Our gracious Gwen Cohenour, Minister Emeritus at UCC for many years, has just made graceful transition. I told her daughter, Candace, that I would add a dedication honoring The Reverend Gwen Cohenour in our upcoming Candle Lighting Service on Christmas Eve and, of course, include the news of her passing in our usual prayer time on Sunday morning in the Zoom service.
Gwen was Licensed as a Unity Teacher at Unity School in the 1980's and served UCC as Licensed Unity Teacher. Later, enthused about the Unity Progressive Council, founded in 1989, she became one of the first Participating Members and then also Certified Instructor for U-PC; Gwen then became an Advanced Certified Instructor (having fulfilled the required course of study through our Unity-Progressive Theological Seminary, where she then served as Dean for several years). One year, she joined with us in a group excursion to Unity Village, where our group also visited the original Unity School site on Tracy Street in Kansas City; she stood with me on the platform where the Fillmores and Emma Curtis Hopkins (and possibly Swami Vivekananda) had once stood.
Gwen had studied Humanities in college and was quite well read in literature, art, philosophy, and New Thought, in particular. She was a steadfast teacher of the History and Development of the Unity Movement classes at UCC. In 2009, she joined U-PC Ministers, Dieter Randolph, Rob Hammock, and Judy Tafelski as a newly ordained minister by U-PC, along with Robin Hankins and Ann Luce (Robin and Ann both made peaceful transition years ago). The ordination was among the last official actions of the Unity-Progressive Council. Gwen and Jane had organized our Church Lending Library and also the Theological Library for U-PC. Gwen served as an Associate Minister for Unity Church for many years and then our Minister Emeritus for several more years. She was delighted at all of our accomplishments and cheered us on, always.
When the Church is open again, whenever that time comes, her family wants to plan a service there on a Sunday, so it can be held just after the worship service, as we have done before, so many people can attend who might not otherwise be able. We will let our congregation know when the time comes for planning the service.
On a number of occasions, I picked up Gwen at The Palms of Largo and transported her to the nearby Heron House where Jane Spicer lived. The three of us would talk and laugh and enjoy the memories. It was as if no time had passed. Later, when Gwen moved to the Hamptons off McMullen Booth Road, Russ would transport Gwen and I to visit Jane at The Seasons in Largo. We shared good memories and prayed together there, too. Gwen took the news of Jane's peaceful passing with wisdom and peace, trusting in the universal principles they had both so earnestly shared for so many years. They both wanted good and only good for all of us, always. Gwen took part in new installations of Prayer Chaplains and participated in many of our Spiritual Baptism Blessings at Annual Meetings at UCC. She asked after all of our circle, every time we spoke, even a week or so ago when I'd phoned her at the home of her daughter, Candace. Gwen's family looked after her so tenderly and she was kept safe from the pandemic and lovingly sheltered with her family, to the last, when she slipped away quietly in her sleep this week to begin new dimensions.
I would say that my heart feels heavy, but she would have corrected me gently. She would say our hearts are Christed hearts, and, therefore, always light and happy and free. She was an Encourager, always speaking Truth and living it. She loves us all. Gwen was, and is, our friend in Truth--friend to Unity, to our Church, to the Unity-Progressive Council, and to each and every one of us. Gwen can never be lost or gone, for she is our gracious and graceful grand Lady of Unity.
Thank you for your loving thoughts. We feel sure that her daughter would welcome messages from you by email:
Candace Norris and family
cnorr@lycos.com
-or- 2313 Colby Lane, Tampa, FL 33612 |
