We couldn’t tell you what drew us to this church. Angie had been going to a book club that met there, and on a whim one day we decided to drop in for a service. One service was all it took and we were hooked. The warm and open welcome we received, as well as friends we quickly made, kept us coming back.

We had been lonely and felt like outsiders in the community we’d been born and raised in, we had no sense of comradery or friendship in our lives. Aiken UUC changed all of that, we made fast friends and built deep relationships.

We both felt the need to become involved, to give something back to the others in our congregation and in the community. Angie started simple, making coffee every Sunday, that morphed into being on the Membership Committee, and then becoming chair of the committee. She also joined the Social Justice Committee to satisfy her needs for helping others. And after serving as Member-at-Large for a term she decided she hadn’t had enough yet and founded the Social Media Team.

Kristi was asked to join the restarting Strategic Planning Committee and eventually became the co-chair. She also joined the Nominating Committee and in her second year chaired that as well. She is looking forward to what the future brings.

We spent years in Aiken feeling adrift and alone, until we found this church. Now we can’t imagine our lives without Aiken UUC. We aren’t lonely anymore.