Valerie Wiener, RScP

By Rev. Doug Foglesong

The more I engage in this community, the more I learn about myself and my expanded potential."  These words from Valerie Wiener, Religious Science Practitioner, reflect both our Center's philosophy and her own personal journey.

Valerie has been engaged in her community for most of her life. Her earliest memory of serving is from the fourth grade when she led her classmates in a project to help a girl who had joined her class mid-school year.  "She was struggling and angry," Valerie recalls.  "Nobody seemed to like her, and she was bullied."

One day in their Reading Circle, as the students were seated cross-legged on the floor, Valerie noticed that the soles of the girl's shoes were worn - something she'd never seen before. Valerie's heart opened up, and she was inspired to begin raising money from her fellow students to purchase the girl a new pair of shoes.  Contributing several weeks of her own $1-per-week allowance to the generous donations from her classmates, Valerie collected $10 for the purchase.

In order to determine the correct shoe size, Valerie obtained the girl's phone number and called her mother.  The woman was proud and initially resisted.  However, the moment Valerie said, "We're doing this because we love her," the dam broke and Valerie got the information she needed.  Two days later, her classmate received a brand-new pair of Buster Brown loafers.

This story is truly a case study of the life of Valerie Wiener, RScP.  From that lovely beginning, her life has been dedicated to service in one form or another.  Born and raised in Las Vegas, Valerie has had a varied religious experience.  Her Jewish grandmother was a powerful influence early in her life.  Her mother was Anglican, then Seventh Day Adventist.  Eventually, her mother became a Christian Scientist and healed herself of illness brought on by unhappiness.  Valerie became a student of Christian Science during her years at law school when she herself was experiencing a serious illness.

Between her childhood and early adulthood, Valerie also explored the Mormon, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches, among others.  In college, she studied the Bahai faith with her husband.

In 1994, at the invitation of a church-shopping friend, Valerie first attended a Religious Science service at Creative Life, led by Rev. Richard Walter.  The next Sunday, she attended another service at the First Church of Religious Science (now CSLGLV).  Though her friend kept shopping, Valerie was hooked for life, with a couple of detours along the way.  She left our Center in 1996, when she was heavily engaged in her first political campaign.  At the same time, the political climate of the church was difficult and challenged her spiritual experience.  "I didn't want politics in my church, too," she says.

Valerie, a state senator for three years at the time, returned to CSLGLV in July of 1999-the day the congregation was set to vote on Rev. Doug's candidacy.  She returned again to our Center in 2003, amidst a very difficult special session of the Nevada State Legislature.  That's when she decided this was her permanent spiritual home.  "This teaching constantly reminds me who I am (one with God) SOONER," Valerie says.  "I look for-and celebrate-the gift of each experience or challenge, rather than getting mired in the pull of negative energy."

The inspiration she finds in the principles of Science of Mind ignited a vision within Valerie to pursue the Professional Practitioner training, which she completed successfully in 2010. The deepening and growth she experienced through that training has profoundly influenced her service to the citizens of Nevada in the State Legislature.  "It grounds me first in WHO I am, which then shows up in WHAT I do."

Now completing her fourth and final term as a state senator, Valerie is returning her focus to her own companies.  Wiener Communications Group, which she founded in 1988, allows her to expand her professional role as a positioning strategist through which she "helps individuals and organizations master their high visibility needs."  Her other company, founded in 1998, is PowerMark Publishing, which produces books and handbooks.

Somehow, Valerie also serves CSLGLV in many capacities beyond her duties as a Practitioner.  She ushers, serves on the offering count team, has given her expertise on the Nominating Committee, and has been a part of the Global Heart Connection (international outreach) Ministry since its inception.  However, her greatest service delight involves interviewing congregants and writing their profiles for the CSLGLV Volunteer of the Month article posted on our Center's monthly e-blast.  This month . . . Valerie is the honoree!

Valerie affirms, "I actually enjoy everything I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't do it."  That speaks volumes about Valerie's integrity and her willingness to expand her potential. Our 2012 intention of "Expansive Vibration" causes Valerie to utter her favorite expression of delight: "Yippee!" She elaborates, "I'm KNOWING this expansion!  It's been there all along, saying: 'Are you ready for me yet?'  And, finally, we've said YES!  We're living it.  We're taking it in, and we're sending it out.  The energy, the enthusiasm, and the sparkle in people's eyes have reached a stellar level!"

And as we know, that energy, that enthusiasm, and that sparkle are reflections of something beautiful deep within Valerie.