2003 DPE Reports

August 2003 DPE Report

Opinion Polls. According to Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center, 42% of Americans state that they have been in contact with those who had crossed over. The rate of contact with the deceased rises to almost 66% with widows and widowers. A Gallup poll shows that up to 77% of Americans believe in an afterlife. But when questioned, only 32% of medical doctors said that there was life after death and only 16% of traditional scientists believed in continued existence. From Victor Zammit’s April 25, 2003 Friday Report, www.victorzammit.com.

Transfiguration. In the Encyclopedia of Psychic Science, Nandor Fodor writes that Transfiguration is a “metamorphic power of the medium to assume bodily characteristics of deceased people for their representation.” The complete Encyclopedia of Psychic Science is available online at www.spiritwritings.com/fodora.html at no cost.

Transfiguration Medium Jean Skinner. Sonny Gee, the president of The Golden Gate Spiritualist Church, made arrangements for the English transfiguration medium, Jean Skinner, to visit San Francisco and conduct a series of sittings and presentations for church members and others. Representing the NSAC Department of Phenomenal Evidence, we were very lucky to be able to attend a small sitting arranged by Sonny with this excellent and talented medium.

We attended the sitting with high expectations but were met with several confirmations that exceeded anything we had imagined. The third person that the mediumship of Jean Skinner brought through to us was the Rev. Catherine (Kit) Stewart, pastor of the Desert Spiritualist Church in Las Vegas NV. Kit made her transition in early January of this year. After Kit made her transition, the Rev. Sandra Pfortmiller told us, “You just wait; I know Kit will come through in some important séance.” Sandy’s message was true and we were thrilled to have Kit with us for a short time, once again in the physical. We know that this is neither the first nor the last that Spiritualists will hear from Kit. She was born a Spiritualist and loved our religion. She also loved phenomena.

As if Kit’s appearance was not enough, we received even more shocking confirmations on our own work with Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) and video Instrumental Transcommunication (ITC). Three individuals appeared through transfiguration at the end of the sitting. Two were early pioneers in EVP and the third was a well-known scientist. One of the pioneers had sent us a Video ITC image only a few weeks earlier! We received an image from the scientists about a year ago. We also know that these three individuals have worked with other EVP and ITC researchers in the past. It was very evidential.

We also want you to know that we had a chance to talk to the medium and sitters after the séance. They had heard of EVP but had no great knowledge of the phenomena. None of them had ever met us or knew of our work, and none of them knew anything about the history of EVP. They did not know the names of the pioneers brought through and only knew the name of the scientist who came through last.

We suggest that you read the article written by Sonny Gee about his experiences with the medium Jean Skinner. It appears in the July issue of the Summit.

Golden Gate Spiritualist Church. The Golden Gate Spiritualist Church, in San Francisco California, was the location for the above sitting. Many spirit paintings grace the walls of the church. Most were created by the original pastor and medium, the Reverend Florence Becker. Two of the spirit paintings in the church were created by the Bang Sisters. The healing room contains a collection of over 900 elephants given to Florence as gifts for readings. One elephant in the collection was given to her by President Roosevelt.

Electronic Voice Phenomena. Cindy Heinen, a member of the American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena, has been attending development classes conducted by the Reverend Marian Boesen, pastor of the Christabelle Spiritualist Church in Cherry Valley, Illinois. Marian has encouraged Cindy to conduct EVP experiments during class and ask her to provide a presentation on EVP at the Illinois State Convention. The presentation went very well and Cindy said that attendees were able to hear and understand most all of the voices that she played.

Book on Lily Dale. A new book titled, Lily Dale: The True Story of The Town That Talks To The Dead, by Christine Wicker, is now available on Amazon.com and should be in most book stores. People report that the book provides an excellent history of the Lily Dale Spiritualist community. One Amazon.com reviewer, Mark Newbold, writes “We discover the progressive movements enhanced and energized by those Victorian Spiritualists, for example, the surprising number of Spiritualists who were active in the abolitionist movement, human rights movements…For the first time since ancient times, women were perceived as spiritual leaders and role models… Through mediumship women tasted for the first time a role of respect and leadership within their communities and there was no turning back” Another Amazon review by Jackie Lunger of Lily Dale states, “Bravo! Ms. Wicker has written a long over-due book about the Spiritualist community of Lily Dale, NY. I found it to be well researched and colorful. The book is thought provoking as she describes her experiences and those of others she met in Lily Dale. I found it frequently humorous and at times a bit offensive as she describes the people she encountered in Lily Dale. There is a sadness too, which is to be expected when discussing physical loss of loved ones. The book opens your mind and your heart again and again.”

NSAC Convention Service Club Workshop Update. As we reported to you in the July DPE Report, the theme of the Service Club’s Monday Workshop at the 2003 NSAC convention is Phenomena. Several more demonstrations and classes have been confirmed for the event. The Rev. Anne Gehman and the Rev. Gene Pfortmiller will be presenting Transfiguration in red light. The Pfortmillers are even bringing a cabinet to the workshop for this event. The Rev. Charlene Kleinschmidt and the Rev. Gene Pfortmiller have agreed to do a presentation on Trance and the Rev. Ann Otzelberger will do a workshop on Automatic Writing. As reported last month, the Rev. Barbara Thurman and the Rev. Ann Gehman have agreed to do a workshop on Spoon Bending and we will be there to present Electronic Voice Phenomena and Video Instrumental TransCommunications. Thanks to Chairperson, the Rev. Sandy Pfortmiller, it is a great lineup of speakers so plan to come early and attend this workshop!

Please send information about phenomena in your church, life or community to Tom and Lisa Butler, PO Box 13111