Every faith story takes unexpected turns, and mine has plenty. I grew up Baptist, learned the rhythms of church life, and then stepped away in my twenties. I called myself agnostic and searched for meaning that made sense in a complicated world.

Stop me if you’ve heard this! Wait, you can’t, so you’ll have to keep reading. One day, a simple UCC commercial grabbed my attention. It didn’t flash or shout—it carried the “God is Still Speaking” message. It told me faith could welcome questions, embrace differences, and trust that God’s love had no boundaries. Something shifted in me. I walked through the doors of a UCC congregation, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I could breathe.

Later, I enrolled in a Methodist seminary expecting to study UCC theology and polity. Who knew there were so many United Theological Seminaries out there? I thought I had chosen a UCC seminary, only to find myself surrounded by Methodists! Thankfully, God has a sense of humor, and that setting gave me precisely what I needed. I dove into UCC history, learned the stories of those who came before us, and discovered the covenantal ties that shape our denomination. I didn’t just study theology—I found family. I found home.

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