Hilarie Cash

I came to WUUC 5 years ago, thinking I was trying to find a spiritual community for my mother, aged 90. What I found was something I didn’t know I was looking for: a loving, welcoming community of people I enjoyed and admired, who shared my values. I joined the choir right away and that sealed my fate; there are few things I enjoy more than singing songs that are meaningful and beautiful with others. I remember that I felt somewhat embarrassed that that first year I wept at almost every service, moved to tears by the beauty of the experience, tapping into a well of unshed tears that had been looking for just such an experience to finally find release. What I learned over the ups and downs of the last 5 years is that I am committed to this community, problems and all. The community was there for me and my mother when we needed it and I am deeply grateful for the support I got as my mother lay dying. I believe we all need close connection and community; it’s lovely to have found it here at WUUC.

Marian Johnson   

Today I’m going to share with you a little about my experience at WUUC and why this budget drive matters to me enough so that I agreed to overcome my natural shyness and stand up here in front of you all. I was raised in the Methodist Church, but in my late teens I found that I no longer felt comfortable at my church.  For 36 years, I was content to sleep in late on Sundays and work on crossword puzzles.  Eventually, though, I felt the need for something more, and decided to try church again.  The first time I attended a service at WUUC, I found my church home.

All I wanted was to go to Sunday services and maybe meet some like-minded people.  What gradually happened was that I found a community that I had not realized was a missing ingredient in my life.  That was eleven years ago. Since that time, I have volunteered in various areas at WUUC, all of which have enriched my life.  I have sung in the choir for many years and have been active as a Lay Pastoral Associate and a member of the Human Resources Committee. In each case, I have had the opportunity to contribute to something much greater than anything I could have accomplished on my own.

When preparing to present the Inquirers class on Pastoral Care, I read a quote from the Jewish Theological Seminary that expresses how I feel about what we do at WUUC.  “A human life is like a single letter of the alphabet.  It can be meaningless.  Or, it can be a part of a great meaning.” I’m sure that each of you has experienced the exhilaration of joining your efforts with those of others to create something more meaningful than anything we could create individually, whether at church, at home, at work or in any part of our lives. For me, the choir is an excellent example.  I am not a great singer, yet when I contribute my voice to those of the other choir members, we are able to create beautiful and moving music together.