I am new to organized religion, and we have begun to learn about our local UU and attend some events and services. We would love to connect and give back to our community more, but I’m a little at odds, wondering if I am being a little bit stingy or self-oriented in nature, if that makes me a poor fit to the community?

I would like to introduce our toddler to diverse people and families, and lead by example that all people are worthy, and also teach her about giving back. My household is pretty high earning (about $300k/annually) and we have some of our own financial goals (supporting a good education and growing family, supporting aging parents, early retirement). When it comes down to it, I just don’t want to give 10% (or even 5%) of my income away. I am comfortable with committing to $5k in the first year, and increasing $1k a year until we reach $10k, and hold steady at that. I know that joining a church should not be about money, but I’m wondering if I feel this sense of covering my needs first (including the needs of those who are most important to me), is that at odds with the ethos of the UU community?

After attending since mid 2020 my family and I finally joined our local UU church as members. So excited to become more involved in both the congregation and surrounding community!

Hey folks. I was raised heavily catholic (my dad is a deacon). When I was a teenager and became old enough to think rationally and really question things I went through an edgy atheist phase, and the older I got and the more research and studying and reflecting I did I came to believe that the concept of God that I had been debunking was a rather underdeveloped one at best, and became more open minded to religion. These days I consider myself an agnostic with heavy pantheist leanings. I think that there is some wisdom to be found in most religions.

In my research, UU seems to be the closest thing to a religious community that would match my beliefs. However, from what I've found the actual practice has less to do with discussions or rituals or whatever addressing life questions and issues from an existential or spiritual perspective as much as it is all about social justice without any solid metaphysical or existential belief motivating it.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think social justice is extremely important, but why not just make it an organization instead of a religion if the only thing connecting it to religion is the fact that it takes place in a church?

I think our society right now is experiencing a crisis of meaning in our secular age, and it's not surprising that people are turning to politics to find meaning. You also have political organizations that are dressed up as churches. On the right, you have baptists who've turned their pulpits into political soapboxes, and on the left you have UU. Not to say that these are the same. One preaches fascism and the other social justice, but neither seem to properly address that crisis of meaning.

From the sermons I've listened to, I just never got the sense that this is a place where I can experience the wonder and mystery that I would hope to expect from a religion that matches my beliefs.

According to google “Unitarians believe that God is only one person. Unitarians reject the Trinity and do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.” Is this true of every single Unitarian Universalist or is this just a general Statement?

I’m currently looking into Quakerism which I’ve always been interested in since high school. I have been a part of a UU congregation for the past 8 years. Anyone have similar experiences?

I've finally made up my mind. My first tattoo is going to be the number 637, and a chalice, all tattooed on my wrist^1. For those not in the know, #637 is the Litany of Atonement in the Gray Hymnal, aka Singing the Living Tradition. (Does anybody ever actually call it that??) The refrain is "We forgive ourselves and each other. We begin again in love." The Litany of Atonement is slowly finding its way into the foundation of my relationship as recurring words of comfort.

What I am getting hung up on is Part 2, the chalice. There are a dozen different designs, and I'm finding it hard to choose! So, TatUUed² folks, my question is this. How did you decide on the particular design of your chalice tattoo? What was the significance of that shape?

I could go with the two circles, but that's not what my home church's chalice looks like. Do I lean into our "ringless" chalice, do I not? Need to hear what other people have done!

¹ Astute UUs of good humor may note that I have planned for myself the equivalent of a bible verse wrist tat, and have my welcome permission to chuckle at the irony of a Pagan of all people doing such a thing.

² This joke is not mine, it is shamelessly stolen!

On this lovely new year Sunday morning, “Let us purge the statements of outgrown crudities, cruelties, falsities, blasphemies, Infamies! Let us dare to believe that the light of Lord today is holier than the mistakes about Him made by those who walked in darkness.”

On this lovely new year Sunday, “Let us purge the statements of outgrown crudities, cruelties, falsities, blasphemies, Infamies! Let us dare to believe that the light of Lord today is holier than the mistakes about Him made by those who walked in darkness.”

I was part of a huge UU church in Rochester NY.. it had a lot of members and multiple ministers. Now I’m part of a new UU church in the South and it seems like we have maybe… 25 families? I’ve only been going for 3 weeks now, maybe there are more..

But if these churches are financially independent and not tied to UU as a whole, how do they get enough money to pay the bills and to pay our minister??

I don’t know why but I have anxiety about this sometimes! His wife works as a hospital chaplain, I just worry that they don’t have enough members to keep this minister and his family here and I really like them.

UPDATE: They came out with the budget last weekend and said they were far behind what they needed, they fired two staff without getting congregation vote so there was a little stink about that at our parents meeting today. BUT in the past 24 hours they had a couple of generous gifts (100k! What the heck! When it looks like there are only like 30 people in services sometimes) and they are going to try and vote to rehire that staff. (I wonder what they will do with the severance packages they gave out to them???) anyway, so apparently they have many more members who don’t always come to services and I’m so happy to hear they can make their ends meet… I even found out they’re planning some big time renovations using capital campaign money.) thanks to y’all for calming my nerves. I’m happy there are people with more money than I who also find this UU mission a worthy cause.

Does anyone have suggestions for a daily reflection or meditation book geared toward UUs, pagans, Buddhists or Stoics beside The Daily Stoic? Preferably UU-oriented and with a Kindle Edition? My Google skills are failing me. Usually my superpower, but can't find something that fits.

Thanks and happiest of New Years!