City of Light Spiritualist Church

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Other options to pay: check or money order made out to: City of Light Spiritualist Church forward to:
City of Light Spiritualist Church
PO Box 1057
Lily Dale NY 14752
email: COLSC@stny.rr.com

Please DONATE to continue to support City of Light Spiritualist Church. We offer spiritual connection and community.  Each month we invite some of the most diverse speakers & mediums to serve at our online and in-person church services for your spiritual enlightenment.

As of May 29th 2022 -Services will resume in the Lily Dale Fire Hall for the Last Sunday of May-October at 5:30pm EST. The church service will be hybrid (in person & on FB live then recorded to our FB page).

Our church service includes Diverse Inspirational Speakers, Prayer, Meditation, Music, Spirit Messages from Mediums and Spiritual Healing for People & Pets.

We are an Independent Spiritualist Church that is Pet Friendly! We practices the Sacred Principles of: Mediumship, Healing & Loving Kindness for All Beings. We are an inclusive spiritual family and embrace new members! Pets are Always Welcome at our Church Service in person & at our online church service.

God is our strength and supply. We are a 501C3 organization, contributions are tax deductible.
Your donations are greatly appreciated in maintaining our church. Our outreach mission is to serve our community and the world with kindness.

City of Light Spiritualist Church provides spiritual guidance and support for its members and the Lily Dale Community.  We contribute a portion of our donations to local charities: The Lily Dale Assembly, Lakeshore Humane Society, Northern Chautauqua Canine Rescue, Cassadaga Food Pantry, Lily Dale Volunteer Fire Company, Tibetan Monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery, Greyhound Action League, Westfield Stray Cat, White Whiskers Senior Dog Sanctuary of WNY, Partners in Kind of N. Chautauqua County, SPCA & other community charities & events. The City of Light Spiritualist Church sponsors the Pet Healing Area next to the Lily Dale Healing Temple and in May of 2021 donated the gazebo for Pet Healing.

"Words have the potential to destroy or heal. When words are both true and kind they can change the world.
The more we fully give our energy the more it is returned to us." The Buddha

Principles of City of Light Spiritualist Church

We use these principles as guidelines:
1. We all have a God of our own understanding.
2. We believe that God is love.
3. We believe that God is all there is.
4. We affirm the Divine right of individuals to seek the truth within their own hearts.
5. We declare ourselves to be free-thinkers acknowledging the unfolding nature of the truth for ourselves and those around us.
6.   We affirm that life is eternal.
7.   We believe that spiritual progression is eternal and infinite, therefore the gateway to reformation is never closed to any soul here or hereafter.
8. We believe in inter-dimensional communication with the Highest and the Best.
9. We affirm that the innate gifts of healing and mediumship are expressions of God's love.
10. We affirm that the ultimate expression of spirituality is loving kindness toward all of creation.
11. We believe in personal responsibility and that individuals create their own reality of happiness or unhappiness according to Natural Law.

      City of Light Spiritualist Church
Church Office: 10 Buffalo St. in Lily Dale, NY
                          Mailing address: PO Box 1057, Lily Dale, NY 14752
                                 Email: colsc@stny.rr.com

Officers of the Church
Head Pastor and President- Rev. Joanne Copley-Nigro
Vice President - Michaela Lemelin
Treasurer- Michael Nigro
Secretary- Rev. Maryann Steiner
Fund Raising Director- Tim Carlisle
Spiritual Innovation Director- Rev. Deborah Dandrea
Web Domain Director- Christine Comstock
Trustees: Rev. Tracy Moon, Rev. Richard Lorocco,
Retired Honorary Board Member-Rev. Ginny Vigrass
Foundational Pastor- Retired - Rev. Patricia Price

To join City of Light Spiritualist Church Contact Rev. Joanne Copley-Nigro at 716 200-3283 for an online Zoom Philosophy Class, or complete: the Philosophy Questions, Information Sheet & send the $10 Membership Dues by check or PayPal to: colsc@stny.rr.com or to our mailing address.     City of Light Spiritualist Church P.O. Box 1057 Lily Dale NY 14752.

Membership & Information Form for Joining

Name______________________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________
  ___________________________________________________________
Birth Month & Day________ Occupation___ __________
Phone Number (___)____________E-Mail_____________________________________

City of Light Spiritualist Church Philosophy & Information Class: Please answer all questions! (answers found in the paragraphs as follows!)
1. When and where did Modern Spiritualism begin?
2. What is the difference between Modern and Ancient Spiritualism?
3. What two truths did the Fox sisters bring to Spiritualism regarding mediumship is concerned?
4. Where did the name "City of Light" originate from?
5. What is the Spiritualist Children’s education program called and why did it take that name?
6 . Who founded the Spiritualist Lyceum? Was Andrew Jackson Davis a Spiritualist all his life?
7. What draws you to join the City of Light Spiritualist Church (COLSC)?
8. Reflect upon the Principles of COLSC and choose your 2 favorite principles.
9. Is City of Light Spiritualist Church registered by the State of NY in Chautauqua County as a legal church?
10. Is COLSC recognized by Federal Government as a (501C 3) non-for-profit organization accepting tax-deductible donations?
11. Does City of Light Spiritualist Church accept members who belong to other Spiritualist Churches?
12. Is there a Spiritualist Ministerial Program of study through COLSC?
13. Does City of Light Spiritualist Church belong to the NSAC a nation wide organization of Spiritualist Churches or is it an Independent Spiritualist Church?
14. Does the Religious Corporation, Lily Dale Assembly Inc. recognize City of Light Spiritualist Church?
15. Can City of Light Spiritualist Church membership be used to join the Lily Dale Assembly?
16. Can City of Light Spiritualist Church membership be used to buy a house and lease land within the Religious Corporation called the Lily Dale Assembly?
17. Where & When does City of Light Spiritualist Church hold its church services?
18. Can you participate in church services online through a zoom link that could be sent to your email address?
19. Does City of Light Spiritualist Church have a Face Book Page, Website, email and church service online?
20. Does COLSC have healing service for pets & donate to animal shelters & groups?
21. Is COLSC an independent spiritualist church that honors all creation & welcomes pets to church services?
22. Does City of Light Spiritualist Church give a portion of each month’s collection to local charities?
23. Why do you want to join City of Light Spiritualist Church? How will it impact your life in the future?
24. Will you be joining us for our online church services when you are able?
25. Does COLSC encourage its members to study religious and philosophical from all faiths and backgrounds?
26. Does COLSC Church encourage members to study holy books & philosophical writings from all traditions?
27. Does COLSC encourage its members to embrace the truth within their own hearts?
28. Is one of the goals of COLSC to have a membership that acts as a spiritual family?
29. Does COLSC have church members and speakers from around the world & welcome them?
30. Who is the foundational pastor of COLSC and the current Head Pastor and president of COLSC?

  History and Information about the City of Light Spiritualist Church
    The City of Light Spiritualist Church was legally formed in September 2005 by Rev. Patricia Price, Steven Bennett, Ginny Vigrass, Richard Shelley, Kurt & Kathy Doerflinger who met in August of 2005 to set up the principles and philosophy of the church. Together they formed a Spiritualist Church that would honor the Free Thinkers of the 1800s that came to the Cassadaga area to establish a platform of liberty and freedom. City of Light Spiritualist Church is inclusive, has a free platform and membership is open to all. We believe in the Law of Attraction and honor those who are attracted to our Church..
    The name of the church was an inspiration from the 1903 name of the Lily Dale Assembly. On May 9, 1903 with Mrs.Abby Pettengill as the new president of the board, the former Cassadaga Lakes Free Association was renamed “The City of Light”. The book Proud Beginnings states that a directive from the board said “… it is intended that LIGHT shall be thrown on all subjects, it was decided to call it the City of Light Assembly”, stating “I am striving to make a paradise of the City of Light, where the weary and sorrowing of earth may find comfort, health and happiness.”

The History of Modern Spiritualism
   Modern Spiritualism gives special attention to children, since the movement was started by two perceptive children, Margaret Fox, (15yrs.old) and Catherine Fox, (12yrs. old.) at their home in Hydesville, Wayne County, New York State. On March 31, 1848 the children contacted a deceased peddler though “knockings” or “rappings” from the deceased that signaled answers to questions the children asked. These knocks on the floor, table, chair or other furniture seemed to appear out of nowhere and the Fox sisters snapped their fingers and clapped their hands with the spirit matching the rhythm and number of times with his knocks. The spirit identified himself as a peddler that had died in the house in 1843. The parents and neighbors were called in to experience the phenomena. The peddlers box and bones were later found in the basement of the house and people who heard this story wanted to know more and to experience communication with the deceased themselves. Soon after the first knockings, the family moved to Rochester, NY and formed “home circles” to demonstrate spirit communication. By November of 1849, the circles had become so popular that the girls were invited to Corinthian Hall in Rochester to demonstrate spirit communication. The Fox Sisters proved that mediumship, communication with other dimensions, was not just available to the elite, but was available to all of us.
   Modern Spiritualism teaches Natural Law and that communication with the deceased is not extra-ordinary, but ordinary and natural to all who are willing to learn and recognize spirit communication. The movement soon spread across the continent and across the ocean where Spiritualist churches were formed. Spiritualism is a recognized religion and well established in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
    The Spiritualist school for children is called the Lyceum. It is named for the Greek word "lyceum" meaning “grove of trees”. In ancient Greece, students and teachers met out in nature, to learn from nature. Andrew Jackson Davis took this concept and the knowledge he learned through trance to develop a system of teaching children. He channeled information from children on the other side of life and how they were learning in the “Summerland” or heaven. Andrew Jackson Davis put his dream of a Lyceum within the Spiritualist movement to the Conference on the 25th of January 1863 at Dodsworth Hall in the United Kingdom.   To assist in the Lyceum sessions, he wrote a manual that would give guidelines to the Lyceum leaders enabling them to have a format on how to impart the knowledge. Andrew Jackson Davis had his own religion called Harmonialism and was closely associated with Spiritualist in the 1800s but was never a member of a Spiritualist church. At City of Light Spiritualist Church we have encouraged the Lyceum Program for Children to continue.

City of Light Spiritualist Church Today:   COLSC directs its members toward their spiritual path as they consult their own Higher Guidance.
The Lily Dale Assembly Inc., a religious corporation, recognizes The City of Light Spiritualist Church as one of the Spiritualist Churches to join the Lily Dale Assembly. This is the first requirement needed to begin the process of buying a house in Lily Dale. For more information contact the Lily Dale Assembly Inc. for details on requirements (716)-595-8721 or visit LilyDaleAssembly.org. We honor Lily Dale for its commitment to mediumship and spiritual healing. We are an Independent Pet Friendly Spiritualist Church without emphasis on politics, money or secrets and always keep our focus on being a spiritual family for each other. We practice the Sacred Principles of: Mediumship, Healing and Loving Kindness for All Beings. We are an inclusive Independent Spiritualist Church that welcomes new members and pets to our service!  We continue to embrace the principles established by our foundational pastor Rev. Patricia Price. We strive to provide church speakers from diverse spiritual backgrounds that support Spiritual Principles and beliefs. Our services are recorded and posted on our City of Light Spiritualist Church Face Book page.

Contributions to the church are tax deductible and appreciated. We are a 501C3 organization. City of Light Spiritualist Church provides spiritual guidance and support for its members and Lily Dale Community. We contribute a portion of our donations to local charities: The Lily Dale Assembly, Lakeshore Humane Society, Northern Chautauqua Canine Rescue, Cassadaga Food Pantry, Lily Dale Volunteer Fire Company, Tibetan Monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery, Greyhound Action League, Westfield Stray Cat, White Whiskers Senior Dog Sanctuary of WNY, Partners in Kind of N. Chautauqua County, SPCA & other community charities & events. We believe a church is more than just a building, a church is a way of Spiritually serving others in times of need. We have a donation button on our website for donations or graciously will accept your checks as spiritual gifts to our church.
Our church services are on ZOOM and recorded to our FB page and website each month on the last Sunday at 5:30pm.
We are always available for pastoral counseling and prayer by reaching out to us on one of our social media sites or by our emails.
We are blessed to speak at other Spiritualist Church Services here and around the world.
*As Head Pastor and President of the City of Light Spiritualist Church I will be honored to speak with you to join as a member on any questions you may have or to assist you in the direction for always your highest and best. With Love and Blessings Rev. Joanne Copley-Nigro 716 200-3283.*

If interested in Ministerial Training leading to Ordination as a COLSC Minister please view the top of the page for requirements.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: colsc@stny.rr.com or visit us on Face Book or our Website.
Many Blessings Rev. Joanne Copley-Nigro, Head Pastor and President COLSC

-:¦:-·:*¨¨*:·.-:¦:-·.·:*¨¨*:·.-:¦:-THANK YOU -:¦:-·:*¨¨*:·.-:¦:-·.·:*¨¨*:·.-:¦:-
In the morning, be resolved to do nothing against, but everything for, the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
At night, retire in peace with yourself – at peace with all the world.
Be content with the Past, and with all it has brought you.
Be thankful for the Present, and all that you have.
Be patient for the Future, and for all it promises to bring you.    Andrew Jackson Davis

Church Services will resume in the Lily Dale Fire Hall at 5:30pm in person and online starting in May 29th 2022.

COLSC Ordained Ministers June 2022

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