Our Ministers

Reverend Don Miller

Rev. Don Miller graduated from San Diego State University in 1983 with a degree in Journalism. He founded Homes For America, a nonprofit company that rehabilitates housing for low to moderate-income earners and first time home buyers. Happily married to his wife Kathleen, Don has lived in Southern California since 1965 and enjoys surfing, meditating, biking, and hiking.

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The quintessential American inventor, Don has developed and patented numerous practical inventions, including the revolutionary NuVinci™ technology. An avid cyclist, a gifted inventor, Rev. Donald C. Miller epitomizes American ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Rev. Don Miller began his studies at Chapel in 1986. He was ordained 2006.

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Reverend Louise Morin​

Rev. Louise was born in Spokane, Washington. Her father was in the Air Force eventually leading the family to Las Vegas, Nevada where she met and married her husband Neil in 1966. Neil was in the service as well, and as service families do, they did a fair amount of traveling. They lived in Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon, Southern California, Las Vegas, and ended up in California.

 

When her husband passed away in 2002 she returned to California to be near her children. She enjoys living in Encinitas, with the abundance of spiritual energy here, watching the sunrise and sunsets, and enjoying all the community has to offer. She has five wonderful children, four girls and one boy, and they have given her ten beautiful grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and helping them on their spiritual pathway, and always ready to help others when they are in need. “The giving and receiving of love we are all learning”.

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Louise started at Chapel in 2005, and was Ordained in 2015. She is the 26th Minister ordained at Chapel. She has served on Chapel boards, Helping Chapel to evolve in Harmony. She enjoys participating in Chapel’s Sunday services, giving healings, teaching classes, giving readings, and helping others progress on their spiritual pathways.

 

Reverend Nell Smith​

Rev. Nell moved to California from Vermont in the Spring of 1985, found the Chapel shortly thereafter, and enrolled in the Beginning Lecture Series that Fall. She joined Chapel’s Teaching Staff in January 1988 and was ordained in June of 1993. In her work as a Minister and teacher, she invites people to approach themselves and their spiritual pathway with humor, sensitivity, and compassion.

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Nell grew up in the Detroit area, served in the US Navy and returned to college to receive her M.A. from Michigan State University. Additionally, Nell has been a crisis intervention counselor/trainer and has received additional training as a counselor. Most of Nell’s life is filled with her work as an Administrative Assistant at a large San Diego company and the many hats she wears as a Minister at Chapel. When there is time, Nell is a devoted whale-watcher, has dabbled a bit in theater and comedy, is an enthusiastic country and western dancer, and is currently working on her autobiography along with other writing projects.

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Reverend Jim McCaw

 Rev. Jim McCaw started at the Chapel of Awareness in Encinitas, California as a student in 1973.   He attended the Beginning Lecture Series in that year and continued to attend circles, teach classes, give readings and services for approximately 30 years.   He developed clairvoyance, clairaudiance, clairscentience, trance, out-of-body travel, healing, mediumship, psychokinesis, spirit communication and other psychic skills over the years.

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Rev. McCaw was ordained a minister of the Chapel of Awareness in 1998.  The official stole denoting his ministry was placed on Rev. McCaw by the founder, Rev. Eugene C. Larr.

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Rev. McCaw has served the mother church in Encinitas since his ordination.  He moved to Tucson in 2004, and founded  a Sister Church, which he has since retired from and closed. He returns to the mother church where he lectures, gives readings, and teaches.

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Besides having spiritual circles and giving readings, his favorite hobby is astronomy, and he has his own observatory 40 miles southeast of Tucson.  Rev. McCaw is an avid follower of real scientific progress, and brings the latest scientific discoveries into his lectures at the church.

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Reverend Nancy Suarez​

Nancy was born and raised in Southern California. As an adult she searched for a religion she could walk with in her day-to-day life. Not being able to find one, she chose the simple yet age-old philosophy taught here at the Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church.  

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Nancy first took the Beginning Lecture Series (BLS) in the spring of 1987.  She was in and out of the Chapel over the next 30 years until she decided to start meditating and attending classes regularly. In January 2019 Nancy was the 27th minister to be ordained.

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Her whole life, people have helped Nancy when she needed it. She feels it’s her turn to give back, and help others in the form of being an ordained minister at the Chapel of Awareness Spiritual Church; and by teaching the skills she has been taught. The purpose of which is so others may also lead a happier life by learning to control their thoughts and emotions through the regular practice of stillness meditation.

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Her ministry is to encourage others to bring peace to the world by learning to be peaceful within individually.  By being an example of peace we can influence the world because we are all connected.

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Reverend Meaghan Hammarsten​

Rev. Meg is a native Southern Californian, and grew up in Costa Mesa, CA. She moved to North County San Diego in 1999, and has called it home ever since.

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She found Chapel of Awareness in the summer of 2014; and fell deeply in love with the philosophy, the congregation and staff, and our institution's dedication to integrity.

 

Rev. Meg is a Certified Emotional Freedom Technique Practitioner and Clinical Nutritionist who is inspired by the Body, Mind, Spirit connection. Her ministry focuses on helping others through transitions, emotional and physical healing, and teaching others to communicate with Spirit.

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Reverend Suzanne Sisler​

Rev. Suzy Sisler has been a member and student at Chapel since 1981 when her then boyfriend, now husband, invited her to check out this very cool place where he had recently become an ordained minister. She was intrigued. After a couple of visits, she was smitten. Chapel has been their spiritual home ever since. Suzy feels most fortunate to have received her early training from many of the fine healers and psychics at Chapel whose shoulders she now stand on. She takes that responsibility very seriously.

 

Suzy is a staff member and teacher in our on-going spiritual and psychic development classes. She is a Chapel ordained healer -2019. “I have always been drawn to healing and working with vibrations. I see color in a way that touches a very deep part of me and always has. Almost anything that involves color, music and imagery is most likely right up my alley. I love to teach and share with our students and plan new and entertaining ways to create the ‘ah ha’ moments in life. I love to read about religions and philosophy, history and healing. I am a Qigong practitioner, student and teacher. I bring all of these things to together and to the table when asked.” 

 

Suzy is available to share her knowledge and skills. Please contact her through the Chapel of Awareness website. 

 

All Ordained Chapel of Awareness Ministers​

 

Rev. Eugene C. Larr- 1974

Rev. Nancy Tappe- 1975

Rev. Ann Donnely- 1975

Rev. Greg Johnson- 1975

Rev. Rosita Gennewey 1975

Rev. Larry L'Heureux- 1975

Rev. Larry Scott- 1976

Rev. Chuck Steigler 1977

Rev. Stephen Ball- 1977

Rev. Carolyn Precourt- 1977

Rev. Barbara Koenig- 1978

Rev. Ken Schmidt- 1978

Rev. Irene Bergen- 1979

Rev. Robert Sisler- 1980

Rev. Peter Libby- 1987

Rev. Ann Lorenzini- 1987

Rev. Ron Rathbun- 1990

Rev. Nell Rose Smith- 1993

Rev. Sharon Regnell-Gaskill- 1994

Rev. Sherry DeLoach- 1995

Rev. Jim McCaw- 1998

Rev. Cindy Cesena- 2003

Rev. Eric - 2003

Rev. Don Miller- 2006

Rev. Terry Hall- 2014

Rev. Louise Morin- 2015

Rev. Nancy Suarez- 2019

Rev. Meaghan Hammarsten- 2019 

​Rev. Patti McCarthy- 2024

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Ordained Chapel of Awareness Healers

Rev. Donald Schwartz- 1975

Rev. Rosita Gennewey- 1976

Rev. Tom Emrick- 1977

Rev. Ken Schmidt- 1977

Rev. Sandra Smith- 1987

Rev. Suzanne Sisler- 2019​​

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