Page 162 - Winterling's Chasing the Wind

finally walk to the sidewalk outside my home. Being able to walk a couple of blocks
after two months, I felt the words of “It is no Secret”, “Love Lifted Me” and “A Shelter
in the Time of Storm” reminded me of God’s healing power.

And I must add that through the years, I have been blessed by the friendship,
spirituality, and guidance of other men of the cloth. I have known Rev. Dick Petry,
Pastor Emeritus First United Methodist Church of Jacksonville since our days at Lake
Shore Junior High and Robert E. Lee Senior High. We are members of the Lee High
Reunion Committee and together have helped gather former classmates for seven
reunions. And as a devoted Methodist minister, he has been unfailing in supporting and
enhancing my Southern Baptist Christian faith.

Jacksonville has also been fortunate to have other such outstanding ministers as Albert
Kissling of Riverside Presbyterian, Grady Snowden, Jr. of Park Lane Baptist, Richard
Petry of Snyder Memorial Methodist Church, and Dr. Homer Lindsay, Sr. and Dr.
Homer Lindsay, Jr. of the First Baptist Church. All were compassionate pastors
beloved by their congregations and highly respected in the community at large.

I have always considered my religious beliefs to be a personal matter. I believe in the
true God of all creation and found that Moses’ account of creation was striking familiar
with the order of formation of the earth, from the steamy ball that slowly cooled to
condense the vapors to the ocean below and the overcast above. By the fourth stage
(not a literal day), the clouds separated to reveal the sun, moon, and stars. I found it to
be remarkably true the forms of life prior to Homo Sapiens agree with evolutionary
science. I disagree with the Fundamentalists that take the Biblical account literally.

I think my religion is closer to that of the Christian Universalists but many who have
this conviction continue to attend traditional churches for the sake of remaining united
with their families. When it comes down to it, churches have served God’s purpose of
nurturing morality in the lives of children. After all, Jesus said, “Let the little children
come to Him, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven”. Jesus was the Great Teacher
through his parables. As I grew older, I tried to be tolerant of other people’s beliefs. But
I’ve refused to trust the money-seeking appeals of the evangelists who appear on
television in my home. They are today’s equivalent of the money-changers that Jesus
condemned in the synagogues.

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