Happy Birthday United Church of Canada

My church turns 80 years old this month. I've been a member for almost 4 years. I was baptized a couple of days before my 40th birthday. I'd say I was raised by aetheists, because it's true, but that sounds too much like saying I was raised by wolves, which isn't how it is at all.

Mom and Dad, you got goodness without a God to say that's the way it should be. So when I went looking for a church because I always believed in God anyway, just made up how to do it, I found the church that was closest to the morality that I got from you, my family. In the United Church I found an interested and active appreciation for all world religions, leadership in the world peace movement, huge emphasis on social justice and responsibility, and an embracing of individuality. The United Church led the way in ordaining gay and lesbian ministers, and officially embraces heterosexuality and homosexuality as gifts from God. The United Church was also one of the first to apologize for participating in the oppression of First Nations people through residential schools. Nothing is perfect, but I feel like this church is real, conscientious and continually evolving.

While I was looking for a church, I thought, "Should a church fit my world view and morality? Or point the way to a better one?" I think the answer is "both." But I also think that my sense of goodness is part of me as I was born or created (or both) and that leads me to whatever my spirituality is, with a bit of shaping from life experiences too. I also believe that I don't need a literal explanation for everything. Science is great, but it's like consciousness, provinding a partial explanation for reality that can co-exist with other things (like faith) in overlapping sets. In my church I find good people who are flexible, creative, daring, willing to step out of their realm of comfort and security to ask questions, speak up, offer help. This is the the "showing a better way" part. I continue to learn to challenge myself to sustain that goodness that has always been me, to accept myself and the world, and to love it and me and everyone around me and care for all of it in the best way I can.

Happy Birthday United Church!

question: both?

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