Spirituality

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The Right Reverend Doctor John L. Selders, Jr. is an ordained minister serving in the United Church of Christ, the organizing pastor of Amistad United Church of Christ, Hartford, CT, Program Coordinator of Zezzo House (an 18 unit housing project) and Lead Principal for The HumanConnection Project. He is the loving spouse of Pamela and father of two, Alisia (daughter), Jay (son) and grand parent of one, Makenzie (granddaughter). Bishop Selders has done his academic and theological reflection attending Life Christian Bible College, Webster University, Eden Theological Seminary and Anglican Divinity School. In addition to being a talented award winning songwriter, musician and performer with local, national, and international credits, he is also the Bishop Presider of The Inter-Denominational Conference of Liberation Congregations and Ministries (ICLCM) and is the Co-Presiding Bishop of The Network of Independent Inclusive American Churches (NIIAC). Bishop Selders has exhibited extraordinary commitment and dedication to a number of efforts that have afforded him the opportunity to travel across the country speaking, lecturing and conducting workshops in the areas of race, anti-racism and internalized oppression. He is a teacher, lecturer, workshop leader, an HIV/AIDS educator and activist with numerous citations for his work. Currently, John is Lecturer at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT., Dean of Urban Ministry Track for The Anglican Divinity School and is an adjunct faculty member for The Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education. He serves on a number of boards and works with several organizations both locally and nationally whose work is ultimately concerned with the healing of humanity.

Raphael Cushnir is a leading voice in the world of emotional connection and present moment awareness. He has shared his unique approach to personal and professional development with millions of readers in O, The Oprah Magazine, Beliefnet, Spirituality and Health, Psychology Today, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of five books, lectures worldwide, and is a faculty member of the Esalen Institute, the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, In addition, he coaches individuals and teams at Fortune 100 companies, governments, religious organizations, and leading non-profits.

Cushnir grew up in Northridge, a San Fernando Valley suburb. He entered college at the age of sixteen, attending the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, followed by Reed College and UCLA, where he graduated at the age of nineteen. After working his way through school as a teacher and a storyteller, Cushnir redirected his energies as an activist for the environment and human rights. He devised innovative media campaigns that included such celebrities as Madonna, Pearl Jam, Demi Moore, and Michael J. Fox.

His passion for filmmaking led to a decade-long stint in Hollywood. He wrote, directed, and produced a Showtime movie, Sexual Healing, starring Helen Hunt, Anthony Edwards, and Jason Alexander. The film was nominated for two Cable Ace awards and won Grand Prize at the Houston Film Festival. Designed by Cushnir as a not-for-profit venture, it raised over $30,000 for the Minority AIDS Project.

In 1996, both his career and his marriage fell apart. "It was a classic dark night of the soul," he remembers. Everything I thought I knew about life went completely out the window."

Then, luckily, one of Cushnir's mentors convinced him to embrace the pain instead of turn away from it. He suggested that, in fact, this was a perfect opportunity to "wake up."

Cushnir took his mentor's advice and ran with it. Over a decade later he's waking up still, one moment at a time. Helping others do the same has become his new life mission.

Mother Teresa and
Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, ex-President of India

CURRICULUM VITAE OF FR PAUL OKOTH
• 2006-2009 Assistant pastor, St Austin’s parish, Mbale municipality, Archdiocese of Tororo. Assistant staff, radio Maria, Uganda, Mbale branch. Working on sound track for a film on domestic violence about to be released by Mifumi women’s project, Uganda.
• 2008 Won an Ashoka International fellowship award for placing men at the forefront of ending violence against women.
• 2005-2006 Assistant pastor, Budaka parish, Archdiocese of Tororo. Founded Socio economic Interface for Violence Elimination (SEIVE)
• 2005 Made presentation at Pan African conference on abolition of bride price, Kampala Uganda
• 2004-2005 Diploma in computer repair, Stratford Institute, Washington DC, USA
• 2002-2005 Attended BSC Chemistry lectures and piano pedagogy, Bucknell University, USA. Was Church Organist at sacred Heart parish, Lewisburg, PA, USA.
• 2000-2002 Guesthouse, Rochester Mn, USA, Member of the North American Catholic clerical association for chemical dependency and addiction therapy.
• 1999-2000 Parish priest, Situmi catholic parish, archdiocese of Tororo. Organist at National celebration of martyrs day(3rd June,2000) at Namugongo, Kampala
• 1994-1999 Parish priest, Gangama parish, Mbale municipality
• 1990-1994 O-level science teacher, St Pius X seminary, Nagongera, Tororo, Uganda.
• 1986-1989 BA Theological and Pastoral studies, Ggaba national Major Seminary, affiliated to Pontifical Urban University of Rome. Ordained Roman Catholic Priest. Pastor, sipi Parish, archdiocese of Tororo.
• 1985 pastoral exposure, Budadiri Parish
• 1983-1984 Diploma in theology, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
• 1982-1984 diploma in philosophical and religious studies, Katigondo National Major Seminary.
• 1980, 1981 East African Advanced certificate of Education, Physics, chemistry, math, St Mary’s college Kisubi, Kampala
• 1976-1979 East African Ordinary certificate of Education, St Pius X Seminary, Nagongera, Tororo, Uganda.
• 1974,1975 Primary 6, primary 7 Kisoko Boarding school, Tororo
• 1971-1973 Primary 3, 4, 5 Rock view school, Tororo.
• 1969,1970 Primary 1,2 Elgon view school, Tororo
• 1968 Elgon view Nursery school, Tororo

Mark Fairfield, LCSW, BCD, (Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work), holds an MS in Social Work from Columbia University and has completed four years of post-graduate clinical training leading to certification in Relational Gestalt Therapy. He has served as a faculty member at the Pacific Gestalt Institute, Clinical Director for Common Ground in Santa Monica, and is currently the Executive Director for The Relational Center. Mark’s private practice is in two locations, one on the West side and the other in the Miracle Mile area. Mark has trained and presented internationally and has published in journals and books primarily on the subject of groups, dialogue, harm minimization and deconstructing individualism.