Nancy Owen Nelson, author of "Searching for Nannie B.," shared her story of searching for the grave of her maternal grandmother, who died in childbirth, with the congregation of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on Sunday, June 28.
"You really don't know where you're going when you start a project like this," Nelson said.
Nelson said moving often as a child made her feel as though she did not have any roots. She said the "search for truth and meaning" was prevalent both during her search for her grandmother, Nannie B. Russell Chandler, and her Unitarian faith.
Sharon Roberts, member of the congregation and employee in the department of biological sciences, said the church occasionally has services led by lay members of the congregation, where they can host guest speakers such as Nelson.
"This is very much, I think, something Unitarian Universalists are very interested in, is exploring other religions, exploring what makes our lives meaningful," Roberts said. "I think we tend to be a very reflective group, thinking of the world outside us and how we link to it."
Nelson said her grandmother had been primitive Baptist, and attending a service at her grandmother's church in New Hope helped her feel a connection to her where she did not think there would be one.
Nelson said sharing her story of connection with the congregation was "joyful," and a homecoming of sorts, as she lived in Auburn for seven years. She said she felt a connection during the service through the Southern hymns sung at the service.
Roger Zeigler, Nelson's husband, was in the congregation supporting his wife. He said it was "wonderful" to see her speak.
"I'm sort of in step with it because every step along the way, I'm there, but it's wonderful that she's sharing her experience," Zeigler said.
Zeigler said investigating family history can be complex, and they had traveled far and wide through Alabama.
He said though she had completed this search, he thinks she could go looking for more stories.
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