Diane Hill asked me to talk to you today about why I donate my time and money to our church. I'm glad to do it. I'm trying lately to express gratitude for the important things in my life, especially things and people that are easy to take for granted. So this gives me an opportunity to do this out loud. When I think about what life, and the life of my family, or even Muncie, would be like without the church, it's significantly diminished. Since becoming a member about 5 years ago, I have personally grown and matured in many ways. My perspective on life is broader, my sense of self is deeper and more complex, I am aware of talents that I wasn't aware I had, and I have been touched and changed by the fondness that I hold for many individuals here. I have a greater sense of meaning in my life, and engagement in what I love.

After I have come to church, I feel like I've had a wonderfully nutritious and healthy meal. I feel full. And when there is music involved, it's like there's sugar on top—like a beautiful crème brulee. In addition to the intellectual and affective challenges we receive from Thomas, I think the most persuasive influence has been the human contact I find here. I believe that the most profound changes in life arise from human contact. We all know that our church represents a liberal religion. The reason I think this is so important, is that put in practical terms, is that since we don't have to adhere to certain creeds or a particular life style to join, it means that we are able to give and receive a greater level of acceptance and compassion, just as we are. This is unique and genuine and is reflected in the diversity of people that attend. I don't know about you, but I could count just a few places in my life that I felt truly accepted in a non-judgmental way. In those environments that were competitive, cut-throat, or just benignly neglectful, as a person I became smaller, more constricted and cautious. Only when I have felt trust, encouragement and acceptance from my peers have I been able to develop my talents. And here at the UU church, I have felt a profound sense of acceptance and understanding that has been nourishing, rewarding, and fulfilling, and because of that, I have been able to find and share more of my strengths.

I believe that Thomas does an excellent job embodying the acceptance and compassion that our church believes in. And he does this very authentically and genuinely. I am proud to have him represent us on our community. I believe that Thomas is so beloved because his natural being is so closely aligned to what we need from him as our pastor. Thomas has the ability to see people's uniqueness, without needing to control or manage us. I often find that just being held in awareness by another, in our entirety, (good, bad, and in between) is enough to help us grow to become the best people we can be. But in addition to Thomas' leadership, I'm also frequently surprised and impressed by the quality of the people I meet here--people who are vibrant, engaged in life, and invested in making our community a better one. Even if I didn't go to church here, you would be the people I would want to hang out with. You are the people who are working to transform Muncie into an even more wonderful place to live—building houses for the needy, working in the soup kitchens, advocating for racial equality. I am particularly pleased and proud that the gay/lesbian members feel welcomed into our community, because I think their perspectives add valuable diversity, making us a stronger. We become a mulligan stew, rather than a melting pot. And since this is happening in a religious community, that seems even more precious to me. I have also really benefited from getting to know the elders of our community. They have challenged my stereotypes of what I thought older people are like because they are so energized, open-minded and really involved in life.

So I give my time and money to this church because I think that, like most things in life, the more you put in, the more you get out. And this community offers a wonderful return on your investment. For me and my family, the gift of the church has been a profound one, and it is difficult to imagine my life without it.