An Interview with Elisia White
I interviewed Elisia White on Zoom. She is the second interview I’ve done with a virtual member of our community. This is a good reminder that our community extends beyond the people we see in church on Sundays. I hope she joins us in person at one of our events.
What would you like to share with the community about your life?
Elisia began life in Montana. Her dad went to Presbyterian seminary after WWII and his first parish was there. She says her father grew up agnostic in an open family, though she learned later that her paternal grandmother used to read The Daily Word.
“We lived in Montana until I was two years old. We moved to Kansas for a few years, then California, then to Nebraska in three places.”
“As a little girl, my best friend’s mother was Catholic. My friend was told if she went to a Protestant church, she would drop dead. I was told that Catholics worshiped idols. We wanted to put this to the test and were unable to follow through. Both of us disbelieved what we had been told.”
“I was surrounded by theology and ministers. I watched them and how they behaved in their lives, which wasn’t necessarily what they professed. The idea that there was a god that only loved kids who looked a certain way made no sense to me. When I went to college, I was only interested in what I could experience rather than intellectual concepts concerning spirituality.”
Elisia attended Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska. During her freshman year, she came in contact with a Brother from the Non-denominational Service and Teaching Order. Elisia attended a serve in Lincoln, Nebraska and had a profound spiritual experience. She was convinced to be a member of the community even though no women were present when she attended and she didn’t know if there were women members.
This community worked to bring peace, healing, and understanding. There were classes offered to all two nights a week and a communion service on Sunday. All community members held jobs outside of the center. The philosophy was that members would be self-supporting, asking no contributions for the services they provided.
“San Franciso donated two buildings to our community that we used for our homeless services. This was in response to the visible reduction in crime incidents our street patrols made in troubled areas of the city.”
“Some other organizations took hold and wanted to be accepted in the larger community and that watered it down a lot. I left on sabbatical and then didn’t go back. “
Elisia said being in a teaching and service order that looked Catholic was weird for her family. They were encouraged in their individuality, but when one brother meditated in the park and she visited a Catholic church, it was scandalous to their conservative religious community.
“When I was raising my three kids, I was very eclectic.” She practiced Buddhism actively for ten years and went to an Episcopal church regularly and led drumming circles. “Which left my kids a bit confused. My intention was that they were not limited by one flower in the garden saying it’s the only one that receives sunlight.”
“I found Unity in Missoula, Montana in my mid-30s. It was such an uplift.” Elisia attended Unity churches wherever she lived. This included Appleton when she moved to Scandinavia, WI in 2006. Elisia found not all Unity churches are the same. One had challenges with members being quite controlling.
Elisia said her life focus has always been spiritual, though not traditionally religious. She is supportive of all spiritually practicing groups. “If I attend a service where I find judgment and exclusivity practiced and promoted, I do not return.”
“Today while continuing with a primary focus on spiritual wellness, I volunteer at Goodman Community Center, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, and RSVP of Madison.
What brought you to Unity?
“From the beginning, I found Unity to be expansive, inclusive, and a good example of people working together. Finding Madison as a financially solvent community of Unity was an excellent example to us all.”
Elisia left Madison to support her son’s family with their newborn child in Fresno, CA, and attended a Unity church there. Since another one of her children lives in Madison, Elisia moved back in 2020 and re-established her connection to Unity of Madison. Though she has attended in person in the past, today Elisia attends online, which works best with her family and other Sunday commitments.
What are your favorite activities at Unity?
“Some of what I’ve enjoyed in our Madison Unity church are the laughter therapy activities done outside and the ecstatic dancing inside.” Elisia says she enjoys our community’s love and inclusiveness, honoring everyone. What she hears at Unity resonates internally.
Is there anything you’d like to see Unity do that would make your experience even better?
“I would enjoy more laughter and joyous dancing occasions.”