Our Senior Minister
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. She brings to Oakland Center her blended skills, experience, and interests to help support and partner with the community, and co-create healing and transformation for a world that works for all. She is honored and humbled to be a finalist for this role.
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.
Our Staff Ministers
Rev. Teresa Gardiner
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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. Allie Hutchinson
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