"We all want to feel a sense of belonging. This isn’t a character flaw. It’s fundamental to the human experience. Our finest achievements are possible when people come together to work for a common cause."
Rosalind Wiseman
I came upon OCUUC about four and a half years ago. I remember the first Sunday service I attended, I thought, “Oh my gosh, I love this place!” The inspirational and thought provoking sermon I heard from Reverend Sian that Sunday was so exciting to me, and frankly, unlike any other church service I had ever attended. I remember thinking, “Wow, this is really interesting, and I am learning something from listening to this sermon.” This was a new experience for me because my past experiences at attending church services were more of enduring the service, rather than enjoying the service. You can imagine my joy at finding a place where attending the service left me feeling happier and uplifted for having done so.
So, what led me attend that first service here at OCUUC? I had recently retired from a very busy and consuming corporate career. I finally had time to attend to some things that I had long wanted to do, one of which was to find a spiritual community of like-minded people.
I went online researching what different churches believed. None seemed to be right for me until I read more about Unitarian Universalism, a place that welcomes diverse people and views, and a community made up of open hearts and open minds. I resolved to attend a UU service near me.
After attending that first service, I went home and told my wife, Audrey what I had experienced. She, like me, grew up in a faith that was not a good fit for her. Audrey and I both began attending church services here on a regular basis and it wasn’t long before she was hooked too!
Since Audrey and I discovered OCUUC, it has become our spiritual and community anchor. It is the heart of many of our friendships. It is our family. It isn’t easy to have a list of all the things you value and then find others that have the same list. We found it here. Here we feel loved and embraced. Here is where we belong.
My hope is that you may you all feel the same way here in our OCUUC church community.
With love,
Debra Quam
President@ocuuc.org