How did my secular Jewish husband and I, a Presbyterian-raised Gentile, end up as members of UUCP? Well, it’s like this…
Richard (AKA Duke) and I met in December of 1979, moved in together in 1980, and flew to Las Vegas to get married on March 30, 1983. Our first child, Sam, was born in 1986 and Katie arrived in 1987. Those were busy years. Richard was often working seven days a week, and on the rare Sunday mornings he was home, having family time was paramount. Some friends who were UUCP members invited us to attend a couple of events here, and we agreed that if we were to join a church, this would be it… but not yet.
When they were around 13 and 14, a couple of Sam and Katie’s friends who were in YRUU asked them to come along to an informal YRUU “coffee house.” Apparently, Sam felt comfortable enough that he got up on stage and performed something or other. (I wish I had been there to see it.) When I picked them up that night, my recollection is that Sam’s words to me were, more or less, “These are my people.” Katie agreed. At that time, Kim St. Clair and her then-husband Andy were leading YRUU. Both Sam and Katie loved and were immediately embraced by them and the other young folks. Now 37 and 38, several of their beloved YRUU friends remain in their lives.
I have always loved singing, and joining the choir was how I first became involved at UUCP. Connie Jahrmarkt was then choir director, and I showed up one Wednesday night to try it out. Ever since, Wednesday nights have been “choir nights.” After all, I was bringing the kids to YRUU on Sunday mornings — why not stay and participate in the service? Within a year or so, Richard also joined the choir.
As a secular Jew, Richard had never imagined becoming a member of a “church,” but, as our son before him, he felt that “these were his people.” Over the years, both Richard and I have served on the Board and in many other capacities at UUCP. In many other families, parents bring their kids to church; in ours, it was the other way around.
~ Susan Morris
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.