Spiritual Solutions

A Unity minister for over thirty-six years, Rev. Alan Rowbotham is a former president of the Association of Unity Churches, and was Director of Ministry Services for the Association when it was headquartered at Unity Village, Missouri.

Rev. Alan and his wife, Rev. Kathryn Rowbotham, are both Myrtle Fillmore Award recipients, honored for the loving and gentle spirit of their ministries.

Coming to the United States in 1967 from England, Rev. Alan had previously worked as a typesetter and studied martial arts. In his native land, he founded and operated his own School of Self-Defense after achieving a black belt in Kung Fu. His martial arts practice led him into an in-depth study of the spiritual traditions of both East and West and, ultimately, to his own spiritual calling. While on a business trip to Miami in 1969 he discovered Unity, and entered Unity’s ministerial education program later that same year.

Rev. Alan served for a brief period as associate minister in Akron, Ohio, after his ordination in 1971, and then moved to Roanoke, Virginia, to be married to Kathryn, who had been ordained a Unity minister in the same year. Together, Revs. Alan and Kathryn co-founded and developed the Unity Church of Roanoke Valley in Roanoke, Virginia.

After serving there for eight years they were called by the Association of Unity Churches to serve in executive positions at Unity Village. Rev. Alan was first the Field Services Projects Coordinator and then became Director of Ministry Services/CEO of the Association. Rev. Kathryn served on the faculty of the Ministerial School. In 1982, Revs. Alan and Kathryn returned to Roanoke as ministers of the Unity Church of Roanoke Valley for another twelve years.

Rev. Alan became senior minister of First Unity Church in St. Petersburg, Florida, in February 1994, and at that time Rev. Kathryn retired from full-time church ministry while continuing to serve in an associate capacity.

Rev. Alan served on various committees of the Association of Unity Churches throughout his years of ministry, on both regional and national levels. He has served as president of the Eastern Region, regional representative of the Eastern Region, member of the Board of Trustees, and member of the Executive Committee. He was president of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Unity Churches in 1993-94. He also served as a member of the Unity Movement Advisory Council and participated for many years as a member of the Admissions Committee of the Association. He is a member of the Clergy Conference of St. Petersburg and the Suncoast Ministers Association.

In the year 2000 the Association of Unity Churches presented the prestigious Myrtle Fillmore Award to Revs. Alan and Kathryn at the annual conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Friends and colleagues from all across the United States attended Rev. Alan’s retirement celebration in November 2005, in honor of his ministry.

As the author of the Spiritual Solutions newsletter, guest speaker, workshop presenter and spiritual travel escort, Rev. Alan continues his ministry to people drawn to Unity, serving an ever-expanding congregation-without-walls.