By Scott Cullen, CrossCurrents Editor
This month’s Meet & Greet features two longtime members whose presence and participation have helped shape UUCWC for more than three decades: Mike Wilson and Judy MacLaury. Since first walking through our doors in the late 1980s, they’ve woven themselves into the life of the congregation through RE, justice work, stewardship, spiritual deepening programs, and the many conversations and connections that happen in between. Their perspectives on faith, rooted in curiosity, community, and the freedom to seek meaning with both heart and mind, offer a beautiful window into what keeps them grounded here after all these years.
Mike and Judy talk about what first drew them to UUism, the traditions and memories they cherish, and the activities that bring them joy outside church. Their story is full of warmth, wisdom, and a deep appreciation for the relationships that have shaped their lives at UUCWC.
What inspired you to visit UUCW for the first time in 1988 and then join in the early 1990s?
Mike: Curiosity/ I liked Linda Desantis’ sermons.
Judy: It never made sense to me that there could be only one God, given the diversity of humanity and cultures on the planet. I was interested in UUism in high school, but comments from my dad about his impression that UUs are too focused on the individual and not so much on community kept me away.
I had the impression he thought UUs were too much about the mind and not enough about the heart. But the fact that UUism allows for a multiplicity of beliefs and embraces everyone, as opposed to excluding those who do not subscribe to a particular dogma, was appealing to me. When I came to UUCWC, I found a congregation and a minister who promoted a sense of community and were very much attuned to matters of the heart.
What religion were you brought up in?
Judy: Presbyterianism.
Mike: None. I hung around the Quakers for several years and became interested in nonviolence and civil rights.
If you had to describe your faith journey in one word, what would it be?
Mike: Connection.
What committees/ministries at UUCWC have you participated in during your time here?
Judy: Children’s RE, Adult RE, Chalice Circle, Food Ministry, Wellspring, and memoir writing (briefly).
Mike: I taught some RE classes, served on the Council for Faith in Action, worked with UUFANJ, and was in charge of the yearly pledge drive one year.
What’s one thing about our church community that makes you feel at home?
Mike: I enjoy hearing the ministers’ perspectives and discussing them with fellow members.
Judy: I feel accepted for who and what I am, as a whole person, even with my shortcomings and despite the harm I may have done to others in my life.
What’s a favorite hymn or worship song that brings you comfort?
Mike: “Blue Boat Home.”
Judy: “De Colores, ‘Tis a Gift to be Simple, and Blue Boat Home.”
Do you have a favorite church memory that always makes you smile?
Judy: When our grandkids took part in the Christmas pageant as stars and an angel.
Mike: I enjoyed going with a group of UUs to North Carolina to listen to Rev. Dr. William Barber speak.
What do you do for fun when you’re not at UUCWC or attending an online service or UUCWC-related meeting?
Judy: I like going to the theater and concerts, and I read.
Mike: I play with my grandkids.
What’s one piece of advice that has stuck with you throughout your life?
Judy: Though it was very hard advice to follow, when I was in the midst of a long period of turmoil with my older daughter, my dad encouraged me not to take responsibility for her words and actions, especially when they were directed at me. It was hard for me to feel guilty, and he helped me get past the distress at having been the partial cause of her anguish.
Mike: I have worked with emotionally and learning-disabled kids for much of my life. The piece of advice I have given to each one has been to find their success and ignore anyone or anything that tries to take it from them.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
Mike: Kefir and fruit.
Judy: Chocolate cake!
What’s one skill or talent you have that most people don’t know about?
Mike: I can surf.
Judy: I speak French.
What’s a tradition in your family that you cherish?
Judy: Celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with as many family members who are available.
Mike: Political activity.
What was your most memorable vacation destination?
Mike & Judy: A river cruise on the Seine from Paris to Normandy, with visits to Monet’s home, the town where Van Gogh painted his final pieces, learning about the bombing of Nantes, and visiting the beach and cemetery in Normandy.
What was the last book you read that you enjoyed?
Mike: Presencing: 7 Practices for Transforming Self, Society, and Business by Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer.
Judy: I am currently reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. My dad taught American history at Trenton State (TCNJ), so we grew up endlessly (and fortunately) hearing about history, current trends and events, social movements, etc. Reading this history now, as an adult, puts the whole saga in a much broader perspective and helps me better understand the origins of the issues we are dealing with today.
What’s the one movie you could watch again and again?
Mike: “Pride and Prejudice.”
Judy: “Moonstruck” with Cher and Nicholas Cage.
What’s the last TV show you binged?
Judy & Mike: “Karen Pirie,” a British detective series. “Unforgotten.”
You’re having a dinner party. What four people (celebrities, authors, or historical figures—past or present) would be on your guest list?
Mike: Robert Putnam, Hanna Arendt, Thomas Berry, and Alexis de Tocqueville.
Judy: I would invite my parents to ask them questions I never thought to ask when they were alive, and to discuss the current state of our country with them. I would also invite Jesus, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and various other American historical figures.
What’s one thing you’re grateful for this week?
Judy: The (relative) security and safety I experience every day, contrasting with the unspeakable conditions so many in our country and across the globe live with without the means to escape to a better existence.
Mike: My family. I find “things” relatively unimportant. Relationships and ideas are important.