Catherine Ponder
Born 1927 · Age 98
American New Thought minister, founding minister of Unity Church Worldwide and prolific author focused on spiritual prosperity teachings.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Hartsville, South Carolina
Catherine Ponder was born on February 14, 1927 in Hartsville, South Carolina.
Childhood during the Great Depression (formative experience)
Raised during the Great Depression era (1929–1930s), experiences that influenced her later focus on prosperity and abundance.
Studied business (pre-ministerial education)
Studied business prior to enrolling in Unity ministerial training (exact dates not specified; cited in biographical summaries).
Enrolled at Unity School of Christianity (start)
Began studies at Unity School of Christianity / Unity Ministerial School (attendance commonly cited as 1950–1958).
Began contributing articles to Unity publications
Started writing articles for Unity publications (sources cite contributions from mid‑1950s onward).
Began public speaking/lectures on prosperity
Started lecturing publicly on prosperity principles in major U.S. cities and smaller venues; continued lecturing across the U.S., Canada and England for decades.
Minister-in-training at Unity Church of Birmingham, Alabama
Served as minister-in-training at Unity Church of Birmingham (reported 1956–1957).
Received Bachelor of Science in Education from Unity Ministerial School
Completed formal ministerial education and received a B.S. in Education (listed as 1956).
Minister at Unity Church of Birmingham, Alabama
Served as minister in Birmingham (variously cited as 1957–1961 or 1958–1961 depending on source).
Licensed as a Unity minister
Licensed by the Unity School (license year reported as 1957 in some Unity records).
Ordained as Unity Church minister
Ordained in 1958 and began an active ministerial career in the Unity movement.
Founded Unity Church of Austin, Texas
Founded a Unity ministry in Austin (sources indicate she founded the Austin ministry in 1961, with help from her husband).
Married Kelly Ponder (husband taught at UT and edited first book)
Married while finishing The Dynamic Laws (sources indicate her husband, Kelly Ponder, taught at the University of Texas and helped edit her first book). Exact marriage date not definitively cited; early 1960s is commonly reported.
Published 'The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity'
Authored and published her first major prosperity book, The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity (often cited as 1962); written while in Birmingham in the early 1960s.
Published 'The Prosperity Secrets of the Ages'
Second book in her early series on prosperity and spiritual principles (listed as 1964).
Published 'The Dynamic Laws of Healing'
Expanded her writing into healing with The Dynamic Laws of Healing (1966).
Published 'The Healing Secrets of the Ages'
Follow-up book on healing topics (1967).
Published 'Pray and Grow Rich'
Published Pray and Grow Rich (1968), continuing her prosperity/faith-themed works.
Founded Unity Church of San Antonio, Texas
Founded a Unity ministry in San Antonio (sources cite ministry there 1969–1973).
Husband's death (reported early 1970s)
Sources state that following her husband's death she moved to San Antonio in the early 1970s; the precise year of death is not clearly documented in the cited sources.
Published 'Open Your Mind To Prosperity' (sequel)
Wrote and published a sequel to The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity entitled Open Your Mind To Prosperity (1971).
Founded Unity Church Worldwide; moved to Palm Desert, CA
Established Unity Church Worldwide in Palm Desert, California and became founding minister there (1973); served as minister there thereafter.
Pioneered three new Unity ministries (career milestone)
Recognized as having pioneered three Unity ministries (Austin, San Antonio, Palm Desert) and training/inspiring many ministers across denominational lines.
Published 'The Millionaires of Genesis'
Published The Millionaires of Genesis (1976), beginning her 'Millionaires of the Bible' series.
Awarded Doctor of Divinity by Association of Unity Churches
Received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the Association of Unity Churches at the 1976 Unity Convention in Philadelphia.
Published 'The Millionaire Moses'
Continued the 'Millionaires of the Bible' series with The Millionaire Moses (1977).
Published 'The Millionaire Joshua'
Published The Millionaire Joshua (1978), part of the Bible-based prosperity series.
Published 'The Millionaire from Nazareth'
Published The Millionaire from Nazareth (1979).
French edition released of 'The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity'
The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity was released in French by Les Éditions Un monde différent (1980 translation release cited).
Published several books including 'Open Your Mind To Receive' and 'Dare to Prosper!'
Multiple titles listed for 1983: Open Your Mind To Receive, Secret of Unlimited Prosperity, The Prospering Power of Prayer, and Dare to Prosper! (1983).
Published 'The Dynamic Laws of Prayer'
Released The Dynamic Laws of Prayer (1987), continuing her body of work on spiritual laws.
Ongoing authorship and articles for Unity and New Thought magazines (mid‑career)
Contributed articles to Unity publications and New Thought magazines from the mid‑1950s into the 1990s; an ongoing publishing presence during these decades.
Ended large-scale lecture touring (reported)
Sources note she lectured widely on prosperity in many cities and to conventions in the U.S., Canada and England from the late 1950s until about 1996.
French edition released of 'Open Your Mind To Receive'
Open Your Mind To Receive was released in French by Les Éditions Un monde différent (1997 translation cited).
Published memoir 'A Prosperity Love Story: Rags to Enrichment'
Released her memoir (DeVorss & Company) recounting her life and spiritual/prosperity journey (2003).
Dynamic Laws included in '50 Success Classics' by Tom Butler‑Bowdon
The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity was included among 50 'success classics' in Butler‑Bowdon's 2004 anthology.
Wrote foreword for 'Giving Thanks: The Art of Tithing'
Provided the foreword for Paula Langguth Ryan's book Giving Thanks: The Art of Tithing (2005 edition).
Revised & updated 'The Prospering Power of Love' (2006)
A revised and updated edition of The Prospering Power of Love was issued in 2006.
Inclusion of 'Open Your Mind To Prosperity' in '50 Prosperity Classics' (Butler‑Bowdon)
Open Your Mind To Prosperity was featured in Tom Butler‑Bowdon's 2008 collection 50 Prosperity Classics; reported re-release of Open Your Mind To Receive in 2008.
Open Your Mind To Receive reissued (2008)
Open Your Mind To Receive is listed as having been published 1983 and again in 2008 (reissue).
Provided foreword for 2021 edition of 'The Art of Tithing'
Credited with the foreword for a 2021 edition of Paula Langguth Ryan's The Art of Tithing (listed with ISBN in bibliographies).
Listed as minister in Palm Desert (ongoing service)
Biographical sources (Wikipedia and Unity-related pages) report she remains minister at the Palm Desert Unity ministry she founded in 1973.
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