Universal Harmony Foundation

The Universal Harmony Foundation is a Spiritualist church founded in New York in 1942 as the Universal Psychic Science Association. The founders, Revs. Helene Gerling and J. Bertram Gerling, were both prominent mediums at Lily Dale, the Spiritualist camp near Rochester, New York. Association headquarters were soon moved to Saint Petersburg, Florida. Helene Gerling wrote several books and a set of correspondence lessons and also opened a seminary for training mediums, through which students could receive ordination and charters for churches. Ordained positions include ministers, healers, missionaries, and teachers.

The church strives for a universal philosophy and draws insight from revelation and the teachings of all religions and prophets. Church belief is premised upon the religious and scientific demonstration of the talents and powers of the Living Spirit, that is, mediumship. The foundation affirms the father-hood of God, the brotherhood of man, the eternalness of life, the power of prayer, spiritual healing, the reality of the psychic, soul growth as the purpose of life, and that the way of life is fraternal service.

Helene Gerling led the foundation for almost a half century. She retired in 1988 and was succeeded by Rev. Nancy Castillo. Castillo pastors the mother church, and members are encouraged to join it and support it in an annual free-will offering. The church issues the magazine Spiritual Digest. Address: c/o Rev. Nancy Castillo, 5903 Seminole Blvd., Seminole, FL 33542.

Sources:

Gerling, Helene. Healthy Intuitive Development. New York: Exposition Press, 1971.