American Queer Life: The Althea Center

Capitol Hill’s Un-Church

Church … Please keep reading. 

As an American shibboleth, church has fewer and fewer believers. Church can conjure unsingable songs with 37 verses, mind-numbing or damning ministers, judgment and guilt. For those still seeking a sacred, joyful community, the Althea Center for Spiritual Engagement is an exception. But it’s not a church, a word, in fact, diligently avoided. Althea caters to no religion nor dogma; it is as its title declares: a diverse and inclusive center for spiritual engagement. 

Althea has quite a history. In the 1890s, four remarkable women founded the spiritual movement of Divine Science, a chapter of the dynamically American New Thought Movement. (Ralph Waldo Emerson provided a pillar of its foundation.) While that connection is appreciated and acknowledged, spiritual authenticity of all kinds is celebrated today.

Gatherings

After a year of online gatherings, Althea reopened in April on Easter Sunday for safe, live celebrations. Pouria Montazeri, a Sufi mystic and teacher, delivered the message. The Queen City Jazz Band, with diminutive, powerhouse vocalist Wendy Harston, performed a rousing resurrection of joy, life, and spirit.

Sunday mornings continue to offer a variety of spiritual speakers: Suzanne Hunt, an empathic clairvoyant; for Cinco de Mayo Danny and Dex Stange, teachers of Aztec/Mayan, Indigenous Native systems; for Earth Day, an owl and her guardian from Birds of Prey (a raptor rescue foundation); a Mother’s Day panel that explored the Divine Feminine of Hindu goddesses, the transgender experience, and the male spirit; Greg Wilkins, a Vibrational Activator and Sound Sculptor; for Juneteenth Jo Bunton-Keel, a local performing artist with ties to Cleo Parker Robinson Dance; for Pride Month Steven Burge, another local performer who gave a humorous and heartwarming message.

Musicians

Althea has always been known for its exceptional, local musical guests. Michael Stanwood is a five-time winner of Westword’s Best of Denver (his digeridoo is phenomenal). Latin Grammy Nominee Gonzalo Teppa makes his bass dance to his creative directions. Sandra Wong and Jon Sousa bring heart and soul to their piano and string duets. Young vocalists Vidushi Goyal and Christopher Weatherall (aka Athena) have recently electrified the gatherings with their extraordinary talents. 

Tenants

Althea’s tenants reflect its diversity. Sisters of Color United for Education cultivates Promotoras (community health workers) for members of disenfranchised communities. 

Rev. Arica King (Awakening Souls) practices Spiritual Psychology and is also an Advanced Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Arica recently held a class on “Gender Identity: One Transwoman’s Perspective.”

Midwife Natalie Baca provides individualized care and comfort with evidence-based information.

The St. Francis Employment Center helps women and men connect with full-time employment to end cycles of poverty.

Events

In two years, Althea has hosted more than 150 classes, workshops, and events of eclectic content, including Developing Intuition Through Creativity with Zack Kopp, Gong Baths with Greg Wilkins, and Enneagram classes with Julia Foster of Nine Ways to Love. Kathleen Humphreys facilitates Community Connections every Thursday at 11 a.m.

Althea has also hosted seasonal observances: the Open Full Moon with Hearthstone Church; solstice celebrations conducted by Rev. Mary Jo Honiotes (who also runs the Althea Women Emerging monthly group); and the Festival for the Soul, a metaphysical fair in the fall.

Longtime member and activist Tim Wilson created Mariposa, a safe haven for LGBTQ individuals and allies to explore their spirituality and self-empowerment. He has been involved with San Francisco-based Black and White Men Together, AIDS causes, and PFLAG. 

In December 2020, the Althea Center hosted Legends & Luminaries: A Transformational Gathering for a New Year & a New World featuring Byron Katie, Gregg Braden, Matthew Fox, Neale Donald Walsch, and others.

As if COVID-19 wasn’t enough of a challenge, our spiritual director quit. Many—including myself as board president—worried Althea would close. Not on my watch! From that low tide sprang the fertile waters of creativity as our community happily and excitedly stepped up and offered their talents.

The world can be a noisy and ugly place. To rejuvenate one’s abilities to meet that world, check out the Althea Center at the corner of 14th and Williams. It’s that 100-year-old, Greek revival edifice with the columns and round portico you’ve driven by a hundred times. In addition to spiritual food, you’ll also find a good lunch, great music, community, a few laughs, and lots of heart and joy. Gatherings begin at a civilized 10:30 a.m.

Remember, Althea is not a church. Almost a century ago, one of our founders wrote, “We are still expanding. The world needs us. Let’s give it our best.” Visit us. Be a part of our future. The world needs you now.