​Laura McFadden

"Listen... and you will hear blessings dropping their blossoms all around you." - Rumi, 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic scholar, theologian

Listen.  Now think of all the blessings you have received.  No matter how long you are quiet, you will probably remember only a small fraction of the blessings that have graced your life.  We spend so much time thinking about what is not going right that we forget to take time and reflect on all that is right and how fortunate we are.  The more time we think about our blessings, the happier we will be.  We will be stronger to take on the new challenges that await us.

This is my last message.  It has been a blessing for me to find UUCL and make it a part of my life.  It has been a blessing that Gary, George and I had two wonderful Boards to help guide our congregation through challenging times.  It has been a blessing that we continue to grow and learn from each other.  Thank you all for the blessings that I have received.

"Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand.  The only true answer to give to this question is that we do not stand at all; we move." - Rev. Dr. Lewis Beals Fisher, Universalist minister, author, president of Lombard College and dean of Ryder divinity school affiliated with the University of Chicago. (died in 1936, age 78)

A couple of weeks ago I was out with a group of likeminded women.  We were talking about current issues and one said something about me being religious.  I said that I didn't consider myself religious and she replied "then Christian".  I thought this was an interesting leap. My reply was, "not that either."  So where do I stand?  I read this quote, and it spoke to me.  I'm moving.  I have always questioned what I was told to believe. During our talkback discussions I love that I can freely express what I question, and I can say I do not have the answers.  I paraphrase Donna Titus, a lifelong UU, who says something like "I may have changed my beliefs, but I haven't had to change my religion."  I love this.  I believe we are all moving, and that is what brings us to UUCL.

​Laura