Friday Night Dialogues at the Library: An old friend talks about hope
On May 5 at 7 p.m., as part of the Friday Night Dialogues series, the Shelter Island Public Library will host an important homecoming reunion with an individual who has profoundly touched the lives of many Islanders.
Pastor Bill Grimbol, former spiritual leader of the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church for 22 years and director of the congregation’s Community Youth Center programming for even longer, will return, not for a sermon or religious celebration, but to initiate a vital conversation with us, his onetime neighbors, a conversation about hope.
“Early on at the church, I remember a chat with two sisters, Kay Halsey and Irene Simes, who wanted to bring me up to speed,” said Pastor Bill. “They pronounced in unison, ‘The Island is one big neighborhood, which can sometimes be painful,’ Kay said, and not missing a beat Irene offered, ‘But in a crisis, everyone comes running.’”
Pastor Bill believes the community can rise to the challenge of the present moment by sustaining this “neighboring feeling” that is the rare, spiritual core of Island life as he experienced it.
Finding our way to one another can seem daunting in these troubling times. In the description of his talk, Pastor Bill elaborates: “There is ample chaos and division. There is a lack of compromise, community and common ground. Above all else there is a lack of genuine hope. Hope, in today’s chaotic and often crazy world, will not come easily. It cannot be about success, and how much stuff we might own. Hope will not come cheap. It will require real commitment. It will present great challenges for change. It will need all of us to seek to be mature.”
Poignantly, it was working closely with young people on Shelter Island that brought Pastor Bill to a deeper understanding of what constitutes maturity.
“Kids have an ability to see right through any adult insincerity or deception. They beam right in on the essential question: ‘Do you care about me?’ Sadly, often the mentors are few and far between,” he said. “Becoming ‘the adults in the room,’ where extinction is hovering overhead, means committing to a simpler, saner world, starting with the words ‘enough,’ ‘less’ and ‘compromise.’”
Pastor Bill’s own path of maturing has taken him from the Island back to his birthplace in Racine, Wis. and now to living in Vermont and, though he has suffered loss and been humbled in the intervening years, he has also found joy in writing several books, painting and in the loving surround of family.
Yet he feels drawn to Shelter Island. He wants to engage with us in trying to navigate these turbulent times and the Shelter Island Library represents the perfect venue in which to do so.
“When Bill was here, he led people in really important conversations — not religious, but spiritual conversations. People seem to miss that opportunity,” said Susan Binder, who is a Shelter Island Library Trustee. “The library provides a place for this and we’re delighted to welcome him home.”
For those who have missed him, come shake the hand of a friend. For those, like this writer, who are non-religious and have never had the pleasure of meeting Pastor Grimbol in person, please don’t miss the chance to hear from a gifted storyteller, devoted public servant and celebrant of the glory of being human. You just may enjoy giving free expression to your soul-seeking selves.
Please register for the Friday Night Dialogues Program with Pastor Bill Grimbol by visiting the Events calendar at silibrary.org. For further information or assistance, contact Jessica Montgomery at [email protected] or 631-749-0042.
All library programs are free to the public, however donations are gratefully accepted.
Next Up: On Friday, May 19 at 7 p.m., please join Stephen Sanfilippo at the library for a musical exploration of maritime life throughout history in “Fisherfolk; Fishersongs: Fisherman’s Work, Life & Hardships as Told through Historic and Contemporary Songs.”
