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Merilyn Chilleen




Former racer now a church leader who believes in the power of 'yes'
by Darin Fenger, Yuma Sun Staff Writer
Jul 14, 2003

When the Rev. Merilyn Chilleen guides a parishioner through a rocky point in life, she can simply call upon lessons she learned years ago in another life — as an off-road race car driver.

The Rev. Merilyn Chilleen came to Yuma two years ago to lead the flock at the church, Science of Mind. Photo by Darin Fenger "It's a perfect metaphor for life," Chilleen said, beaming. "The race is never won on the straightaway, when you can go 70 or 80 miles an hour and things are going well. The race of life is really won when in the tight spots, in the unexpected turns and twists."

Now looking at Chilleen, a warm, big-sister type known for unfailing tenderness and a gorgeous giggle, it's kind of hard to imagine her gripping the wheel of a wild machine hell bent on tackling miles of treacherous desert terrain. But then you watch her in action. It's at that point when newcomers realize that Chilleen is a strong woman who loves challenges and revels in the positive, all driven by something pretty powerful under her hood — belief in God, herself and everyone she meets.

"I just don't stop when things get tough. I can't," she said. "(Actor) Mike Meyers once said ‘The only thing I have in my favor is that I never give up.’ I like that."

Chilleen came to Yuma two years ago to lead Science of Mind, a local New Thought church that weaves a lively blend of affirmative prayer, meditation and visioning, all topped off with some up-beat tunes. Science of Mind, although it's often confused, is not the same thing as Christian Science or Scientology.

"We believe that God is a God of yes. God does not say no — ever. We're the ones who always say no to ourselves," Chilleen said, stressing that begging and fear is not needed. "The basis of Science of Mind is that we are so totally loved and supported by God and that joy is what our role is, being free is what our goal is. We're made in the image and likeness of God. It's all about getting back there to remembering who we are in the very basic sense."

But long before she was behind the pulpit — or in a race car — Chilleen was a girl growing up in Phoenix, where her mom was a homemaker and her dad worked for the Santa Fe Railroad. She was also a girl trying to figure out the right spiritual path for herself.

"I grew up Lutheran and everything was perfect until I was 9 years old, when my brother was born. Well, the Sunday School teacher said something that we were all born into original sin and I thought there was no way that my beautiful little brother had been born into sin. That was kind of the beginning of the end for traditional religion and me."

At her mother's suggestion, Chilleen began studying Unity material. But it wouldn't be until well into her adulthood that she would discover Science of Mind "and finally come home."

In the mean time, Chilleen was soaking up all the life experiences that would one day make her a well-rounded minister people could identify with.

After graduating from Camelback High School, she did a stint at Arizona State University."I got my Mrs.," she said, a bit sheepishly. "Yes, I met a man."

It was that man who introduced his young wife to a world that would certainly season her library of experiences — restaurant work. Together, the young couple created Crazy Ed's, a restaurant that would become a true hot spot in Phoenix. In addition to the food, folks also flocked to Crazy Ed's for its Dixieland band and midnight melodrama, the latter which starred a certain young Chilleen.

"The show was pretty fun and a little risque. I was Sweet Little Nellie Neverbeenhad and I wore a v-neck that was down to here," she said, pointing quite low. "Of course Nellie was supposed to be virtuous, ha ha, so one of her lines was ‘No! No! A THOUSAND times, no!’ Oh, the worse I did it the better it was."

Today, both of Chilleen's kids are both in the restaurant business. Her daughter Robyn's husband owns Nello's Pizza in Tempe and Scottsdale, while her son, Scott, just recently opened Kid Chilleen's Bad Ass Barbecue in Black Canyon City.

Chilleen went on to run an art gallery and she later sold real estate.

Her racing days were in the 1980s and her vehicle of choice was a Volkswagen Challenger. Chilleen, who had by now found Science of Mind, painted two slogans on her car: "Are we there yet?" and "Higher powered." That latter saying was made true by her choice of co-drivers, church practitioners or spiritual counselors.

"I always chose girlfriends who were practitioners. They prayed and I drove!"

Chilleen competed in off-road races all over Arizona and Baja Calif., Mexico.

"I won my division every year," she said with clear pride. "I also finished every one of my races, which is pretty good. Only about 20 percent finish."

She also worked on the pit crews for racing teams that traveled all over the west, her favorites being the Mint 400 in Las Vegas and the Baja 1,000.

"In the Baja, we followed along and made it from Ensenada to La Paz in 21 hours.

"When she felt her calling to ministerial service, well, it took her by greater surprise than the best-hidden bump in the road.

"Being a minister was something I had never intended. I didn't resister it though. Once the idea came, all the doors opened and everything I needed was right there."

Chilleen graduated from Ernest Holmes College, named after the church's founder, in 1991. Before Yuma she served in Odessa and Austin, Texas, as well as Scottsdale. Ironically, the prayer that she feels brought her to Yuma was one to escape Phoenix in the summer.

"It's hot here," she said, laughing, "but I've found just a wonderful bunch of people here. And this church is very good, strong, solid and secure.

"A big goal of Chilleen's seems to be helping people realize that since God made them, they can't be anything short of wonderful. In fact, her goal for the church — and perhaps her wish for the world — is this:

"I wish that everyone would know that they are pure expressions of God right now and see the same in everyone else," she said. "That would end all competition and all anger. The result would be world peace. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"