I was raised Catholic and went to a woman’s Catholic college, was married at a Catholic Church. Left the church in 1970 and gave up church entirely. Four years ago, I retired and decided to move to GA to be near my daughter.  A good friend told me that if I wanted some liberal friends that I should look up a Unitarian church. I tried Mountain Light reluctantly, as I did not have a good opinion of churches.  Other than vacations I have not missed a Sunday.

Mountain Light is my second home. It is filled with people who not only accept you for who you are, they will love you. It is a place to learn and expand who you are, to become a more loving and accepting person.  Come and see what a loving, welcoming and unusual group we are.

My husband, Bruce, and I first discovered Mountain Light in May, 2011. We had been hoping to find a Unitarian church in north GA since moving to Talking Rock in 2010. We knew immediately we had found our church home.

Mountain Light exemplifies the Unitarian belief in the acceptance, as well as the celebration, of all individuals. It is a joy to experience MLUUC members welcoming visitors and friends every Sunday. Visitors are delighted when they realize their beliefs are embraced and not rejected or criticized. Whether a family of one or a family of 15, you are supported at Mountain Light.

I have found the more involved I become at MLUUC, the happier I am and the more I love the members and friends I meet. I was raised as a Methodist in Oklahoma. Today, I embrace the inclusiveness of all people, which is an inspiring foundation of Unitarian Universalism.

Bruce and I were married in a Unitarian church in Oklahoma City. We attended UU churches in Little Rock and Atlanta with our two grown sons, Jacob and Jordan. I joined MLUUC in 2012 and Bruce joined in 2015. We could not be more pleased. You will be pleased when you experience UU-ism, too.

My husband and I have visited Unity and UU Churches for many years but this is the first time we have become members of a UU Congregation. Why? MLUU is BY FAR the most friendly, kind, and accepting congregation we have ever encountered in our lives!!! The people of MLUU genuinely care about each other and newcomers. It is obvious that the people of MLUU are enlightened, are open to new and different ways to be spiritual, and also focus on giving back to their community. We love the positive energy of MLUU and the way the members take care of each other.  Thank you to Kasey, Helen, Gayle, and Bruce…just to name a few of those members who have made us feel so welcome.

Just a little background on us: Since my husband spent 33 years as a Navy Chaplain we have been a part of and visited many faith groups. No matter what faith group we were part of as a result of my husband’s military career, we always have held our UU belief system close to heart. My husband and I were both raised in fundamentalist churches but eventually left that ideology many years ago for a UU belief system that is more accepting of all people no matter where they are on their spiritual journey. Personally, I slowly left fundamentalist Christianity at the age of 20 when I saw my friends and mentor’s and family judging and being judged and shamed for their life choices. I raised my first two children in a Unity church in Washington State and Pensacola, FL, and we are happy to have found MLUU to be part of when we are in Ellijay. I’m happy my youngest son gets to learn the fundamental teachings of UU as a child which will help guide him to be an open minded adult…. accepting and kind to all people regardless of their faith group, gender identity, and life choices. 🙂

I have been a Unitarian Universalist for 46 years and was delighted to find MLUUC when we moved to Ellijay from Atlanta. It is so great to have a group that doesn’t tell you what you have to believe, but lets you follow your own path. This is such a warm, nurturing group that both challenges me to be my best and loves me anyway when I’m not perfect.

I came to Mountain Light as an act of defiance towards a fundamentalist Christian rehab group that required my daughter to attend church each Sunday that she was allowed home.  I could not bear the churches that were approved for her and, in desperation, remembered Mountain Light.  My daughter and I walked in not knowing what to expect and immediately I felt that I had arrived home! The rehab group wasn’t happy with my choice but I definitely was.

My experience here is one of love and acceptance no matter where you are at in your life or spiritual journey. I love being surrounded by thoughtful, intelligent people who allow me to better understand other viewpoints on many different subjects and agreement with those viewpoints isn’t a requirement. How joyful and freeing that is!

I understand now why I was never quite comfortable in the religion of my childhood. I was a Unitarian Universalist my entire life but I just didn’t know what it was or what to call it. I can’t imagine not having this loving community of friends to lift my spirits and challenge my world view each week!

I have always been a Universalist, though I was unfamiliar with the term until much later in my life.  I believe that All-That-Is vibrates at the frequency of Love, so how could any “Father” damn His children to Hell?

Mind, I have lots of “less than orthodox” beliefs about reality and about the Divine.  I never seemed to fit in with any mainstream faith organization.  Somehow, I stumbled upon Mountain Light Unitarian Universalist Church and found that all of my “weird” beliefs would be tolerated, some even encouraged – so long as my personal search for Truth was both free and responsible.

This was the beloved community for which I had been searching.  I found a new family when I found Mountain Light and Unitarian Universalism.