All Souls welcomes new pastor

Interfaith minister Reverend Don Chatfield is joining All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne, Vermont, on July 15 to serve as lead pastor. All Souls is an inclusive spiritual center founded in 1999 by Rev. Mary Abele. Located on seven acres overlooking Lake Champlain, it is a place where people of various cultural beliefs may gather in spiritual community to cultivate inner peace and connection to divine source. In addition to offering regular Morning Meditation (9:00 a.m. Sundays) and Music & Spirit Services (5:00 p.m. Sundays, September to June), All Souls offers classes, a free lending library and office space to wellness practitioners and early care educators. Reverend Chatfield will oversee daily operations and program planning for the nonprofit organization.

The public is invited to a summer Welcoming Picnic on Sunday, July 14, at 5:00 p.m. to meet Reverend Chatfield and his wife, Karen. The Chatfields are relocating to Vermont from the Osage Forest of Peace, an interspiritual contemplative retreat center near Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Don served as executive director. Don and Karen fell in love on the slopes of Killington and spent much time skiing, camping, and hiking in Vermont; they have been married for 31 years. “I am delighted to join the All Souls community and to continue the interfaith tradition established by Mary Abele,” notes Rev. Don. “I look forward to expanding the opportunities for meaningful interfaith expression and spiritual connection at All Souls.”

Reverend Chatfield holds a master of divinity degree, a master’s degree in counseling and a Ph.D. with a focus in community development. He has a deep commitment to the environment and to social justice, honed during years of service as executive director at a Tucson nonprofit serving the homeless and working poor. At the Forest of Peace, Don established a robust schedule of interfaith events and founded a School of Spiritual Direction. A certified spiritual director, Don finds great fulfillment in being a companion with others on the spiritual journey. His interests in the field of spirituality include the development of an inter spiritual liturgy, eco spirituality and contemplative spiritual practices, as well as developing interspiritual curriculum resources for training ministers. With his wife, Karen, he established La Cholla Center for Integrative Spirituality in Tucson, through which they taught contemplative practice and led interfaith retreats.

So bring your friends and family, a picnic blanket or lawn chair, a salad or a dish to share, and meet the Chatfields this Sunday evening, July 14, at 5:00  p.m. at All Souls for a family-friendly evening of lawn games, breathtaking views, and community connections. Hope to see you there.