Ken: I support this church financially because you are my extended family, this is my second home, and so I need to keep the lights on. I want to support the staff and all of you who, as my extended family, help raise our daughter and support our spiritual journeys. Thank you.
As an extended family we carry on a UU tradition that affirms: we’re in this together. Our Universalist forebears promoted this idea with their belief in universal salvation: we are all saved together. This belief erased a wall between saved people and not saved. Fewer walls leave us all together, and when we are together, we care about each other and join with others, healing the world. I like being part of this supportive community at First Parish, and the world still needs the healing idea that we are in this together.
We carry on a second tradition which affirms that we can solve problems. Our Unitarian Humanist forebears proposed that we not wait for God to solve our problems. We can do it. We solve problems here, and bring this empowerment to the world’s problems.
To the extended family that is in this together solving problems, to this home and its lightbulbs, I pledge to First Parish, and encourage you to do so as well.
Jean: We have been attending First Parish for about 12 years, have signed the Membership Book, and have benefited enormously from our participation, as has our daughter May, a participant in eighth grade Religious Education.
I see this First Parish UU community as a small training ground to practice upholding the seven UU principals. Here we strive for acceptance and peaceful compassionate interactions with others and the earth, despite our differing views and faith backgrounds. If we UU’s can then carry those values and skills as ambassadors into the larger world, we can, by example, continue to bring a harmonious way of being that is healing to the larger world community.
In my involvement and experiences here at First Parish, I have found just that, a nourishing home brimming with advocacy and like-minded caring souls committed to being the change we hope for. How wonderful to know that financial support to First Parish is a guaranteed excellent use of our money, toward this essential work, which matters deeply now and for future generations.