This week we will have another personal journey service. Rather than hear from newer members, we will hear from some old friends, not old by age, but by the length of time they have been members and served this community. It is a reintroduction of long time members you may not know. Today we will hear from Sandy Shihadeh, Tom Solitario, and Wendy Testa.
Summary:
This sermon documents a Unitarian Universalist service where long-term members share their personal spiritual histories to help the congregation connect across generations. Sandy Shihadeh recounts her transition from a strict Jehovah’s Witness upbringing to finding a welcoming space for her identity and family. Tom Solitario discusses his global background as a Catholic “diplomat brat” and his eventual move toward a faith that embraces intellectual questioning and social action. Wendy Testa reflects on her deep Lutheran roots and her journey toward a community that offered support when her family faced religious friction. Together, these narratives illustrate how individuals with diverse religious backgrounds find common ground in a covenant-based faith.