Words of inspiration

At 11pm on December 31st, 1999, on the cusp of the Millenium and a new century, residents of Strafford's Upper Village opened their homes to their fellow townspeople for drinks and snacks. The ceremony took place in the Town House where there were songs and speeches.

William Sloane Coffin Jr.
Photo by Jon Gilbert Fox

To a standing room only crowd noted theologian and Upper Village resident William Sloane Coffin Jr. inspired those present with the following words:

"Some of us think Strafford is the center of the universe, or at least the hub of the solar system. And some days it is hard to believe otherwise.

Still, we know that our two villages are part of a messy world where disasters happen, and diseases strike, and hopes are dashed, and trust betrayed. In short, we live in a world that can break your heart, if you stay around long enough.

But the world still remains beautiful beyond any singing of it and -- thank God -- we are not alone. We have each other, and not only families dearer than any prize the world can offer, not only friends without whom sunlight would vanish from our days; not only those precious people we have loved and lost; but also a millennium of ancestors whose faith lives on in our hearts, whose knowledge lights our paths, and who are always crying out to us, "Finish our work, finish our work."

In the new Millennium we will surely carry on their work with scientific discoveries and engineering feats that will stagger the imagination. Already the 21st century promises inventions more spectacular than seen in the century just passed.

But will our technology surpass our humanity? Will we empower the humble and humble the powerful? Will we honor and care for our Mother Earth? And will we, at long last , find the wisdom to bury war in history along with slavery, colonialism and apartheid?

"Finish our work." We can if we remember that only those who attempt the absurd achieve the impossible!

In this Millennium, we have made a world for some of us. Let us go into the next to make a world for all of us."