Celebrating Practitioner Graduation

Kathy Thompson

Practitioner Graduate

Uplifted, powerful, with heart and soul soaring high above the clouds of love--These wonderful words and feelings flowed through me as I felt God's Spirit moving through each of us attending the Practitioner and Minister graduation held at the Holmes Institute San Diego Campus in Encinitas, on Sunday, June 3, 2007. Family, friends, students, and church staff from locations around this world filled the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living with eagerness, enthusiasm, and global heart visions.

My sacred journey started years ago, as I integrated happenings of joy with sad and tragic events. My journey has led me to this point in time, becoming licensed as a Professional Practitioner. I know that God guides, supports, and encourages me along my life journey. I am open to God's will. My responsibility, my commitment, is to contribute in whatever manner is appropriate, and then allow God to do the rest. I know that change happens constantly, and I envision peacefulness and right action during this life journey here on earth. I know that I am one with God, the Source of energy, pure life, and love. Living the teachings of Science of Mind allows me to be refreshed, and I can experience each day from a renewed perspective. My understanding grows each day of my own role as a professional prayer coach. Even when presented with difficulties and doubts and fears, I am open to opportunities to learn, grow, expand my heart, and I ultimately relax, knowing that Divine Order is unfolding.

My learning journey began more than seven years ago when I started taking classes to learn about the teachings we call Science of Mind. I took first, second, and third level classes through another branch of Religious Science. I was about to get my Professional Practitioner license when the minister unexpectedly left town and I was left in paperwork limbo. I knew from this Science of Mind teaching that I could release my needs to react negatively to this unplanned situation, so I prayed for understanding and openness to the right answers.

Fortunately, I had met Rev. John Poleski several years earlier, loved his energy and ideas, and told him I'd always join his church when he became the staff Minister. That wish became true two years ago, April 2005, when John joined the San Diego Church of Religious Science, now called San Diego Center for Spiritual Living. I immediately became a grateful member of this loving spiritual community, which is my extended family. Our Branch of Religious Science, the United Centers, accepted some of my previous training. I had to retake some classes to become a professional practitioner in this San Diego Church, aka Downtown Church. Another fortuitious miracle, I have enjoyed and benefited from the loving teaching of Constance Cook Core. She eagerly shares her ministry of teaching with wisdom, patience, understanding and grace.

The commitment and support from Rev. John and Connie allow me to reach new heights of awareness and love each day, now as a graduating practitioner. This loving Church shows respect and caring for each member, honoring our unity, our individualness, each unique, personal expression of life. For all these reasons of Spirit expressing, I am proud that I am part of God's interwoven fabric of life called the San Diego Center for Spiritual Living.