Richard P. Goodwin, the founder of the Serenity Association, was born on February 22, 1927, and passed to higher life on February 24, 1989. During his time on earth, he was the medium through whom the spiritual teachings of the Living Light Philosophy was given.
Richard was the youngest of seven children and he was reared by a mother who supported her family by giving spiritual counseling to those in need. Mediumship and spirit phenomena were no stranger to Richard. He first demonstrated his ability as a medium at the age of fourteen. Since that time and until his passing, he was an instrument through which spirit was able to communicate with those who sought help.
As a young adult, Richard became convinced that often spiritual manifestations brought only temporary solace to those who were fortunate enough to witness to it. He observed that people soon became fascinated by the phenomena and ignored the help that spirit was trying to impart. It was then that Richard began to pray for a teacher from the realms of light -- a spiritual teacher who could bring through teachings that would benefit any soul who was seeking a path to greater awareness of himself and of God.
In 1964 his earnest prayers were answered and the teacher who was to become known as the Wise One (for he never gave his name) came through for the first time. Richard was at first apprehensive about what this new teacher had to impart. Often when the Wise One was expressing through Richard, Richard was taken into deep trance and not able to control what was being revealed through him. It was only after the sitting concluded that he was able to listen to the recorded class. Richard did not take for granted the validity of the message brought through him and determined to test this new teacher, but it was not long before Richard became convinced of the goodness of the teacher and the wisdom of the simple and beautiful teachings. Thus began the Living Light Philosophy.
On August 20, 1968, under the guidance of the Spirit Council and when he was still a student of Rev. Florence Becker, the founder of the Golden Gate Spiritualist Church, Mr. Goodwin and three students founded the Serenity Spiritualist Camp Association. Camp Serenity purchased land in northern California and built a spiritual meditation chapel. The Chapel of Awareness was built on a hilltop overlooking the valley and was dedicated on July 4, 1969.
In his dedication for the chapel, Mr. Goodwin said, “I dedicate this land, Camp Serenity, to the spirit of truth manifesting through all forms of life, to the glory of God, for the good of humanity, and the blessings of Modern Spiritualism. May all who walk upon its land be ever blessed with the peace that passeth all understanding and the knowledge that there is no death and there are no dead.”
Again under the guidance of the Spirit Council, Mr. Goodwin was asked to open a church so that the Living Light Philosophy could be presented to more people. And on May 2, 1971, in the American Legion Log Cabin in San Anselmo, California, the Serenity Spiritualist Church held its first service. Each Sunday morning for over fourteen years, Mr. Goodwin presented the Living Light Philosophy and provided interdimensional communication.
The public church services were held weekly until June 9, 1985, when Mr. Goodwin was guided by the Spirit Council to suspend services in order to work more closely with a smaller group of students. On Saturday, June 15, at the Serenity dinner social, it was announced that church services were suspended and that all who were present were invited to participate in those classes. Until he passed to his true home, Mr. Goodwin worked with all the students who chose to attend those classes, that they might have broader horizons and a greater understanding of the Living Light Philosophy, of which he was, and is, the living demonstration. | 
