Spiritual leader to visit Cape Coral, Fort Myers

by CONNOR HOLMES
published in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze 2/12/09

An internationally recognized spiritual leader, teacher and author will speak to Lee County residents this weekend.

Michael Bernard Beckwith is the founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center in California and author of "Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential," according to Catherine Josey, Beckwith's publicist. He has appeared on "Larry King Live" and "The Oprah Winfrey Show."

Beckwith will speak on matters of the spirit at 7:30 p.m. today at the Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers, and at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Cape Coral Center for Spiritual Living.

His wife, Rickie Byars Beckwith, will perform original songs written by Beckwith and herself at both speaking events. She is the musical director of the Agape International Choir.

The Rev. Emile Gauvreau, spiritual director for the Cape Coral Center for Spiritual Living, is eager to welcome his colleague to Lee County, he said Wednesday.

Gauvreau said Beckwith is "a friend, and he's been a mentor to my ministerial training, as well as a teacher." Gauvreau has known Beckwith since 1996, and was on the board of directors at the Agape International Spiritual Center for six years.

He said Beckwith's is an "uplifting message, a message that says not only can you make a change and make a change for the better, it's our spiritual obligation to do so."

In light of President Barack Obama's recent visit to Southwest Florida, Beckwith offers the community a proactive approach to taking control of their spiritual woes, Gauvreau said.

Beckwith is the president of the Association of Global New Thought and travels internationally to meet with global leaders of peace, including the Dalai Lama biannually, Gauvreau said.

He founded the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles in 1986, a "trans-denominational movement" which has grown to a community of about 9,000 members locally, according to the center's Web site.

Beckwith also will be onhand to sign copies of his book during this weekend's events.

Tickets to the Harborside Event Center event are available at a cost of $30 each, while tickets for the Cape event are available for $100 each.

To order tickets or inquire about sponsorship packages, call the Cape Coral Center for Spiritual Living at 574-6463. The center is located at 406 S.E. 24th Ave.