An excellent description of the calling of our Practitioners can be found in the words of the Irish poet, John O Donohue who wrote:
“It is such a privilege to have people who continue each day to bless us with their love & prayer. These inner friends of the heart confer on us gifts beyond measure. There is such unusual beauty in having people who practice profound faithfulness, praying for us each day. Often there are lonesome frontiers in our lives we could not cross or endure without the inner sheltering of these prayers. It is not a luxury to have such support--it is a necessity.”
Licensed Spiritual Practitioners are trained to see the deeper Truth beneath the challenges that daily life may bring. Their prayerful support can help you to know that Truth as well, as they support you on your own spiritual journey.
Audrey Gum joined the Church of Religious Science now Centers for Spiritual Living in 1986. She took classes from Reverends Kathy Ann Lewis, Donald Graves, and Shirley Jones becoming a licensed Practitioner in 1991 being awarded Practitioner Emeritus status in 2011.
Other ministers she has served under in Salt Lake City were Reverends Scott Aubrey, Bonnie Apps, Barbara Hayes, Marty Bacher, Barbara Leger, Lynne Heygster, Myrna Hirst and Cindy Edelson. She also had the privilege of serving 12 rewarding years in Las Vegas with Reverend Doug Fogelsong.
She has taught all of the core classes with Science of Mind with four of her students going on to become ministers. She also mentored five Practitioner students through their licensing.
During her time of service in the Salt Lake church she created a Heart to Heart and Pet Ministry.
It has been her privilege to serve and witness many healings during her years of service.
She has been less active during the last few years due to personal and family illness but continues to serve as much as possible.
Salina Baugh grew up in Southern California and Las Vegas, attended college in Southern Utah and lived in Montana for 17 years, before making the decision to move to Salt Lake, in pursuit of a career in the legal field in 1993.
Although, Salina has been a spiritual seeker throughout life and experienced various faith traditions over the years, it wasn’t until she was introduced to the Center for Spiritual Living in 2000, that she felt an immediate connection.
Fascinated by the philosophy Salina began taking classes and volunteering, both of which grounded her in the philosophy and helped build sustaining friendships.
In 2007 Salina was licensed as a Practitioner. She has served the community in many ways, currently focusing on teaching classes and spiritual coaching. Salina loves working with others. She firmly believes that daily application of this philosophy has and will change lives.
Linda Brewer grew up as an army brat in multiple places, including six of her first 18 years in Germany. She had a transformational spiritual experience at 16 on a bus in Berlin, Germany, which set her on a lifelong spiritual path.
She did both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Theology and was ordained as a minister in 1975. She founded the Kindred Center, a counseling ministry in 1980. After 19 years in Unity, she joined CSL in 2002 & was licensed as a Practitioner in 2007.
Linda served for fifteen years as a hospice, then hospital Chaplain before retiring in 2019. She has been busy in many capacities at the Center since then, serving as a Practitioner, Service Host and on the Ministry Council as the Sunday Service Coordinator and former Secretary. She also serves as President of her HOA Association.
Her deepest calling is to compassionate care for others.
For over thirty years, Lanna Cairns M.A. has been a student and teacher of spiritual practices in New Thought and Buddhist Communities throughout the country.
She has a Master’s Degree in Religious Studies and is a published author. (Organizing for Your Brain Type, Every Child Has a Thinking Style and A Mindful Life).
As a Licensed Spiritual Practitioner for The Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living she gives sermons, teaches classes and supports her community. Currently, she is in Ministerial School and will graduate in 2027.
A native of Canada, she currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband, two sons and two dogs, Hoodoo and Nina, a rescue dog from Romania.
She believes that the thoughts we have about who we think we are and what we can aspire to be, greatly influence one’s life and ultimately, create a world that can work for everyone.
Growing up in the country with two younger brothers, Hildreth Farris developed a love for quiet, animals, and nature.
Coming from a line of teachers on both sides of her family, Hildreth chose to become an elementary teacher. Earning a BS in Education, she later also learned methods for teaching Montessori and English as a Second Language.
After completing college, Hildreth moved to California.
In 1973, Hildreth learned of and moved to a Spiritual commune in Santa Barbara, CA. Here was her country life again, along with the meditation techniques from India as originally shared by Parmahansa Yoganada.
Here Hildreth met her husband, Jim Farris. Hildreth and Jim became parents through adoption and birth. Hildreth and Jim later moved to Utah where they studied and became Prayer Practitioners for the Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living.
As a young adult Jim Farris lived, worked and meditated for 18 years in a spiritual community.
He and his family later moved to Utah where he became an active member of Unity Church in Park City.
In 2008 he joined Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living, where he enjoyed taking a series of classes to become a licensed Prayer Practitioner in 2014.
Currently he volunteers to visit hospice patients and is on the spiritual care team at Huntsman Cancer Hospital.
Jim loves people and especially enjoys supporting what they truly want with the power of affirmative prayer!
Tharoll Hinckley was raised in an LDS family served an LDS mission after four years in the Air Force.
When his wife started the Center for Spiritual Living in Layton, He continued his Practitioner studies doing the second year of Practitioner studies online graduating in 2017. In 2023, he moved his license to Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living.
Having served in the Air Force Tharoll saw bits of truth in other churches and has discovered even more Truths taught by other faith traditions, as a member of the Interfaith Roundtable in Salt Lake.
He loves children his own and others and enjoys substitute teaching in the local school district.
He presently serves as co-director of the Youth and Family Education committee as well as the Visioning team.
Myrna Hirst discovered the Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living in 1998, became a Practitioner in 2002, and an Ordained Minister in 2017. She has been centered in the Science of Mind philosophy for more than 25 years and knows it has changed her life for the better.
Myrna’s life has been filled with adventure from the beginning. She has lived in Hawaii, Texas, California and Utah, gathering rich experiences from dancing the hula to playing guitar with a group in the 60’s. While in Houston she was involved in the Apollo space program, and her daughter April was born the day Apollo 13 returned safely to earth.
Myrna raised three children and five stepchildren, and now has fourteen grandchildren and innumerable great grandbabies! Now she’s retired from parenting and her teaching career, and spends her time writing, reading, and loving life
Theresa Martin was born in Dublin Ireland; she is mother of six and grandmother of seven. She has been a serious student of truth from childhood. As an adult she was introduced to many of the New Thought authors by friends and colleagues. In 1994 she and her husband immigrated to the United States, where two of their daughters had settled in Salt Lake City.
One day she saw a sign that read Church of Religious Science, she knew that Louise Hay, one of her favorite authors was attached to this group and had to go and find out about it.
That was the beginning of an amazing twenty-five-year journey of unfoldment in a philosophy that made perfect sense.
She became a member and took classes to become a Religious Science Practitioner. This has allowed her to grow and assist others on their journey to wholeness.
Farrel Zeeman is number five of six children. His father was born in 1903 after his parents emigrated to Utah from The Netherlands.
Farrel grew up in Spanish Fork Utah. Upon graduation from public school, he attended Southern Utah State University. He began a thirty-year teaching career in 1970. He was the theatre manager, responsible for technical aspects of the productions at Kearns High School.
After retiring he found The Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living, which opened the next chapter of his life, when he became a Science of Mind Practitioner. He prays with others and holds the truth of their beingness as they navigate the physicalness of their lives.
Katherine Hernandez (Katie) had been around this community since 1980. A friend told her to step away from organized religion and go to a place that taught Love and that’s exactly what she did. She was a member of Salt Lake Centers for Spiritual Living for 39 years and a Practitioner for 20 years. She reached Emeritus Practitioner status right before her Spirit left her physical body, as she transitioned to her next great adventure.
At SLCSL, Katie found the Love her friend was talking about. She embodied that love and found her joy in helping others find their truth and Love, when they had forgotten the truth of who they are and how powerful they are. As a Practitioner Katie reminded others of their truth.
She loved answering online prayers for the Center, for those in need.
Her loving presence is greatly missed by all who knew her.
Salt Lake Center for Spiritual Living
4516 S 700 E, Suite 350 (Classroom,102) Salt Lake City, UT 84107
385-424-0126