Vicki Chessin

For several years now members have been asked to share some of what this congregation means to them and why they give to it. Up until now I have declined to be one of those. It is much easier to read the words of others than have it be about me. It is often awkward to talk about money, but this year I decided to take the challenge, put it in word and share it, so here goes…

Why do I support this church?

Put simply, because it is tremendously important to me …to my emotional and spiritual health…to my life. I want, no, need this congregation to continue and to be healthy. 

I was raised UU. I believe in our principles and I am proud of our history and our ongoing justice efforts in the world. I need others to stand beside in the work we do in the world. In the Unitarian Universalist faith I find my people. It is here I find beloved friends, also.It is here I find precious minutes to focus on what is important and to center myself each time I come to worship. It is here I am challenged to become a better person.  

It takes constant, conscious effort to live our principles, to remember to move through my day treating everyone with the dignity and compassion they deserve, trying to making choices, immediate and long range, in a way that supports our democracy, justice and our environment. That implies a responsibility, not only for how I treat others, but how I vote, how I spend my time and money.  

Giving is one of my “spiritual practices.”    

I enjoy being one of our lay worship planners. Last summer we created our services by each selecting one or more chapters from the book “Everyday Spiritual Practice” and building the service around someone’s description of their Spiritual Practice. That helped me think about the things I have always regarded as important in my daily life in terms of spiritual practices. One of those things is supporting this church and one of the ways I do that is “tithing.” 

UU churches do not talk much about tithing and growing up UU I never heard of such a thing until Nana, a part-time minister we had a few years back, started talking about it. A “tithe” for those of you who, like me, may have no idea, is defined by Wikipedia as “a traditional practice where 10 % of one’s production per year was taxed for the support of the church and clergy” – I imagine that would have been your crops or gold. 

I watched my parents give their time and energy to the NWUU church in Farmington, MI. They worked on and committed to pledge drives. I understood that they gave back to the church both with their financial pledge as well as their time and talents. Through the years they served on the Board, did committee work, planned events for fun and fundraising, my mother taught RE, my Dad sang in the choir and both attended service regularly. They found a home in their church and more than 50 years later my 95 year old mother still meets monthly with friends she made at NWUU. 

To whom and what I give my time, my energy, my vote and my money are all part of who I am. Some years ago I challenged myself to build my pledge to a tithe and I work to increase my pledge some every year. I divide my pledge into smaller portions and put a check in the collection basket each time I am here. My pledge and fulfilling it over the year, every time I write a check and put it in the basket, is one way I express my commitment to and deep appreciation for this place and all of you.             

Giving is one of my “spiritual practices.”