Breathe, Belong, Become: My Journey to St. Paul’s
by Stephen Sporer, Social Justice and Outreach
11/9/25
I am excited to share my stewardship story with you. In fact, I am rather overwhelmed at this moment to be asked to do so, for up to a year ago, I had not found a church community where I felt a connection and authentic sense of being welcomed into the community.
Last March, when snow was on the ground, I woke up and was craving understanding, peace, and connection in this complicated world, and was seeking a place where I could explore my faith and the questions and certainties that accompanied it. You see, both my partner Jeremy and I grew up in small-town rural environments, where church was a big part of our upbringing, yet we both were wrestling with the same challenges of feeling accepted within our religious faiths (I grew up Methodist).
As I entered college life and beyond, years went by when I would not enter a church, almost in a place of defiance: it had become a symbol of a place where I wasn’t seen, even having grown up singing in the choir and being active in high school. When we settled here in St Paul years ago, there would be an occasional Easter Sunday service, yet nothing felt right.
When I attended St Paul UCC for the first time last March, and hear Sarah’s wise words—bundled together with wisdom, questions, answers, and uncertainties—I immediately felt at home and seen and witnessed an authenticity in the community living out the truth that All Are Welcome Here, and God Loves You, for whoever you are. You will notice, I kept coming back and stand in front of you today.
The board chair where I work likes to package themes with the same letter. I immediately landed on the letter B for today, with BREATHE, BELONG, BEAUTY, and BRING.
BREATHE: This space, this congregation, helps me breathe. When we see the world with gratitude and what we have—and that we have enough—there is literally scientific data today that points to the physical and emotional benefits from this act. Lowered blood pressure, reduced anxiety, slower heartbeat…feeling grounded…I have felt the direct physical benefits when sitting in this space. And when we help others, the benefits are even bigger, and I am so excited for the UCC’s commitment to embracing all our neighbors and helping people who are struggling right here in our community. I see boundless opportunities for what we can do and know we need to be financially sound to do them.
BEAUTY: We are recipients of so much beauty here in our church and during the services, and I’d like to point to the MUSIC. I look forward to hearing the amazingly talented, blended voices each Sunday. Sarah, I know Jesus does not want us to be judgmental, but I have to admit I can get very judgmental about music! And, I think we are incredibly blessed right here with the musicians who perform for and with us. When hearing the choir sing, I have been moved to tears, perhaps more than once or twice already.
BELONG: All are welcome here. It is simple: I hear and see these words lived out through the people speaking, through Sarah’s grounding and centering at the beginning of service, during passing of the peace, and so on. I truly feel this is a place of faith where I can belong—bringing my entire full self to the conversation and table.
BRING: So, the word bring is not my favorite English word—I think it sounds a little ‘nasaly,’ ha ha. But…with talent, time, and of course, our hard-earned TREASURE, we are asked to ‘bring’ here to the church. So, what are you doing when you are ‘bringing’ your dollars to work here at UCC? You are….donating, transporting, providing, shepherding, introducing, guiding, leading, presenting, generating, producing, making, creating, contributing….you are doing ALL these things to make the church’s big ideas possible.
All of these reasons are why Jeremy and I decided to make this church our #1 philanthropic priority for 2026, as we see our communities and neighbors in so much need, and this church makes helping them all the more possible. We looked at the suggestions laid out so well and clearly in the stewardship season materials, which starts at suggested household giving of $175 a month, and we realized we were able to go above and beyond that commitment for the 2026 year, not including additional gifts at weekly offerings when possible and the like. AND, I get to keep my Netflix and watch The Great British Baking Show, too.
Being new congregation members, we are thrilled and eager to see our gifts at work for our congregation and community. Sarah’s words each week are uplifting, challenging, and a call to us----while we live in complicated times, becoming a better world and society is not impossible. Because complicated and impossible are two very different things. Our faith, and our church, guided by Sarah’s leadership and God, help show that anything is possible, especially when we work together.
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