I’m Donnie (Donetta) Rett. My husband and I grew up in Akron, Ohio, coming to California in 1970. Bob is a former Catholic, and I was, for 50 years, a member of the United Church of Christ (formerly Congregational). We have been married 48 years, and have one son who lives in Wyoming. We joined Starr King in 2005.
As a member of the Starr King community, I was first part of the worship committee, then served on various ad hoc committees including R.E. Task Force and facility use sub-committee. I have been on the Board of Trustees for five years, two of those as its secretary. Our Board is an elected group of nine members, diverse in age, gender, length of membership and belief systems.
It is this diversity of beliefs that most draws me to Unitarian Universalism. Spirited, open, questioning discussion is common here; and it fosters acceptance, understanding, peace and love. I was pleased to be able to attend Starr King’s “Build Your Own Theology” course recently. One goal is for each attendee to write their personal credo. My credo is very general, and fluid. It says nothing about what I do NOT believe, because I may believe differently in the future. Is this my theology? It is, if I have one!
I.
I believe in god –
the ever-present god that is (as it was to the ancients)
the mystical, the mythical, the magical.
God is the rainbow,
a wildflower peeking through a sidewalk crack,
a baby’s smile.
God is our tender loving care of one another –
openness, understanding, acceptance, love.
Undoubtedly, above all else – god IS love.
II.
I believe religion consists of
the honored stories, age-old myths and sacred ritual
that carry life’s most precious lessons.
Religion is honoring our ancestors and their ways;
it is holding fast to comforting beliefs,
repeating that which gives us strength and hope.
Religion offers people a way to survive in times of
extreme stress – illness, bereavement, disaster.
III.
For me, spirituality is wonder, awe, reverence –
whether it be art, music, literature,
or the magnificent forces of nature,
It is a circling hawk, a redwood tree, a waterfall;
it is the Mona Lisa, the Sistine Chapel, The Bible, the Koran.
Spirituality is also the“WE DID IT!”of a successful group effort.
IV.
I see church as a place where people gather.
to share experiences of their god –
of hope, of wonder, of miracles.
They gather to offer and to accept loving care;
to celebrate what they have in common,
and attempt to understand their differences.
A church strengthens and improves us;
it makes us whole.
A church home is a beloved community.
V.
I believe I am predominantly responsible for my own life.
It may hearsay, the utmost in egotism, or just a catch phrase;
But I believe that the only power greater than ME is WE !
–Donnie Rett, Board Member