Unity Center for Spiritual Living - Corvallis, OR

John Butler,
Spiritual Director

Debbie O'Rourke,
Associate Minister

Sunday Services 10:30 AM
Corvallis Senior Center
2601 NW Tyler
Corvallis, Oregon
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Unity Center for Spiritual Living
PO Box 891
Corvallis, OR 97339
541.766.8090
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Reverend John A. Butler, III
Spiritual Director
Ingenious, genuine, energetic, intelligent, truthful, witty, deeply loving, and spellbinding speaker sum up a few of John's qualities. His lifetime purpose is to engender love, harmony, joy, and spiritual expansion.

John's spiritual journey is featured in Chapter 35 of Po Bronson's book, "What Should I Do With My Life?," so you know he is not an ordinary man, but one of great courage and determination -- a spiritual warrior.

Prior to arriving in Corvallis, John served as Interim Minister at the Unity Church of Bandon, Oregon, while their regular minister was on sabbatical. He is one of a few nationally-certified Unity Peacekeepers. As a practicing attorney, he has done pro bono mediations for groups, including the County Legal Aide Society, Project Sentinel (landlord-tenant mediations), the Better Business Bureau, and the AIDS Legal Project.

For over 15 years, John was a litigation attorney, who also gave guest Sunday sermons and presented workshops on such issues as gender reconciliation. As he spiritually matured, he began focusing on mediation and alternative conflict resolution. He developed an expertise in high-conflict divorce cases, and in assisting churches and other nonprofit organizations in conflict resolution. You can learn more about John's former mediation practice, Harmony with Integrity.

John has two college age children. His daughter is majoring in Theater Arts, and his son's focus is Fine Art. Among John's varied interests are reading, skiing, and gardening. He formerly volunteered as a whitewater guide for Friends of the River.

John's vision for church is an inclusive and interactive place to empower all toward the expression of their highest purpose.

Debbie O'Rourke,
Associate Minister
Debbie's ministry is complex and subtle. Her compassionate heart resonates through everything she brings to this ministry as teacher, speaker, Prayer Chaplain Leader, Volunteer Coordinator, Platform Team facilitator and so forth. Debbie brings a rare balance of logistical brilliance and attention to detail coupled with a heart-centered approach to the wide variety of services she provides at Unity of Corvallis as she coordinates the Church Without Walls Sunday service volunteer team, helps organize other events and activities as well as supports the ministry with her great people skills, spiritual maturity and organizational acumen.

Debbie is an ordained New Thought minister and a Licensed Unity Teacher. Debbie trained with the local hospice group as a bereavement counselor and is deeply involved in all pastoral aspects of our ministry.

Before moving to Oregon, Debbie was the chief fiscal officer for the Lake County Department of Social Services Department in California, where she supervised and managed the accounting, data support and IT divisions of the agency.

Board of Trustees

Lori McGhee, President

Lori McGhee has been studying and applying New Thought principles to her life for more than 15 years. She volunteered to serve on the board of trustees not long after she joined the congregation three years ago, serving first as secretary and now as president. She is dedicated to living authentically in the world through applying Unity's teachings, and her involvement with this spiritual community has tremendously enriched her life. Lori owns and operates an aerial photography business in the Corvallis/Albany area. She and her husband Doug have been married for more than five years.

Susan Leach, Trustee

Susan Leach, after a lifetime of spiritual seeking, discovered Unity in 1999 and has been a student of New Thought ever since. She enjoys walking in nature, delights in her cats and finds spiritual meaning in all God's creations. Her life purpose is to serve with humility and promote loving-kindness. Susan sees her purpose as a board trustee as engendering the potential for the spiritual growth of all members of the congregation.

Trustees may be reached through the church office.