The toast was written by long-time fellowship member Ed Wilson, who brings to our group a unique personal history. Ordained as a Seventh Day Adventist Minister, Ed pastored churches in Indiana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Alberta, Canada. Somewhere along the line, he changed spiritual direction, which led him to Unitarian Universalism. Ed also worked in radio in Columbus for 25 years—as a newsman, a commentator and talk show host. Then, for a dozen years, he served as executive to the mayor of Columbus. Now Ed’s the “adjunct minister” to our fellowship, due in part to his deep life experience and in part (we admit) to his deep, rich radio voice. He is also quite a writer. Here’s Ed Wilson’s toast:

We celebrate life…

We celebrate life with its beauty and its pain.
We lift these cups in tribute
to the achievements of human minds and hands,
and in sensitivity to the
frustrations of misfortune and heartache;
not fixing blame or credit for the outcome of chance,
sensing the risk…savoring the joy…
sharing it all!
Knowing of the certainty of death
and remembering the value of each moment,
we drink this toast in celebration
to this time…to the future…
to each other…to the throbbing of the
Earth and sea and sky with life.
We drink this toast in celebration of life!