Rev. Dr. Wilson

April 25, 2008

I feel for our church. Here we are in the Melbourne area attempting to put feelings and voice to our values in a land where we are the minority. Churches to the left and to the right refer to us as being a cult. These churches seem to thrive while we struggle in voicing our concerns for the injustices in a culture that cultivates and fosters poverty of mind, antagonistic relationships and supports the centralization of political power to implement their theology. All of these characteristics stand over and against our values. We know our faith is true and we find affirmation in the writings of the sacred texts of the Hebrew faith, Christian faith, Buddhist tradition, Earth centered sources, Native American sources, and in the Koran. And yet what we know and feel to be right spiritually and economically we do not find in the voices of our church communities, government, nor the business powers and our land. How are we to hold our spirits up to sing songs of community, love, peace, Justice when the darkness manifests itself in people rioting because of food shortages while our business communities and government turn food into greenhouse gases.
 

Our church has never been more important to us and our community than at this time as we stand on the edge of a cultural crisis. Even when there are no food shortages in our country people are stockpiling rice out of fear that has no match in reality. But of course over the last seven years we have been conditioned to respond to fear rather than to seek out facts and truth. We discern the truthiness of our governing leaders, our governing leaders both sources of governess, the multinational corporation sphere as well as in the halls of our legislators. Our commitment to our principles of life and light struggles under the oppression of propaganda, yet we must be nurtured. Our commitment to our faith, to one another, and our community must persevere as we lean our shoulders against the tide carrying the toxic words and substances that are threatening to our way of life. We have a history of pushing back tyranny , evil, and political oppression. Think of Theodore Parker and his stance against slavery, Margaret Fuller and her stand against the false science of women’s inferiority to man, Susan B. Anthony, Henry David Thoreau, James Reeb, the lives of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Kathy Stanton, Bill and Karen Whitehead, Michael Nash, Linda Mason, to name only a few. Let us being encouraged by our faith ancestors and our brothers and sisters who stand today in the path of darkness. I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve and participate in the community that engages this world with a drive to justice and compassion. Let us continue to celebrate and worship with each other as we bring our voice and action to the public green supporting genuine liberty and justice for all.

-Rev. Dr. Gregory Wilson