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Sheep and Goats: Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
"We have room for a lot of different ideas."
Contact: 2324 Miller, Ave., Escondido 760-737-0393 www.chaliceuucongregation.org
Membership: 160
Pastor: Sharon Wylie
Age: 53
Born: San Diego
Formation: Pomona College, Claremont; Starr King School for the Ministry, Berkeley
Years Ordained: 12
San Diego Reader: What’s your main concern as a member of the clergy?
Pastor Sharon Wylie: The rise of Christian nationalism concerns me for sure. There are certainly some strains of people who call themselves Christian who seem to be on board with being complicit with hurting people, not following what many of us feel are Jesus’ teachings — not loving the stranger — and doing it in the name of religion. I admire Christians who stand up and say, “This is not Christianity.” They’re becoming louder and louder; I’m heartened by that. Part of what’s pulled us into polarization is our disconnection from each other and losing the ability to compromise and tolerate each other. “Tolerate” isn’t a sexy word and can even make us bristle. We ask whether we tolerate racism. It’s complicated. The answer can’t be that we try to kill each other. We have to find a way to live across our differences.
SDR: What’s the mission of your church?
PW: Our mission is to inspire, connect and act. We want to come together to be uplifted and find each other across our shared values; to be good people in the world by acting on those values. Our six values are justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence, and generosity, with love at the center. Some of those values are going to be stronger for some folks than for others, but those are where we agree to center ourselves.
SDR: Where is the strangest place you found God?
PW: We have lots of different theological beliefs in my congregation, including atheists and agnostics. So not all Unitarian Universalists are interested in questions about God. I personally am a theist and so I’m happy to answer that question, but in fairness to my congregation, we have a large tent. To me, God is everywhere. There’s nowhere you won’t find God. I believe that President Trump has been a force for bringing a lot of harm into the world, and yet he was instrumental somehow in having the hostages in Israel and Gaza being released. I see God there. What a blessing from someone who we’re working to get out of office and not get reelected.
SDR: Where do you go when you die?
PW: The most Unitarian Universalist answer is “We don’t know.” And that’s OK. I do an “Ask Me Anything” service once a year with kids before they go to school. A little girl whose grandmother just died asked, “What happens when we die?” I said that I didn’t know. She sighed and said, “I knew you were going to say that.” Personally, I believe in reincarnation and the idea that our soul lives on. But our work is in this lifetime, so to become too preoccupied with what we were before is to be off-track. We’re here to build a better world together and be the best people we can be. We are learning in each lifetime and keep learning and becoming better. I have congregants who believe in heaven and hell, and others who believe that nothing happens when we die. We’re just buried and that’s it. We have room for a lot of different ideas.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Sheep and Goats: Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
"We have room for a lot of different ideas."
Sheep and Goats: Chalice Unitarian Universalist Congregation
"We have room for a lot of different ideas."
Contact: 2324 Miller, Ave., Escondido 760-737-0393 www.chaliceuucongregation.org
Membership: 160
Pastor: Sharon Wylie
Age: 53
Born: San Diego
Formation: Pomona College, Claremont; Starr King School for the Ministry, Berkeley
Years Ordained: 12
San Diego Reader: What’s your main concern as a member of the clergy?
Pastor Sharon Wylie: The rise of Christian nationalism concerns me for sure. There are certainly some strains of people who call themselves Christian who seem to be on board with being complicit with hurting people, not following what many of us feel are Jesus’ teachings — not loving the stranger — and doing it in the name of religion. I admire Christians who stand up and say, “This is not Christianity.” They’re becoming louder and louder; I’m heartened by that. Part of what’s pulled us into polarization is our disconnection from each other and losing the ability to compromise and tolerate each other. “Tolerate” isn’t a sexy word and can even make us bristle. We ask whether we tolerate racism. It’s complicated. The answer can’t be that we try to kill each other. We have to find a way to live across our differences.
SDR: What’s the mission of your church?
PW: Our mission is to inspire, connect and act. We want to come together to be uplifted and find each other across our shared values; to be good people in the world by acting on those values. Our six values are justice, equity, transformation, pluralism, interdependence, and generosity, with love at the center. Some of those values are going to be stronger for some folks than for others, but those are where we agree to center ourselves.
SDR: Where is the strangest place you found God?
PW: We have lots of different theological beliefs in my congregation, including atheists and agnostics. So not all Unitarian Universalists are interested in questions about God. I personally am a theist and so I’m happy to answer that question, but in fairness to my congregation, we have a large tent. To me, God is everywhere. There’s nowhere you won’t find God. I believe that President Trump has been a force for bringing a lot of harm into the world, and yet he was instrumental somehow in having the hostages in Israel and Gaza being released. I see God there. What a blessing from someone who we’re working to get out of office and not get reelected.
SDR: Where do you go when you die?
PW: The most Unitarian Universalist answer is “We don’t know.” And that’s OK. I do an “Ask Me Anything” service once a year with kids before they go to school. A little girl whose grandmother just died asked, “What happens when we die?” I said that I didn’t know. She sighed and said, “I knew you were going to say that.” Personally, I believe in reincarnation and the idea that our soul lives on. But our work is in this lifetime, so to become too preoccupied with what we were before is to be off-track. We’re here to build a better world together and be the best people we can be. We are learning in each lifetime and keep learning and becoming better. I have congregants who believe in heaven and hell, and others who believe that nothing happens when we die. We’re just buried and that’s it. We have room for a lot of different ideas.
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