We have a local UU Congregation and I have been a few times trying to decide if it's for me or not. The last time I went, a lady in charge of various committees came up to the microphone and started yelling at people and swearing saying what the hell is wrong with all of you and why don't you come to the things I set up. Sounds like she is in charge of various meet ups, maybe work parties or fund raising things, and she clearly just got fed up that not enough were attending.

What got me though is it seemed perfectly normal and nobody batted an eye to her yelling at and swearing at everyone in the room. Not a very respectful way to be heard and if I'm honest it really put me off to that Congregation and I haven't been back since.

Does this kind of thing happen often? Was it an unusual thing? 🤔

This is pretty detailed so my apologies for the length…you should see my emails. :)

Our congregation has been experimenting with a version of Whole Worship where all ages are present for the entire service. Young children (ages 1-6 or so) sit on rugs at the front of the sanctuary to the foot of the podium playing with toys, wriggling and interacting as young kids do. Throughout the room there are a handful of very young children in their parents’ arms.

There are between 5 and 10 young kids at every service. They do have one role near the end of the service when they drop stones in water before a moment of silence.

There have been concerns voiced by a substantial proportion of the congregation: the moment of silence is never silent, the kids are a constant distraction during the message, and the lack of an alternate place for children during the service does two things - it puts a burden on families who want their children to be in a kid friendlier space during the service and does not offer targeted religious education for kids.

We used to have the first portion of the service for whole worship and then the kids would go to the lower floor - which is 80% child oriented art, education and play spaces - for religious education / kid social time.

Although church leadership claims our form of whole worship is common in UU, the group who has been disenchanted with the state of affairs has been unable to find any congregation who is currently doing service this way.

Has your congregation tried whole worship in this manner?

If so - Has your church stuck with it? How have you dealt with the distractions and noises young children provide?

Church leadership has decided to offer two services - one at 10 geared towards kids, fellowship between and a second service at 11:15. With less than 100 active members it is hard to see how this works long term so maybe there is another way we haven’t considered.

Thanks for getting this far and have a great day / week / season.

Recently I was involved as a designer with a UU church. One of the members took a disliking to me and sent my personal information to the congregation, including my name, phone, email, address, and financial information. She then claimed I was unprofessional, scamming the organization, and mentally unhealthy.

The board and congregation believed her. They fired me.

The way this congregation treated me was abysmal, I've never experienced anything like it in my nearly 50 years of life. I've never had a design client treat me this bad, ever. And I've worked with well over a hundred with marketing, design and consulting.

What I want to know is ...

Does the UU condone stigmatizing mental health?

Has this happened in your congregation / fellowship? If so, how was it handled?

If not, what is the best policy for addressing this?

I've reached out the the local conference and to the main headquarters about this.

As it stands for me and how I was treated, I'm not seeing any difference between UU and any other toxic organized religion. And unless there is accountability within the organization, I'll not attend any UU ever again.

Edit : Some extra info and I wanted to add that this has been a massively demoralizing, soul-crushing experience. The way UU presents itself makes it seem very welcoming and inclusive, and my wife and I had intentions of joining as members. There is no way we want to associate with abusive people and those who enable it. Stigmatizing mental health is hate speech.

My fiancée and I are getting married in September next year. Neither of us are baptised, nor Church-goers but we would like to share our relationship with a higher power so have chosen to be married in a Church. My family is Anglican, so we have booked a date with our local Anglican Church.

When it comes to my own spirituality, I strongly align with the beliefs of Unitarian Universalists. I believe in a higher power, appreciate the principles of Christianity, Humanism and when travelling, have always revered the sacred spaces of all religions - from Shinto to Buddhist to Muslim, with the highest regard. I believe that wherever I pray, or connect, that higher power will hear me.

Our priest is liberal and doesn't expect us to be baptised. However, he has offered baptism is we are interested. In terms of connecting with God, something is calling me to be baptised. I feel as though it will be a symbolic gesture of my spirituality that I've never undertaken in my life before, as it has been an entirely personal journey.

Despite this, however, my beliefs are so liberal, I feel I would completely lack integrity by being baptised. My fiancée and I, for instance, have a live-in relationship and this will not change. I also believe that humans are human and much of the strict 'rules' purported by Christianity doesn't reflect the multitude of experiences, mistakes, learnings, growth etc. that encompass being human.

And yet still, I feel an urge to have that connect with god solidified in baptism - even though I will not live my life according to the rules of a strict Christian Church. I feel in such a crisis and the experience has left me with so much shame, even though usually, I feel comfortable with my choices and life. I don't feel like I can be baptised unless I follow the rules exactly as it really lacks integrity.

Ironically, I have no issue with being married in the Anglican Church. I respect that space and see it it as a space of reverence that is a pathway to that higher power, due to the faith of the people who worship there.

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I'm not sure what to do, or even perhaps what I am asking because I'm having trouble even explaining my own complicated feelings around this dilemma. Any advice from your perspective is so welcome.

I'm interested in becoming a Unitarian as my town has a Unitarian church and I'm a bisexual man and a panentheist. I believe God is the soul of the universe and the universe is his body, all living things are consciousness that broke off or emanated from God's consciousness. But my theology relies on mind-body dualism. So when I read the sources of the Unitarian Church and found this one, "Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit." I wondered, what does that mean? Is the Church taking a firm stance that mind-body dualism isn't a thing and taking a stance in favor of metaphysical materialism? Would love to have this explained, thanks.

The Heritage Fondation has basically created a document called the 2025 Project which calls for America to be turned into a Christian Country in which the LGBT and non-Christians rights would no longer be recognized.

Do you feel this could be the end of us in the United States?

https://naunitarians.org/project/left-vs-left-whats-happening-here-aint-exactly-clear/

The talk starts at 4:00. The first 45 minutes are a general discussion, contrasting identity liberalism with traditional (enlightenment) liberalism. An overview of how this is affecting UU begins at 48:50. And then a specific discussion on the UUA Article II begins at 59:10.

The motion to change Article II (which will replace the Seven Principles with Six Shared Values ), was passed provisionally at GA 2023. The final vote will take place next summer, at GA 2024.

EDIT: the title wording should have been "... and the upcoming vote to replace the Seven Principles," because the Principles will not be replaced unless this is approved by 2/3 of the delegates to GA 2024. Regardless of how you feel on this issue, this is a good time to get engaged with the delegate selection process in your congregation.

"Final approval of the Article II proposal requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the 2024 General Assembly to adopted [sic] the revision as the new Article II of the UUA bylaws."

https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/article-ii-study-commission

Have they flocked to the mainline churches, such as the ones in the Presbyterian, Congregationalist and Anglican traditions? Have they become Christadelphians or Adventists? Are they still around after the fusion with the Universalist Association?

I am really curious to see if there are still biblical Unitarians, that are similar to John Biddle and Isaac Newton, who have not went into the Church of God, nor to the Christadelphian religion.

Hi, I’m new to this community but attend a UU congregation in Oklahoma. We have lost 3 of our Pride flags that are hung from our flag pole outside the building. The vandalism is escalating in that they used to steal them. Now they cut and slice them with a box cutter. The vandalism has been reported to the local police but to no avail. I’m just wondering if anyone else has had similar issues in their community, if we should be preparing for more violence or if any one has suggestions other than reporting to the authorities on how we can mitigate this. Thanks

Hi! I am a Catholic Christian and I am theologically very conservative. Yet I have always valued ecumenical dialogue and interfaith communities: I find them so enriching. So I am fascinated by UU. I believe that "Unitarian Universalism" can speak to me too. To me "Unitarian" means affirming the Unity of humanity and "Universalist" means that every experience is welcome. Though I believe that only a specific religion Is the true one, I believe that I can find elements of Truth in all faiths. I respect other people's beliefs and I would not try to force mine on them. So, although being a Trinitarian Unitarian could sound as a paradox, do you think I could be part of the group? Thank you in advance

The first time I went to my only nearby UU congregation, I was treated to a sermon centering on the idea that As women, we are natural mothers, even if we don't have children of our own. I'm an infertile woman in my 30s, I've had a hysterectomy, I don't have or want my own children, I'm not a mother, I will not be a mother in the future. Yet throughout the sermon I was informed that all women are naturally maternal, blah blah blah. It really sounded no different than what my conservative Christian family used to tell me when I still talked to them.

I didn't want to stay for coffee hour. When I tried to leave, two long-time members kept trying to corner me into an unwanted conversation and literally stood in front of the door. Only when I asked them "Why are you blocking the door?" did they sheepishly move out of the way.

Because I'm apparently quite stupid, I went back again last Sunday. This week's sermon was about something related to racial inclusivity. The congregation is almost entirely White, which is ironic given their lip-service to "diversity", but I don't find it inherently problematic to be in a heavily-White crowd. I'm Indian American and there was a Black couple there as well, but literally everyone else was White. Oh well. The problems began during coffee hour when I was repeatedly questioned about my life experiences as an Indian American. I'm sure they thought they were "questioning their beliefs" or whatever, but in reality they were just projecting a bunch of false assumptions onto me and then making baseless accusations. I was honestly disgusted and I left after about 25 minutes.

I won't be returning again. This is the only UU congregation within an hour of my home. If this is how they treat their guests, I don't want to find out how they treat me when they feel comfortable.

I recently moved states, and attended a service with one of my local UUA's to hopefully find a congregation that I fit into. As expected, the population of the UUA was predominately older folks (60+), and due to the area, predominately upper class and white. The service was wonderful. The congregation left some things to be desired.

There was a side meeting held to discuss the recent adopting of an eighth pillar, one that specifically strives to bring racial equity and undo behaviors within the congregation or within themselves in order to make it a welcome place for all. We were able to share during the meeting, but my partner and I had little to contribute if only because we were new and did not know enough of what had been happening to say too much on it.

I guess to summarize, the congregation has been having discussions about how they might go about actually adopting this pillar, but not a lot has been done to actually do that. It's talked about almost as if the fact that we are talking about it is worth celebration, and yet it has been two years since the pillar was adopted, and no committee or leadership has been created to address it. Understandably, many in the congregation who are impacted by microagressions or outright discrimination in and out of the co gregarious are frusterated. Some individuals voiced their frusteration, asked when there was going to be a planning phase, some actions done, and there was a lot of "we tried our bstz but don't know what we are doing" and "it's up to the congregation to decide how to adopt these principals". The I dociduals impacted have voiced that it is a lotto shoulder to be expected to lead the charge in dismantling beliefs about their intersectionalities, and holding accountability for microagressions against them, and that congregational leadership should and needs to hold a more active role.

I see why there is frusteration. I had multiple interactions with mostly older men that were pretty uncomfortable. They didn't like when I corrected them, changed subject, or waved the conversation off. My partner did not get the same kind of treaent or interest despite being new as well, and announcing that he was new to UUA's all together. It was frustrating, not infuriating, but I definitely felt put off by it.

I'm going to try a different congregation in a population that is more like partner and myself, and looking online, it seems that congregation bringd in many diverse speakers. So my thought was, maybe there were initiatives in other UU's we could point to, so leadership can tyen pivk their brains and take action, since their main hold up seems to be that they don't feel they know what they shoukd do. I do have groups and activities I want to be a part of with the lovelier people from this first one (specifically their LGBTQIA and young adults), and these seem like good places to test sone of these steps so we can see if it is appropriate for this congregation. I also wanted to bring the conversation here, to see if any one had adopted similar things into their congregation, and perhaps what suggestions you all may have in navigating this kind of behavior within the congregation, having accountability, and addressing concerns in these meeting with leadership, e.c.t

Hi - I've been trying to find a picture of the actual symbol designed by Hans Deutsch and used in WW2 era. Do any of you know where I could find it, or if you could share it with me? There are a lot of interpretations of the flaming chalice symbol that can be found online, but none that are directly attributed to Deutsch (from what I've seen). Any help appreciated!

I believe every religion leads to the same God. Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and many more are extensions of the Supreme divine.

God came to earth as those formed in different periods to encourage unity and spread positive teachings.

Does anyone have the same beliefs?

Specifically the UK. The closest we have here are Unitarian churches but I haven’t been able to find any UU congregations.

Edit: I’ve just realised that the “Unitarian” churches here are actually closer to UU congregations than traditional church congregations. Thanks for your replies!

Hello, I am doing this because it is literally a last resort before homelessness. I am in my 30's and have taken care of a family member for the past 8 months. The family member passed and I tried to find a job really hard because I just lived off of their income, anyway, no job and the months passed and I lost my car and I got diabetic neuropathy and now I cannot work a job outside of the home because of my legs. I also have crippling anxiety and live in a rural area. I have applied to endless online jobs but to no avail. I am losing my internet and probably going to be homeless at the end of the month. I have no speakable family because they dont like that i am gay and i also have horrible credit so i cannot borrow money. I know this looks suspicious as hell, but I promise you it is not, it is just a last resort. I am hungry and going to lose everything. If anyone could help at all my cashapp is $captainmidnight515 anything that you send will help me. Also, if you cannot send money please send prayers. I missed my loved one I took care of so bad, and so much heartache, but I would still do it again, we have some good times. Please just send good thoughts and vibes, I have also tried a few churches and food banks to no avail. Sorry, and I know people have it worse than me, just feeling down. I just do not want to live anymore. Will this ever get better? I hope it does but I don’t think it will. I just miss them and all this is just more than I can take. Please just manifest, pray for me, anything, there has to be an end to this. I know there are people with it a whole lot worse than me but this still hurts awful.

Hello, I am doing this because it is literally a last resort before homelessness. I am in my 30's and have taken care of a family member for the past 8 months. The family member passed and I tried to find a job really hard because I just lived off of their income, anyway, no job and the months passed and I lost my car and I got diabetic neuropathy and now I cannot work a job outside of the home because of my legs. I also have crippling anxiety and live in a rural area. I have applied to endless online jobs but to no avail. I am losing my internet and probably going to be homeless at the end of the month. I have no speakable family because they dont like that i am gay and i also have horrible credit so i cannot borrow money. I know this looks suspicious as hell, but I promise you it is not, it is just a last resort. I am hungry and going to lose everything. If anyone could help at all my cashapp is $captainmidnight515 anything that you send will help me. Also, if you cannot send money please send prayers. I missed my loved one I took care of so bad, and so much heartache, but I would still do it again, we have some good times. Please just send good thoughts and vibes, I have also tried a few churches and food banks to no avail. Sorry, and I know people have it worse than me, just feeling down. I just do not want to live anymore. Will this ever get better? I hope it does but I don’t think it will. I just miss them and all this is just more than I can take. Please just manifest, pray for me, anything, there has to be an end to this.

So, honestly, I’m not sure all that becoming a UU member entails... But I’ve been going to UU services — maybe 6 or 7 over the past few months — and so far I’ve really enjoyed the sense of community and how the services/sermons make me think more deeply about what’s going on in the world and in other people’s lives. I love that they share the donation baskets with organizations that are philanthropic and justice-oriented. I enjoy the singing and the stories and the little moments of meditation.

I think I want to do more and to even try making new friends with the UU crowd, but I’m worried about the whole “membership” aspect and how similar it may be to more traditional/organized religions. I don’t want to feel like I’m obligated to come each week or feel like I’m trapped in some kind of agreement to be UU… and the prospect of having a “chalice guide” (as they call it) kinda gives me cult vibes. 😅(Side note that may relevant: I was once approached by the door greeter and she kept thanking me for joining, telling me I should come back again, and touching my arm. It made feel pretty uncomfortable — I guess because it reminded me of how some Christian churches proselytize. Since then I’ve waited until the last minute before going in to avoid another situation like that. Everyone else has been great lol!)

All that being said, I totally understand if that’s, you know… kinda the point of going to church haha. Maybe you can’t be a part of the UU congregation without jumping in. At the end of the day though, I’m really looking for a way to socialize with like-minded people, to establish some routine to my life, and explore my spirituality as an Atheist. I don’t necessarily want to take unfair advantage of the community — but I’m just not yet passionate about the church or engrossed in its philosophies. I think I need to become involved on my own time and in my own terms.

Here’s my big question: Do I need to become an official member to take part in the church? For instance could I try out some of the clubs/activities first to see if it’s all a good fit? I’m thinking maybe this Sunday I will try one of the post-service groups that do meditation or group work… and I saw they have trunk or treat planned for this October which sounds like a lot of fun. (I’m a single woman, no kids, and I don’t get any trick or treaters where I live!!) Would it be okay to just show up, listen to the service, donate some money, and take things slow? Is there a point where I’ll no longer be welcome as a “guest”?

I’d really love any advice.. I sent an email to the church a few days ago basically saying all this and they only replied “come next Sunday and we’ll talk to you about the membership process.”

Hello! I joined the UU church recently, although I had always been vaguely aware of it, in a way, I was a UU without knowing it!

I recently had a mental health crisis after using psilocybin, and ended up having an incredibly intense, scary, ego-death trip without my consent (I took a very small dose, but my doctors think that because of several chronic conditions, my body doesn't metabolize substances the same way as the average person). I had to do out-patient treatment for a month, but the nature of my crisis is not entirely psychological, so it helped, but only a little. Essentially I entered a crisis where I don't see anyting as real, and the concept of time triggers severe, all-encompassing panic. It's hard to describe, but I am chronically disoriented, things seem upside down and inside out and my own mental processes are very disorganized. Imagine trying to send a work email with a hangover, after stepping off a roller coaster. And the keyboard is set to another language, and the screen is not facing you.

Somehow, among this, I decided to join a UU church. I say I go every Sunday, but truthfully, my grasp of time and space is so scattered that it's not even easy to type this. And it's extra scary because I'm a boring, uptight professional who never dabbled in substances. What is happening to me is my dirty little secret.

In UU I find a little wedge of partial peace. I find myself not being able to feel fully present during service, but some things stick. I notice for even mere seconds at a time that I quiet the unrest and ask myself "How can I be of service?" " How can I uphold my promise to this person/animal/community" "What new promise can I make internally to be a better wife/daughter/sister?". And although I haven't chatted other members yet, even as I type this, I feel the love of this community is real. I know people are rooting for me, the way I am rooting for them, even without reading these words.

So thank you all for being a part of this, whatever it is. Thank you for your service, for your commitments, for your just being you.

​

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Do people who don’t label themselves as UU go to UU services or watch UU services online. I’ll use me as an example I label my as a Liberal Quaker but I like watching UU services online more than going to online Friends meetings. I know this is a weird question to ask. I just want to know.

Hello, I am doing this because it is literally a last resort before homelessness. I am in my 30's and have taken care of a family member for the past 8 months. The family member passed and I tried to find a job really hard because I just lived off of their income, anyway, no job and the months passed and I lost my car and I got diabetic neuropathy and now I cannot work a job outside of the home because of my legs. I also have crippling anxiety and live in a rural area. I have applied to endless online jobs but to no avail. I am losing my internet and probably going to be homeless at the end of the month. I have no speakable family because they dont like that i am gay and i also have horrible credit so i cannot borrow money. I know this looks suspicious as hell, but I promise you it is not, it is just a last resort. I am hungry and going to lose everything. If anyone could help at all my cashapp is $captainmidnight515 anything that you send will help me. Also, if you cannot send money please send prayers. I missed my loved one I took care of so bad, and so much heartache, but I would still do it again, we have some good times. Please just send good thoughts and vibes, I have also tried a few churches and food banks to no avail. Sorry, and I know people have it worse than me, just feeling down. I just do not want to live anymore. Will this ever get better?

I am an agnostic atheist, who recently attended a few UU churches. I thought because the church seemed progressive I might enjoy it. I didn't. And then it dawned on me: THIS IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF MY TIME! I think UU churches attracted boomers who would simply become Nones if they were millennials or Gen Z. I am actually a late X-er in my early 40's, but even I see no use in religion. It must be much easier for millennials and Z, to just dismiss religion altogether as something their parents or even grandparents did. As unnecessary superstition amd ritual.

We all know the movie The Exorcist. Demonology is a fascination with me as if I can show proof of it then I show proof of a God. Maybe not Christian but something good versus evil. This priest's diary came to the public of the real life exorcist of the real 14 year old boy the movie was based on. Not sure what to think about it.Is This Exorcist Real?

Do you know of a congregation who is practicing sociocracy as a governance model? I know there are some and my congregation would like to pursue it. Thanks!

Ref: https://www.sociocracyforall.org

Could someone explain the difference please?

I stumbled upon UU on tiktok and went down the rabbit hole and it seems like something I’d be very interested in. My boyfriend and I both struggle with religious trauma (I grew up baptist, he grew up catholic) so we’re a bit iffy and both feel a little like it’s “too good to be true”. I’m at a point in life where I’m trying to hone in on my spiritual journey and what exactly that is for me. I see that this church is welcoming of all religions, so is this a good idea for people who have experienced religious trauma and have a bit of a bad taste in their mouths for the religions that hurt us?

I'm asking various Christian adjacent subreddits their reaction to an excerpt to a speech given by the non-Christian ʻAbdu'l-Bahá given in 1912 in New York City. Do you feel that he gives an accurate rendering of the mission of Christ and the apostles and the nature of His Kingdom?

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"The divine Prophets came to establish the unity of the Kingdom in human hearts. All of them proclaimed the glad tidings of the divine bestowals to the world of mankind. All brought the same message of divine love to the world. Jesus Christ gave His life upon the cross for the unity of mankind. Those who believed in Him likewise sacrificed life, honor, possessions, family, everything, that this human world might be released from the hell of discord, enmity and strife. His foundation was the oneness of humanity. Only a few were attracted to Him. They were not the kings and rulers of His time. They were not rich and important people. Some of them were catchers of fish. Most of them were ignorant men, not trained in the knowledge of this world. One of the greatest of them, Peter, could not remember the days of the week. All of them were men of the least consequence in the eyes of the world. But their hearts were pure and attracted by the fires of the Divine Spirit manifested in Christ. With this small army Christ conquered the world of the East and the West. Kings and nations rose against Him. Philosophers and the greatest men of learning assailed and blasphemed His Cause. All were defeated and overcome, their tongues silenced, their lamps extinguished, their hatred quenched; no trace of them now remains. They have become as nonexistent, while His Kingdom is triumphant and eternal."

*Brave Souls

I’m a Naturalistic Christopagan that has been getting involved with my local CUUPs chapter but am searching for a local UUCF chapter to supplement the Christo part of my practice alongside the Pagan. So far, I have been able to develop my Christianity by also attending an Episcopal Anglo-Catholic church as well as a United Methodist Church & I really enjoy them both. I was wondering if there is anybody else in my position & what were your experiences like attending Christian churches while remaining actively involved with the UUA in a non-Christian capacity? Or for those who are involved with the UUCF, do you supplement your practice with other denominations & if so, which ones?

I’m a Naturalistic Christopagan that has been getting involved with my local CUUPs chapter but am searching for a local UUCF chapter to supplement the Christo part of my practice alongside the Pagan. So far, I have been able to develop my Christianity by also attending an Episcopal Anglo-Catholic church as well as a United Methodist Church & I really enjoy them both. I was wondering if there is anybody else in my position & what were your experiences like attending Christian churches while remaining actively involved with the UUA to some degree or another? Or for those who are involved with the UUCF, do you supplement your practice with other denominations & if so, which ones?

The church I go to most regularly is in a bigger town, and there are plenty of kids. They have a kid come up to the front every week and open the “wonder box” and do a little lesson. It’s cute for the kids, inoffensive for the adults.

I went to a UU church in a smaller town yesterday, and they did a “time for all ages,” which seemed like the same thing. Only, it was obvious that every last person in that building could legally drink alcohol, you know? A woman in her 30s came up and opened the “wonder box”. Super awkward, because the activity was obviously made for kids, and we were all adults. Everybody played along, and seemed to have fun, but it just struck me as odd.

Does every church do this? Will they do this every week? My husband and I are thinking of moving to the town where this new church is - are they weird?

Hello everyone, I still don't know very much about unitarians, and I would like to know if it's ok for a Unitarian to read and believe in the Book of Mormon. More specific, someone who reads it and goes to UU Church because doesn't believe in the dogmas of the LDS church (considering they aren't 100% truthful to the Book). I would be very thankful if someone could answer this!

https://www.star-telegram.com/article278602294.html

Fort Worth police said Friday they are not classifying the arrest this week of a heavily armed man at a Unitarian Universalist church as a hate crime. A church official told the Star-Telegram that the man found inside All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist on Wednesday had been attending services for a few months. Earlier that day, the church discovered he had brutally killed his dog on the property “We believe this was not an attack on the church’s progressive values, but the actions of a lone disturbed individual,” wrote Dan Sexton, board president of All Peoples Church, in an emailed statement.

Police initially responded to All Peoples Church, formerly known as First Jefferson Unitarian Universalist Church, at 1959 Sandy Lane in Fort Worth on Wednesday morning after they received a 911 call about a dead dog in a field behind the church, next to its community garden. A teacher at a private school that operates in the church building found the dog’s body and called police. Officers arrived to find the dog had been cut open and was surrounded by multiple bullet casings and a rifle. A church security camera recorded shots being fired around 3:45 a.m. Police returned to the church later that afternoon when they received a call about a man inside holding a shotgun and wearing ammo on his chest. He was immediately taken into custody.

The man has since been identified as 27-year-old Roman Collins, police said. Collins is being held in the Tarrant County Jail on charges of terroristic threat, cruelty to a non-livestock animal, and carrying weapons in a place where they are prohibited. In a statement to the Star-Telegram on Friday, All Peoples Church administrator Karl Thibodeaux wrote that he had found Collins in the doorway to the church’s library. Collins was wearing a tactical vest stuffed with ammunition and a holstered gun. A long gun lay beside him on a table, he said. The administrator said Collins told him he killed the dog, and that he was planning “further carnage.” The dog was later identified as Collins’ pet, the statement reads. Thibodeaux said that the children had left the building and the school had closed for the day, so he was alone when he heard Collins walk in the back door and “slip into the library.” The administrator said he went to see who was there, thinking it might be someone who arrived early for Wednesday evening choir practice.

Thibodeaux told Collins he had to put something in the office. He left the church through a side door and drove to a nearby member’s house to call 911. He told police that Collins had made threats about killing people. Dozens of law enforcement officers responded quickly, and the arresting officer told Thibodeaux that Collins was waiting by the front door with a gun and said he was waiting for people to arrive, Thibodeaux wrote. Collins, who according to court records lived about a mile away from the church, does not appear to have a prior criminal record in Tarrant County. He’s being held on $200,000 bond.

Police had the Fort Worth Fire Department’s Bomb/Arson Unit sweep the church, its courtyard and Collins’ car following his arrest. The police department’s SWAT team also searched Collins’ home with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. When officers searched Collins, they found a shotgun, a large knife, a handgun and several loaded magazines, police said in a news release. Inside his truck, they found a rifle that had been converted to accept handgun magazines.

According to court records, defense attorney Lesa Pamplin was appointed to represent Collins. She declined to comment Friday. This incident isn’t the first crime that’s occurred at area Unitarian churches in recent months. In July, Plano’s Community Unitarian Universalist Church was firebombed when someone tossed an accelerant in front of the church and set it ablaze. No one was injured during the incident, but the front door and foyer sustained damage.

Just a few weeks earlier, the Plano church, which like other Unitarian churches affirms the LGBTQ community, had been trolled by anti-LGBTQ YouTubers who pretended to be gay and made fun of the church, the Dallas Morning News reported. There’s still no word on who set the Plano fire. A spokesperson with Plano Fire-Rescue said Friday that the investigation is ongoing. Plano authorities said last month that their initial investigation didn’t find a connection between the video prank and the fire. A representative for the Community Unitarian Universalist Church told the Star-Telegram that they never found out who started the fire — the little evidence they had from eyewitnesses didn’t provide answers.

The national Unitarian Universalist Association in Boston said in a statement Friday, “We are in close contact with the Fort Worth congregation, and our thoughts and prayers are with them in this difficult time as they respond to the incident in their community. Unitarian Universalists believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people, and we invite everyone who shares our values into our spaces of worship. “We urge everyone to prioritize the safety and well-being of their community,” the association said. “We believe this is a moral requirement — and that it is everyone’s job to keep communities safe. Unitarian Universalists will continue to uphold our values and commitments to principles of welcome, acceptance, inclusion, and belonging.”

hi guys!! i grew up attending a UU church in houston every sunday from ages 3-17. when i went off to college in DFW, i lost my church home.

right now i’m trying to decide between the UU Church of Oak Cliff or the Denton UU Fellowship. anyone been to either of these and have good experiences?

going to a new church as a young adult is nerve-wracking to me, i’m used to attending the sunday school and getting to know everyone that way. not sure how to get to know people through just attending services 😅

https://youtu.be/n7mrDuPxOWE?si=-LiryzC-3_UvH2N4

We often recoil at the phrase “Christian Values”. But what we object to is a certain interpretation of them. Do we have any problem with REAL Christian values?

Filmed in the sanctuary of First Universalist Church of Rochester, New York on August 13th, 2023

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I've tried to find one, but haven't come into any luck doing so.

Edit: I have already ascertained my regions Unitarian Universalist ministries.

The first question is whether you can be strongly against humanism and still be a member of the community. I've seen a lot of people mention humanism as one of the main things to do with the community but I'm not a very big fan of humanism.
The second question is what's the community consensus on hell? A lot of the faiths that are common in Unitarian Universalist community have some concept of hell but I imagine it would be a bit of a taboo subject to talk about.

By which I mean, are UU atheists usually (or expected to be) tolerant and respectful of the religious beliefs of other members? What has your experience been, either as an atheist or as a religious member of a UU congregation?

I’m not Christian or a theist but I do follow a particular religious tradition. I attended a discussion group last weekend, and the conversation devolved into atheists equating religion itself with fundamentalism. I don’t understand how that could be acceptable in a church setting, even if that church has no shared creed. I’m new to UU but have attended every week for the past couple months. I really didn’t expect to get the sense that other members are actively anti-religious or unwilling to honestly engage in interfaith dialogue. Is this an anomaly?

Clearly this is a subjective post, but this experience affected me, and I’m genuinely wondering if anyone has insight into what is typical of a UU church and whether this is a norm I just have to accept if I want to keep attending.

I really like praying for stuff and the idea of heaven and it gives me a lot of comfort and happiness but I haven't been allowed to join any Christian sects because they all said the rest of my beliefs aren't compatible with their religion. I like stuff from Gnosticism, Taoism and Buddhism too, mostly the stuff that relates to philosophical pessimism and individualist stuff. I really like reading philosophical nihilist, pessimist and individualist books and philosophy and it comforts me as much as my spiritual stuff but my issue is that almost no spiritual communities tolerate those sort of beliefs. I wanted to know if I'd be allowed to join a Unitarian Universalist church or community to pray in and find people to make friends with because I'm worried they would turn me down too because some of my beliefs go against things that basically every religion agrees on.

I was raised in a very religious, conservative, homophobic family and while I've never formally joined or even been to a UU church, I like to jokingly say to myself that I'm a non-practicing Unitarian.

When I was in college I developed a huge gay crush on a guy and it basically forced myself to accept that I was gay.

So I had this dream and I nervously go to this UU service in a beautiful old church. Everyone is really nice and wearing bright colors. It all seems very chill, both "religious" and very relaxed. I sit down and I noticed my crush from college is sitting across the aisle from me. At some point there's some prayer where everyone stands up and links their arms over each other's shoulders and I get to connect with my crush.

He smiles like he recognizes me but doesn't say anything. After the prayer we sit down and he joins me and leaves his arm around my shoulder. At first my brain goes to how wrong this is (even though I've abandoned my former religious identity 15+ years ago), but I then realize we're at a UU church and I'm able to relax and just enjoy the moment. It becomes one of those dreams you don't want to wake up from and even when you do, you're left with this incredibly happy feeling. That feeling me and my friend are able to enjoy just sitting in the pew.

He just smiles at me and I rest my head on his shoulders and then I woke up. I wish this actually meant something other than that I still have a deep seeded crush on this guy, but I still thought I would share about my first time going to an UU service.

Even though this was obviously just a dream, the affirmation and openness of the UU church reaches people in unique ways and for that I'm thankful. 🙂

My wife and I are looking for an LGBT affirming religion/church in our area and people have told us about unitarian churches. But I'm not going to lie when I tell you I don't understand alot. We both grew up southern Baptist in North Texas. We are practicing pagans but I've been feeling a pull back to Christianity. My path is at a "x" right now. Because I believe so much of both religions.

Can someone send me in a good direction?

So I was attending my first UU Sunday service and was seated in an awfully big hall considering there was only 5 of us there, including the minister and piano player. I later asked during morning tea why the church was so empty, and the minister explained that the congregation used to be overwhelming atheists and agnostic, but the minister I was speaking to was a conservative who believed Unitarianism to be an exclusively protestant form of Christianity, and so expelled all the humanist because they were going to "takeover the place". I was dumbstruck upon hearing this considering UU has the reputation as "the most liberal denomination of Christianity". It was especially awkward considering I'm a secular pagan who believes Yeshua was merely a mortal philosopher. On top of this, this white minister complained that schools in my city were "completely Chinese now" WHILE SITTING NEXT TO, AND EATING FOOD MADE BY, CHINESE PEOPLE. I feel really guilty I didn't say anything then, and feel so unlucky considering this is the only other UU congregation in my entire country except one on the other side of it. Oh well, looks like I'll just have to worship at my shrine again...

Did you have, have you attended, or have you officiated a UU wedding? What did the ceremony, verbiage of ceremony, and exchange look like?

I am a newish (3 years) member but have not attended another UU officiated wedding and I’m just curious what the script would potentially look like if we had the pastor of our church lead it and I want to find verbiage/a script I feel passionately about.

Thanks in advance!