New Thought Christian Church turns 30

Young Chang

They’ve been here for 30 years and foresee at least a couple hundred

more.

“Since our philosophy is to teach, the practical thing is to help,”

said Ken Gray, co-pastor of the New Thought Christian Church and Truth

Foundation. “So we’ll say our work is done when all the hospitals are

empty and all the jails are empty.”

Celebrating their 30th anniversary Friday with a banquet, leaders of

the church say they haven’t grown significantly over the years in

congregant size -- about 20 -- but that weekly workshops, Sunday services

and the sharing of prayer requests has grown the congregation in

intimacy.

The group’s office is a home located on Tustin Avenue, and members

meet at the Costa Mesa Community Center for Sunday services. They

recently installed their Web site: https://newthoughtnews.org.

“It’s hard to put it all into one form,” said Janese Hefty, a

volunteer of the church. “We teach science of mind. We teach healing and

practical living that what we think, we bring about.”

Pastor Eleanor Jackson first founded the Costa Mesa church in 1971.

Dr. Juanella Evans and Gray joined the staff 11 years ago as co-pastors.

The church’s two main sources of literature are the Bible and Ernest

Holmes’ “Science of Mind.” Holmes’ philosophy includes that God is all

good and that God is the source of everything.

“Therefore our lives ought to be good unless we interfere with what

God has provided,” Gray said.

An example of interfering with the life God intended would be the

refusal to forgive, Gray explained.

“Or you refuse to apologize for something wrong that you did, then

that would be a very negative influence in your thinking and emotions,

and we believe that would eventually definitely impact your health and

your finances too,” he said.

Gray admits theirs is a radical philosophy, but that congregants try

to apply the “simple yet comprehensive” theories in every life

department.

Hefty is a licensed practitioner, which means she is officially

qualified to heal herself or others “through the creative power of the

mind and the ever availability of Good.”

She emphasized that “good” is capitalized.

Gray said he became a Christian -- in the Presbyterian church -- at

the age of 13. He converted to New Thought practices 15 years ago.

“It’s been an evolution,” he said. “Not a revolution, but an

evolution.”

FYI

WHAT: New Thought Christian Church and Truth Foundation celebrates its

30th anniversary

WHEN: 5:45 p.m. Friday

WHERE: Golden Garden restaurant, 1505 Mesa Verde Drive East, Costa

Mesa

CALL: (949) 646-3199