If any resident throughout the community is seeking a fresh alternative to the bigger questions of life, death and destiny, the Swampscott Church of Spiritualism might just be their best bet.
The notion beckons the inevitable question: What makes this church different? Unique? And the answer may leave you wanting to know more.
The church’s belief system is grounded in a set of principles based on the Natural Laws of the Universe, including the laws of attraction, creation, and others, with the belief that life is continuous after death. They offer proof of this every Sunday, when the designated Medium takes the stage to connect the community with lost loved ones via Spirit Communication.
The service mixes a blend of hymnals, brief speeches, music, mediumship and healing stations, where those who may be suffering can go sit before a healer, who works to transfer positive energy into the person they’re healing.
At the heart of it though, a community has rooted itself within the church — one that is entirely of love, acceptance and open-mindedness, according to President of the Board Susan Post.
“I grew up in a Christian faith and went to a really peaceful church, so we really embraced everybody. … When you get out into the real world, sometimes you realize, ‘That’s not how other people approach things,’” Post explained. “I never embraced the concepts of Heaven or Hell. I thought that was ridiculous.
“If you have a truly loving God, he wouldn’t send you to Hell. That just didn’t make sense to me,” she said. “I believe our souls are energy, which is matter, and matter can’t be destroyed.”
Post said an experience with her grandmother led her on the path to finding the church. “She was the first person that I really lost,” she said. “When I later moved to Swampscott, I passed the church and thought, ‘I have to check this out.’”
Her mother had given Post and Post’s grandmother matching lavender sweaters, which her grandmother was wearing when she passed. “When I went to a psychic reading, the medium looked at me and said, ‘By the way, she (Post’s grandmother) has the same sweater that you’re wearing.”
She described the church as a very open understanding of what God is.
“We’re very community-oriented, very supportive and very progressive. Our church has continued to grow because I think people have gotten disillusioned with the dogma of other religions,” she said. “One of our principles is: ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you,’ and treat others the way you’d want to be treated. It’s just a really loving, welcoming, and open community here at the church.”
Pastor Jason McCuish explained what separates the church from others. “We’re a little bit different in the sense that we don’t have any dogma that we expect people to follow. We’re really forward-thinking.”
McCuish elaborated on what drew him to the church, saying he was “looking for something more.
“I was searching around for a while, and somebody said, ‘You should go check out the church.’ So I went, and have been there ever since, so at least over 20 years now. I’ve been the pastor for the last 14 years,” he said.
He added that a chunk of his responsibilities boil down to serving the community, where he can help the spiritual needs of people through counseling or through Sunday service. “Some of the typical things you imagine pastors do, like weddings and funerals, but mostly, it’s ensuring good services every week and making everyone feel they’re coming home.”
He continued, elaborating on the type of community he’s watched form around the church. “The community we have here is a kind and loving one,” McCuish said. “It’s a place where people feel free to truly express who they are as people. Anybody is welcome. We don’t expect anything in return. … We just want people to enjoy the church and community that we have there.”
Longtime member, certified medium and ordained Reverend Laura Dominick explained how her journey to the church began with helping a friend navigate the loss of two family members.
“We were looking for mediums, and we ended up going to the church because we found out there were Mediums there, and as soon as I walked through the doors, I was amazed,” she said. “I saw this lady singing her heart out, and it actually made me feel so welcome and comfortable, it became such a warm place to enjoy, and I loved it.”
Dominick echoed both Post’s and McCuish’s points, saying, “The community is very nice and loving, so it’s just a great thing to be a part of. … It’s a very eclectic group of individuals. The entire congregation is very empathic and generous with a desire for healing not just themselves, but the people around them.”
As a Medium, she’s able to help connect the congregation with their loved ones who have since passed on, something that Dominick holds very dearly.
“Loss is real, grief is real, and the healing that people can feel when they connect with a loved one on either side, it’s really profound,” she said. “For me, I learned it was helpful for people that were still here, who recognized life continued after death, which I think provides an avenue of healing.”
Dominick said this healing is “for those who’ve lost someone, but also for those who may be facing the end of their lives, to recognize that their soul and spirit continue.”
