Board of The Spiritual Resource Foundation: Seated, L to R: Richard Block, William Arnesen, Catherine Crossman, Charles Glover, Leslie Knowles, Ralph Emerson; Framed: Lawrence Wright, Kurt Smith
President: Ralph W. Emerson, CS
Ralph is a life long Christian Scientist and has always been active in church
work. He has a BA degree from Principia College, a Master’s degree in
education, has done advanced study in several other institutions, and has
studied several languages. A term in the Army followed college. He retired
from teaching in the Tacoma Public Schools and is now in the public
practice of Christian Science.
Vice President: Charles Glover
Charles is a life long Christian Scientist and has been involved in church
work for 60 years. He earned a BS degree from Colorado State University
and taught at Nebraska Technical School for 13 years and Oregon Technical
Institute for 25 years. He achieved the rank of Associate Professor and of
Professor Emeritus after he retired.
Secretary: Catherine C. Crossman
Catherine has been a Christian Scientist all her life and is very active in
church work. She had primary class instruction in Christian Science and
has held many church offices. She also served as a member of the Board of
Sunrise Haven, a Christian Science nursing facility.
Treasurer: Leslie C. Knowles
Leslie is currently in Olympia, Washington, having lived in many areas through
the years including New England, California, and Washington.
She is a life-long student of Christian Science, a member of The Mother Church,
and has had class instruction. She has served as Librarian in the Reading Room
and Chairman of the Building Committee in Kent, WA. She worked as a
bookkeeper before retiring, and Now works as Treasurer for the Foundation.
Member: Dr. William T. Arnesen
Bill was born and raised in North Dakota and has been a life long student
of Christian Science. Member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Olympia
Washington. Enlisted in the US Army to learn the Russian Language.
Worked as a Geologist, Aerospace research engineer and retired as a
Professor of Psychology. Met Hildegard at a Christian Science Monitor
Youth Forum in Manheim, Germany where she was a Russian linguist with
the US Air Force.
Member: Richard L. Block
Richard earned a BA degree in Political Science and a JD from law
school. Admitted to practice in California and Alaska. Formerly, Director
of the Division of Insurance for the state of Alaska and a catalyst in the
formation of a property and casualty insurer. In the 1990’s he traveled to
the Russian Far East frequently, even engaging in some business enterprises
with Russian partners. He studied the Russian language in Vladivostok
at Far Eastern State University. He has been very active in church work,
and for four years was the Christian Science Committee on Publication for
the State of Alaska.
Member: Kurt Smith
Kurt has been a Christian Scientist for most of his life, is a member of
the Mother Church, has received primary class instruction, and has held
various offices in the Anchorage and Juneau churches. He is a civil engineer
who recently retired as State Traffic and Safety Engineer for the Alaska
Department of Transportation.
Member: Lawrence Wright
Lawrence is completely fluent in Russian. He is a lifelong Christian
Scientist, member of the Mother Church, Class taught, and active in his
branch church. He has spent most of the last 20 years living in Russia,
where he supported the local Christian Science groups. He led the country
operations of a Fortune 500 company after the collapse of the Soviet
Union, and later headed the US delegation of an international science
and technology foundation. After that, he started his own company to
commercialize promising technologies and raise investment for them.