In 1930, at age 22, Henderson moved to Buffalo, New York, where she studied in local Spiritualist Churches, attending classes and developing her own spiritual abilities for about a decade. In 1945, she established her own Spiritualist Church for worship and teaching.
She was ordained as a Spiritualist Minister with the International Constitutional Church, an independent Spiritualist denomination based in Los Angeles. Her church was initially chartered as the Temple of Divine Science Spiritualist Center, and in 1948 it was reorganized and registered with the State of New York as an independent Spiritualist Church under the name Temple of Divine Science Spiritualist Church.
Under Henderson’s nearly 40 years of leadership, the Temple of Divine Science became one of the most active and respected Spiritualist churches in the region. As an African-American woman ministering from the mid-1940s through the 1980s, a period marked by segregation and the civil rights struggle, her leadership was particularly significant.
Though the Psychic Observer at times referred to her congregation as a “colored” Spiritualist Church, the Temple of Divine Science was largely an interracial membership. This openness and vitality helped establish her reputation beyond Buffalo, earning her recognition in national Spiritualist circles.
Henderson’s leadership was part of a broader pattern of African-American women ministers in Western New York, alongside figures such as Rev. Ethel Taylor and Rev. Marion Newbie of the Church of Divine Inspiration in Rochester, NY.Western New York, as the birthplace of Spiritualism and a hub of women’s suffrage and early civil rights activism, may have provided an environment in which black women could emerge as influential Spiritualist leaders, even among a largely white Spiritualist community.
Services at the Temple of Divine Science were held three evenings a week—Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday—and drew members, guest mediums, and lecturers from across the United States and Canada. The church also hosted regular dinners, fundraisers, and popular Friday evening development classes, where students trained under Henderson’s guidance. For Rev. Henderson, these classes were the most important part of her ministry, as she emphasized the importance of personal spiritual unfoldment and the cultivation of psychic gifts. An article from the Psychic Observer quotes Rev. Henderson saying:
“My most cherished service is when my class students assemble every Friday evening for psychic and spiritual development. These classes are sacred to us and the results have been most encouraging.” Also of note are very regular seances hosted at the Church, both by Rev. Henderson and guest Mediums, featuring a variety of forms of mediumship both Mental Mediumship (clairvoyance, trance, etc.) as well as Physical Mediumship (Trumpet, Apports, etc.).
Henderson’s church also extended its reach through charters to affiliated congregations, including an ordination in Utica, New York, which marked the third church affiliated with the Temple of Divine Science Spiritualist Church.
Rev. Henderson continued her work faithfully until her passing on October 6, 1987, and was laid to rest in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, NY alongside her husband, Julius Henderson.
The name of Henderson’s church, the Temple of Divine Science, offers some insight into her place within the American religious landscape. While her ministry was firmly Spiritualist, the title signals a clear connection to the Divine Science branch of the New Thought movement.
The New Thought movement emphasizes the power of thought, the creative potential of the mind, and the accessibility of the Infinite. Naming her church in this way reflects the common overlap between New Thought and Spiritualist teachings: both stress personal spiritual development, the immanence of Spirit, and the transformative power of disciplined thought, prayer, and meditation.
Many Spiritualist churches, especially those led by independent teachers like Rev. Henderson, incorporate New Thought texts to teach Spiritualist philosophy. Works such as The Game of Life by Florence Scovel Shinn, In Tune with the Infinite by Ralph Waldo Trine, and Ernest Holmes’ The Science of Mind often serve as guides for cultivating spiritual gifts and aligning oneself with Divine law. Henderson’s focus on teaching, psychic development, and healing demonstrates how she intentionally drew from both traditions to help her students unfold their spiritual potential.
Rev. Katie Lee Henderson’s life and ministry exemplify the intersection of Spiritualism, New Thought, and African-American leadership in 20th-century Western New York. Through the Temple of Divine Science, she cultivated a vibrant, inclusive community, blending Spiritualist practice with metaphysical philosophy to help her students develop their spiritual gifts.