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Where does UU find its greatest spiritual depth?
I'm a preacher's kid from the Midwest living in Hawaii. I'm a member of a Friends Meeting and a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple, having been a member for about 50 years and 7 years respectively. I'm aware that spiritual depth can be elusive (or for that matter illusive).
Unitarian Universalism seems pretty unique in its theological agnosticism. Is it? Does anyone know if there are any other religions that are as non-dogmatic as UUism? Just curious.
I don't quite remember what got me thinking about this last night, but how many movies are there with characters who are Unitarian Universalists? Or that simply mention UUism?
I can only think of two off the top of my head. In Juno, the titular character mentions a classmate who apparently attends a UU church. And I'm also familiar with Raw Faith, which is a documentary whose subject is a Unitarian minister. Are there any others? Just curious.
A UU Minister answers the question (From 2009):
I don’t want to be a pillar of the community
Propping up the establishment
Maintaining the existing structures
I want to be a pillow of the community
Bringing comfort to those who need rest
A soft spot for animals to curl up
A gentle resting place for those who labour
A place of ease
A place of comfort
A place of love
Not a pillar, a pillow
(Feedback welcome - I wrote this after reading Terry Pratchett “Making Money”) edit because formatting on cellphones sucks.
I am very happy to be officiating the wedding of my god-sister in a month. God-sister as in: her parents are my godparents and mine are hers, we grew up together in UU congregations. She's my dearest person and close sibling by the circumstance of our parents being each other's chosen family. An extended UU family. Anyway--I'd love to give her a ceremony that has a distinctly UU bent.
We have drafted a handfasting ceremony with the exchange of vows. It's beautiful and a good length. Now, what should come before it? Readings? Poems? Stories? Any other thoughts on the UU flavor? We thought about having a chalice, but decided it was too much.
Bonus points for anything particularly down to earth, irreverent even. They are science, cats, and DnD loving nerdy folks, definite romantics.
Edit:by "a good length" I meant not too long, as opposed to just long. The right length. Need more to fill out the program!
“The Arc of the Universe”
Sunday, August 28, 10:50 am, Worship Service Livestream
August 28th is the 59th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Racial Equality. Its keynote address by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. has become the most famous speech in modern history. Echoed in his remarks that day were the paraphrased words of an early Unitarian minister, Theodore Parker; that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice.
Earlier this summer, the remarkable achievement of the Webb telescope began challenging humanity to look deeply into the past in order to make sense of today and what is to come. Indeed, in so many ways, we won't ever create the future of our dreams without understanding the past.
Join us as we explore Dr. King's inspiration in the words of a radical Boston minster, how those words convinced a cultural icon to continue to go "where no man had gone before" and finally, how we're learning, through science, that there is indeed an arc in the universe and that it bends towards truth.
Richard Davis-Lowell, Guest Preacher; Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Katrina Walter, Flautist; Charmian Stewart, Violinist; Nancy Munn, Pianist; Richard Fey, Songleader
Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour
The minister who runs the nonprofit gang rehab org “Hugs Not Thugs” is introduced as Unitarian Universalist: “those fools are like hippies, but angry.” Great description of us, and a fun show.
“Transforming Perfection”
Sunday, August 21, 10:50 am, Worship Service Livestream
This Sunday, join Guest Preacher Charlotte Cramer exploring the concept of perfection and how it influences our lives and society. Perfection is everywhere in our country, and it has impacted how we treat one another and ourselves. What is the mindset and healing that is needed to work against the strong drive towards being perfect? How could overcoming perfection foster a more wholesome and healthy life, and society?
Charlotte Maitreya Cramer, Guest Preacher; Sam King, Worship Associate; Asher Davison, Bass Vocals; Larry Chinn, Piano
Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Judy Payne, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher; Ralph Fenn, Les James, Tom Brookshire, Zoom Coffee Hour