If you are reading this on the day it was published, my history with UUCP started 49 years & 7 days ago and I found this place by default, by exiting my mom’s uterus.
There’s a unique warmth that settles over me each time I walk through the doors of UUCP. It’s more than just a very familiar space; it’s a feeling of coming home to a place where hearts and minds gather in a spirit of open inquiry and unwavering acceptance. It’s in this community that I truly feel seen, heard, and inspired to live my Unitarian Universalist values out in the wider world.
The enduring community of UUCP has gifted me some truly remarkable connections, most notably a lifelong friendship that began right here when we were four. Though life has taken my friend to Japan, and our contact has varied over the years, the foundation laid within this community ensures that every reconnection feels instantly meaningful and strong.
While my connection to Unitarian Universalism has had its ebbs and flows, one of its enduring gifts has been the understanding that I can always return and be embraced. Walking through these halls now, a far cry from the days of the old bathrooms and youth group overnights in the heights, I appreciate the journey. And though I was once primarily known as Ellie Anderla’s son, I now stand here as myself, Geoff, shaped by those experiences but defined by my own path within this community.
Even if life’s path leads me away from being there with UUCP in person, please know that a piece of my heart will forever remain intertwined with yours. The spirit of our time together will be a cherished ember glowing within me, always a part of who I am.
~ Geoff Anderla
Editor’s Note:
Our regularly scheduled column, Notes From Your Dance Partner, will be on pause during Reverend Christine’s sabbatical. In its place, we’re excited to have a series of guest speakers who will be sharing their experiences at UUCP. NFYDP will return in August.