The Season of Chapel of Awareness

"Duck, duck, goose, let your thoughts loose."

 Loranna, Joy guide of Carol Chadwell

(The Season, Summer 2010)

If there is a clear example of the fallen level of teaching and guidance at Chapel of Awareness since the Friends of Chapel took over this year, in Guardians' reading the quote above represents it.

The quote was selected for "The Season" flier, edited by Friends of Chapel member Suzy Sisler.

The Friends of Chapel have now published two editions of "The Season", a compilation of supposed quotations from spirit teachers of Chapel of Awareness students and staff.

The first one published in November 2009 was put together by the Friends of Chapel, while they were not the leadership of the Chapel, while claiming it was an official publication of Chapel of Awareness.

Around the time of Founder Rev. Gene Larr's passing, there were grave concerns expressed about the level of instruction, mentoring and adherence to Rev. Larr's teachings. Those who were called into question quietly left Chapel of Awareness at the time of Rev. Larr's death. They formed the core of the Friends of Chapel, now in control of the church.

What The Season represents is a simplistic interpretation of Rev. Larr's teachings, in Guardians' reading. This is based on what these teachers have chosen to represent themselves, their students and Chapel of Awareness to the public. Examples, as published online at the Chapel webpage:

"Duck, duck, goose, let your thoughts loose."
-- Loranna, Joy guide of Carol Chadwell

"Mustard seed, grape seed. Both bear fruit. ..."
-- Chin Lee, teacher of Kathy Greene

"... It is fun when you enjoy life. ..."
-- Tau Lin, teacher of Sharon Lubert

The quotes above mirror the philosophy of teaching there now, as exemplified by teacher Rev. Eric Berg's writings on his blog (revericsblog.blogspot.com): "I’ve never tried mustard on my potatoes but it might not be that bad. The colors certainly are complementary while they are still growing ... But after a while you get some life experience and are pretty certain you won’t like certain combinations of things ... Common sense tells us that this is wisdom ..."

Chapel Guardian would never question the personal meaning of The Season's material to those who have received it. The concern is not with the students, but the vital feedback they deserve from teachers and mentors. It demands a fundamental question of understanding: What are people actually learning from all of this?

What does one learn when the majority of the supposed information from "teachers" is as simplistic as saying "The best way to have clear thoughts is to think clearly"? Or the information is as basic as a present-day nursery rhyme or game? And that's repeated in quote after quote?

Ironically, the most important warning to the Friends of Chapel of Awareness group comes from Rev. Gene Larr himself, as quoted in The Season. Guardians' worry is that Rev. Larr's wisdom is now being drowned out by the majority of minutiae as represented by the instruction at Chapel now. Not only should they quote him, they must listen to him ...

"Delusion is your greatest roadblock. Try again."

From Gene

(The Season, Summer 2010)

re: Letter from the Chapel of Awareness pastor

(Reposted from comments since it poses a good question)

Anonymous said...

"As members of the board, they were the very targets of the lawsuit they later supported. Their contributions to the Chapel have been confusing at best, deceptive at worst, in Chapel Guardian opinion." Another interesting side note to this comment is that Amy Milford was NOT named on the law suit. Rev. Nell Rose Smith substituted Amy Burger's name for Amy Milford in the document. Amy Burger did not serve on the board until much later that year and was not involved in the decisions being disputed.

November 14, 2010 9:10 PM

Re: personal promotion

(Anonymous by request; the point below is interesting since some in Friends of Chapel accused fellow ministers of behaving exactly this way and accused them of violating bylaws)

So one of us Chapel Guardian followers has a question about the Healing Clinics.

It's already been noted that Reverend Sherry and the Chapel don't use the Chapel of Awareness phone number or a Chapel email address as contacts for these clinics, but I noticed something else. The clinics are scheduled from 1 pm to 6 pm on Tuesdays. ... In the middle of the day, during the work week? That's not very accessible to regular people let alone Chapel members, unless they don't work. It just seems to me that these are hours that ministers would schedule for personal counseling appointments __ a private practice __ not an open clinic.

That's not in keeping with the church bylaws, at least as I understand them. I'm uncomfortable seeing Chapel used in this way.

Letter from the Chapel of Awareness chairman

The Chapel of Awareness annual report and meeting materials arrived for most members, apparently, in the last few days. Some Chapel members in contact with Chapel Guardian have shared some of their thoughts about the materials.

As the annual meeting approaches, Chapel Guardian point out more things to consider regarding the activities of the current Chapel leadership. This time in the board chairman's letter:

Chairman Rev. Nell Rose Smith tells us that "nothing is more precious than those who step forward - even in small ways - to volunteer their time, energy, resources and ideas." This must explain the precious absence of so many --- including Rev. Nell --- over nearly five years as Rev. Ann Lorenzini struggled to keep Chapel of Awareness patched together. This must also explain Rev. Nell's precious commitment to sue the Chapel, Rev. Ann, and fellow members she now serves with. It must also explain her strong commitment to push through the expulsions of members and ministers, including Rev. Ann.

In Chapel Guardian opinion, Chapel of Awareness members should keep this behavior in mind as the annual meeting approaches. The majority of Chapel voters may well see the current board's behavior as appropriate for a spiritual organization, and fair enough if so. But they must remember that many do not see it that way.

Letter from the Chapel of Awareness pastor

The Chapel of Awareness annual report and meeting materials arrived for most members, apparently, in the last few days. Some Chapel members in contact with Chapel Guardian have shared some of their thoughts about the materials.

As the annual meeting approaches, Chapel Guardian point out (again) the inconsistencies in behavior and thinking that cause us to question the activities of the current Chapel leadership. Consider:

1) Amy Milford and Louise Morin are mentioned prominently in Pastor Don Miller's report. They are listed as "co-leaders of the Ways and Means Board Committee". Louise also heads the tape department. Chapel Guardian are pleased that Amy and Louise appear so committed to the Chapel after serving on the board in the prior year, with Rev. Don, in which they contributed little to the board and turned on Rev. Ann Lorenzini, as did Don. So where was this commitment in the past two years? Recall that the three of them initially backed the discontinuation of memberships of those who stopped participating in Chapel activities over several years. As members of the board, they were the very targets of the lawsuit they later supported. Their contributions to the Chapel have been confusing at best, deceptive at worst, in Chapel Guardian opinion.

2)  It's ironic that Don would also highlight two people who were 100% absent over the final five years that Rev. Ann was pastor and board chair: Melissa Hall and Suzy Sisler. Rev. Don even notes Melissa's "long hiatus". Melissa (like Rev. Don, Suzy Sisler, Amy Milford and Louise Morin) was an active member of the Friends of Chapel group, which sought to take over Chapel from fellow members.

3) John Dorian is also listed, another member who did nothing for years while attacking the character of Rev. Ann Lorenzini and others, in open meetings, as a member of the Friends of Chapel group.

4) The Friends of Chapel pastor also commends Rev. Nell Rose Smith as board chair, who (among other "accomplishments") engaged in a mean-spirited campaign to successfully expel Rev. Ann and several other members who did not fit within her vision of Chapel.

5) The Friends of Chapel pastor also highlights the activities of Rev. Sherry DeLoach. In his letter, Rev. Don states that Rev. Sherry has started healing clinics: "... The first time that Chapel has offered something like this to the public". Chapel Guardian find this statement interesting since Rev. Sherry never uses Chapel addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses to promote these supposed Chapel clinics --- only her personal and business contact information.

Chapel Guardian notes that these ongoing concerns are not lost on a good number of the Chapel membership.

Disputed claim in obituary

Reverend Nell Rose Smith provided information about Reverend Donald Schwartz as fact, when it is in legitimate dispute based on historical information, personal account, and recent court action. An obituary (Donald Schwartz, who loved animals, dies at 79) in the San Diego Union Tribune says: "In 1972, Mr. Schwartz, with Dr. Eugene C. Larr, founded the Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church to teach psychic and spiritual development. He focused on healing, Smith said, and helped others contribute to their own healing."

Nell Rose Smith, the only Chapel source used in the obituary, has taken this disputed information and emphasized publicly Donald's name first now even before founder Reverend Gene Larr. Notice how it states "Mr. Schwartz ... founded the Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church ...".

The Chapel Guardian would never ask that Donald's decades of service and contributions be put in doubt, and we never will, but to continue the Friends of Chapel political maneuvering after his passing is unfortunate in our opinion.

Co-founder or not?

Chapel Guardian have found more information of interest concerning the argument over whether Donald Schwartz was a co-founder of Chapel of Awareness. It was already clearly established in the bylaws who the founders were, in life and in spirit. This issue of Donald's position of co-founder only erupted when the Friends of Chapel rallied around Donald to sue the church and then, later, expel members and ministers not inline with the Friends agenda. If Donald had been a clearly-established co-founder from its foundation, then the following statement from Rev. Nell Rose Smith should have been irrelevant because the new web site would have had him named automatically, if it was established fact:

"Also, Rev. Donald should be identified as the Co-founder."

The Friends of Chapel were directly involved in the original website for years until the schism of 2009-10, and the issue of co-founder was never addressed until out of nowhere it came up when they organized and sued, under Nell's name. Nell's statement, in Chapel Guardian opinion, only shows an attempt to continue and solidify the grandstanding they started in 2009.

Eric Berg's answers to a Christian critic

The Chapel Guardian have uncovered an interesting corner of cyberspace that shows a curious possible sea change in the definition of what Chapel of Awareness is.

Chapel of Awareness was founded by Reverend Larr under the name Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church. Around January, Friends of Chapel's Reverend Eric Berg answered a Christian critic's commentary about what he saw on the front of the building

The critic's comments are here at this link: The Church of Evolutionary Karmic Auras–and More!

What the critic has to say isn't an issue for Chapel Guardian; everyone has a right to an opinion. Eric, though, never directly answers the critic's repeated use of the term "spiritual". Instead, he addresses the differences between Spiritualists and "Spiritism," which he claims is "more occult."

Since the Friends of Chapel takeover, published Chapel of Awareness material has increasingly used "Spiritualist Church" as part of Chapel's name, and Eric explains: "While Spirtualists [sic] practice similar things to new agers, it is a religion dating back maybe 100 years. Typical Spiritualists are devoutly Christian, believing only that one may communicate with people after they go to heaven, so the choice of the term "church' is a natural one. Perhaps you were thinking of Spiritism which is much more occult"

So what is Chapel of Awareness anymore? Eric's explanation of Chapel to the blogger seems to emphasize spiritualists, when the blogger never took issue with that term in his criticism. Chapel leadership now continue to apparently phase in the name, "Chapel of Awareness Spiritualist Church", when that is not what Reverend Larr founded. The Friends of Chapel leadership, for example, titles most of Chapel's website pages as "Spiritualist Churches near San Diego | Chapel of Awareness", and some recent mailings from the Friends of Chapel leadership also have used "spiritualist" in the Chapel's title and descriptions.

So the Chapel Guardian must ask the Friends of Chapel leadership --- in direct relation to what Reverend Larr's founding principles were --- is Chapel officially now a Spiritualist church? Is it now aligning with one religion, Christianity, at least as Eric explained it, as opposed to the open philosophy that Reverend Larr based the organization on?

This question is made even more important with Eric's closing statement in his response: "Advertising the teaching of evolution at a church *does* sounds [sic] funny."

To be fair, Eric did also say: "Lastly, the founder was a paleantologist [sic] and astronomer, and loved science. As a result he wanted those who ran the organization to have a solid grasp of the basic scientific concepts such as evolution." That is of course true. But why not defend the Chapel's principle of promoting the idea that a church can indeed cover evolution as a principle, rather than saying it "sounds funny"?

More personal promotion

Friends of Chapel leadership continue to use Chapel of Awareness as a personal platform for their own events.

Reverend Sherry DeLoach continues to promote her "I Manifest Wellness" events on her personal website along with Craigslist and local newspapers. Captures of these listings are provided.

What makes it self promotion and not a Chapel event? Notice how Sherry DeLoach does not provide a Chapel of Awareness phone number or email address for her services. All contacts are personal phone numbers and email addresses. These events are not for Chapel. If they were, they would be promoted as such, and they are not. Chapel is only listed as a location.

When the December General Meeting approaches, will the Friends of Chapel leadership disclose how much money from these personal events has gone to Chapel in the form donations or rent, and how they are allowed under the bylaws?

The Friends of Chapel, including Sherry DeLoach, sued the church and accused members and ministers they expelled of this very practice, without proof or substance. Yet, for their own behavior, here it is.