Reverend Joe Hooper, Senior Pastor

----> Watch Rev. Joe in "Dancing With Our Stars"

After 20 years’ service in the airline industry, Reverend Joe landed at the Religious Science Church of the Desert as our Assistant Minister in 2003. In addition to his extensive organizational background, Reverend Joe brought years of business expertise to our spiritual home. The results have been outstanding. Many members have reported they can already feel the increased excitement and energy!

Born, raised and christened in the Unity teaching, Reverend Joe was first introduced to Ernest Holmes and the Science of Mind while he was resided in Redondo Beach in 1995.This exposure turned out to be a pivotal moment in his life. Interested by what he heard, he sought out more information about Religious Science and has spent the years since then concentrating on his spiritual development.

“I’ve been fortunate to have had the best instructors in Religious Science: Dr. Tom Costa, Dr. Bill Taliaferro and Drs. Frank and Anita Richelieu. I honor the great work Dr. Tom established in his 32-year ministry, and I know when he retired, he felt comfortable ‘turning over the keys’ as I moved into the Senior Pastor position,” Joe said.
 
Powered by extraordinary energy and the need for relatively little sleep, since Dr. Tom’s retirement in 2004, Reverend Joe has focused on creating yet another new experience in our spiritual journey, something he calls “Team Spirit!”  

The Team Spirit approach has led Reverend Joe to spend considerable time since becoming Senior Minister motivating and working with other church leaders to expand the Junior Church and to offer additional classes and generate a new, organized and enthusiastic approach to developing social groups.  

His aims to successfully empower our incredible staff ministers, pastoral care ministers, practitioners, office staff and volunteers to step out of their comfort zones and be active participants in the expansion of our congregation even further into our community.

When asked about his personal philosophy, Joe responded, “Living the Principles to the best of my ability allows my ministry to convey the Universal Truths expressed by Dr. Holmes in his teachings. The application of these Principles will clearly, methodically, and without exception demonstrate in my life and in the lives of others.”

SOMETHING WONDERFUL IS HAPPENING and you’re a part of it!

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