An Interview with Heather Rabata
Heather Rabata (known by some as Petra Rabata) is an enthusiastic performer and supporter of Unity’s music programs. I enjoyed visiting with her and her seven-year-old rescue cat, Boo, in their lakeside home.
What would you like to share with the community about your life?
Heather grew up in Manitowoc as an only child. Her dad taught 5th and 6th grade for twenty-five years, and her mom taught for ten years before resigning to raise Heather.
“When I was very young, my dad and I would walk to school together. I enjoyed that aspect of being a teacher's kid. Since my dad was a teacher and had summers off, we took car trips and went to the Grand Canyon, the 4 Corners, Yellowstone National Park, and many other places in the U.S. We also did a lot of camping, which I loved.” Heather went to England and Scotland when she was ten. Heather also fondly remembers hiking in the rain forest and skiing in France.
“My mom converted from being a Methodist to Catholic to marry my dad. I was baptized Catholic. When I was in 4th grade my Mom and I started to attend Assemblies of God Evangelical Pentecostal church. Dad primarily attended Holy Innocents Catholic church. After church we would all meet at the Plane View restaurant and discuss the various sermons we'd heard. Sundays were always special in my family.”
“I went to these wonderful Pentecostal bible camps and felt accepted. But I didn’t like the sermons because they talked about how they were the only ones going to heaven. I went through a period of being agnostic after that. I didn’t like the Assemblies.”
In high school, Heather met a Mormon young man who introduced her to the Mormon church, so she attended there for five months. The Mormon leader wanted her to say same sex relationships were an abomination and she refused. Heather also didn’t like other aspects of Mormonism, such as having to give up coffee, tea, and alcohol and taking on baptism for all her dead relatives. “I felt weird in these classes for women. Because women were supposed to bear as many children
as possible. I knew I didn’t want kids.”
Heather moved to Madison for a hair stylist position. After styling hair for fifteen years, she grew tired of “making people pretty.” She also worked as a massage therapist and is a Reiki master as well as a certified peer support specialist.
“I have had a keen interest in exploring different religions. I was baptized four times, in three different church denominations. I read almost every book in the New Age section of Border's bookstore when I was in my early twenties. Had I gotten a degree, one of my first choices would have been religious studies.”
Heather’s interests extend to tarot cards, dream symbolism, Shamanic Drum Circles, and energy work. She was in a women's healing circle run by the late Dr. Fran Erhlich when she started seeking a spiritual path in Madison.
Heather is also very interested in music. She attended Ladies Rock Camp four times. They gave lessons and then had participants perform at High Noon Saloon. Heather played electric guitar for a song for a children’s book that her friend Naomi wrote. She goes to open mics and has played for a friend’s wedding. She enjoys taking songwriting classes and has written six songs.
Heather recently joined a group of women who decided to form a band. “I’m currently looking for pockets of community, mostly with music. I’m up to play music with anyone.”
Besides music, she fills her time with volunteer activities Over the years, her volunteer activities include the humane society, the Dane County Wildlife Center, Emmca Adult Day Care, Agrace Hospice, Three Gaits Farm, Bipolar Depression support group, and UW Hospital.
Heather received the name “Petra” during a while stone ceremony meditation and has gradually felt like the name resonates for her. She said, “there is a Petronella in my history who was from the Republic of Czechoslovakia.”
What brought you to Unity?
“In Madison, I checked out the Quaker Friends church and the Unitarian church. Unity was recommended to me by different people. They said it was a church that didn’t focus on sinning and more on love. I heard there was more of a liberal stance on gay marriage, which appealed to me. I made it to Unity when Rev. Ted was the minister. He was really kind to me.”
“What drew me to Unity was the music. I sang in the choir. Pete let me play guitar when I only knew a few chords. He suggested I take lessons, and I have taken zoom lessons every week since.”
What are your favorite activities at Unity?
The choir and other music performances are Heather’s favorite activities. She also loves the fellowship after church. She said coming to church fulfills her spiritually for the week. “During the pandemic I became a keeper of the flame at Unity as a part of the prayer chaplain program. The only thing I did not complete was the weekend at Holy Wisdom.”
“I am very grateful for Reverend Debra and Don. It’s so nice to have a permanent reverend at the church and to see how our community has grown.”
Is there anything you’d like to see Unity do that would make your experience even better?
Heather would love to have movie nights and more nature walks.