Only reason I have any stars is that this is the place that opened my mind a bit to going to church at all, as a single mom the very first service I attended had me in tears, talk of "it takes a village" really resonated with me. My husband and I eventually got married and continued at this church, but as things changed...layoffs, moving, and more I felt that we fit in less and less.
Eventually despite our time which was being volunteered frequently we left. My children wouldn't stay in any of the childcare classes past the infant room and it became almost a battle to get them to either be quiet in the sanctuary or go to class.
I was pregnant and despite having attended the church for a while, the only conversation that I was lucky enough to have was a seemingly endless commentary on my body changes, they were given as compliments but really...I am more than a vessel carrying a baby is what I frequently left there thinking.
With the financial hard times and being unable to pay what our 'pledge' was despite being what we thought an important part of the church as it was moving from the masonic temple to the church on California, soon our only interactions were akin to the horrible collections calls I was receiving daily from other places. We lost our house. We lost our car. We did NOT feel supported at this church in mind body or spirit at this point and we chose to break off this relationship.
I daresay that had we not hit hard financial times and moved further away after losing our home we might have stayed...but fortunately those hard times happened and the true colors were made visible. Without money we weren't important. We cut ties, or maybe I should say that our ties were pretty much cut, I knew it was made official when the UU magazine sent me a letter letting me know that our church had let them know we were no longer members....ouch.
I'm glad my eyes were opened up to church as a community gathering place though, so I am leaving two stars. I have found what I feel is a better fit for me elsewhere, and more comfortable to us as a young family, I'm recognized as a human now not just a birther. I appreciate that. I saw that other people felt connected here so I knew that somewhere it must be possible for me to find the same. read more