The 2019 Church of Light Conference will be held June 19-23, 2019, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This year’s conference, titled: “A Hermetic Sampler” will feature ten presenters on a wide variety of topics drawn from The Brotherhood of Light Lessons. This insightful conference includes two days of preconference tours, a preconference intensive on the Astley/Burgoyne/Zanoni mystery, and two full days of speakers. Church of Light Conventions are a unique opportunity to meet like-minded people who share your interest in The Brotherhood of Light teachings.
Steven Frampton - Alchemy: The Real Secret - How to Get What You Want
Margaret Dissinger - Diary of an Aging Stellarian
Yvette Fortin - Seven Principles of the Kybalion
Alan Gatlin - The Symbolism of Masonry
Gale Gorman - The Evolution of Religion
Mark Doubleday - Planetary Cycles
Paul Bergner - Medical Astrology
Alicemarie O’Neil - The Formula
Here are some of the Activities
Pre-Conference Tours:
For those of you who are planning to make New Mexico your vacation destination, we have
organized two exciting day trips.
Wednesday, June 19th
Walking Tour: Church of Light Headquarters, UNM Campus and Museums
Preconference participants will will briefly visit Church of Light Headquarters in the University District of Albuquerque.
Next, off to The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, the oldest public museum in Albuquerque, on the UNM campus. The Museum’s primary emphasis is on the American Southwest, yet the Maxwell Museum offers fascinating permanent and temporary exhibits in Anthropology, Archeology and Ethnography.
Maxwell Museum Exibit
After a 1.5 - 2 hour visit we will walk off campus to enjoy lunch at a local eatery. After lunch we return to campus to visit The University of New Mexico Art Museum, which frequently features the painting, photography, prints and sculpture of the Transcendental Painting Group, the estate collection of Raymond Jonson and the Tamarind Institute lithography archives.
(This is a moderately active tour, participants must be able to walk a total of two miles at 5,200 feet above sea level, over the course of a five-hour tour and stand for up to two-hours at a time).
Admission to both museums is by donation.
Thursday, June 20
Acoma Sky City and Haak’u Cultural Center
Acoma Pueblo
Located 60-miles west of Albuquerque, Acoma, or Sky City boasts of being the oldest, continuously occupied community in the United States. We last made this tour twelve years ago in 2007.
Built on a mesa-top 6,460 feet above sea level, and 300 feet above the desert floor, you’ll experience breathtaking views and amazing rock formations. As one of New Mexico’s most scenic and historic Native villages, the Sky City Cultural Center and Haak’u Museum preserve Pueblo traditions and provide education concerning the unique history of the Acoma People. We will take a Native-guided tour, visit the ancient village and meet local artisans selling their Native American pottery, jewelry and other crafts.
In deference to the Village Elders who live on the mesa year-round, dress modestly as you might when visiting a church in Europe.
Due to high elevation and low humidity we recommend that you wear a hat, sunscreen, and comfortable walking shoes, and bring plenty of water to drink. During summer, the temperature can top 95 degrees. The tour is 1.5 hours and involves 3/4 of a mile walking on uneven rock surfaces.
Haak’u Cultural Center, guided tour and camera permit is $25.00 ($22 for seniors). Following the tour, we will have lunch at Yaak’a, the cultural center restaurant. Lunch will be approximately $15.
The remainder of Conference events are held in the Sandia Room at the Best Western Rio Grande
In Search of Zanoni is an exploration of the mysteries surrounding The Light of Egypt, initially discussed in Paul Johnson’s 2011 convention presentation with much updated research since then. The main focus of the presentation is Thomas H. Burgoyne and the two women with whom he collaborated in his writings: Sarah Stanley Grimke and Genevieve Stebbins.
Paul will discuss all of Burgoyne’s writings published under the pseudonym Zanoni, and the historical evidence that he changed his name to Norman Astley around the time of his marriage to Stebbins. This is significant to the Brotherhood of Light in that Norman and Genevieve Astley returned to the US in 1917, after ten years of retirement in England. This was the year before the Brotherhood began its public work. Burgoyne, Stebbins, and Astley are the three figures mentioned most often by Elbert Benjamine as precursors of his lessons. When Benjamine was briefly reunited with his wife Grace Rouse Williams, this resulted in the birth of twins named Zella and Norman in 1918, arguably a tribute to Astley as his mentor.
K. Paul Johnson, the author of The Masters Revealed and other publications will share his latest findings on the Astley/Burgoyne Mystery.
Neil Cantwell will report on the results of his detailed comparison of the handwritings of Astley and Burgoyne, which have emerged unexpectedly in recent years.
Christopher Gibson will present insights into the birth charts of T. H. Burgoyne, Sarah Grimké, and other key figures from the early Hermetic Brotherhood of Light.
Annual Business Meeting
4:00 pm
The Annual Business Meeting is a great way for the membership to become informed about activities and goals at Church of Light Headquarters. As a membership organization, this is also your opportunity to vote for directors and give your input on any items of discussion.
Initiations and Guest Reception
7:30 - 10 pm
Initiations are a highly-anticipated feature of our conferences. They are a time when new members are formally inducted into the organization, as well as marking grade and degree changes. This inspiring ritual will be officiated by Hermetician members of The Order of the Sphinx.
Saturday, June 22
Awards Banquet and Dance Party
6:30 - 10 pm
Stellarians love a good party, and no conference is complete without an Awards Banquet, entertainment, and dancing.
At the plated dinner on Saturday night we the CofL president will deliver Awards to Church of Light members who have performed some exceptional service on behalf of the Church during the previous two years.
Dinner is followed by a Native dance troupe from Zuni Pueblo. This group will give examples of Native American ritual and social dances to tie in with our visit to Acoma Pueblo and the Maxwell Museum. They will have a Question and Answer period from the audience.
After the evening’s entertainment we will celebrate as we do every year with a Dance Party! This is a great way to get your circulation going and to celebrate with fellow Stellarians.
