January 2023 Member Spotlight – David Rodriguez

David Rodriguez grew up in New Jersey, the youngest of nine in a Catholic Puerto Rican immigrant family.  He did not have a strong attachment to Catholicism and when two older siblings became UUs he became interested.  An older sister became a UU hospital chaplain and an older gay brother found an inclusive community.  The latter was most significant as it demonstrated UU values about the essential worth and dignity of every human being.

David worked in the computer industry in the NY/NJ area but wanted to try something new, so he took a computing job in San Antonio.  It was there that he really found a church home, initially through involvement with his stepson’s religious education programs.  Being involved with young people from grade school through YRUU was rewarding and he is still connected with some of the youth he worked with who are now married with children of their own.

In addition to RE programs, David became involved with many other aspects of the church such as worship and social justice and was a covenant leader (like our InReach groups) and board president.  He missed his family on the East Coast though so after a divorce he moved here, midway between the constellation of his relatives across the Eastern Seaboard.  He came to UUCSS because he knew both Rev. Kristin and Rev. Christian and thought this would be a good place to be.

David is looking forward to getting to know more people in the church and has already been deeply involved in church life, including the Capital Campaign, IT webmaster and as a Coming of Age advisor.  He likes learning about other faiths and enjoys long walks in the woods and biking which is a sort of meditation for him.  He’s thankful for the folks he’s met and looks forward to building new things here.