The Center for Spiritual Living St. Augustine (CSL) is a church. They are non-denominational and very welcoming to all. I know this because I was welcomed in years ago, and I’ve witnessed many new people come after me.
Sunday service starts at 10 am. Before that, at 9:30, they have a free guided meditation and reiki session. There are a group of rotating practitioners who lead the session, each with their own style and following.
Between the meditation and the Sunday service, they have live music. This is also performed by a rotating roster of entertainers. In the past CSL St. Augustine had house bands, but to accommodate wider audiences, they decided to change performers weekly. Some of the more popular performers are Sam and Luci and Eddie Watkins Jr, whose credits include many Motown classics we all know.
Then at 10 am, Reverend Doctor Ken Wilcox takes the stage and delivers a message inspired by the world around him. As an outsider, and non-religious at that, the primary message I get from it seems to be ‘Do good, and good will come to you’. It’s all about being a nicer person, finding beauty in disorder, and making the best of what we’ve got. The whole thing is based on spirituality, he’s not reading scripture from thousands of years ago and expecting it to fit today’s world. He uses common sense to apply moral value to our world, and it’s a great message, week after week.
Something I find very cool happens immediately after service. The congregation goes into the next room and has a potluck brunch together. It’s a nice way to meet and socialize, and no one gets left alone. New people are recognized and treated like they’ve been coming for years. It’s a wonderful experience, especially if you’re lonely and looking for some nice folks to be around.
The Center for Spiritual Living St. Augustine does some great things in our community, too. Right inside the front door is a little red wagon, where congregants deposit groceries. And after service each week, someone drives all the groceries down to the local food pantry, St. John’s Ecumenical. That’s really fantastic.
They accept donations of old tech equipment, which is donated to the local domestic violence shelter, Betty Griffin Center. Betty Griffin Center operates the largest thrift store in the county. Some of the equipment – laptops, phones, computers, etc – can be restored to new, and will be used by survivors of domestic violence. This can help a single mom find a new job, make arrangements for childcare, and other things she may have had to leave behind. CSL St. Augustine has also collected Christmas presents for the families of domestic violence.
Something else they do for Christmas? They take a group down to the local retirement homes, and they sing carols to the elderly and handicapped who can’t get out. This is probably the most heartwarming experience I’ve ever had personally, seeing the faces of the residents light up at an unexpected song, a bright light in their final months or days. They deliver gift bags with toiletries and such to the residents, making them feel important, if only for a moment.
And then there’s the Venus Manly Scholarship. Venus Manly was a young CSL member who passed away, and the church set up scholarships in her name. Each year, they give these out to handicapped or disabled teens transitioning into college, helping with the expenses.
These are things I like about the Center for Spiritual Living St. Augustine. The preacher drives a regular car, he lives in a regular house, and you can see the good this church does in the community. They are here for us, and maybe it’s just me, but I find that rare these days.
Meditation & Reiki 9:30
Live Music 9:45
Service with Rev. Dr. Ken Wilcox – 10:00
1795 Old Moultrie Rd.
St. Augustine, Florida 32086
https://cslstaugustine.org/
https://www.youtube.com/CSLStAugustine
https://www.facebook.com/cslstaugustine/
