New! SMART Programs
SMART Creation Care Lunch & Learn Series: “And God Saw It Was Good” Tuesdays in September | 11:30 AM |. Walden Conference Room
Join in for a new Lunch & Learn Creation Care Series, "And God Saw It Was Good" being held Tuesdays in September beginning Sept. 9. Participants will gather in the Walden Hall Conference Room (carpeted section) for informal conversations on the spirituality of nature through the ages. Invite a friend and bring your own lunch and beverage!
SMART Discussion Series: Exploring White Christian Nationalism Tuesdays in October | 11:30 AM | Walden Conference Room
This October, St. Mary’s SMART Forum invites you to a four-part series exploring the rise of White Christian Nationalism - a movement increasingly present in public discourse and shaping aspects of American religious and political life.
Living Gracefully By Pastor Russ
This month, I am sharing this article by actor Anthony Hopkins, age 88, whose goal of reaching his end in “harmony with myself, my loved ones and my conscience,” resonated with me and my thoughts on living a meaningful life.
“I know that I have less time to live than I have lived. I feel like a child who was given a box of chocolates. He enjoys eating it, and when he sees that there is not much left, he starts to eat them with a special taste. I have no time for endless lectures on public laws - nothing will change. And there is no desire to argue with fools who do not act according to their age. And there's no time to battle the gray. I don't attend meetings where egos are inflated and I can't stand manipulators. I am disturbed by envious people who try to vilify the most capable to grab their positions, talents and achievements. I have too little time to discuss headlines - my soul is in a hurry. Too few candies left in the box. I'm interested in human people. People who laugh at their mistakes are those who are successful, who understand their calling and don't hide from responsibility; who defend human dignity and want to be on the side of truth, justice, righteousness. This is what living is for. I want to surround myself with people who know how to touch the hearts of others; who, through the blows of fate, are able to rise and maintain the softness of the soul. Yes, I hustle, I hustle to live with the intensity that only maturity can give. I'll eat all the candy I have left - they'll taste better than the ones I already ate.
“My goal is to reach the end in harmony with myself, my loved ones and my conscience. I thought I had two lives, but it turned out to be only one, and it needs to be lived with dignity.”
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