I do actually believe in God but not the traditional viewpoint. In the last few years I had a business and two relationships fail, other business problems, health problems, family problems...you name it, I have encountered it. It's been getting steadily worse.
None of my friends are able to help, and despite praying, God seems distant. I've spoken to my minister, she has said she has felt the same on occasion. My therapist references the story of Job (she is Christian) but it's cold comfort when I am suffering now. Unless she knows specifically when the suffering will end, it's not helpful.
I still pray and have not lost my faith, since I have had God appear in my life before in remarkably dramatic ways. But still the torrent of bad news is unrelenting, so I am on the edge of despair sometimes.
Posting here instead of Christian subs because Christians always say "God's perfect timing" which is NOT helping (like the last three therapists I saw)
"The Double-edged Sword of Faith"
Sunday, November 13, 10:50 am, Worship Service Livestream
Someone asked me on the way out of service this fall what I meant, as a Unitarian Universalist, when I said the word "faith." Let's look at what faith is (and is not) and the role it plays in our lives -- the blessing and the danger of it.
Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Richard Davis-Lowell, Worship Associate; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir; Kate Offer, Soprano Kai Leith, Pianist & Conducting; Wm. Garcรญa Ganz, Pianist & Conducting
Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Remigio Flood, Sexton; DeAndre Smith, Sexton; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher
Does anyone here have experience with Second Unitarian in Chicago? I live on the north side and am considering checking it out.
Hi there! Iโve recently started exploring UU churches in the area and it feels like a good home for me. Iโve been exploring all over the area (Iโm in Boston) and while Iโve attended lovely sermons, Iโm having trouble finding a congregation that has people my age (Iโm in my 30s). Everyone at Sunday service seems to be over 60. I wonder if Sunday service may just not be the right place to start? Anyone in the are (or in general) have any advice?
I am an ex-Christian and I have religious trauma related to that. I went to an in-person UU service for the first time Sunday. I got teary-eyed multiple times because I was quite awestruck. Iโve never had the experience of walking into a sanctuary that displays pride flags or hearing the Reverend invite trans and GNC kids to join the Girl Scouts troop during announcements. I had a wonderful time overall, but I have a few concerns. I can mostly handle hearing the word โGodโ and there was no mention of Jesus. The Bible was used during the sermon (Genesis), but its validity was questioned in a way I can appreciate. I am just wonderingโฆ is UU the wrong place to leap to, in general, if I want no associations with Christianity whatsoever? Or could I potentially find a different church that doesnโt reference the Bible? I am atheist-leaning, definitely humanist, but mostly still figuring it out.
I am also thinking about the perpetuation of Christianity and wanting to avoid that. This article encapsulates my thinking perfectly: https://brill.com/display/title/37153 To me, secular and liberal Christians are still perpetuating the harm of all other Christians, or they would drop the religious moniker altogether. I am wondering if Iโm being hypocritical by being UU. Also, Iโm really sorry if I offend anyone by writing this post. Thanks for reading.
Hey all! So I am originally born and raised Roman Catholic. I do not really find comfort in this religion anymore with their thoughts and feeling towards the lgbt community civil right etc. But I still love Mary and her place in the religion. I donโt see her as a god but I love the idea is saints and such. I donโt know if I believe Jesus is the โone and onlyโ son of god (itโs hard to change that idea after growing up with it) butโฆis this religion for me? If not is there any other place for me?
Does your congregation use a church management system, such as Breeze or Planning Center (there are a ton). Is that your donation platform or do you use something else? Or just a donation platform, such PayPal, or?
Hello, as the title says I'm trying to remember the UU book I was given to read for my Coming of Age journey though the UU church. It was black, and it had a chalice on it or maybe flames on it. I believe it had a history of the church, but don't remember much more than that.
I'm revisiting books of my late adolescent and young adult life. I stepped away about a decade ago from the UU church after attending a few years and then going off to college. Then work kept me from attending due to the hours I had been delt, then COVID hit, but recently I felt something come over me, and I'm wanting to reflect on things in my life.
I'll be elated if anyone knows what I'm talking about and I plan on attending my first UU service again very soon.
Im asking this in good faith but as a Jew I do not trust UU and dont really understand it. From my perspective, like Jews for Jesus, its essentially a Christian org that pretends its not despite having ministers, churches, celebrating Jesus, ect. I like all the left-wing aspects of UU but I have a hard time not seeing it as another way for Christians to destroy minority religions by assimilating them. I also find the using of our and others religious ceremonies and symbols and stripping them of their religious significance, presenting them as set dressing for a mostly Christian audience is offensive. Please correct me.
โAcross the Veilโ
Sunday, November 6, 10:50 am, Worship Service Livestream
This is the time of year of the Pagan celebration of Samhain, and the Christian (no doubt borrowed and adapted!) witness to All Souls and All Saints, and to the celebrations of Dรญa De Los Muertos in Mexico and across Latin America. All of these community and religious ceremonies and sacred times begin with the Samhain idea that at this time of year the veil between the living and the dying is thinned. It is a season, therefore, for reaching across that veil and pulling those we have loved and lost, their spirit and their legacy, more intentionally into our world for a while.
Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir; Mark Sumner, Music Director; Laurel Sprigg, Soprano; Brielle Marina Nielsen, Mezzo Soprano; Wm. Garcรญa Ganz, Pianist
Shulee Ong, Camera; Jackson Munn, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Joe Chapot, Live Chat Moderator; Dan Barnard, Facilities Manager; Kelvin Jones, Sexton; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher
I especially want to hear from latecomers to UU: what was the moment you realized UU wasn't just something you do on Sunday, but had become an integral part of your life, your relationship/marriage, your family?
I think it hit me when I quoted a hymn to comfort my partner. She was feeling guilty about a struggle we'd had the night before. I had already forgiven her, but she was having trouble letting go. So I quoted #637, A Litany of Atonement: "We forgive ourselves and each other; we begin again in love."
It clicked for her, and I realized I was using words of comfort in much the same way I saw other religious traditions doing.
Backstory: I was born to a Bahaโi family in 2009, Iโve been curious about religion since I was maybe 4. When I was in 7th grade I became a Muslim, but I left Islam recently. I do love Jesus, but I donโt believe he was God, just probably a prophet who sent down the Holy Bible. I am also bi and I know you guys accept LGBTQ. I also really love how the belief of this sect is that everyone will eventually be saved. This sounds like the religion for me. How do I convert?
I get the impression Unitarians are more liberal, but do you tend to affiliate with a political party, or is it more about just accepting people?
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