Reverend Ed Townley is an associate minister at Unity Church of Dallas, one of the largest Unity centers in the country. Prior to that, he spent seven years as senior minister at Unity in Chicago and seven years of ministry in Oregon, including five as senior minister at Unity of Beaverton. He trained for ministry at Unity School of Religious Studies and was ordained in 1991.

Before his call to the ministry, Townley had earlier careers as an actor, director and playwright in New York City, Chicago and elsewhere. His twin passions for the creative process and for empowering ministry resulted in the founding of Spirit Expressing, which recognizes that the creative arts are meant to be the cutting edge of spiritual exploration.

Townley is also the author of Meditations on the Mount, a practical guide to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount; CD sets of his talks including I Am That I Am and Harry Potter, Frodo & You are available at Unity Centers throughout the country. His personal story is featured in Studs Terkel's recent best-selling book, Will the Circle Be Unbroken? In addition to his ministry, Rev. Townley is a featured speaker in churches and other venues throughout the United States.

Click button at right to learn more about Rev. Ed's ongoing ministry at Unity Church of Dallas.

Paul Mertens (composer/performer for edtownley.com) is a Chicago-based composer/arranger and performer. He holds a BM in saxophone performance from DePaul University where he studied with Robert Black, Joe Daley and Mark Colby.

He has performed and recorded with a variety of artists including Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Mavis Staples and Stereolab. He is currently a member of the Brian Wilson Band and Poi Dog Pondering and was recently a featured soloist on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Paul has written arrangements and performed for Brian Wilson's tour and Grammy-winning recording of “Smile,” the Pet Sounds Tour, “Live In London” and “Gettin’ In Over My Head.” His arrangement of “Dvorak Re-mix Fantasy” was premiered at Orchestra Hall with Poi Dog and the Chicago Sinfonietta.

Writing credits include music for Steppenwolf Theater, the Peabody Award-winning documentary “The Lost Children of Rockdale County” and “Merchants of Cool” for Frontline, and the long-running “Workplace Essential Skills” for PBS.

Paul and his wife, Cynthia Von Orthal, have written and performed an original puppet musical “Akuba’s Dream” for their own company, Von Orthal Puppets.