I first came to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Gwinnett as a curious visitor around 2010-2011. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was witnessing the winds of change, both in myself and the church. I started visiting initially because I wanted to find a spiritual home that
accepted my friends who are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
One of the first things I saw on the door to UUCG was a “friendly” rainbow sticker. The first few services I attended, I stayed toward the back of the sanctuary and observed quietly. I admit I was confused by the messages, rituals and songs because they were very different from what I was accustomed to, yet was familiarity as well, especially the tunes of the hymns from my childhood.
I don’t have a lot of memories of my first few visits because it was right after my mother passed away, so that was a fuzzy-brained time for me. But as I came out of my shell and attended
UUCG more regularly, I realized that when I was seeking a spiritual home for my
friends, I actually needed that just as much for myself. I came out to my closest friend
first. As I felt safe and comfortable enough to do so, I came out to others, including
friends at UUCG. By this time I was active in church life, especially where music was
involved. There are particular songs that spoke to me about my coming out, including
“How Could Anyone.” The ending line of the song is, “how could anyone fail to notice
your loving is a miracle, how deeply you’re connected to my soul.”
UUCG truly is my spiritual home.
~Jen Garrison
