I have been attending services at the Unitarian Universalist Community of Charlotte (UUCC) since moving to Charlotte in 1984. A few things have happened since that move: marriage, children, house purchase, community and career building, joining the UUCC . . .
I have a vivid memory of the first canvassing meeting with Sue Riley at our house. Yes, that Sue Riley, founder of the Open Door School and long-time member of the UUCC. What a delightful conversation we had! I honestly recall my puzzlement about her direct request that we make a financial commitment to the UUCC.
Then came the dawning awareness that if we wanted the UUCC to provide a safe, progressive community for our family, we needed to make a financial commitment to ensure that would happen. Our kids were barely school age, our finances were very insecure, but we wanted the UUCC to be there for us. In many ways, our lives came to be centered around the UUCC: deep friendships, leadership roles in youth programming, the Board of Trustees, late husband Tim’s musical involvement with the choir and Follies, youth lock-ins, OWL and Coming of Age programs for Lydia and Ben. Indeed, we did raise our kids in and with essential support from the UUCC.
Let’s fast-forward 30-plus years. Why do I still financially support the UUCC? The “kids” are now grown and launched, my social life is less centered around the UUCC, my weekends are split between Charlotte and Black Mountain, Covid and some factionalism have somewhat loosened my ties to the congregation. So why do I want to continue making a pledge to this—my, your and our—faith community? Why do I choose to make my largest charitable contribution to the UUCC?
That answer is straightforward: It means the world to me to know that I am supporting the continuity of a spiritual community that can provide for others what it has offered my family for all of these years. I want to support our wonderful staff and the programming that occurs whether I’m directly participating or not. I continue to enjoy all that the UUCC offers me and I also want to ensure we can sustain the present and the future of this congregation.
I still believe in our lofty goals of welcoming all people seeking a liberal spiritual path, to be a place where youth (and adults) of all identities and orientations can find a place of belonging, a congregation whose collective aspiration is to be a force of good in the world. Do we fall short? Oh, most definitely. Are we an imperfect lot? Absolutely. But, our inclination to seek deeper understanding, to challenge ourselves to grow and confront sometimes painful truths, to support and celebrate with one another along the way, this is the place I want to call my spiritual home. Because I want all those things to be available to others and myself, I gladly do my part to support the UUCC.
Laurie Reed