“Chicago’s Oldest Spiritualist Church” is not just a sign. It is a testament to a history of faith. Here before Greater Calvary Spiritual Church, we delve into a world where spirituality meets the Windy City’s vibrant culture.
Greater Calvary Spiritual Church is part of a movement called Spiritualism. It is based on the concept of a continuity of life. Death is only a transition. This idea captivated many Americans in the 19th century.
Spiritualists believe mediums can receive messages. They deliver them from the spirit world. Today Spiritualism survives in a society overloaded with information.
There are four Spiritualist churches currently operating in Chicago. These churches offer a space for readings. People connect with lost loved ones here. They can even explore their own mediumistic abilities. Assistant pastor at Church of the Spirit Cher Dyle says that they believe anyone is mediumistic.
The Church of the Spirit, another Spiritualist church, occupies a modest brick building. A stained glass window depicts Jesus Christ holding a lamb. It is a holdover from the building’s past life as an Evangelical church.
Inside Church of the Spirit, there are strong ties to Christianity. Pews are equipped with hymnals. Congregants recite the Lord’s Prayer. Some even believe Jesus was a Spiritualist medium. Dyle calls Jesus their brother.
Many members migrated to Spiritualism after experiences their previous religions couldn’t explain. Some interpret intuition as clairvoyance. They come looking for answers.
Paloma Webster attends Church of the Spirit. She says she started having visions at a young age. The community helped her come to terms with her abilities. These abilities helped with her work as a hospice nurse.
Mediums give unfoldment classes. The Rev. B. Anne Gehman is known for helping police solve crimes. She is the subject of a book The Priest and the Medium.
Gehman led a workshop Developing your Spiritual Potential. She answered questions quickly and confidently. She was asked about free will and life on other planets. She was also asked if we will be reunited with our loved ones after we die.
Gehman uses psychometry in training. Participants exchange personal items. They concentrate on what they feel while holding them. Some see visions. Others feel sadness.
Dyle gives platform readings at Church of the Spirit. She calls on congregants to receive their messages. Dyle says these readings may not make sense right away. However the meaning will hopefully reveal itself over time.
Spiritualism is a young religion but not a youthful one. The average age of Church of the Spirit members is fifty. They need to develop new mediums.
Dr. Kenneth James is an assistant pastor at Church of the Spirit. He centers on non-rational sources of knowledge. He likens dream interpretation to the work of Mediums.
James worries that people dismiss anything that can’t be proven. Spiritualism has no text no commandments or saints. It has a unique group of people. These people keep the tradition alive.
A framed drawing of the Fox Sisters’ home hangs in Church of the Spirit. They are not credited with founding Mediumship. They are credited with founding the religion based around it.
Greater Calvary Spiritual Church is a beacon. It connects kindred spirits. It keeps its members coming back every week. It provides a connection to departed spirits or kindred spirits. Greater Calvary Spiritual Church continues to be a place of enlightenment and spiritual connection in the heart of Chicago.