George Freeman has been an important figure for Seattle.  He spent his childhood under the wings of Spokane businessman and icon Clarence Freemen, and George had the values of hard work instilled in his character from an early age.  He also came to appreciate the pentecostal freedom that can be granted to those who share in dancing, indeed taking the spiritual qualities of the experience as a tenet of faith.  Freeman has cultured a keen business mind and applied his work ethic to the betterment of many businesses and causes.

“Throughout my life I have desired to be four things: a policeman, a soldier, a business developer and a minister, and I can now say that I have been all four.

The rest of my life will be spent spreading the Monastery’s message of equality, understanding and peace through the celebration of life. I believe now, more than ever, is the ideal time for this message to be heard. The more connected we become, and the more we grow skeptical of closed-minded belief systems, the more people will begin to see that we are all one and that we were created by the same design intelligence or God.

I am most notably recalled as the lead chaplain of The Seattle Monastery Church (1977-1985), which during its time was a controversial Seattle dance church. In part, this controversy stemmed around the fact that the cornerstone for our church was that of music and dance integrated into a religious celebration. Despite the fact that we were a church, a social fraternity, a shelter for the homeless, and had an open door policy to people from all walks of life, our membership to this day recounts these events as amongst the most spiritually uplifting moments of their lives. This fact is one of many that continue to confirm my belief that the language of God is music, and, as such, music can bring together black, white, rich, poor, young, old, gay or straight in a celebration of life regardless of these or any other social differences. We were, and still are, children of the same universe.

Peace,
George