Growing up, Leslie’s understanding of God was shaped deeply by the love and example of her Southern Baptist grandparents. “Although they were from the poor white south, they were the most loving and Christlike people I have ever known and did not have a racist bone in their body. They showed me what a relationship with God could look like—how to walk with Christ and live it out in daily life. That’s how I know God’s love is real—I saw it in them.”
Leslie’s early experiences with faith were in conservative churches where there was little room for doubt or honest questioning. “I always had these ideas about God, but I couldn’t say them out loud,” she recalls. Over time, she internalized the belief that if I followed the rules, I would be in God’s will—and that would protect me from bad decisions and heartbreak. But when life didn’t unfold that way, she was left feeling hurt, disillusioned, and abandoned by God.
In the wilds of California and through the writings of theologians like C.S. Lewis, Leslie began to long for something different. She longed for a church that “focused on the mystery of Christ, the community of faith, and the power of God’s love.” She reflected, “When I visited Community Church, I could be my full self,” Leslie shared. “I didn’t hear anything that sounded like BS.” She found a place that felt honest and open—one that matched who she was and how she wanted to be in relationship with God. “You don’t have to be a different person at this church. You can be who you are, and everyone’s good with that.”
Over time, her connections deepened—through Godly Play with her daughter Ruby, the OWL program, kinship groups, nine-to-dine, and moments like caroling at Christmas. “You do all these little things, and suddenly you’ve met all these people. In my Bible study group, we all just bring our questions. We leave the week with them. It’s freeing. It’s real. It meets you where you are.”
Today, Leslie describes her faith as alive and centered in relationship. “I used to think of God like a vending machine—you put in your card, and God gives you what you want. But now, it’s about paying attention, about knowing God is walking with you.”
She no longer feels the need to hide her questions and curiosity about God. Instead, she finds peace in nature, the mystery of faith, and the shared experience of being human. “Most of all, I am grateful to be part of an open, caring community where people can be themselves and walk through life—and their questions—together. In a way, it reminds me of what my grandparents showed me—what love and being a Christian look like when they’re truly lived out.”
Because of your generosity, programs like Godly Play, OWL, Bible study, and kinship groups continue to create space for connection, growth, and honest exploration. Thank you for making our church a place where people can show up fully, ask bold questions, and grow up in faith together.
Written by Robert Curtis, April 2025