It was a joy to join together across many faiths and races for the International Day of Peace.  Many have asked for a copy of Rev. Dr. Casey Kimbrough's thought-provoking address.  Please read it below - and be prepared to be inspired.  Thank you, Casey, for this gift of peace.

"If you are yourself at peace, then there is at least some peace in the world.  Then share your
peace with everyone, and everyone will be at peace."  (Thomas Merton)

 I am thankful for this opportunity to share with you this afternoon.  Especially, given that the room
is filled with so many gifted women and men of God.  International peace day, gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and give thanks giving to our creator, to sow a song of peace in our minds.

When I think of all of the wonderful gifts that I have been the recipient of I can think of no other
that has been more important than the gift of peace.  Here is a gift that never grows old, and is never out dated.  It is a gift that is never too small or never too large.  The gifted of peace is need in every home and every nation.

The gift of peace is needed in our bodies, minds, souls, and spirit.  The abused and the abuser
are all in need of the gift peace.

 We have all heard it and chuckled.  The beauty pageant contestant who, when ask, "If you had
one wish, what would you wish for" - then it comes - "world peace".

 If only it was that easy.  But centuries of experiencing non-peace has caused many to give up
hope, fold their tents, and retreat to the land of impossibility.

 Yet, I am a person of faith - and I do affirm and believe in the reality of a personal God: a God who
creates, and cares not only for this vast universe, but, a God who carries for the tiniest of birds. 

 When we think of God, we think of peace.  Peace is a simply yet very difficult concept.  In one
sense we all understand and know from experience what peace is.  Yet, in another sense so much around us is contrary to this preferred state of being. 

Mother Teresa after declining an invitation to attend an anti war rally - she responded back - "when you have a peace rally then invite me."

I am truly blessed to be asking to share at this international peace day.
 
International - a great challenge - it is very difficult to speck to any international situation, or issues. 
While we all are a part of the international community, we can only speak through our particular community, in the context of our particular history, through our particular experience.

 I can only speak through the vile of this flesh.  My presence invokes different thoughts, emotions and feelings based of our unique particular history and the story of the interpretation that has been
passed for one generation to the next.

 We ought to hold our judgments.  What we see more often influences our judgments than what
we hear.  In the community of my youth the seniors of our worship community would say, "I would rather see a sermon any day than hear one".  Eloquent speeches have their place but our lives are ultimately judged by our actions.  Words of peace fall empty without corresponding actions.

My desire is to live a life where my presence evokes peace - my words, and actions ought to give
life to peace.

 In ethics I was taught - "where there is no justice there is no peace."  Problematic as peace may
be, justice is an even more difficult notion to come to agreement upon in the international community.  Yet, authentic peace is worth the extra energy. 

 Peace ought never to be reduced to personal piety (while important) without social implication.

 So, like many here today I seek to live in peace with my sisters and brothers in the global
community.  When I read my morning news paper headlines ( which I know that many here have read) I am always prayerful and humbled by the enormous proliferation of so much in our world that fuels what is opposite of peace.

 All of our faiths and belief systems teach and admonish us to peace, yet century after century
we continue to somehow miss the mark.

 I was going to quote at this point several differ spiritual teachers and there words that
admonish us to live lives of peace.

 But, while I was sitting in my office at home with the windows open, typing, in thought, I heard a
bird chirping.  My mind said, "You are to be writing a few words for the esteem occasion of the international peace day."  I heard that bird chirping.  I thought, you do realize, you are not qualified to speck to such an august body on such an important subject as peace.  Then I heard that bird chirping.  It was as if the divine was saying to me this little bird that you cannot see, but only hear, is far more qualified to speak on the subject of peace.

 This little bird that lives by faith every day- This little bird that flys on the wind, and lives among predators- This little bird that has learned to sing a song of peace in the mist of all the cares of the world- This little bird that is connected to all that is divine and lives in harmony with creation and the
creator-

Here is the message of peace: Live every day by faith - like a little bird.
Fly on the wind - among the many predators - like a little bird.
Sing a song of peace in the mist of the cares of this world.
Live connected to all that is divine in harmony and peace with creation and the creator.  As this little bird did for me, pass on the action and spirit of peace, even if they cannot see you.

Just, as that little bird blessed me with a song of peace, I so bless you with peace, and I challenge you to bless others - with your song of peace.

LET US LIVE IN HARMONY WITH
CREATION AND OUR CREATOR - AND PASS ON A
SONG ACTION OF PEACE.
LIVE IN PEACE.