you, as you, is you".
We strive to keep positive thoughts and ideas in our consciousness every Sunday morning when we meet. Sunday mornings at our Center we have interactive discussion group meetings with the expertise of several exceptional leaders who have studied elements of positive thinking. Each one of them has led a life influenced by their beliefs in New Thought.
