Shared on March 9, 2025

I was raised in a mixed Catholic/Jewish family, attending synagogue on the High Holy Days and church on Easter and Christmas. I didn’t have any religious education and by the time I went to college I resented the rules and what I considered to be the hypocrisy of organized religion.  I felt then that my own brand of spirituality was enough for me.

But when I started to think about raising my own family, I knew I wanted more for myself and for my children than what I had in my own childhood.  Through friends I became aware of the Fellowship and decided to see if it was the right fit for me and my family.

I immediately felt the warmth of the people, loved listening to the progressive religious ideas, enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and the opportunities to engage in social action.  I found my religious and spiritual home where I/we could learn, be challenged, have fun, be comforted, celebrate together.  This was what I had been looking for, to be part of a religious community that held the values and beliefs I cherished centered on love: empathy, respect, commitment, generosity, acceptance, and searching for meaning in this world here and now.

We signed the book in 1980, committing to this religious  community, and it has been a 45 year gift to myself and my family. At every phase of my life since joining, the religious principles and values of this Fellowship have guided me, informing my daily intentions, actions, and activities .  My children learned to be the amazing people they are, at least I think so, because they grew up in this nurturing space where they had a larger loving community to rely on while they were figuring out who they were. They felt loved, valued and respected here. They had mentors who encouraged them to be all that they could be. And I had that same experience, having mentors here who guided me on my own religious journey, helped me to become a better parent, a better human being, who encouraged me to learn and grow, to take risks and meet challenges.

I come each Sunday sometimes with joy in my heart, sometimes deep in grief and sadness.  I leave feeling heard, seen, cared for, comforted and loved.  And, with some hope, because I know that despite what is going on in the larger world, there are beautiful people here and I am not alone.