I thought that it would be fun to share some of my personal religious journey. Although possibly not incredibly exciting it does show the meanderings of a Unitarian Universalist on her personal quest of spiritual fulfillment.
I was raised in the Anaheim Unitarian Society in Southern California. My parents helped form that church after being active in the Emerson Society in college. This was definitely a society and not a church. You would more often find a political rally then a prayer service. It was the early 70's so there was a lot of smart hippy/old school beatnik folks in attendance.
After my parents divorce we started attending the Fullerton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. We met in a bank and the minister was a divorced mother of three daughters, Dori Summers. I remember the day I was dedicated clearly. I think there were only 3 or 4 youth members in attendance and I remember huge parties at a woman's house who had a goat that wandered through the halls.
We stopped going to any UU church for a while after my parents remarried. I don't know why exactly because we always identified ourselves as UU, but I am sure there was some kind of falling out. That is usually the way with members and churches.
So, in my high school years I started to attend the Mormon church with my best friend. I have always loved the Mormon family and church customs that they went through. The missionary dinners, family home evening, and (what seemed like) all day church on Sunday. I even liked the silly outfits that my friends mom wore under her house dress on Sundays. It all seemed so American. So quaint. Anyway, I started attending the early morning classes that they hold for high school students and was eventually baptized Mormon. I was totally into this guy who played Jesus in Jesus Christ Super Star who wanted me to just lay on top of him... the Mormon church may not talk about sexuality, but they have very hot teens doing odd teen things. As all good things must... the crush and the attraction to the Mormon church.... it came to an end.
It was then that I started going to the Knott Avenue Christian Church near my home. It was your typical evangelical Christian church. They had a strong young adult bible study on Wednesday nights that met at a friend of my aunt and uncles. I attended mostly because I liked the music, the gay music leader (who may not be out of the closet and definitely wasn't then), I had some girl friends who went, and a really cute guy.
I was, again, baptized.
At this point in the story I should say that I just have my bases covered for the heaven and hell I do not believe in but so many others do.
I left with that cute boy... who is now my husband... and we haven't looked back. More on that story later!
So, I am back in the UU church having attended Orange Coast, San Francisco, and now the Eureka Springs Fellowship. I never really left. I was just trying things on for size and nothing fits like being a UU.
