Jim Lockard Jim Lockard gave his first sermon as the new spiritual leader of OneSpirit Center for Conscious Living last Sunday.

"My vision is to create a spiritual community that works for people," Lockard said. "Where people connect and activate their purpose and passion in life."

The church began canvassing for a new pastor after Dennis Merritt Jones, founder of the Simi Valley church, announced his resignation earlier this year.

The 150member congregation voted on the slate of candidates two weeks ago.

"We're very excited to welcome Jim as our pastor," said Michele Roberts, church board member. "Last Sunday's service was packed. People really enjoyed his talk."

Before becoming a pastor, Lockard served for 24 years as a police officer in Dade County, Fla.

A colleague at the police department suggested Lockard attend a Center for Spiritual Living in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"My friend said I should go to this church," Lockard said. "It was the same psychology we taught at the department, only adding a spiritual dimension."

The center's Science of Mind philosophy resonated with Lockard. He joined the church, did the classwork and earned his ministerial credentials.

In 1996, Lockard took early retirement from the police department and began his ministry. He moved to Baltimore and started a Religious Science church (the former name of the Centers for Spiritual Living). Later he moved back to Fort Lauderdale, serving as co-pastor of his former church.

In 2005, Lockard and his wife, Dorianne, moved to Oak Park. For the past three years, Lockard served with Sue Rubin as copastor of the Westlake Center for Spiritual Living.

As spiritual leader of OneSpirit, Lockard looks forward to expanding the congregation and fulfilling the church's mission.

"We're a center that practices compassionate spirituality. We're not dogma-driven," Lockard said. "People are not required to believe anything specific. We're about teaching people how to think, not what to think."