Senior Minister & Books
Sunshine Cathedral is a learning community and a teaching community. We challenge one another to apply critical thinking and practical reason to the myths and metaphors of ancient scriptures. Our commitment isn’t to dogmatic certainty but to living lives that are hope-filled, peace-loving, and justice-seeking. We affirm that all people have sacred value and are made in the divine image.
If you are in the Fort Lauderdale area please visit us in person. If you live elsewhere, visit us in “Second Life” where you can experience virtual church or watch our streaming video sermons on the Cathedral website. All of us who make up this extraordinary, joyful, and blessed community welcome you. We invite you to consider making this church your spiritual home.
Blessings,
Durrell+
Rev. Durrell Watkins, M.A., M.Div., DMin.
Senior Pastor
Click here to purchase: Books by Pastor Durrell
Spirituality is both a personal and a shared experience; it is private and communal. The old religious dogmas, hierarchies, creeds, and antiquated vocabularies are increasingly irrelevant to 21st century seekers of truth; but the shared spiritual journey still has value.
Can we move beyond the irrelevance of outmoded religion and still form spiritual communities, embrace life enhancing rituals, enjoy sacred stories, and ask honest questions that may not have preapproved answers? One liberal minister thinks that such spiritual communities are possible and needed and he has devoted his life to creating such communities. For more information about books check this out.
A humanistic spirituality can still embrace mystery and wonder, hope and peace, possibilities and wisdom, and as we offer such spirituality, a new generation may discover that houses of worship can still have meaning.
To purchase, click here: Saved from Salvation by Rev Dr Durrell Watkins
Celebrating the Queer community, affirming the sacred value of all people, blessing this world rather than making promises about the next, acknowledging the sacred in the secular, blending and transcending traditions to create a new and relevant church experience for the 21st century, Sunshine Cathedral is a “different kind of church.
Financial gifts are needed to support good causes and churches are especially dependent on faithful, goodwill offerings. But giving is more than funding projects; it is a spiritual discipline that helps the giver grow. Generous people tend to be happier and they feel personally invested in the good work their gifts make possible. As much as churches and charities need our gifts, we need to be givers. This short book will encourage you to grow in the grace of giving and to experience the blessing that it is to be a consistent, generous giver.
Knowing that prayer is a power within you rather than a way of begging an external Power for help is a wonderful discovery. Using the power of positive prayer, we can reclaim our lives and our joy.
Can a Skeptic Enjoy the Bible?
Wrestling With God Without Getting Pinned is an honest struggle to apply critical thinking and practical reason to the myths and metaphors of ancient scriptures. The author believes that creative writing can be true (and in fact can offer new truths as each reader approaches a text) without being factual. Wrestling With God….is an affirmation of truth that does not demand the literary symbols of scripture be taken literally. Rather than asking religion to redeem people, the writer is asking thinking people to redeem religion so that it can be relevant in the 21st century.
Using simple and inclusive language, this small book offers inspirational quotes as well as a prayer for every day of the year. Drawing on the wisdom of the Judeo-Christian scriptures as well as on other spiritual traditions of the world, and holding always a sense of optimism and gratitude, these short prayers will remind you of your unity with the one Presence and one Power that is expressing through and as your life and with which all things are possible. As we practice the affirmative way of praying offered in Optimism & Gratitude: Prayers for Every Day of the Year, we will feel empowered and we will learn to expect the best from ourselves and from Life.
Progressive, Positive & Practical: New Thought Reflections
Consistently throughout this small book, you will be affirmed as a person of sacred value, and you will be encouraged to affirm yourself as a gifted member of the human family, possessed of great potential. You will also be encouraged to see the Light of divinity within you AND within all people.
Progressive, Positive & Practical: Encouragement for Spiritual Leaders
This is a book that will encourage leaders of progressive, inclusive spiritual communities. As the title says, the teachings are progressive, positive, and practical. This is a book meant to help liberal, open, and affirming worshipping communities thrive by encouraging their leaders.
A positive thinking, optimistic, and empowering book that teaches us to use our words intentionally to direct our thinking in ways that will create the feelings that will bring joy and wonder to our lives.
A liberal minister offers thoughts about prayer and models of prayer for people who practice spirituality on the margins, and for those who have not identified with a particular spiritual path. This isn’t a typical prayer book, but it may become one of the most important ones on your shelf.
