Louis Armstrong received criticism for singing “What A Wonderful World” when there was war and hunger and pollution. People said, ‘what’s so wonderful about all of that?’ Armstrong’s response was that it wasn’t the world that was so bad but what we were doing to it and to each other. All we have to do is read and watch the news to see that there is a lot of evil in the world, that pollution is as real as blue-green algae, and that hate is as recent as the mass killing in Orlando.

So what do we do? Sometimes we give into despair thinking there isn’t anything we can do. Sometimes we get inspired and decide to make a difference where we are with what we have, and sometimes we remind people of the greater vision, we sing about the possibilities that are before us.

As people of faith it is important that we continue to be people who express hope and remind people that God is active in the world. Is there pollution? Yes, but there is also beauty. Is there hatred? Yes, but there is also love. Is there despair? Yes, but there is also hope and hope does not disappoint us because hope does not come from us, it comes to us from God whose love has been poured into our hearts. Our mission is and always has been to make sure that God’s love and grace, given to us in Jesus Christ, is expressed to all people, and when we faithfully do that people are able to see that it really is a wonderful world.

God Bless, Donn