Thirty Five Years with Seattle Unity

I arrived in Seattle in December of 1990 with two children under the age of two and a congregation facing significant challenges. With no family support, two infants, and a troubled ministry, that first Seattle winter felt like living inside a car wash.

Still — I stayed.
And I have stayed for 35 years.

My then-husband, Stephen Towles, and I served together as co-ministers for 12 years. When that chapter ended, I remained—steady, committed, and deeply devoted to the community that had become my spiritual home.

During the 1990s, the Women of Wisdom movement blossomed at Seattle Unity, opening doors to new forms of women’s spirituality in the Pacific Northwest. In those years, Seattle Unity also became a spiritual and cultural hub.

We hosted an extraordinary range of teachers: Deepak Chopra, Marianne Williamson, Bernie Siegel, Scott Peck, Larry Dossey, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Eckhart Tolle, Brené Brown, Andrew Weil, James Redfield, Isabel Allende, and many others.

My ministry has always been rooted in my deep belief in prayer and in the Unity principle that “There is one presence and one power in the universe, God the Good, omnipotence.” This truth has guided me through every challenge and every threshold I’ve crossed.

In the early 1990s, I started Seattle Unity’s first prayer group. Taking the prayer group a step further, I fostered the Prayer Chaplain Ministry that started with 12 individuals of profound integrity. Their presence fostered a culture of confidentiality, compassion, and spiritual grounding that still shapes the consciousness of this community.

From 2003–2008, I served alongside Rev. Richard Levy. Working with Richard and his wife, Maureen, was a joyful and cherished partnership. In 2009, I stepped fully into the role of Senior Minister.

Over the years, I’ve brought numerous traditions to Seattle Unity, including:

• Maundy Thursday
• Remembrance Services
• Burning Bowl
• White Stone

My leadership has always been community-centered rather than minister-centered. I have believed in empowering individuals, fostering lay ministry, nurturing spiritual education, and helping people discover their own divine potential. The Men’s Group and Umoja both took root during my tenure when we recognized specific needs in the congregation.

I have also had the privilege of mentoring several people into Unity ministry, including Revs. Robbie Fahnestock, Christina Lee, Meghan Smith Brooks, Cheryl Mayes, Bruce Milne, James Tierney and Diane Robertson.

Beyond Seattle, I’ve served our larger Unity movement on the

• Licensed & Ordination Committee (6 years)
• Field Licensing Committee (6 years)
• Admissions Committee (6 years)
• and as Secretary of the NW Regional Board (6 years).

One of the most significant chapters of my ministry was guiding the congregation through the demolition of the old church building and the construction of the new one. I tried to lead with openness—making room for hopes and fears, the “what-ifs,” the disagreements, and the dreams. I learned to empower others, trust their gifts, and step back when needed.

The window design in the Meditation Hall was inspired by a church in Ribe, Denmark where my great grandparents once worshiped, a quiet way of honoring my family’s spiritual roots within our shared sacred space.

On moving day, the entire congregation—young, old, longtime, and new—showed up to scrub, haul, assemble furniture, and even build the pulpit together.

I believe Seattle Unity has changed because I held high expectations for integrity, spiritual practice, and respectful behavior. I have cultivated leaders, empowered boards, led staff with humor and clarity, and created a community where people felt seen, valued, and encouraged to grow.  I have tried to nurture a culture of intelligence, creativity, acceptance, compassion, and humor—what I consider the spiritual DNA of Seattle Unity.

As I move toward retirement, my hope is that Seattle Unity continues to evolve in new directions under Rev. Diane Robertson’s leadership—expanding in ways I could not personally lead—while staying true to our core values of respect, spiritual curiosity, and a loving, compassionate community.

 

Honored to have walked this path with you,

Karen