Only 5 more letters left for the Encyclopedia of Me.

In college, I checked out a Unitarian Universalist church a couple of times and really enjoyed how it tied different religions together in the service.  When Thomas and I moved to Georgia, I suggested we look into the local UU church.  We found that we both felt comfortable there - he could explore Buddhist philosophy, and I could learn about human rights and the environment.

Our church, UUMAN, focuses more on UU Principles than religious teachings.  The services gave me something to really think about throughout the week.  I really liked how each Sunday, they encouraged members to share a joy or concern with the congregation.  The strong community aspect was a surprise to me.

One of the things that really struck me was a chart they had that listed the religions of the members - I think Humanist was the majority, but there were also Christians, Buddhists, Jews, etc.  We started getting more involved - we went to a Quaker meditation class, we volunteered at the Pride Festival, and we went out to lunch with other members after church.

Thomas proposed to me in the UUMAN parking lot, and we were married by our minister, Greg.  He included some UU aspects to the ceremony, such as asking our parents, and then all of the guests to say “I Do” to show support in us.

Unfortunately, shortly after our wedding, our minister moved across the country, and we really haven’t attended church regularly since.  This weekend, though, the new interim minister is starting, so I’m eager to head back over and see what she’s like.