Are miraculous healings real?

Someone asked today about miraculous healings. She grew up in a church were prayer was used as a primary "therapy" for any and all diseases but has grown skeptical as she has seen people from her own faith tradition suffer and even die in spite of their beleif in the power of prayer. This was my response:

My concern with dramatic "faith" cures is the depression and regret that result when the magic doesn't work for someone. Still, I believe in prayer. I also believe in medicine (which doesn't always seem to work either). I believe in the body's wisdom and resiliency. I believe that complementary therapies often help. Attitude, environment, genes, diet...so much goes into our experience of health. 

I have seen people recover when no one thought they could; and I've seen people who should have had a fighting chance not make it. I've expereinced blessings of recovered health for which I was very grateful...and other times, conditions remained or returned. 

Life is complex. We do what we can to be happy and vibrant and productive...medicine, diet, prayer, lucky charms...whatever we can hold onto in a moment. Lots of things help, and nothing seems to work 100% of the time; but isn't that life? Prayer helps us feel connected to God, and when we feel connected to God we have less anxiety, more peace, more hope, and that all can contribute to an improved experience. 

I just met someone who swears that after only a couple of visits to a mystical healer he has experienced dramatic remission of disease in his own body. Who am I to doubt it? He feels better so I rejoice for and with him. But even Mary Baker Eddy (who built an entire movement around healing prayer) said, "We've all known the disappointment of unanswered prayer." 

It works when it works, and even when it doesn't, there may be other blessings or other experiences of healing that took place. I wouldn't give up on any practice that gives you hope or encouragement, but I wouldn't think of it as a zero sum game. The all or nothing, it's 100% or it's BS mindset seems to do more harm than good. 

I say try whatever seems worth the effort, rejoice if it works, look for how it helped even if it didn't work the way you wanted, and know that life is full of ambiguities and unanswered questions. We do, after all, live by "faith" (trust) and not by "sight" (proofs, guarantees, etc.).

Pardon My Overshares

Pardon My Overshares
When I came out to myself, I came out to the world (and btw world, in case you forgot, I’m still gay!). And it was such a liberating and life-giving experience that it taught me to live my life openly, gladly, and as much as possible without shame or fear (or at least in spite of fears).

And so, I may “overshare” on occasion. I share my doubts, my challenges, my victories, my hopes, my joys. I share about my battles with (and various victories over) depression. I shared about my detached retina, long healing process, and the joy of finally having better vision than before the incident. I shared when loved ones passed from this life experience to whatever is next. I share about my long, complicated, and often dysfunctional relationship with the scale. I share about coming of age in the world of AIDS and living well as a long term survivor. Recently I’ve shared about a fairly brief experience of Bell’s Palsy (and the exciting and rapid improvement that followed).

I am not looking for sympathy (well, not from the masses...I have my personal sympathy providers and I’ll call them when I need them). I’m not looking for anything, actually. What I want to do is share that living a life of faith is not necessarily a life of constant ease, but it can be a life of constant hope and joy that is frequently renewed. I want to show that faith can help us find and employ tools that will enable us to conquer, survive, learn from, or reinterpret the challenges in life. Faith can even give us the power to laugh and laughter, as it turns out, is healing.

I simply want to be a credible witness to the truth that while experiences come and go, we always have the power to hope, to love, to laugh, to keep moving forward. We can demonstrate blessings in the middle of uncertainty, and we can experience love, peace, gratitude, and optimism regardless of the circumstances at hand.

I don’t always do it as well as I’d like. I can feel defeated or overwhelmed or afraid like everyone else, but I do try to remind myself that I don’t have to stay stuck in those feelings forever. And when I change my attitude about something, I almost always, to some degree, also change my experience of it. And I hope that is encouraging to others who may be facing difficulties.

So, forgive me for the overshares, but I offer them as gifts, and like all gifts, if they don’t appeal to you, “accidentally” leave them in the car and forget about them (possibly regift them later). But if they do encourage you, I am so glad and that alone makes it a blessing for me.

—Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins
Sunshine Cathedral
Ft. Lauderdale

I've Seen ( and experienced) Resurrection

Resurrection Narratives symbolize (for me) the possibility of renewal:

I’ve seen churches that were facing extinction experience a revival of passion and purpose and become thriving faith communities again.

I’ve seen people who were rejected by their families form new families of choice that were loving, functional, joyful, and life-giving.

I’ve seen people who were not the best parents get a second chance and prove themselves to be absolutely heroic grandparents.

I’ve seen old emotional wounds finally heal.

I’ve seen people who dropped out of school go back 50 years later and finish what they started.

I’ve seen people accomplish in wheelchairs more than they ever did when they had stronger bodies.

I’ve seen people face their addictions and live in freedom.

I’ve seen people outlive their prognoses by decades.

I’ve seen victims transform into survivors, and then into helpers who show others how to survive.

I’ve seen people come out and live in the powerful truth of their gender identity or their sexual orientation and realize that what they once thought of as a problem is in reality a great blessing.

I’ve seen people who had no self esteem come to believe that they are indeed God’s miracle and not God’s mistake!

#Resurrection #Renewal

Help Us Be Better (Prayer in Response to the Mass Shooting in Las Vegas)

Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Immaculate Heart of Mary,

Quan Yin, 

Lord Krishna,

Angels of grace and mercy...

We are all so tired.

We are tired of being angry.

We are tired of being afraid.

We are tired of feeling helpless.

We are tired of the cult of greed.

We are tired people being targeted for who they are.

We are tired of fighting.

We are tired of having our health care, our education, our wages, our relationships, our dignity being constantly threatened.

We are tired of mad men with WMDs acting as if human lives were pieces on a chess board. 

We are certainly tired of people by the dozens being mowed down in our streets, in our schools, in our cinemas and hotels. 

We are tired of being tired. 

We made and/or allowed this mess. It’s probably up to us to fix it. But to do that, we’ll need more hope, more compassion, more courage, more resilience, more wisdom, more commitment to higher, better ways...that’s where you come in, symbols of compassion, faces of love...

We dare not ask you to magically repair what we are unwilling to address, but perhaps you can inspire us, encourage us, whisper words of sanity, of healing, of determination to our hearts; somehow, in some way, maybe you will help us do what we have been unwilling to do so far. Help us be better. Inspire us to do better. And when we finally get our shit together, then add your blessings to our efforts. 

We’re tired. But we must do something about this chaos. So cheer us on if and when we collectively decide that we are better than this, that we deserve better than this, that we will no longer settle for this...this chaos, this pain, this madness. 

Help us help ourselves.

Help us help one another. 

Help us get motivated to mend what is broken, to nurture what is weak, to dream and work and move toward better days. 

Help us become the miracle that we need.

Amen. (dw)

A Prayer for Health and Healthcare

A Message from Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins 

There is a lot of angst in our country these days. We are often divided, suspicious, angry, and even afraid. In all of this confusion, we need to be kind to ourselves, and we must try to be respectful of one another. 

We have witnessed epidemics, wars, natural disasters, Depressions and Recessions, periods of social unrest, and we have recovered after each difficult time; likewise, we will get through the difficulties of this present time. I know that God is with us, and luckily, we have one another. I also know that the power of prayer gives us strength, courage, hope, and a peace that circumstances cannot take from us. So, we will continue to gather weekly for worship and prayer, to affirm possibilities, to encourage one another, and to praise the loving Power that holds each of us in good times and in challenging times. As we so often declare, "all shall be well." Things may not be easy nor quickly resolved, but ultimately, "all shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."

As our elected officials argue about the best direction to take our country, as our social and democratic institutions are tested and tried, and as we the people sort out our common values and dreams, we will find that prayer, worship, and shared community can sustain us. I hope you will commit to praying with me for the highest Good of all. 

One of the issues that we hear a lot about every day is access to healthcare in this country. Some want a single payer, universal system that assures care for everyone. Others believe that free market competition will eventually provide the best opportunities. These philosophical differences will not soon be reconciled but we must acknowledge that all people deserve the best possible care and many are afraid of losing the care they currently have. Our politicians will try to come to some resolution on the matter, and whatever they work out is unlikely to be perfect, but come what may, we can hope and pray and comfort one another. Let's do just that.

Today, let us pray for the health of the people of our country, and for healthy ways of resolving our conflicts, and for all people to have their needs adequately met from cradle to grave. I believe in the power of prayer. And so, let us pray:

God of abundant and endless life,

   We ask you to heal the suspicions and divisions, fears and hatreds in our wounded nation. We ask you to fill our hearts with hope and peace. We ask you to give us the wisdom, compassion, and courage to seek, to demand, and to expect equal opportunity, equal protection, and equal rights for all. And as the political pendulum swings left and right, help us to listen to the "better angels of our nature" and let us know that ultimately, all will be well.

   Today, especially, we pray for those who need medical care, those who are afraid of losing access to medical care, and for those who have been entrusted to work on our behalf to promote the general welfare. We can't know how exactly things will unfold in the days ahead, but we can know that no matter what, you are always with us and where you are, all good is possible. 

   We invite your blessings into our lives, Holy One. Give us grace equal to every need and in your great mercy, grant us peace. Amen. 

Healing Prayer

I need to say that I believe in healing. Not just the body's natural impulse to strive toward wholeness (though that is pretty amazing), and not just medical procedures that ease pain and prolong life (though that, too, is fabulous!), but in something more mysterious.

I have prayed for decades for people to experience healing, and so many have. Often that healing includes remission or cure, other times, the healing looks like courage or peace or restored relationships or a quality of life that defies circumstances or a gentle release at the end surrounded by loving hearts. I don't get to choose how the healing shows up, but I've witnessed it in many ways, and each of them are profound, beautiful, and even miraculous.

I've experienced healing in my own life, from living decades with a chronic (and once considered fatal) illness, to living an active life without surgery in spite of spinal birth defects (lots of massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, and the occasional aid of a cane have been been part of making the active life possible), to a seemingly miraculous remission of cat allegories and asthma, to having a retina reattached that over time (and a couple of surgeries) left me with better vision than before the detachment! There have been some biopsies along the way as well, but so far, so good. I must admit I always get a little anxious when those come around, but somehow the anxiety passes (and isn't that a great healing?!). I have also battled depression for most of my life, but even so, I have known great joy. The depression returns, but it has learned it will not be allowed to stay uninterrupted (not as long as I have insurance and a pharmacist!).

There are also the "rare" instances we all hear about...the person who comes out of the extended coma, the person for whom there are no more treatment options who somehow survives, the person who was never supposed to walk again who somehow does at last, the spontaneous remissions that can't be explained. And even though these "Lourdes"-like cures and second chances may be rare, that they happen at all seems to give us permission to hope that they will happen again, and again.

I'm sitting with these thoughts of healing because so many people are facing health challenges right now, or maybe for personal reasons I am particularly aware of them right now. And so I have been praying a lot for people in need of healing. As I said above, I don't get to decide how the healing shows up, but I trust that the energies of prayer are carried on currents of compassion that do reach those for whom we pray and that our prayers make a difference. When I know someone is praying for me, the comfort is as real as it is indescribable.

I have prayed for people and marveled at their recovery; and I have prayed for people and grieved that their situation did not improve as I had hoped. And yet, I trust that the loving energy emitted by prayer was a gift every single time, and that somehow, in ways I may never know, something was better because I took the time to wish someone well and to affirm possibilities that might not be obvious to everyone.

I believe in healing, even when I don't see it, even when it happens in ways that I may not recognize, even when it comes in ways other than I would have chosen if the choice were mine to make; I believe in healing, and I am stubborn enough to hope for miracles.

During my AIDS ministry in the 90s I learned that it cost me nothing to summon hope for someone. In those days my promise to people was, "as long as you hope, you can trust that at least one other person is hoping with you." I am resurrecting that promise for whoever needs it today. If you are trying to summon hope, I will hope with you. I can't promise any particular result (I don't sell snake oil, but hope is free and I will cling to it stubbornly on your behalf).

I really do believe that hope, compassion, and prayer make a difference, and at least sometimes, that difference may even seem miraculous.

(Durrell Watkins - prayer companion, dealer in hope)

October Calls Us to be Angels in our World

Holy October

             October has become a month that encourages us to celebrate human potential. October challenges us to remember heroes so that we might discover heroic qualities in ourselves. October even calls us to work for justice where justice has been denied. October is a very special month!

            There is a national holiday in October: Columbus Day. However, we now know that it is problematic to celebrate Christopher Columbus as the “discoverer” of North America, since Leif Ericson reached our continent 500 years before Columbus did, and the continent had been inhabited by indigenous people for thousands of years. So, Johnny-Come-Lately Columbus was the second European to visit a long inhabited continent. Worse than the inaccuracy of calling Columbus the discoverer of North America, is Columbus’ own brutality. When Columbus landed in the Bahamas he and his crew were treated well by the native residents. Columbus rewarded their decency by seizing their land and enslaving them.

Now many of us call what has been known as Columbus Day, “Indigenous Peoples Day” to honor the peaceful people Columbus first encountered and soon betrayed and tormented. Indigenous Peoples Day reminds us to honor the peace lovers, to value kindness and generosity, and to speak out against injustice.

October is also LBGT History Month where we celebrate heroes from our beautiful and diverse Queer community. We honor such luminaries as lesbian Jane Addams (co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union and first American woman Nobel Peace Prize winner), Miriam Ben-Shalom (discharged from the Army in the 1970s for being gay but she won a long court battle which resulted in her being reinstated in the 1980s), bisexual Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall-of-Famer Clive Davis (who helped the careers of such superstars as Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, and Carlos Santana), Arthur Dong (Academy Award nominee, Peabody Award winner, gay film-maker who features gay and Asian themes in his work), Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox (transgender actress, producer, and activist), and Richard Blanco (the youngest, first Latino, and first openly gay U.S. presidential inauguration poet – Blanco read one of his poems at President Obama’s second inauguration). We should be very proud of the many achievements that members of our community have shared with the world!

October also gives us National Coming Out Day which encourages us to leave behind closets of fear and shame and to live out loud as the gifted, wonderful members of the human family we are. October 6, 1968 is the founding date of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC). October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, reminding us to honor those who battle cancer, to remember those who lost their battle, and to wish and work for a cure. And sadly, October is the month in 1998 when Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard died from being attacked simply because he was gay.

October gives us a lot to think about, and opportunities to renew our commitment to make a difference. So, I call October holy, because in many ways it reminds us that we can be and ought to be angels of healing in our world.

Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins is the Senior Minister of Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale.

written for the Florida Agenda

a prayer for today

"Spirit of Life,
Our hearts go out today to the people of Nepal as they rebuild their lives following the earthquake.
We are mindful also of unrest in cities all over the country as lethal brutality by police against unarmed African American men is brought to our awareness more and more. We are thankful for the many brave peace officers who serve us faithfully and well even as we hope that those who abuse power and target minorities will be held accountable. We choose to believe in and hope for restorative justice.
We know that the US Supreme Court is hearing important cases, including the case that could settle the issue of marriage equality in this country. We affirm the dignity and sacred value of all people as we hold to the ideal of liberty and justice for ALL. May marriage equality be the law of the land throughout our country very soon and may we never wrap our fears, ignorance, prejudice or hatreds in the language of nationalism, religion, or "security" but rather let us value and celebrate the beauty of diversity.
And we continue to pray for cures to be found for diseases, for the wisdom to care for our good Earth, for children and the elderly to be safe, for compassion to guide us, for hope to sustain us, and for peace to prevail on earth. Amen."  - Rev Dr Durrell Watkins

I Remember

I REMEMBER

I, like everyone else, remember September 11th, 2001 when New York City and Washington, DC were attacked by hijacked aircraft. I remember the fear, the loss, the pain. I remember other things as well.

I remember the world extending concern, good wishes, and compassion in that moment of despair.
I remember communities coming together to raise money, clean up rubble, help wounded people, and comfort one another in a time of grief. I remember that a decade later, the master mind behind the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden, was killed. I don't rejoice at any killing. I might have preferred he be captured, tried, and incarcerated. But in any case, there was a sense of closure.

A lot was lost on 9/11, but so much more was spared, and good things were stirred within us. Heroism, compassion, resilience...the best of our humanity overpowered a moment of tragedy.

I have other remembrances, today. I remember that 9/11 wasn't the first, last, or largest tragedy to impact the human family.

I remember that the US government went 7 years without officially responding to the AIDS crisis. I remember that lives were lost because we failed to summon the better angels of our nature in time to contain a pandemic. I also remember when effective medications were finally released and people started living well with HIV, having real hope for long lives.

I remember growing up in a very homophobic environment, too scared to even admit to myself that I was gay, living in shame, fear, and confusion. I remember all those feelings rushing back to mind when Matthew Shephard was brutally killed for being gay. I also remember when Vermont started offering legal civil unions to same-gender loving couples and when Massachusetts first allowed same-gender loving people to marry, and that since those initial breakthroughs marriage equality has gained a lot of momentum. 

 I remember when Don't Ask, Don't Tell was overturn and LBGT people could serve openly and proudly in the US military. I remember that we have made a lot of progress.

I remember that our nation's history includes slavery, Jim Crow, and bloody battles for civil rights. I also remember that on November 4th, 2008, the 44th president of the United States was elected and he is a person of African descent.

I remember that on December 7th, 1941, the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl Harbor. I remember that following that, Japanese Americans were unfairly imprisoned in their own nation just because of their ethnic heritage, and I remember that on August 6th, 1945 the first time any nation used a nuclear weapon in war was when the United Stated dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Three days later Nagasaki also experienced nuclear devastation. Today, Japan is a democracy, a major economy, and an ally of the nation that they once attacked, a nation that retaliated with world changing force.

I remember that a prayer that we use weekly at Sunshine Cathedral is actually the gift of a witness of the atomic bombings of Japan, Masahisa Goi, who prayed (as we do each week), "May peace prevail on earth."

And today, I remember two journalists who were brutally killed in Syria and I wish their families comfort in the days and months to come.

There are many sad events in history to remember, and we should remember. But let us also remember the healing that followed, the opportunities that sadness could not take away, and the hope that remained for better days.

Today, I remember 9/11/01, but I also remember that pain was not invented that day, nor did pain win that day. Hope is always the indestructible force, and so while I remember events from the painful past, I also remember that we always have the power to hope and work for a better tomorrow. Let's do remember that we have the power of hope.
 

Blessings,

 

Rev Dr Durrell Watkins

Senior Minister 

Sunshine Cathedral 

Depression is No Joke

I didn't know that Robin Williams struggled with depression, but I'm not surprised. That much creativity and genius often has a deep, internal struggle behind it. And for him to be so up, the downward swings must have been very difficult. Anyway, I'm not qualified to analyze the late Robin Williams, but his sad departure from this life brings to mind loved ones who have battled depression. I struggled with depression as a child and four years ago I found myself in the midst of deep despair, and I am so thankful for friends who loved me through it as well as medication and therapy. I got through it and have gotten good at self-care, but I am ever mindful of those who are still trying to find their place of peace and wholeness. May all who are hurting today find the strength and comfort they need.

MCC Grads of Episcopal seminary Offer Plan for Reconciliation for a School in Conflict

Open Letter from MCC EDS Alumns to Leadership of EDS
June 30, 2014

Board of Trustees (BOT), Episcopal Divinity School
President & Dean (P/D), Episcopal Divinity School
Faculty, Episcopal Divinity School
Staff, Episcopal Divinity School

From Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) Alums of the Episcopal Divinity School (EDS)

Dear Friends,

On Tuesday, June 17, 2014 EDS alumni/ae serving Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) convened a conference call to discuss EDS. The express purpose of this gathering was to hear from MCC alumni/ae regarding the impact that the current state of the school is having since EDS is one of the primary seminaries promoted by MCC for theological education for clergy and laity.

Invoking the VISIONS guidelines for this gathering, alums expressed their concerns and frustrations with the current state of the school. Throughout the conversation, alums shared their perspectives of campus life as well as what was important to them and their learning while at EDS. Noted was what appears to be a shift away from the VISIONS model as a means to facilitate and promote transparent communication, open debate, and conflict resolution. These tools have, in the past, been critical to maintaining shared governance at EDS.

Concerns from the MCC alums also included:

~Writing to EDS officials, BOT and/or administration, and receiving no response. This lack of acknowledgement of well-considered correspondence is fueling ill will and giving the appearance of a lack of even the most basic common courtesy.

~Official emails from the administration seem to defend the President and Dean and the BOT while blaming the faculty in adversarial and accusatory language. Public responses should at least invite shared solutions. This lack of interest in diplomacy contributes to a deepening lack of trust.

~ There was expressed regret that the BOT did not agree to meet with the faculty at their request, and after repeated requests, over a year ago. Actions by the BOT after repeated refusal to meet with the faculty have exacerbated issues and contributed to a perceived lack of safe space for transparent conversation on a variety of topics. The simple act of listening might have kept a loyal and distinguished faculty from going to such great lengths to be heard.

~Perhaps most importantly many are troubled by the circumstances of changing the terms of the Church History position from tenure track to contract at the end of a nearly year-long search and after the Faculty Search Committee had voted on a final candidate. Concern was expressed that this perceived lack of ethics on the part of EDS has damaged our credibility in the academy and the church giving the impression that we are dishonest and untrustworthy. Alums also expressed that the administration seems to discount these concerns and respond as if the complaint was about tenure itself. Some feel that a public apology for making a mistake might open some space for healing. Simply saying the decision was not perfectly timed is not enough.

We are aware that organizations change and need to change. However, unilateral changes to systems by the BOT and the President and Dean without dialogue or buy-in from the larger EDS community, including staff, faculty, students, alumni/ae, and donors, is counterproductive. As Professor Christopher Duraisingh says, "dialogue is the very beginning of theology" and we believe that dialogue can be the key to resolving the tension at our beloved institution.

Some on our call expressed frustration to the degree that they have suspended their giving to EDS or are considering doing so. Some are no longer comfortable recommending EDS to those seeking theological education. Some are not willing at this time to send their own students in formation to EDS. We all look forward to the day when we are again able to fully support EDS. We are committed to dialogue, prayer, and honest efforts toward reconciliation. Healing is the hope of everyone who participated in the call.

Therefore, we as MCC Alums wish to share with you:

1. We have covenanted with one another to be in ongoing prayer for EDS.

2. We encourage you to foster relationships by insisting that all utilize the VISIONS model as a means to return to shared governance and open dialogue. EDS has invested time and financial resources to teach this model as a foundational course. We believe it only makes sense to utilize the tools being taught us as a means to end the friction. VISIONS, as we see it, is a major part of the DNA of EDS. Changes in policy should at least be respectful of the culture of EDS now decades in the making and to which many people remain thoroughly committed in their personal and professional lives.

3. We encourage all to de-escalate hostilities toward one another. We encourage all parties to deal with one another in a manner that is reflective of true integrity, religious values, transparency, and a respect for the dignity of all concerned.

4. MCC has long stood on the side of those are marginalized and oppressed. We as MCC alums recognize that there is hurt being felt in all constituencies. And we all experience both privilege and peril. In order to break this current chain of emotional violence, we recommend that two (2) representatives from each body, (selected from the bodies themselves - Board of Trustees, Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alums), meet to begin to forge a way to healing rather than blame, shame, and intimidation. Because the BOT chair and the President and Dean have become lightening rods for this conflict and because fear of reprisal by the President and Dean has been expressed, we strongly urge that both Chair Kowalski and President and Dean Ragsdale recuse themselves from this proceeding.

We believe that 10 people from these five bodies can begin a dialogue and find three common objectives to embrace and recommend to the larger faculty, the President and Dean, the entire BOT. This dialogue and recommendations will allow movement forward together so that we can begin to support some common goals and shared vision.

We sincerely and passionately ask that you hear these concerns, that you respect the time and energy that went into expressing them, that you allow yourselves to believe that they come to you in a spirit of love and hope. We pray that you honestly consider embracing the recommendations we put forward.

Sincerely,


Convener:
Rev. Dr. Robert Griffin (MDiv, ’06)

Letter Drafters:
Rev. Dr. BK Hipsher (Certificate, ’04; MDiv ’06; DMin ’12)
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins (DMin '09)
Rev. Dr. James Merritt (MDiv ’08; DMin ’11)
Rev. Dr. Michael Diaz (MDiv ’07; DMin ’12)

Additional Signers:
Rev. Booth Iberg (MDiv '11)
Rev. Candy Holmes (MDiv '11)
Eli Higdon (MDiv '13)
Terry L. Fetters (MDiv candidate, 2011 DL Cohort)
Rev. Dr. Joan M. Saniuk (DMin '08)
Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos (DMin '08)
Rev. Dr. Robin Gorsline (MDiv '85)
Rev. Dr. Thomas Bohache (DMin '07)

Loving And Letting Go

There is family, and there are relatives. Sometimes they are the same people, but not always and not necessarily. When people cut you out of their lives, sometimes without caring enough to even tell you, that's them struggling with their insecurities, fears, self-loathing, or regrets. Don't take it on. If they love their politics, their money, their religion, or their bigotries more than you, that is their deficit, not yours.

And, if people are happy to keep you in their lives but mostly as an emotional punching bag, then don't take on guilt if you need to walk away. You can do it without bitterness and with an openness to future reconciliation, but love doesn't mean being anyone's doormat.

Love yourself and be thankful for those who love you (as you are, not as they insist you should be), but don't let yourself be too miserable if the ones who do love you aren't the ones you once thought were "supposed to."

In the end, the silly games, dramas, and petty conflicts won't matter to any of us, except for the time they caused us to waste.

one less idol

one less idol  “It is time we stopped making an idol out of the bible.” Rev Dr Mona West

Too many people have allowed the bible to be a sort of deity in and of itself. When we use the “hard” and social sciences, philosophy, reason, and experience as tools to help us understand the bible, we see that we will not be able to agree with every word. We can value, love, and use the bible, but let’s never be oppressed by it. It belongs to us; we don’t belong to it. We can question it, try on new understandings of it, and remember that it is not the final word on any subject. The bible should not be used to condemn, exclude, vilify, or torment anyone.

I can question any text that has been used to frighten, control, or dismiss me. I affirm my sacred value as I read my sacred texts.

by Rev Dr Durrell Watkins

{Spirit and Truth Magazine}

Depression...It Happens

Depression is common among abuse survivors. People forget that depression can actually be a sign of survival. And, for those who struggle with it, there is help. Effexsor for 10 years kept me going, and when it stopped working, Aplenzin and Lexapro did the trick (for almost 4 years now). There's help. There's hope. And there's no reason to be ashamed. 

Healing Prayers for Depression

FREE Introductory Positive Spirituality Course (7 Lessons, 12 minutes or less each)

7. THE CHRIST METHOD OF HEALING

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwBDulWOp4g&feature=youtu.be

6. WHAT'S A MIRACLE?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X66rV0X6jvk&list=UUi1vfps751gSRdDZIIzhkvw&feature=c4-overview

5. REASONABLE, RELEVANT RELIGION

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGQo220K_-8&list=UUi1vfps751gSRdDZIIzhkvw

4. SAVED FROM WHAT?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfi5ZMjeOnk&feature=player_detailpage

3. RESPONSIBILITY WITHOUT BLAME

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0J7AyBD0Hg

2. IS THERE A SCIENCE TO PRAYER?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGsWYAE10JI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DEGsWYAE10JI&app=desktop

1    1. OMNIPRESENCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqEIejhV9Rk&feature=c4-overview&list=UUi1vfps751gSRdDZIIzhkvw

Omnipresence, Is There a Science to Prayer?, Responsibility Without Blame, & Saved From What?are discussions with Rev Dr Durrell Watkins, Rev Cindy Lippert, and Practitioner Candice Gee

Reasonable, Relevant Religion is a discussion with Rev Dr Durrell Watkins, Rev Dr Will Mercer, and Rev Cindy Lippert

What’s a Miracle? is a discussion with Rev Dr Durrell Watkins, Rev Dr Will Mercer and Rev Sedare Coradin Mercer

The Christ Method of Healing is a discussion with Rev Dr Durrell Watkins, Rev Sedare Coradin Mercer and Rev Cindy Lippert

These lessons can be used individually or one after the other as an introductory course in New Thought metaphysics. These resources are available for you to use them as you will. 

Durrell Watkins is ordained an MCC minister (since 1997), Certified Reiki Master (since 2001), ordained Divine Science minister (since 2011) and an initiate in the Kriya Yoga meditation method (since January 2014)

Durrell is the Senior Minister of Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale, FL

He holds degrees from Henderson State University, Goddard College, Union Theological Seminary, and the Episcopal Divinity School with additional studies from the College of Divine Metaphysics and the United Divine Science Ministerial School.

Cindy Lippert is ordained a Divine Science minister and is formerly licensed as a Unity minister. She is the past president of the International New Thought Alliance. She has completed theological courses of study from the United Divine Science Ministerial School, the Unity Institute, and the Samaritan Institute.

Candice Gee is ordained as an Interfaith minister and is a practitioner and ministerial student at Agape International Spiritual Center in Culver City, CA.

Will Mercer is a retired attorney, former chaplain, the President of the Divine Science Federation International and the Assistant Minister of the United Divine Freedom Church of the Healing Christ in NYC where he also has a very active wedding ministry. He is a graduate of the Lola Pauline Mays Seminary and is an ordained Divine Science minister.

Sedare Coradin Mercer holds a Master’s degree in Finance and is a graduate of the United Divine Science Ministerial School. She is the founding minister of United Divine Freedom Church of the Healing Christ in NYC, the President of the Divine Science Ministers Association, and a member of the INTA Governing Board. Before becoming a Divine Science practitioner and minister she was active in the I AM movement.  

Blessed are those who mourn...

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Jesus (Sermon on the Mount)

In Good Times & Bad, Keep Praying... by Rev Dr Durrell Watkins, Senior Minister Many people have been in my thoughts and prayers lately. There are those who are on our prayer list (where they stay for four weeks at a time) as well as those in our congregation whose circumstances are known to me. I've been very mindful of some who are looking for work. I've been thinking of some who have been recovering from (or preparing to have) medical procedures. There have been injuries. There has been grief over the death of cherished loved ones (friends, relatives, even pets). Over and over my thoughts are filled with the words, "God bless him" or "May she soon discover joy again" or "I affirm blessings for them, trusting that divine Love holds them and will not let them go." Sometimes the prayers seem to contribute to miracles. Sometimes, the prayers seem to offer comfort. And sometimes the prayers seem to do little other than to help the one praying feel as if loving concern prayerfully expressed might somehow make a bit of difference that cannot yet be felt or seen. Still, in prayer I remember that "there's not a spot where God is not." When we remember our unity with God, we are much more likely to experience hope, joy, and fulfillment; and even when outcomes disappoint, there remains the divine gift of inner peace and self-worth which were not given to us by life's circumstances nor can they be taken away by life's circumstances. As the Apostle Paul said, "If we live we live for the Lord; if we die we die with the Lord. So, whether we live or die we are the Lord's!" In more contemporary verbiage we might say, "I am never separate from divine Life. No matter what happens in life, I am Eternity expressing in time; I am an individuation of perfect, universal Wholeness." Today I have been praying for one of our deacons and his life-partner. I heard this morning that John was suddenly very ill. Updates throughout the day were consistently discouraging. Finally, this evening, I received a call saying that John made his transition from this experience of life to the next. His partner, Deacon Ed, is one of our faithful diaconal care-givers who provide pastoral care and comfort to congregants when they are in need. Today, my heart is heavy for Deacon Ed and I continue to pray for his comfort, for his strength, for his pain to soften over time into beautiful memories, for his grief to become a healing process that leads him gently back to abundant joy. Perhaps you have been blessed by Ed reading the gospel or praying for our various intentions in worship. Perhaps you have been encouraged by him or have known about his ministry to seniors. So, I am asking you to hold Deacon Ed in your heart in the days ahead, and bless him with your love.

Dear God, the light that we knew as  John shines throughout eternity, forever blessed by the Love that you are. And so we give thanks even as we ask you to hold  Deacon Ed in your tender care and keeping and offer him the comfort he needs in the days to come. Amen.

New Thought Spirituality

This video from 2010 was promoting that year's INTA Congress. The chat about New Thought and our ecumenical community is still interesting and soul-nourishing. Conversation with Dr Christopher Bazemore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAgPC_nTzxs

Prayer for Aurora

By now we all know about the tragedy in Aurora, CO that took place on July 20th when an armed person walked into a movie theater and opened fire on the unsuspecting audience, killing and wounding dozens. http://www.washingtonpost.com/colorado-shooter-identified-as-james-holmes-24/2012/07/20/gJQAWkdrxW_story.html?hpid=z1 When the unexplainable happens, we are tempted to ask why, but there is no reason that could satisfy. We can only acknowledge our shock, our horror, our sadness, our compassion, and our hope (even when that hope seems too thin to name). There are no magic words that will bring the dead back to life. There is no ritual that will miraculously mend the broken hearts of those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Even as wounded bodies heal, we know the psychic wounds may linger much longer. And while the assailant will undoubtedly face a system of justice, no amount of punishment, rehabilitation, sorrow, or regret will undo the harm that was unleashed by his actions. And still, as powerless and overwhelmed as the situation may leave us feeling, and as senseless as the violence seems to be to us, human decency and goodness demand of us an expression of concern, despair, and deeply held wishes for healing for the people of Aurora, CO. And so, once again, we turn to the practice of prayer for the comfort and strength it can provide. Let us pray: Spirit of life, the tears and moans of the grieving people of Aurora must reverberate throughout the universe, touching and moving the very heart of the one Presence in which we live and move and have our being. We can't know what brokenness led to the horrific events of that tragic day. Nor can we know how or when healing, peace, and joy will return to the community that has been so badly shaken. But we do know that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. The night may be long, but it must eventually give way to a new day. We give thanks that anguish is not everlasting. We are thankful that the human spirit is resilient and that Life, in spite of chaos, is always seeking to express Itself in marvelous ways. And so, unnamable Mystery upon which we depend but that can never be fully known, we ask you to move gently among the people of Aurora to begin the healing process that will lead them to one day embrace the possibilities of life again and to claim that peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable; for goodness' sake. Amen. In the shared human experience, Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins Senior Minister Sunshine Cathedral

Sunday Worship: 9 am & 10:30 am "I see no evil; I behold only the good. I have seen the drunkard lying in the gutter, and the saint kneeling in ecstasy before the high altar of his faith; but I have found no difference. I have perceived that each, in his own tongue, is seeking to express the One Life. I will not separate and divide; I cannot condemn nor censure, for I know that there is but One in All. I know that all came from the One, and all will return to the One. I know that all are now in the One, and that each is seeking to express the One. I know and Love all!" Ernest Holmes

Prayer Responding to Death of Osama Bin Laden

Prayer in Response to the Killing of Osama Bin Laden
by Durrell Watkins, MA, MDiv, DMin


Dear God who places within our hearts a reverence for all life as well as a passion for justice: The teachers and preachers, sages and saints whom you have raised up to help raise us up have all taught the power of forgiveness, the divinity of love, and the possibility of redemption.

And so we find ourselves this week conflicted.

We have called Bin Laden our enemy; we have remembered with pain and anger the lives lost because of his terrorism. We may have wanted him to be captured to stand trial in a court of law, but that was not to be.

Perhaps his killing was a sad inevitability; and we, at least in some moments, have felt a desire to rejoice even while knowing that our higher Selves would require better of us. We wonder if we can prevail over our enemies without celebrating their downfall. We struggle to remember that even those we hate are loved by you.

We now give our complex and competing emotions to you, trusting that your grace will balance and heal them.

And as the rush of feelings begins to calm within us, draw us together as one human family to work together for peace in our time and for all time; for the sake of your goodness. Amen.

Prayer for World AIDS Day

PRAYER FOR WORLD AIDS DAY
by Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins

Eternal Source of All Life,
On the occasion of World AIDS Day we pause to remember those who were taken from us too soon by a virus that has taken far too many.

We pause to honor those who have been living with HIV for decades and we give thanks that they are still with us; we also wish them many more years of good health and abundant happiness.

We pause to think of those who have been living with HIV for only a few years, months, weeks, or days. We pray for them to have access to the best possible health care, and we pray that they respond well to the treatments that are available.

We pause to consider those who are not HIV positive and to wish them well; may they take special care to keep themselves always safe.

We pause to bless those who have lost loved ones to HIV/AIDS or who have been in any way impacted by HIV; we give thanks for the ways that they may be comforted.

We pause to give thanks for those who continue to care for people with HIV, who work to find better treatments, vaccines, and even a cure, who work to make good health care more affordable and more accessible, and who work to educate the public about the issue.

We pause to recall that AIDS is still with us, and while it is with us we all have AIDS, if not in our bodies, in our compassionate hearts; and so we pray for healing and we commit to pray always for healing until the miraculous day that HIV/AIDS is only a memory.
Amen.