Calgary First Spiritualist Church is fortunate to have great volunteers who tirelessly serve our Church in so many ways. It is our people who make our community the accepting and compassionate place it is. Among our volunteers are our Ministers and Mediums. From running services and development circles, to organizing events and workshops, to serving on the Board and committees, these individuals are truly the pillars of our Spiritual community.They also offer private healing and mediumship readings on request. Please take a look at their bios below to see what extraordinary individuals they are!
If you would like to book an appointment with a Church Medium, please email the Church.
Reverend Ella Groves
Rev. Ella Groves has a long history with Calgary First Spiritualist Church. Her family found their way to Spiritualism in the late 1930s. As a child, Rev. Ella attended the Children’s Progressive Lyceum, which was the equivalent of a Sunday school for our Church. She was brought up with the idea that Spirit is always around us and that our purpose here in life is to progress our souls by being of service to others.
Rev. Ella attended the University of Alberta. After completing her Bachelor of Education degree, she taught elementary classes in the public school systems in Alberta and British Columbia. Later, she continued her studies at the University of Calgary where she specialized as a reading clinician, and then taught students with learning problems for 20 years.
After completing extensive studies in all aspects of Spiritualism through the American-based Morris Pratt Institute (Course in Modern Spiritualism, Pastoral Skills Training and Educational Course of Licentiate Minister), and receiving certification in mediumship, healing and lecturing from the Spiritualist Church of Canada, Rev. Ella was ordained as a Minister of the Spiritualist Church of Canada in 2007. Ella continues to play an active role in the life and work of CFSC.
Reverend Jane Fleming
As a child Rev. Jane attended the Children’s Progressive Lyceum, which was the equivalent of a Sunday school for our Church. Little did she realize that one day she would follow in the footsteps of some of the amazing Spiritualist mediums, healers, teachers and ministers that she met during her childhood.
Rev. Jane trained in Speech Arts and Drama, and earned diplomas from the Mount Royal College Conservatory, the Royal Conservatory of Music (University of Toronto) and Trinity College, England. She went on to become an outstanding teacher of speech arts and drama for 36 years at Mount Royal College Conservatory and served as a speech and communication assistant to Professor Rev. Laura Muir at the University of Calgary. She received a distinguished teaching award in 1987 and retired from the College in 2000, only to begin a new career in Spiritualism.
Rev. Jane has served as President of the Association of Spiritual Healers of Alberta (ASHA) for many years and is a trainer and coach for Spiritual Healing courses. She went on to develop her mediumship and serves as a platform medium. In 2014 she was ordained as a minister of the Spiritualist Church of Canada. Her ministerial duties include platform mediumship, conducting worship services, preparing lectures, officiating at weddings, funerals and naming ceremonies, and doing private readings and healings.
Reverend Dr. William Pelech
Rev. Dr. William Pelech originally became interested in Spiritualism in the 1970s when he attended various Spiritualist churches in the Vancouver area. He was drawn to Spiritualism because it offered more than faith in an afterlife—actual evidence of our essential nature as Spirit beings. He was intrigued by the evidence offered by Church mediums and was later convinced of the truth of Spiritualism when he experienced communication from Spirit as a developing medium.
Upon moving to Calgary in 1999, William became actively involved here at CFSC. His mediumship development progressed under the guidance of Rev. David Oliver, leading to his demonstrating Spirit communication at Church services. Over the years he has given over 140 public demonstrations and over 20 lectures at CFSC. He has also become a certified ASHA spiritual healer. In addition, he has also attended 15 courses focusing on mediumship at Arthur Findlay College in Stansted, England and has demonstrated as a visiting medium at the Lilydale Spiritualist Community in New York state. He currently offers private readings on weekends by donation only.
In addition to serving as a Church Medium, circle leader and spiritual healer, William has served on the CFSC Board for many years and held the offices of President, Vice-President and Treasurer. He is also a full professor at the University of Calgary, a parent, a grandparent and a husband.
William believes that one of the greatest gifts given to the world by Spiritualism is releasing humanity from the illusion of death. For if one is not afraid of death, what is there truly to be afraid of in this world? Further, he has come to realize how the power of Spirit transforms our lives—offering guidance and profoundly shifting our perspectives on our world and our essential nature.