Oliver, Reverend Dr. Elouise

Reverend Doctor Elouise Oliver (affectionately known as "Reverend E") is an ordained Religious Science minister, and is senior minister and spiritual leader of East Bay Church of Religious Science. The essence of Reverend E's ministry is unconditional love. She teaches that love is the answer to all human discord, and that when we love and accept every person as a divine being, there is no room for conflict. In her own words, "When we love ourselves and others unconditionally, joy and happiness become our experience." In 1997, Reverend E received an Honorary Doctorate from the Barbara King School of Ministry. In April 2003, she was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College. In March 2004, she received a Doctorate of Divinity from the United Church of Religious Science. Over the years, Reverend E has received numerous awards and recognitions including the Congressional Recognition Award from Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Award from the students at the University of California at Berkeley, the Institute for Exceptional Performance Award, and the Hero of Forgiveness Award. She is a member of the Advisory Council for the Association for Global New Thought, and a board member of the Center for Creation Spirituality in Oakland, California. Reverend E served on the Oakland Human Rights Commission in 1999. She remains committed to carrying out the Commission's goal of preserving and enhancing the richness of Oakland's racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, age, disability and sexual diversity through the promotion of understanding, respect, and harmony. Reverend E is also a founding member and has served as Chaplain of The Coalition of 100 Black Women of the Bay Area and is a member of the Queen Esther Chapter #4, Order of the Eastern Star. She also writes a column, which appears monthly in the Black Business Listings newspaper. Writer, community activist, spiritual teacher and leader, Reverend E continues to have a loving impact on individual lives in the Bay Area, helping people to create positive life changes and providing an opportunity to experience greater love and greater joy. Her message is indeed one for the new millennium. Honor Thy Mother During the recent garbage strike in Alameda County, the enormous amount of waste produced by each household caused a panic. How can we learn from this incident to better respect Mother Earth? Waste extends beyond the definition of waste management services to include the way we treat the Earth’s resources. Reverend E shows how we can heal ourselves and our communities by healing the Earth.