2020 Invocations (8)
In 2020, the Central Florida Freethought Community offered secular invocations at civic meetings across our region. Each reflection centers on shared human values—compassion, reason, integrity, and service—while respecting freedom of conscience and the separation of religion and government. Below are the invocations from this year.
2020 October 28 - Tee Rogers, Winter Park, FL
2020 March 2 - Jocelyn Williamson, Osceola County, FL
2020 February 25 - Deborah Jepson, Seminole County, FL
2020 February 18 - Joseph Richardson, Groveland, FL
2020 February 11 - Choice Edwards, Clermont, FL
2020 January 27 - Lenise Joseph, Winter Park, FL
2020 January 13 - Haley Walker, Maitland, FL
2020 January 6 - Mary Crisman, Deland, FL
28 October 2020 - Winter Park City Council
Tee Rogers - 190 words
Thank you, commissioners, citizens, and guests, for the opportunity to offer an invocation that is meaningful to diverse people of all religious, secular, and spiritual identities.
We each get only so many moments in this life. That you have invested so many of yours in service to this city is remarkable and inspiring.
As turbulent and stressful of a season as this has been, and continues to be, may we focus tenaciously on those we serve, on uplifting others, and on using our strengths to make a positive difference for our community.
May we be reminded of our solemn responsibility to the citizens of Winter Park. May we have the wisdom to navigate difficult decisions amid conflicting interests and issues and work together with integrity and kindness.
Knowing that our words, decisions, and actions directly impact others, let us be intentional in making compassion the guiding light for our accomplishments today.
Martin Luther King, Jr. [sic - Minor Myers, Jr.] reminded us to “Go into the world and do well, but more importantly, go into the world and do good.” May we use our time today to serve for the betterment of all.
Thank you.
2 March 2020 - Osceola County Council
Jocelyn Williamson - 333 words
Good afternoon Madam Chair, commissioners, staff, citizens, and guests. Thank you for including me in this first meeting of March.
Today is the beginning of early voting for the presidential preference primaries in Osceola County. And March is designated Women’s History Month. With that in mind I would like to quote Susan B. Anthony when she said “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” In fact, Anthony was arrested and convicted for voting in her hometown of Rochester, New York in 1872 before women had the right to vote. We've come a long way since then and I am glad to see the representation of women on the Commission here in Osceola.
We gather together today to find the best solutions for the county. So, with that goal in mind, and before we begin, let us take time to pause and refocus our thoughts for the task at hand.
To quote another distinguished woman in history - Harriot Tubman - “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” This cannot be more true than for those here to serve the County in any capacity this afternoon.
Everyone gathered in this room - is here with the dream and the energy to make a difference for the County.
May we recognize the value of each voice which speaks today. Let us strive to achieve a balance between listening and reflecting, between speaking and acting. May we focus fully and embrace the patience needed to truly listen to each other.
Let us incline our ears toward reason, apply our hearts to understanding and seek knowledge for the hope of finding common ground and bettering the County of Osceola.
May we remember the people who are in our community and impacted by the choices we make this afternoon – including those future generations, whose lives are guided by the decisions reached.
Thank you.
25 February 2020 - Seminole County Council
Deborah Jepson - 186 words
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, board members and fellow citizens of Seminole county.
To the commissioners I say a special thank you. Public service is not for the faint of heart and often requires personal sacrifice to be effective. Your presence here today is testimony to your resilience and your fortitude as you face the challenges that will come before this governing body. Decisions made today impact all of us as well as future generations.
Through your collective decisions and vision, through your spirit of hope and through your cooperation with others, Seminole County and all who live here will benefit.
As Woodrow Wilson said, “You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world.”
May Wilson’s words inspire you. And since this is Black History Month, let us remember the people of color whose proud history helped form and shape Seminole County.
We are diverse so let us work harmoniously together to transform our county through love, compassion and consideration. Our future depends on it.
18 February 2020 - Groveland, City Council
Joseph Richardson - 239 words
Mayor, Ash, members of the council, staff and citizens.
It is an honor to be here today to represent the Central Florida Freethought Community and your atheist, agnostic, humanist, and other non-religious constituents.
Even though I am representing the non-religious, I hope my comments will resonate with every resident. Over the last 19 years, Groveland has been a fast-growing and increasingly diverse community. From a population of around 3500 in 2000 to around 15,000 today, such increases can strain all aspects of city management and the patience of residents.
But the diversity of people moving in help to make Groveland a vibrant and interesting community. And it is our shared similarities, our collective hopes and dreams, our mutual love for our friends and family, our desire to build a better future for all of our children, our common humanity that bring us together and allows us to cooperate to improve the lives of all our citizens. Each one of you, by your commitment of time, energy and resources, helps to make this vision real.
We have a bright future ahead of us in Groveland, individually and together as a city united. And we are counting on your abilities and integrity to lead us to that future.
May your decisions and actions today and every day be guided by our common goals, by a sensitivity to our differences, and by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King who said: “The time is always right to do what is right.”
11 February 2020 - Clermont City Council
Choice Edwards - 296 words
Mayor, Ash, members of the council, staff and citizens.
I am a member of the Central Florida Freethought Community. The expanding number of religion skeptics of which I am one.
Many open-minded, reasoning, kind and loving Free Thinkers are here tonight, including the co-founders, David and Jocelyn Williamson.
We are constitutionally dedicated to separating religion from government and government, from religion. Government is of and for both the non religious and the religious.
Thank you for the invitation to deliver this loving invocation.
We celebrate love on Valentines Day. But what it love?
When I was a 15-year old boy, I thought it was five feet of heaven in a pony tail! Homer said Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus and Dione, was the Greek goddess of love. In Roman mythology, Venus was the goddess of love, sex, beauty, and fertility.
The ancient Greeks used seven words to define the different states of love we can experience: Storage : natural affection. Philia : friendship. Eros: sexual and erotica. : unconditional, divine love. Ludus : flirting . Pragma : committed, married love. Philautia : self love.
For me, however, love is an absolute... and it is expressed... in many ways: love of parent to child, sibling love, love of reason, love of religion, love of business, love of country, love of a special, significant... other.
Please join me in a moment of silent introspection as we contemplate how we can and shall express the power of love not to just one person but to many as we move from the despair of hate and discrimination to the glory of love and brotherhood.
(SILENCE)
We celebrate love on Valentines Day with but one expression of the emotion we call love. Let us love one another in all its expressions.
Mayor---
27 January 2020 - Winter Park City Council
Lenise Joseph - 237 words
Thank you, Mayor Leary, commissioners and city staff. The community appreciates your hard work on behalf of the city. And thank you for having an inclusive city that welcomes everyone.
This moment of reflection is to remind us that we are here to work in harmony for the good of, and in service to, our community. We gather together to share our collective wisdom in response to the needs of our citizenry. We are here to consider many issues and find the optimum solutions.
January is the month we recognize Martin Luther King. King once said “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?” Let us take this to heart for this meeting.
This afternoon let us keep in mind the people who are in this chamber and make the most of the sharing of ideas and the good will that comes from this.
Let us listen to one another intently, with the purpose of bettering our understanding and our community.
Then, let us think of the people who are in our community and impacted, by the choices we are making this afternoon.
Finally, let us think of the future generations, whose lives are guided by the decisions reached.
Today - may we incline our ears toward reason, apply our hearts to understanding and seek knowledge for the hope of finding common ground and bettering the City of Winter Park.
Thank you.
13 January 2020 - Maitland City Council
Haley Walker - 226 words
Thank you, Mayor McDonald, commissioners and city staff. The community appreciates your hard work on behalf of the city. And thank you for having an inclusive city that welcomes everyone.
In this moment, as we pause from the stress of the day, we can open ourselves to new perspectives and possibilities. January is the month we recognize Martin Luther King. King once said “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?”
Tonight, let us think of the people who are in this chamber and make the most of the sharing of ideas and the good will that comes from this.
Then, let us think of the people who are in our community and impacted, by the choices we are making this evening.
Finally, let us think of the future generations, whose lives are guided by our decisions.
Each January offers a new slate and tonight we begin to write upon it.
Let us write compassion.
Let us write reason.
Let us write equality.
Let us write thankfulness for what we accomplish together.
Let us aim to give our very best to the city of Maitland.
As the new year begins, let this new year be a year of greater solidarity and acceptance, for a kinder, more equitable and sustainable world is not only possible, it is on its way.
Thank you.
6 January 2020 - Deland City Council
Mary Crisman - 218 words
Thank you, Mayor Apgar, commissioners and city staff. The community appreciates your hard work on behalf of the city. And thank you for having an inclusive city that welcomes everyone.
In this moment, as we pause from the stress of the day, we can open ourselves to new perspectives and possibilities.
Tonight, let us think of the people who are in this chamber and make the most of the sharing of ideas and the good will that comes from this.
Then, let us think of the people who are in our community and impacted, by the choices we are making this evening.
Finally, let us think of the future generations, whose lives are guided by our decisions.
Each January offers a new slate and tonight we begin to write upon it.
Let us write compassion.
Let us write reason.
Let us write equality.
Let us write thankfulness for what we accomplish together.
Let us aim to give our very best to the city of Deland.
As the new year begins, let this new year be a year of greater solidarity and acceptance, for a kinder, more equitable and sustainable world is not only possible, it is on its way.
At Martin Luther King Jr once said: “The time is always right to do what is right.”
Thank you.