Spiritism

The exception to this is The National Spiritist Church of Alberta. This Church (which is fully recognized by the government as a religious denomination) has a Holy Communion Worship Service and a Marriage Ceremony in addition to the more standard Kardecist study groups.

Brazilian stamp with Allan Kardec

The most important types of practices within Spiritism are:

  • Regular Meetings – with a regular schedule, usually on evenings, two or three times a week. They involve a short lecture on some subject followed by some interactive participation of the attendants. These meetings are open to anyone.
  • Medium Meetings – usually held after a regular meeting, only those deemed prepared or “in need” of it are expected to attend.
  • Youth and Children’s Meetings – once a week, usually on Saturday afternoons or Sunday mornings, are the Spiritist equivalent to Christian Sunday schools.
  • Healing
  • Lectures – longer, in-depth lectures on subjects thought to be “of general interest” which are held on larger rooms, sometimes at theatres or ballrooms, so that more people can attend. Lecturers are often invited from far away centers.
  • Special Meetings – special séances held inlative discretion which try to conduct some worthy work on behalf of those in need.
  • Spiritist Week and Book fairs.
  • Church Services (in the case of The National Spiritist Church of Alberta – in Canada)