It can be argued that religious community is where we come together to figure out what it means to be human. What does it mean to be in relationship with the world around us? How do we know who we are as individuals? Drawing on both Eastern and Western philosophy, we will explore a few options to bring depth and meaning to our understanding of our essential nature, perhaps even elevating our experience of our daily life from mundane to mythic.

Raised a third generation Unitarian Universalist, she grew up playing outdoors, reading lots of novels, singing, and making art, before becoming a science educator at a children’s hands-on museum – that being the Discovery Center right here in Rockford, IL, when she was part of this church. Her years in seminary sparked her passion for social justice and for travel, while also encouraging her exploration of indigenous shamanism and Japanese martial arts. She holds rank in Ki-Aikido, the Japanese martial art of peace, and has traveled around the country and even to Japan to attend seminars. She has served congregations in Minnesota, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Welcome back, Leslie!