Bio
At my core
I'm a truth-teller -- I call it as I see. While my friends sometimes refer to me as the Irreverend Reverend, my aim is always to help and to serve with compassion.
Qualifications
Reverend Mary Stone is an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister through One Spirit Interfaith Seminary, with a Master's Degree in Counseling from Pace University and ten years of professional officiant experience. She is also a certified Reiki Teacher/Master. She spent her professional career in the human services field, with expertise in 12-step recovery, addiction, grief, and group work. She now works as a spiritual mentor and wedding officiant in Arlington, VA, creating personal ceremonies for interfaith, spiritual & nonreligious couples across NoVA, DC & SoMD.
New York Girl
I was born and bred in New York City, and have lived in various places to include Germany, Kentucky, and Boston. I currently live in Arlington, VA with my beloved first & only husband Charlie, my dog, and his cat.
Faith
I believe that all faith traditions contain beauty, value, and truth. I believe we are currently in the midst of a social revolution, and that things fall apart so that they may come back together in a better way. Many old ways are dying, and as well they should. I hope that we keep fighting the way towards peace, and not give into fear, because we can not lose our souls to this "us and them" mentality. I say it's OK if you don't agree with me. We have far more similarities than differences. Will you walk with me on the path of change?
I ask for you to consider, why in the midst of all this global angst are we trying to find answers by focusing on our separateness than through our shared grief. Why are we allowing the actions of the few to override our biological inclination to bond, adapt, and overcome? Are we so beaten down by the peddling of fear-mongering that we can no longer see the beauty in collective humanity. We are now being given an opportunity to level the playing field regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation or identification, creed, or citizenship.
I am not ready to give up or give in to panic. If I am being idealistic, then I'll go down swinging for equality and unification. I challenge you to follow your inner-truth by remembering that we are all in this together, and that united we stand, but divided we fall.