Easter Sunday is a good day to talk about the "good news."

"Evangelical" today is generally associated with a conservative Christian movement that is trying to impose its moral beliefs on others via organized political efforts. But "evangelical" traditionally referred to a charismatic Christian movement, whose members experienced a conversion experience so personally profound they couldn't help but put their beliefs into action. Early evangelical Christians were not conservative. Rather they were at the forefront of the abolitionist and feminist movements. They worked in the trenches on behalf of the indigent. And they couldn't help but tell others about their conversion experiences, which is what, unfortunately, led to their bible-thumping reputation.

In the past, when evangelical Christians tried to explain to me that they weren't trying to convert me; they just were so full of happiness at having found the good news that they had to share it, I had a hard time believing them.

Now I find myself in their shoes. (And thus have greater empathy for them. Oh, the irony!) Despite some initial discomfort I've long since gotten over being embarrassed about the word "church." In fact, it's now a word that I associate with love and hope. When people tell me that they are dissatisfied with their place of worship, I enthusiastically invite them to come visit mine. When others shake their heads and talk about what's wrong with the world, I talk about what my church and denomination are doing to make it better. And, *gasp*, when others talk about what's wrong with religion(s), I talk about what's right about ours.

I simply can't help it. I am so excited about having found a place of spiritual belonging and so proud of the wonderful things that my church does that I find myself talking about church all of the time.

And so this web site is my virtual soap box. It's here to help spread the good news - the news that so moved me that this once proud intellectual elitist would risk being thought a brainwashed religious nut to share it with those of you who may not yet have heard. The good news is that you are not alone. If you are questioning the things that your traditional religion is telling you, there's room for you in UU to ask those questions. If you've been rejected or made to feel unwlecome because of who you choose to love, there's room for you both in UU. If you feel like there must be something more to life than just work and socializing, if you crave value and meaning and justice, there's room for you in UU. It doesn't matter what it is that makes you feel "different", marginalized. If you in good faith want to be in community with us then we are happy to be in community with you.

Come, check us out. No obligation to join. But you might just find, spiritual loner and critical thinker that you are, that you want to.