About Oakland Center for Spiritual Living
Our Ministers: Our Philosophy
Rev. Sunshine Michelle Coleman, Ph.D. – Senior Minister and Spiritual Leader
Reverend Doctor Sunshine Michelle Coleman has been in Religious Science and Unity for more than four decades. She became a CSL practitioner in 1987, a CSL minister in 2013, and was ordained in 2017. She is the Founding Community Leader of Authenticity Journey of Renewal, a CSL Focus Ministry, launched in 2016.
Rev. Sunshine Michelle has actively served 10 CSL and Unity spiritual communities, including Oakland CSL and First Church of Religious Science of Oakland, under the leadership of Dr. Joan Steadman and Dr. Margaret Stortz, respectively. Her son, Freddie, participated in the OCSL Youth Program.
Rev. Sunshine Michelle is a native of the Bay Area and currently resides in Oakland. Her professional career has been in Human Resources for 25 years in a variety of industries, both in for profit and nonprofit organizations. She does consulting work through her DBA, Coleman Coaching & Consulting. She is actively engaged in building Beloved Community within a nonprofit organization called Thrive Network, and also serves on a team focusing on the work of Archangel Mikha’el.
Rev. Sunshine Michelle currently serves on the CSL Global Themes team, the CSL Spiritually Motivated and Socially Engaged (SMSE) Committee, and on the CSL Executive Director Search Committee. She designed a circle series on racial healing in 2021 for CSL Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Ministers, Practitioners, and Laity. She led the facilitation team in the delivery of that series for a total of several hundred people.
Rev. Sunshine Michelle has a passion for exploring and uncovering the true authentic self. She is an author, designer and facilitator of inspirational workshops, a convener of sacred circles, and has a book and a unique deck of reflection cards in progress that is based on her doctoral work exploring authenticity and empowerment within women of color in America.
Rev. Sally Bartholomew
Rev Sally first discovered Science of Mind and Spirit philosophy and the Centers for Spiritual Living through reading books by Louise Hay and the Science of Mind magazine in 2008. At that time, she knew she had found her spiritual base camp. Ever the avid student, she jumped right into taking classes, which led her to diving even deeper into practitioner studies, serving at the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living, and subsequently being called to ministry. Rev Sally graduated from the Holmes Institute School of Spiritual Leadership with a master’s degree in consciousness studies and was licensed as a minister of Centers for Spiritual Living in January 2020.
Rev Sally is currently serving as a staff minister at the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living while continuing with her focus ministry Consciousness Caravans. She believes the greatest power of the Science of Mind and Spirit teaching is its emphasis on empowering individuals to know their spiritual truth of Oneness with God and its sharing of tools, study materials, and spiritual practices to help individuals embody this,Truth.
Rev. Geri Carder
Rev. Geri is an Ordained CSL minister who has served the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living as student, practitioner, staff minister and minister over the years since 2000. She has a double major and BA in Business and Communications graduating with honors from Holy Names University in 1993. She graduated from the Holmes Institute, now known as the School of Consciousness Studies with her Masters in Consciousness Studies in 2015 and became an Ordained Minister in January 2018. Her focus has been Service throughout her tenure. She is an entrepreneur and has managed a successful service organization over the past 36 years. Rev. Geri loves facilitating accredited classes and workshops. She has been the Pastoral Care Director for OCSL, and she is involved in group dynamics and has more recently facilitates large group venues such as the “Woman’s Spiritual Transformation Group” which mets on a regular basis at OCSL prior to the Pandemic. All are welcome!
Rev. Aikya Param
Rev. Aikya Param is a Staff Minister for Membership at Oakland Center for Spiritual Living. She loves studying and sharing the writings of Ernest Holmes, founder of Religious Science, and scripture like the Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana, and ancient texts in Aramaic, the language that Jesus spoke.
Rev. Katherine Saux
Rev. Katherine Saux came to Oakland Center for Spiritual Living (OCSL) in1993 and studied under then-Senior Minister Rev. Margaret Stortz. She became a licensed practitioner and served in this calling or 18 years before becoming a minister. While a practitioner, Rev. Katherine chaired the Leadership Councils of the Tucson and Oakland Centers as well as being the Practitioner Representative and Corporate Secretary of the CORE Council for United Church of Religious Science (UCRS).
Rev. Katherine received her Minister’s license in August 2014 and immediately became the Interim Minister for OCSL. She served in that capacity for nine months, working for a smooth transition for the incoming Spiritual Leader Rev. Jeff Anderson. She then transferred to the Golden Gate Center for Spiritual Living, where she was a Staff Minister for several years and where she was ordained in 2018. She returned to her home community, OCSL, in 2020 and is once again serving as a staff minister. She also speaks at CSL and New Thought communities around the SF Bay Area and maintains a spiritual counseling practice.
The Oakland Center for Spiritual Living is…
A safe, welcoming sanctuary, a place for people to explore, expand and experience their own spiritual nature. By educating and empowering people, The Center encourages an expanded experience of wellness for all who seek that experience.
We are a diverse, inclusive community of people seeking to realize our highest Truth and live our full spiritual potential. Based on spiritual principle, we support ourselves and each other by being a place where love, joy, beauty and the fullness of life are nourished and nurtured.
Through the teaching and practice of the Principles of Science of Mind and Spirit and other New Thought / Ancient Wisdom teachings, we provide a place to learn philosophical and practical tools, and to practice personal and global transformation.
At Oakland Center for Spiritual Living, We Believe…
In the infinite goodness of Spirit
In the spiritual nature of Mind, Body, Heart & Soul
In the Divinity of all life, of all creation
That love is the greatest power
That the highest God and the innermost God is One God
In the inherent goodness of ourselves and of each other
That diversity is the nature of creation
That we have the power to change our lives, and our world
The Vision of Oakland Center for Spiritual Living…
Is to joyfully reveal the Love and Oneness of God. We are a welcoming and inclusive spiritual community dedicated to individual transformation and collective growth. Our purpose is to love, inspire and serve our community and the world through education, music, prayer and play.