"Rev. Ed Townley is senior minister at Unity in Chicago, one of the
liveliest and fastest-growing New Thought spiritual centers in the
world. He had an intense Near-Death Experience in September, 1975, which
was instrumental in his becoming a Unity minister. He studied at the
Unity School of Religious Studies and was ordained in 1991, after
earlier careers as actor, director and playwright in New York City,
Chicago and elsewhere.

Before returning to his home congregation at Unity in Chicago in 1998,
he spent seven years of ministry in Oregon, including five as senior
minister at Unity of Beaverton. His twin passions for the creative
process and for empowering ministry resulted in the founding of Spirit
Expressing. In its early years in Oregon, the Spirit Expressing ministry
included a weekly television program, quarterly magazine, acting
classes, writing workshops and a performance company. Now an integral
part of Unity in Chicago, Spirit Expressing today is an umbrella
comprised of artists, performers, musicians, designers, technicians,
writers, a quarterly newsmagazine, various creative arts classes and an
active website that boasts, among other things, a weekly web program in
which Rev. Ed interviews outstanding spiritual voices from throughout
the world. He is also the author of <i> Meditations on the Mount,</i> a
practical guide to Jesus\' Sermon on the Mount and his personal story is
featured in Studs Terkel\'s latest best-selling book, *Will the Circle
Be Unbroken?*

In addition to his ministry, Ed is a featured speaker in churches and
other venues throughout the United States, and serves on the Advisory
Board of the Association for Global New Thought. His Sunday talks, daily
messages and interview program are available on the Unity in Chicago
website at: [ *www.unitychicago.org*][1]



[1]: http://www.unitychicago.org"