Nancy Griffeth

Nancy Griffeth

My husband and I met at the University of Chicago and were married there. We both wanted a wedding ceremony, so we decided to have it at the University Chapel, but choosing the minister was a problem. We needed someone willing to avoid any mention of God. So, this story should be that we went to Meadville Lombard, one of the main UU seminaries, to find a minister. Meadville Lombard is right there at the University. Unfortunately, we knew nothing about Unitarian Universalism, so we resorted to my husband's childhood religion and found an accommodating Episcopalian minister who agreed to our rules. 

Thirty years later, a good friend had been urging us to check out his church - then sporting the stodgy name "The Unitarian Church in Summit." He told us that the minister was a poet and philosopher, and gave brilliant sermons. Not only that, but UC Summit welcomed atheists (my husband has since characterized it as "the place atheists go to worship.") After meeting quite a number of members at the 1991 protest in Washington against the Gulf War, we decided a visit was in order.

I felt so at home, I signed the book the first day. (Back then, no classes were required - you only had to be willing to join up). 

We threw ourselves into the many activities. We taught our childrens' RE classes, and enjoyed that so much that we have continued teaching RE on and off ever since. What we didn't learn about UUism when we joined, we learned on the job.

My favorite class was "Why do bad things happen." Such a fascinating class. One Sunday we examined how different cultures deal with bad things that happen. I happened to have a migraine that Sunday. Now, it seems that some cultures dealt with sickness by dancing around and making a lot of noise around the person who is ailing. Actually, I'm sure it was more sophisticated than that, but in my state that was all I could comprehend. The class did their absolute best to cure my migraine. And I can tell you now, it doesn't work. 

In spite of that, getting to know the young people in RE and the Youth Group was a great experience, and I always love watching them grow up. 

Another great thing about Beacon: Beacon members always come through when needed. We were starting a building project - the project that produced the current building - when our minister left, and we had to start a minister search at the same time. Some of our members stepped up to make sure the building got built, and others took care of finding a new minister. Both groups obviously succeeded! When there is social justice work to be done, whether locally, as the Chancellor Avenue School project or Warm Hearts, or globally, as Ukraine, someone steps up. This makes me so proud to be a member.