Big Sky Retreat 2000 - Additional Speakers

Rev. Howard Caesar has been the Senior Minister of the Unity Church of Christianity in Houston, Texas since 1983, currently leading three Sunday worship services for over 2,000 attendees. He is a member of the Board of Preachers at the Martin Luther King Chapel at Atlanta's Morehouse College, a founding member of the Leadership Council of the Association for Global New Thought (AGNT), and recognized as one of the foremost leaders and speakers in New Thought. Howard served on the Board of the International New Thought Alliance (INTA) for eleven years, and the Association of Unity Churches for seven years. In 1997 he received the Voice of Unity award for his excellence in twenty years in radio and television outreach. After first attending in 1985, Howard has served on the Board of this Retreat since 1986. He and his wife, Diane, live in Sugarland, Texas

Dr. Sheldon Deal is the owner-director of the Swan Clinic of Natural Healing in Tucson, Arizona, and has written several popular books on nutrition and natural methods of healing. His innovative views of healing are widely quoted. Sheldon always brings new and fresh ideas on the way we look at our bodies and how we learn to live in them. His knowledge of Applied Kinesiology and his ability to teach new techniques makes him world renowned. He has lectured throughout Europe, Russia, and Australia for twenty-two years. With his wife, Cindy, Sheldon has been a staunch supporter of the Retreat since 1981. He joined the Retreat Board in 1999.

Joe Dickey, President of the Big Sky Retreat Board, has also been the Music Director since 1983. His long and varied entertainment career has included many thousands of appearances (for almost seven million people) in nightclubs, musical theatre, and churches. He has worked in voice-overs, narrations, infomercials, television, and movies for television. For over eight years he was a lead singer in "Hallelujah Hollywood", the largest production show in the world, at the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas. He has performed for numerous Fortune 500 companies throughout the country. His writing career consists of motivational cassettes, radio spots, lyrics and songs, speeches, special comedy material, scripts for industrial films, grant proposals, and thousands of public television pledge breaks. A member of Equity, AFTRA, and SAG, his career includes several well-known vocal groups including the Ray Charles Singers, the Doodletown Pipers, The Crew Cuts ("Sh-Boom, Sh-Boom" and "Earth Angel") and The Four Preps ("26 Miles Across the Sea"). While serving as a Captain in the Air Force (many, many years ago), he won the USAF World-Wide Talent Contest. Additionally, he has produced, directed, and coordinated talent for benefit concerts; worked as a road manager, lighting designer, and cue caller for main room acts in major hotels in Las Vegas, Reno, Tahoe, and Atlantic City; and has been an on-camera host for telethons.

In demand by New Thought churches throughout Southern California, he was a soloist for the same two Religious Science churches for over 14 years in Whittier and Cypress, California, and served as the Music Director for the La Crescenta Church of Religious Science, in La Crescenta, and One Spirit Center for Conscious Living, in Simi Valley. He has created a production show for a Las Vegas hotel and has recently finished writing two books, one a collections of personal stories and the other a novel. He has a degree in Business Administration from Emory University and has lived and worked in Southern California since 1971. His hobbies include gardening, poetry writing, and culinary arts. In 2004, he was honored by being named the Single Parent of the Year by the Universal Love Foundation at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. He now resides in Simi Valley, California, with his wife Mary Morrissey, 21-year-old daughter, Blaine, and 17-year-old son, Bridges.

Charles is a founding member and Treasurer of the Big Sky Retreat. He most recently served as Co Pastor of the International Center for Spiritual Living (ICSL) in Fort Lauderdale. He was on the International Board of Directors as the Chair of the Department of Ethics. He was voted ICSL Minister of the Year in 2004 and was acknowledged with an Honorary Doctorate for his years of contributions. He is now the founder and Executive Director of his new calling: "Bridges of Wellness" www.bridgesofwellness.com, a non-profit organization in Florida. Its purpose is to "foster holistic wellness for individuals and the communities in which we live: physically, psychologically, emotionally, interpersonally and spiritually."

Donald Graves, Spiritual Leader of the Center for Spiritual Living Tucson, is loved and respected for the fun-loving and dynamic way he challenges all to experience freedom, power, and magnificence. He has served Religious Science for over twenty-five years, volunteering for Centers for Spiritual Living in many capacities. Donald co-developed “PeaceMaking Strategies”, whose prime directive is to develop a culture of peace. First attending the Retreat in 1989, Donald has been a member of the Retreat's Board since 2000.

Ron enjoys life and is very grateful that he and his wife Pat discovered the Big Sky Retreat in 2001. Ron, a Doctor of Chiropractic (one of ten chiropractors in his family) has been practicing in Mason City, Iowa for over 45 years. His service to his profession spans local, state and national levels. Ron's interest in man's oneness led him to discover and develop a symptom energy clearing technique, called State Energy Remedy, which he practices and teaches to other doctors. He is a student of politics and has been actively involved in Iowa politics. Ron has taught biblical interpretation for over 30 years and continues to study Life and man's oneness with God. Ron has been a Board member since 2007 and currently serves as Board Secretary.

Clarke Odden (Former Board member, Salute to the Day, Book Store) has been a practicing chiropractic physician for over forty years. He is certified in Applied Kinesiology and utilizes multiple testing disciplines and treatments for a wide variety of musculoskeletal and internal conditions. Clarke began his metaphysical studies in the 50's, and was introduced to Science of Mind and Unity School of Christianity in the 60's. He served for twenty-three years as a founding Board member of this Retreat, and has missed very few years since coming that first year in 1976. Clarke has also served intermittently as interim Minister to the Salt Lake Church of Religious Science for ten years. He enjoys speaking, teaching, and demonstrating chiropractic and metaphysics.