I was raised a Presbyterian, by conservative parents, in Dubuque, Iowa, where I spent my teen years. Going to church was required. My 4 siblings and I would have much rather stayed home to watch TV, play outside, or go cow tipping. But that was not to be. What was the one thing we truly looked forward to on Sundays? The jelly-filled donuts that we picked up for breakfast on the way home from church.

I was required to attend weekly confirmation classes—memorizing the books of the Bible, studying scripture, the creeds—culminating in a public proclamation of personal faith. Even as a teen, it was crystal clear: I was not a believer. But voicing that opinion was taboo, and opting out was not an option.

After college, I moved to Washington, D.C. and began exploring other faiths. I worked with Moonies and Mormons which was interesting. I loved the people but not the beliefs or practices. I also checked out Quaker, Christian Science, and Unity church services. Interesting but definitely not a fit. That time of exploration wasn’t wasted, though. What I didn’t want was clearer—but what I did want was still out there and I hadn’t yet found it.

Then I met my husband, Jim, and we moved to Massachusetts. It was here that I encountered my first UU church—and suddenly, what I had been searching for began to come into focus. I found a community that shared my values—a place grounded in freedom of thought, where religion does not demand adherence to creeds but encourages the individual exploration of beliefs. Wow. I was on the right track.

As I engaged further, I found that being a UU meant I don’t have to check my brain at the door. I can bring my whole self: my questions, my evolving beliefs, my hopes for justice, and my desire to live with integrity. Instead of being told what to believe, I’m invited into a search for truth and meaning.

And then there’s FUSF. I truly love this community. It’s not just a place I attend—it’s my home. This congregation always shows up with wide open, generous hearts. When my husband passed away three years ago, you surrounded me with an abundance of care and love that lifted me up and held me steady. That love resides in my heart today, a constant source of comfort and light.

Here at FUSF we don’t just talk about values—we live them. Love, justice, inclusion, and compassion aren’t abstract ideas; they’re daily practices. Involvement in this congregation has taught me that faith is active, joyful, and deeply human. And while jelly donuts aren’t always on the treat table after church, I always look forward to coffee, conversation, and connection. I’m so very glad to be a Unitarian Universalist and a member of this wonderful FUSF community.