ON entering the quaint 1886 church house at the corner of Rennie and John streets in Williamstown, one of the first things you’re likely to notice is a bowl filled with numbered brown paper bags and discs.
The bags are for placing a personal object – say, an item of jewellery – and the discs are for when your item is psychometrically “read” by Reverend David Finlay.
The Church of Spiritual Enlightenment, which celebrates its 40th anniversary on the weekend of August 18, was originally outlawed under the Witchcraft and Vagrancy Act.
Built as a Methodist church, the building later became a Uniting Church before being put up for sale in the early 1970s.
“It was bought by the founders of this church who in 1972 had begun holding their meetings and services in a room above the fish and chip shop, I believe, in Williamstown, in the arcade there,” Reverend Finlay says.
He describes himself as the “new kid on the block,” having started at the church in about 1996. “I was drawn to things new age, so at that time there was, like, rainbow exhibitions at Daylesford and at the showground, and you had readers and all things metaphysical, and drumming and Native American culture and all sorts of things like that.”
The church also conducts clairvoyant training classes and spiritual healing.
There’s “not a lot of religious connotations” in his sermons, Reverend Finlay says.
“We make no discrimination between race and colour and religion, although we are a Christian Spiritual Church.”
I ask the reverend if I may test his psychometric powers.
Reverend Finlay takes my good luck charm in both hands and describes a little old lady coming through in spirit. His description matches my maternal Italian grandmother, right down to her black clothing, white plait, and cat.
“These days, that’s almost old hat – in this church anyway,” Reverend Finlay says.
On August 19, the church holds its 40th anniversary service at 3pm. Details: cosewilliamstown.org or 93664103.
