History Moments
Bobbie Parker and Rev. Ione Swan
History isn’t just dates, times, and places. Those are necessary as a reference, but it’s the people. Gran-dam Bobbie Parker says, “ I want to tell the stories that breathe life into our (church) history.”
Bobbie wants us to know about her first and favorite, minister she knew at the church in 1961, the Rev. Ione Swan.
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First, a little part of Bobbie’s church-life experiences that was grounded in the decade before Rev. Swan’s installation in June, 1960. In the 1950’s, Bobbie belonged to a core group of three or four women, (which grew to be twelve mystical women) meeting in each others’ homes (an underground congregate) to discuss mysticism and metaphysics. She had engaged in mysticism as a child.
Bobbie’s colorful background as a published author who wrote fantasy fiction and a cookbook. She also wrote music with lyrics and arrangements. She produced glasswork and clay beads for sale in the 70’s; made clay figures (Bobkins) in the 80’s with names such as ‘Springy’, ‘Wit’, and ‘Crafty Rafter’. She’s also created fine paintings, and is now finishing a spiritual autobiography that granddaughter, Melissa, will help organize and complete.
Now back to Rev. Swan. Bobbie describes her as a striking, dignified woman, who stood
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six feet tall. Ione Swan was a retied educator from Southern California, and having been raised Catholic, took college classes on comparative religions that started a crusade for truth. As a lecturer of renown in education and psychology, she had a personal friendship with Ernest Holmes. She was asked by him to study for the ministry; he had recognized those qualities which are so essential for that service. She studied directly under him, having many lively discussions, while challenging him to fully explain his beliefs. She graduated from the Institute of Religious Science in L.A. in May 1960.
Bobbie remembers her as warm, and human, a woman who loved to argue with God, sometimes while driving. She even told Him she was sure she could run things better. Rev. Swan spoke of how hard it was to switch from handling things as a school principal, making things happen. Now her most effective work was doing treatments, sitting still with eyes closed. Quite a change.
But Rev. Ione Swan described her ministry as the most soul-satisfying experience of her life. “An idea”, she said, “can be so powerful that it takes hold of you, consumes you, and will not let you go until it has its way with you.” Religious Science was such an idea to Ione Swan. On June 18, 1969, Dr. Swan accepted the call to serve as minister of the San Mateo Church. She was sorely missed by Bobbie, et al.
When a founding father, Winn Lovett, had his 90th birthday, a talent show program of Gay Nineties music and skits was put on in his honor, Bobbie had her first performance, singing tear-jerkers about the evils of lust and demon rum. In fact, Bobbie’s daughter Janet Holiday was a ‘bird in the gilded cage’ in one of the youth group’s number. That was just the first of many programs that Bobbie put on over the years.
Art Dawe
Center Historian
(Ed. Since this was written (in November 2007), Bobbie transitioned. We all have fond and wonderful memories of her. The Sunday after she left there was a rose placed on her chair in the sanctuary... front row left, first on the aisle. I think it is still her chair.)