In recent weeks I have been remembering the old saying, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” When I did a little research on where this comes from, I discovered it is
attributed to an English preacher, William Lonsdale Watkinson, who used it in a 1907 sermon titled “The Supreme Conquest and Other Sermons Preached in America.” It’s meant for
Americans.
So, I’ve been thinking, in the midst of the strife, with plenty of cursing the darkness happening, how might I light some candles. This is not to say that there’s anything necessarily wrong with
cursing the darkness. Letting others know you’re angry, venting, gathering support and finding a common cause, all might do a person some good. But, it is also good to consider positive
things to do, to counteract the darkness that we feel surrounds us. And to consider that maybe it is good to take some time out of our day to quiet our minds, remember to express gratitude, and
to do good works.
One consideration to light a candle is to schedule some positive energy time and literally light a candle at our Peace Vespers. In April, these are Wednesdays at 6PM, but Peace Vespers will
be moving to Wednesdays at 7 PM starting in May. At our Peace Vespers, which has found its footing in recent weeks, we sing a hymn, have some short readings, have a very brief reflection,
and then meditate for about 10 minutes. This half-hour does a lot to quiet the mind and gives a counter-balance to all the news and negative energy that seems to be swirling around us. If we
can take time out of a day to publicly express anger, perhaps it is good to schedule some amount of time to pursue peace of mind.
As a church, we are also considering, again literally, creating light by installing solar panels on our roof. Starting in the Green Team, a proposal will be made to the board to consider whether
to go ahead with plans that were delayed due to our renovations. Some reading this may have attended the meeting with Solar Faithful, a company that specializes in church installations.
Whatever else is happening in the world, here on our green acre, we are still taking positive steps in preserving and promoting ecological good practices, and having an impact.
Finally, I’m very excited about lighting a candle in an event where People’s Church has always shone brightly. We will likely be organizing the Crop Hunger Walk for Ludington this fall. Jane
Phifer, who has led our congregation to past trophies for participation and fundraising in the past, will be leading our efforts in this along with the Social Action Committee. Especially as
budgets are being cut and agencies that provide food dismantled, our efforts in this area is critical in helping to provide food to those in need in our area and throughout the country and
world. As the answer to any problem is community, our walking together and with other people from other churches and organizations will be both a public statement and a means to remedy
some dark actions.
As individuals and as a church we are able to light lots of candles. In whatever dark circumstances we find ourselves, let us also remember to light some candles, take some time to seek peace of mind, express gratitude, and do good works.
