has it been mailed out yet? I don't have mine. I know they stopped publishing once a season and now just 2x year, right?

Has anyone else undergone a rebalancing of the sources in their lives or a change in faith?

I am recently finding myself transitioning away from a "Pagan" identity and moving on to a more ecclectic practice that retains a lot of the earth centered elements. Previously, I did a similar thing with Buddhism. I was a temple affiliated Buddhist practitioner for a period of time and now I just think of myself as having an ecclectic mindfulness practice. At the same time, I am finding myself drawing more from Abrahamic sources recently but also (opposite that in a sense) a lot of pop science stuff like Carl Sagan. I'm also begining to incorporate acadmic philosophy and social science info more mindfully into my spiritual practice.

Has anyone else undergone a transition in sources like that? I'm optimistic but it feels a little daunting trying to maintain a sense of flexibility in the face of uncertainty and where previous practices feel less satisfying and offer less insight.

Part of it, this time around, is that I feel like I'm having more of a UU awakening both in the sense that I'm framing it more as a transition within my individual path and also because I spent some time learning more about UU's specific history and theology.

I think most other religions would conider this converting to a different faith. It makes me appreciate the value of the UU approach.

I grew up in a community where kids were treated based on how well they met society's standards. Those at the bottom were slapped around and often humiliated and those at top received universal validation. This was promoted as a sort of meritocracy, where cruelty was seen as socially useful, for example fat shaming is seen a public health measure. Also, this hierarchy is defended as being natural/ inherent and criticism of it is derided as whining and pointless. I was often told I was being 'too sensitive' with the implication that if I wanted to be treated better I should simply do better. I began to internalize this harshness in the way I treated myself and I thought it was necessary to keep me a responsible functional adult. But this harsh internal shaming is too much. It actually makes it harder to function and it fills me with self-loathing, despair, and anxiety. I don't like being this way. I want to believe in the inherent worth of every person even though our society certainly does not treat every person as valuable. How can I believe in my own inherent worth while living in a society where worth is very conditional. This is especially hard since I am very precariously employed, facing racism from my manager, and dealing with chronic health issues and cannot afford healthcare. I understand religion plays an important role for many people but I am an irreligious agnostic and I don't see that changing. Could anyone suggest some books or any other means to help me believe in the inherent intrinsic worth of all humans?

​

Llike really, two words as the name for this ideology? When someone asks my view on religion I don't wanna say "oh I'm a Unitarian Universalist" it's super long.

Hi there,

My partner (M32 Agnostic) and I (NB31 Pagan) have recently been interested in finding community and the UU church seems to fit our values very well. With that said, we both had a rough time in our Christian churches growing up, and this has made us hesitant to participate. We’re worried about the similarities with the Christian church, like attending service on Sundays, the way the church leaders dress, etc, and how that may be somewhat triggering.

Does anyone have any experience with similar feelings, and/or advice on how to work past these feelings? Or is participation in the UU church not really that similar and shouldn’t be something to worry about?

Thank you for your help.

Final update 12/21: We are married!!! Our minister and honestly the whole congregation was so supportive, we couldn’t have imagined a better way to start our marriage :) I’m so, so grateful we found UU when we did so that we can continue to grow together within this community. Happy solstice!

Update 12/19: thanks so much to everyone who’s read our story and given suggestions! Please keep them coming, we love to grow our UU knowledge :)

Worship Web was a total game changer, what an incredible resource. I won’t go into the nitty-gritty of everything we’re deciding between but my favorite thing we found so far is this poem by Elizabeth Lerner Maclay:

“As drops of rain that find each other and build to become a track, a rivulet, a stream, a river, a sea, so are we drawn together; so are we fortunate to find each other; so are we bound together, on this shared passage toward an unknown ocean and eternity.”

Our minister’s script has a lot of emphasis on preserving individuality within a marriage, which is also very good and important, but we think adding this poem to our covenant helps highlight our interconnectedness as well :)

Original post:

Hello! I’m new to both UU as a whole and this particular sub, so I apologize if I'm breaking any community norms/re-asking something common. I did a quick search and didn't find exactly what I was looking for, so I did what any UU would and decided to convene a committee in reddit thread form :)

Long story short(ish): We decided yesterday (12/17/23) that we're getting married in our UU church on Thursday (12/21/23). Our minister wrote a beautiful plan, and we'd like to contribute with ideas or suggestions to personalize it a bit if possible. We're very new to UU though and not super familiar with all the literature/hymns yet. Any advice for music to include, essays/short pieces to read that might inspire some vows, and also any general wisdom on building a successful and happy UU life and marriage are welcome <3

Info that might help:

— We won’t have a live musician but there is a nice sound system, so if there’s a particularly good recording/version of a song we’d love to get a link :)

— My favorite hymn of the ones we've heard so far is My Life Flows on in Endless Song

— All 7 principles resonate with us in different ways, but we've connected most deeply with #7 (respect for the interdependent web of all existence)

Long story longer:

My fiancé and I have been attending our local UU church since early September, so a little over three months. Though that seems like so short a time written out, we've really found a home there and have become quite involved in various ways. We became official members of our congregation at the end of November, and we had already been thinking about how to incorporate our new faith community into our fall/winter '24 wedding.

We got word yesterday that my fiancé is part of a mass layoff, effective today. We're very privileged to have solid financial footing through my salary and our emergency savings, plus my fiancé was actually already in the process of a career transition and has good prospects to land on his feet soon (knock wood!)

That being said, I work in local government and have excellent benefits. We had already planned to add my fiancé to my health insurance when we got married next year, and had even discussed the possibility of having a courthouse ceremony a few months early if his career change might mean a lapse in coverage. I had done a bit of research on getting a marriage license in our county and even asked our minister if she might be able to officiate a small ceremony, but all on the assumption that we had many months to prepare.

That timeline is no longer feasible since my fiancé's last day of work is today and his benefits end on 12/31. Theoretically we could get married as late as 12/29 and get him on my plan in time, but with the bureaucratic standstill that is the last week of the year we’d rather not risk it. So, these overthinking hyperplanners need to act fast! We called the minister in a panic yesterday afternoon, and she graciously agreed to help us make our pseudo-shotgun wedding special and meaningful despite the circumstances. This Thursday has a nice numerical date (12/21, I like the symmetry) and it's the Winter Solstice, which is both a spiritually resonant day for us and means the sanctuary at Church will be decorated with pretty winter greenery. So, Thursday at 2pm it is!

A few family members are feeling some type of way about the whole situation, but we're trying to make the most of it and I'm excited to have UU play a bigger part in our wedding. We'll still be doing the "traditional" wedding as planned in late '24 to celebrate with all our loved ones, but we had already asked a close family member to officiate that ceremony before we even discovered UU, so I feel like now we get the best of both worlds.

We are so grateful to have found both UU as a whole and our local congregation in particular at the perfect time, and I hope this will be the first of many milestones and celebrations we will share with our beloved community :)

Thanks so anyone who read this far, and to anyone who has suggestions or advice as we catapult into this new chapter!

I would most accurately describe my present beliefs as agnostic pantheism. I believe that everyone and everything is God expressed - that we, as a part of one infinite whole, contain the whole - though, we cannot prove or disprove that as we cannot comprehend the totality of all things, therefore this belief is held primarily for its philosophical utility in a metamodern sense. I've been attending my local UU for a few months now, and the beliefs of the community seem to be at least somewhat aligned with this. Anyone else here have pantheist views or thoughts on the philosophy?

Hello! I found this subreddit literally 15 minutes ago, so I apologize if I'm breaking any community norms/re-asking something common. I tried to do a quick search and didn't find exactly what I was looking for, so I did what any UU would and decided to convene a committee in reddit thread form :)

​

Long story short(ish): We decided today (12/17/23) that we're getting married in our UU church on Thursday (12/21/23). Our minister is writing up a plan tomorrow, and we'd like to contribute with ideas or suggestions if we can. We're very new to UU though and not super familiar with all the literature/hymns yet. Any advice for music to include, essays/short pieces to read that might inspire some vows, and also any general advice on building a successful and happy UU life and marriage are welcome <3

​

Info that might help:

• My favorite hymn of the ones we've heard so far is My Life Flows on in Endless Song
• All 7 principles resonate with us in different ways, but we've connected most deeply with #7 (respect for the interdependent web of all existence)

​

Long story longer:

My fiancé (29M) and I (24F) have been attending our local UU church since early September, so a little over three months. Though that seems like so short a time written out, we've really found a home there and become quite involved in various ways. We became official members of our congregation at the end of November, and we had already been thinking about how to incorporate our new faith community into our November '24 wedding.

​

We got word today that the company where my fiancé has worked for the last two years is completely shutting down, effective tomorrow. There are definitely some potential labor law violations/general workers' rights issues that remain to be worked out, but that's somewhat besides the point for now. We're very privileged to have solid financial footing through my salary and our emergency savings, plus my fiancé was actually already in the process of a career transition and has good prospects to land on his feet soon (knock wood!)

​

That being said, I work in local government and have excellent benefits. We had already planned to add my fiancé to my insurance when we got married in November of next year, and had even discussed the possibility of having a courthouse ceremony a few months early if his career change might mean a lapse in health coverage. We knew his current employer was somewhat on the rocks, but the management made a big deal this week about how they got new investors who were going to keep the place running at least into January, with a good possibility things might stabilize in the Spring. I had done a bit of research on getting a marriage license and even asked our minister if she might be able to officiate a small ceremony, but all on the assumption that we had at least a month to prepare, if not 3-6 months.

​

That deal with the investors fell through in dramatic fashion this morning, so my fiancé's last day of work is tomorrow and his benefits end on 12/31. Theoretically we could get married as late as 12/29 and get him on my plan in time, but my department has an HR team of 2 who are notorious for slow processing times, so we'd rather not risk it. After having literally just emailed her on Wednesday that we were probably in the clear, we called the minister in a panic this afternoon, and she graciously agreed to help us make our pseudo-shotgun wedding special and meaningful despite the circumstances. This Thursday has a nice numerical date (12/21, I like the symmetry) and it's the Winter Solstice, which is both a spiritually meaningful day for us and means the sanctuary at Church will be decorated with pretty winter greenery. So, Thursday at 2pm it is!

​

A few family members are feeling some type of way about the whole situation, but we're trying to make the most of it and I'm excited to have UU play a bigger part in our wedding. We'll still be doing the "traditional" wedding as planned in November '24 to celebrate with all our loved ones, but we had already asked a close family member to officiate that ceremony before we even discovered UU, so I feel like now we get the best of both worlds. We are so grateful to have found both UU as a whole and our local congregation in particular at the perfect time, and I hope this will be the first of many milestones and celebrations we will share with our beloved community :)

​

Thanks so anyone who read this far, and to anyone who has suggestions or advice as we catapult into this new chapter!

Hi. Is there something like Unitarian Universalism but specifically for monotheists? I believe Unitarian Universalism admits within its ranks, so to speak, atheists, and of course polytheists. Theologically, I do not feel fellowship with such people. Each to their own beliefs, of course. I am looking for a Post-Christian (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postchristianity) monotheism is perhaps the best way to put it. Does anybody know of anything like that? I've scanned the entire New Religious Movement Wikipedia article and found nothing that fits this mold. Perhaps such a thing does not exist yet. I think such people just exist without any formal community - or they're here, of course.

​

Peace!

EDIT: I'm in Britain and so not all suggestions will be a thing here :) I should have mentioned this first.

Hello, I have a bit of a long and twisted story/background with my local UU church in Bellville Ohio, called All Souls. I started attending services in Aug 2019 and met with the minister there during coffee hour a few times in the first several weeks. Then I ended up in the psych ward for the very first time in my life. I was 29. I've now been diagnosed with bipolar w/delusions/psychotic features. At the time, I thought I was on a spiritual journey but after years of therapy it is now treated as mental illness. I still have a lot of trouble differentiating the two.

Anyway, I ended up being kicked out of the church January 2020 because I pushed too many boundaries, I was told. (I've got BA in psych but still don't understand the language they use to explain why I was actually kicked out. Maybe I'm just too stupid to get it, but the pastor is tired of explaining it to me.) I feel like it was because the pastor made a move on me (from my honest perspective) and then I returned the advances. Maybe he didn't think he made a move on me and thought I was just coming onto him. That is totally a possibility in my eyes. However, I've told members of the church about it, and have never had a real conversation with anyone about it to resolve it. The pastor himself never brings it up in plain language, anyway, and no one else has mediated the relationship to my satisfaction yet.

Fast forward, I was welcome back a year after being kicked out and officially joined the church as a member like last year or the year before. I can't remember when exactly, but I stopped going to services for a while or it was very far and few between for some time due to life circumstances.

Skip ahead to this fall, I had stopped taking medication because I was exhausted with trying so many meds and none of them working. I lost hope, but believe me, I tried for years before I stopped. I tried so many, I couldn't list them all even if I tried. I've now been hospitalized something like 12+ times and they change the meds almost every time I've gone.

So in September I had a manic episode, pretty extreme one where I was awake for 4 days with something like only 3 hours of sleep, thanks to NyQuil. I had tried asking for some sleep meds just to knock myself out because I know bad things happen when humans don't sleep for days, but they would only give me Risperdal (a side effect is drowsiness, it's not a sleep med).

I went to church with no sleep on Sept 17 and was considered to be rude and disruptive. Then I was hospitalized later that same day.

The following week, I went to the next service, and was asked to leave and not return to any services until someone contacted me.

I'm pretty sure it was the minister himself that told me I had to meet with their Right Relations Committee, a week after they had their own meeting to discuss their decision on what to do with me. They ended up putting me on hiatus for a year until October 10, 2024.

I asked if I could go to a different UU church. The minister said I had to meet with the pastor there first, so that's what I did. At the meeting between me, the Bellville pastor and the Wooster pastor, the Bellville pastor tried to explain the situation and ended up accusing me of assaulting a police officer, which is untrue.

I've tried for several weeks now to understand why he said that about me when it's not true. He is unwilling to explain himself. He says I'm just arguing with him.

Why? Why lie? If he lied about something that serious in front of me, what is he saying about me at these meetings I'm not allowed to attend? How am I supposed to get fair treatment when he's telling people rumors and gossip like that?

I just want to attend the church like a regular church goer. I've admitted and apologized for my mistake of going while manic with no sleep and have offered to not go to church if that ever happens again. Like, I'm trying to behave, I'm just mentally ill, but not a threat like he's making me out to be a violent, abusive person with the accusations of assault.

I've reached out to the Wooster pastor and the primary contact for the region, Rev Sunshine, but I don't expect a quick response with it being so close to the holidays. People are busy.

Does it sound like I'm seeking pity? I hope not. I'm just asking for help with being treated with dignity and respect. No one likes untrue rumors spreading around, especially when an authority figure is the one perpetuating them.

Why does each nation define their own principles and values rather than collaborating across imaginary lines on a map and having a global outlook?

Does any other religious tradition grant that level of prinacy to national organizations?

I brought this idea up before and a few people were into it, so seeing if I can get a handful of people to start this thing. It seems like many of us are feeling left out due to the congregations skewing older. I thought it may be nice to have an online UU group where we can reflect on our spiritual practices.. and whatever else we feel like. Maybe even make some friends. I had a Discord group I was in where we shared voice notes daily reading whatever had touched us that day and our thoughts on it. I thought something like that may be nice for us “younger” members.

EDIT: I made one! There’s another larger one in the comments too, but as I said below, I’m hoping for this to be more like a chalice circle. Hope you’ll join and help get it going! https://discord.com/invite/2nm8aNBr

EDIT2: There is a Discord community for young adults mentioned in the comments. But if you are an older Zoomer who doesn’t really relate to the 18-25 crowd anymore please join us! Anyone who wants to join is welcome.

Genesis 1:1-2 Genesis 1:26-27 TRINITY is there before Genesis. All uncreated.

Every time God creates something (which is created by sending His distinct Spirit) he expresses "Let there be" and there was. In any case, when God created ADAM (MAN in HEBREW) he changed it for the sole time and said "Let us" and "Let them" (Adam is "THEM" they're plural,) Adam images God just like a divine plurality and solidarity, that work divinely as multiple persons, 3, make 1.

Genesis 1:26. “And God said, Let US make man in OUR image, after our likeness: and let THEM have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air,

WHY WOULD THE FATHER SPEAK IN PLURALITY IF ITS JUST HIM?

-Genesis 1:26-27 God made man in "OUR" (plural God is an "us" and an "our") image then in Genesis 1:27 he made God in his "own" (singular God is a "He") image. in the image of God, he created him. Which is them.

-How is Adam a "him, (male singular,) " however at that point becomes a "them" (Male and Female) in

-Genesis 5:1 the context is this is the generational book of "Adam" (both male and female are called "ADAM") the creation of a man who is a finite temporal, created being, two genders with the in flesh bodies, and they're created by an infinite, uncreated, genderless divine God with nobody, who can go into creatred flesh or whatever he needs, whenever he needs. That is the way we reflect God, by being a finite multiple persons with the same inseparable nature working together and united.

. In Genesis 5:2 HE HIM (ADAM single) the Male and Female made (HE THEM PLURAL) Both Male and Female are "HE HIM"

• Genesis 2:23 If Eve came out of Adam her flesh was made from his flesh, that should mean she has the same nature as Adam. If she's made from Adam's flesh then she can't be inferior to him., because it's " my flesh, my bones" That is the very thing she's called "WOMAN" because she was formed and taken out of the (Womb) of man.

-Genesis 2:24 the connection of God, "cleave unto one flesh."

-"ONE" in Genesis 2:24 is the same word in Deuteronomy 6:4 to describe God being one. "God is ONE Lord." ONE=ECHAD

-Male and Female are two separate in flesh beings, two separate genders and persons, yet they are the same flesh since one came out of the other, they are the same nature. and when they "cleave unto one flesh" (Genesis 2:24,) they become united as one. A divine relationship is used to show the likeness of God being the Divine trinity. FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRT = 3 different and distinct persons, yet all the same divine nature and are united as one as God.

-Matthew 19:4-6 Jesus elaborates that God made 2 separate genders (in flesh) yet when united they make one flesh. Like the Trinity, each of the 3 are divinely united so don't say there are 2 or 3 Gods. There's 1 God, who is multiple persons

-John 1:1 The Word (Revelation 19:13) with God before creation, and was with the Father, and the Word was God. Sent, distinct, yet same nature as God because the Word was God. After creation and after the creation of Adam there was Eve, and Eve was with Adam (the male,) and Eve was Adam in nature.

-Jesus is the Word and the Angel of the Lord commander of Yahweh who is sent, is distinct, fights for Yahweh, all while being Yahweh who speaks as sharp as a sword. For example Numbers 22:31-32 Angel of the Lord with the SWORD was JESUS before created flesh.

Revelation 19:13-15 John 1-3 Zechariah 3:8

John 11:41-43 to John 5:30 to John 5:17 to John 18:6 to Revelation 19:15 to Hebrews 1:3

Joshua 5:13-14 Wisdom of Solomon 18:13-16

Genesis 18:

Trinity has been there since the beginning.Abraham encountered God in 3 persons, sent & distinct from God, but all God. That’s why he BOWED when he saw THEM (plural, not when he saw HIM,) & was amazed & claimed “My lord” in verse3. The Father, The Angel of the Lord, & the Holy Spirit. In human form, then into created angel form.

He Bowed just like Moses in the burning bush, etc when they encountered the Angel of the Lord they bowed and hid their face, but I though that was only for The Father John 1:18

Jesus in the OT

Angel of the Lord is God and became Jesus in flesh Angel of the Lord is always a big “A” until Matthew 1:20 why? Because Jesus was now in flesh.

Bowed down and hid face verses:

Exodus 23:20 24:16&33

Matthew 17:1 Mark 9:22 Numbers 22: 32-34 Judges 13:13-22

Acts 7:37-38 Genesis 32:24 (Jacob wrestles with a “man” created God in flesh)

Hosea 12:1-5 (God is created “angel” just like Genesis 18 in Sodom and Jacob in Genesis 32:24)

John 14:24

God sent as messenser but is God.

https://www.ft.com/content/ec58bccb-668b-445f-ba7c-824297eb885d

Hi. I have been attending a UU Church since October of this year. I was invited to attend a BIPOC meeting but I don't know what to expect. I am a person of color, latina to be exact.

What do you think will make our church thrive and succeed in the next 5, 10, 15 years?

I was just reading Rev Debus's Hold My Chalice. She's asked by congregation leaders to come up with a plan and, she jokes, " I’m not sure they got what they were hoping for, because I think they were looking for the practical ideas they could implement." and then goes on to list out broader minsterly ideas the group could think about.

But it got me to thinking, if you were to write out practical, implementable ideas - what would you like to see change? It can be pie-in-the-sky ideas.

A few things I'd like to see

- the UUA to be as serious about reparations as they said they were last General Assembly. Live your values. I'd personally like to see a portion of that go to divinity school scholarships to diversify our pool of ministers.
- with the congregational minster shortage, more and meatier tools for congregations that are lay-led.
- more collaboration between churches, facilitated by regional staff. Let's stuff the newsletter with ideas and inspiration from members (not just think pieces by ministers or workshops by staffers). I want to know where i can find a CUUPs program or a Death Cafe. I want to know what different churches do for music, for social enrichment, for social justice. I want to think "Oh, that church down the road is good at ____ while the one two towns over is really strong in the ___ area" instead of each UU church being its own island.

What else?

Are there any places of worship that follow more to the Unitarian side than Universalist? At least in America ?

EDIT: New Lyrics!

​

God rest ye Uni-tarians let nothing you dismay

We come together in this space to celebrate our way

The Christmas songs and stories may our beliefs betray.

Oh tidings of peace and harmony, harmony

Oh tidings of peace and harmony

This story talks about a babe through many wonderous songs,

Folks traveling from far away to join a reverent throng

To see a birth that gave them hope and help them to belong

Oh tidings of peace and harmony, harmony

Oh tidings of peace and harmony

We may not all agree to all the details and their worth

But lately hope’s in short supply around this planet earth

Together we can celebrate each day as a new birth.

Oh tidings of peace and harmony, harmony

Oh tidings of peace and harmony

Thanks everyone - I truly appreciate your input.

Original post:

We are probably 75% agnostic/non Christian, 15% atheist, and the rest Christian, Buddhist or Jewish. Our minister is Christian and Buddhist.

I am doing the service this Sunday 12/17 - Title is Practicing Christmas as UU and it focuses on how many of us celebrate Christmas as a cultural holiday, like thanksgiving, not a religious holiday. We'll sing Christmas songs, not hymns. I found a funny version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman that other UU churches have used and rounded up a group to sing it on Sunday.

However, I have gotten feedback from 3 three people that it could be offensive. My opinions are 1) why are people so serious?, 2) if non Christians 'put up with' Joy to the World and Silent Night at UU churches, why can't the very few Christians 'put this in a box' and not be offended.

What do you all think? I do plan to offer some words in the welcome of the service to make sure people understand that this service is to honor the non Christian, but not to 'bash' Christian.

Ugh. TIA

Hello! Quick thought dump for anyone with a few minutes to read:

Background: mid-30s. Grew up in a mostly non-practicing Catholic family. Mostly Atheist myself. Found a nearby UU church and this is my second year going. My disposition is that I love people, real conversation, helping others, but I am not a social butterfly or mingler (coffee hour is very unpleasant for me). I like growing weed, heavy music, raunchy humor, but also like, spreading positivity and acceptance wherever I go, however I can. Just to paint a picture, haha!

Started off just sitting in the back, being healed and spiritually renewed by the music and words (love the reverend at this church). People are of course very friendly. Encouraged to join. I did. Have helped with services a few times, and even joined a small committee this year.

But it seems the more I get into it, the more detached I'm feeling. The church is generally older and, as is the town it's in, what I would consider quite affluent and educated. I'm, like a lot of people my age, married with no intention of having kids, and doing okay enough.

I've felt this way for a little bit now, but thought being more involved would shake that. So here are some thoughts that keep surfacing.

-I just need to try other UU churches and find one I feel more at home in.

-Maybe I'm just not someone who needs a community at this point in my life OR maybe my feelings on that will change if I find the right one.

-Is it just the age thing? I am wary of being ageist, but I can't help think about the fact that a lot of these folks are retired and that is impacting how things are run. Like, I feel SOMETIMES (not always, to be very clear) these committees, meetings, business side of things, are a little stretched out because folks are looking to fill their time. And that's totally fine! I understand a church doesn't run itself, and that collaboration is important. Please understand I'm talking about nuances of approach.

-Different religion a better fit? I kind of like the meditative, rooted in the current, joyous but socially focused ideals of this church, but sometimes I really want to be, hmm... Filled with the spirit, if that makes sense. It's almost like I feel it teeters in this middle ground. Like, I am craving something more transcendent and joyous OR something deeper and more contemplative.

I try not to have regrets, as they're not useful. However, I can't help but think if I had continued to just come and hang in the back, politely stated what I'm like in some way, I wouldn't be considering finding something else. But then again, maybe it's not a bad thing that I leaned in and discovered it's not a perfect fit. And maybe my community is out there somewhere! I'd love to come and go, try other churches, but at this point I almost feel it would be weird to just start showing up way less frequently... Like I'm cheating on them 😅

Any thoughts or been through something similar?

How much overlap is there between this community and players of table top roleplaying games?

I’m slowly starting to put together the idea of using the Wanderhome game (by Possum Creek Games) as a vehicle to have fun teaching children the 8 Principles (or the article 2 reframing of the language). So I’m wondering if anyone else has had similar ideas or started any similar frameworks with other games.

Besides the charming setting, what’s drawing me to Wanderhome for this is that unlike a lot of other TTRPGs, there are no combat mechanics (so fighting isn’t even a direct option for conflict resolution).

Thanks!

https://www.religiousforums.com/threads/no-unitarians-on-rf.274107/

Looks like we need more representation there!

I live in Michigan and when I get my license I'd love to find a church to go to. Preferably within the Lapeer, Flint, and Pontiac triangle.

What church do you go to? And what is it like? Does it lean Christian? Does it lean Pagan? Does it lean Atheistic? Is it completely neutral?

Hi I’ve been trying to understand what exactly UU is. The lingo seems to be Christian at least but what do you guys believe? Do you see yourself as Christian? Do you believe in Jesus? I know the answer may vary but I want to hear your personal opinion.

I (19 trans male) have labelled myself an atheist since I was 14. Recently I've found myself leaning agnostic. However, I've also somewhat realized that the only thing I hated about Christianity was the bigotry and dogma. I told this to a friend and they pointed me here. I know nothing, but from what I've been told you guys are basically a progressive branch of gnostic Christianity. I've been told UU embraces science, human rights, and does away with any dogma/doctrine. No homophobia, no transphobia, no misogyny, etc. Which is something I love to hear (if what I've been told us correct).

I'd like to learn more. Most of my time is spent in class or at work, so a podcast would work better than a book. Any suggestions?

Can anyone share suggestions about how to have a more diverse congregation? Like many UU congregations in the US, we are mainly aging baby boomers who are mainly white people and educated middle class. (I qualify for this label.) We tend to be very liberal in outlook - we do not have the scary reactionary factions I have read about here. We seem solvent financially for now and I know many congregations struggle with that - this is not about money. I am talking about age, ethnicity, economic, cultural, etc - all of it! Are there programs, events, service projects, changes in policy, etc that have actually worked for others to welcome and serve those who are not of this group? Forgive me if this offends people - we may be blind to what we are doing wrong! I would like to hear about what works, what does not, etc. We moved our congregation from a pricy suburb to a larger, more economically and ethnically diverse community and we have members who live there, too. We built it and they did not come. It may go without saying that we are doing something wrong! How to turn it around? MANY of us would like it to be different.

I’m a UU. As such, I’ve been exploring my relationship with God, higher powers and theism in general. I was raised Catholic and taught to believe in God in terms of Jesus and the holy Trinity. I don’t necessarily have any problem with this element of the Catholic faith or religion but I’m thinking about it.

I do find myself using phrases like “As God intended” sometimes for things I feel like are natural concepts I agree with (eg snow on Christmas Day, having a fire while camping, and so on). I say this because I think it’s a cool phrase and adds some emphasis on the idea or whatever. But I wonder how this comes off to other folks who are not theists, of which there some in UU. Any thoughts or opinions here?

UPDATE: thank you all! I’d like to mention that I’m not really a believer in the Christian concept of God, preferring a notion of the Devine.

Hi All,

How does repentance work in a faith where everyone gets saved regardless?

Many thanks :-)

My wife and will be in Orlando next month. We’re staying in a hotel near the parks, but not in a Disney property. We would like to use the Lightning Lanes if possible, and understand that they are available early for Disney guests at 7 am and not until 8 am for everyone else. We can switch hotels without penalty, but wonder if the benefit of early access is worth the extra cost? Basically we're asking if passes are generally available at 8 am for decent times after the Disney guest-only period or if the only reliable way to get them is to stay in Disney hotel?

I just re-read the proposed Article II for UUA bylaws that will be voted on in the upcoming GA and I finally identified something that's been nagging at me. It emphasizes relationship with other people, but there's not much about relationship with ourselves or our inner worlds. I suppose that I persoanlly do get a lot of that from the Buddhist teachings my particular congregation brings in from time to time. Our congregation also has lay led homebrewed contemplative practices that are inspired by the six sources and beyond. However, is there much in the UU theological tradition itself that deals with our inner worlds (psychology, meditation practices, spirit/soul models, self-awareness, etc.)? It seems like there such a focus on other people in UUism generally and not much about developing ourselves. Is it just me that feels this way? I suppose the fire communion is an example, but even that practice is vague. My personal point of view is that our inner worlds greatly influence how we can show up with other people, so it's an important piece of the puzzle. I don't want dogma, clearly I'd be barking up the wrong tree with that, but what about theory on the level of "the interconnected web of which we all are a part"? The interconnected web is a profound theological concept in my opinion. Beside inherent worth & dignity (or inherent worthiness) what else do we have inside ourselves?

Hey fellow UU's my local group is revamping a lot of their materials. As such, they want to make a booklet to be regularly updated with member info as a directory of sorts.

​

If your fellowship does use a directory or you'd make one, what software would you use to make it visually appealing or easy to put into a booklet or something like that?

​

Hi All,

Do you have to be Pacifist to be a Unitarian Universalist?

EDIT: Thanks for your feedback everyone! :-) I should have said for context: I am a New Zealander, I support my country's military, along with the militaries of our allies ( Australia, the UK, Canada the US, etc) Also, my Granddad served in WW2.There are some individual wars I didn't agree with (such as the 2003 war in Iraq), but I support the militaries over all.

A few months ago, I had a burst of energy about going to church again. I [M/31] attended UU Meetings for about five or so Sundays, and stayed after each time. I even signed up to be part of SGM (Small Group Ministry)

But after a month or so, it slowly became so taxing. I started dreading going. Getting up to get ready on Sunday felt like an absolute chore. I just felt so burnt out, and I'm not even really part of it. Part of it could be the life I lead now. I have a somewhat active social life, and work demands a lot of me as well. I genuinely thought I could just fit SGM in, but I forgot it was happening, twice. I try so hard to remember, but it keeps getting blotted out by something else. Work, friends, girlfriend. Its exhausting.

As of now, I haven't been back in the chapel for almost two months. I want to go back, but at this point, this awkward, heavy feeling gets worse every Sunday. I want this to be part of my life, but even if I can drum the enthusiasm up, would they even want me back in?

Do you believe the academic consensus (as is represented by mainline seminaries and popularising works which lean slightly secular such as the New Oxford Annotated Bible or the countless non-confessional editions of study bibles) is accurate? Do you believe Jesus was a historical figure or are you mythicists? Do you believe the Jesus Semimar is overly conservative, as Thomas L. Thompson suggests?

I am asking these questions for three reasons: 1- you guys are the most educated religious group, by a long stretch. 2- you also form the bulwark of theological liberalism, at least to the mind of most of the American Christian sphere. 3- you are also the most diverse group, at least from a theological standpoint. One can be an Arian, a Gnostic, a Pagan, a Mithraist or a Secular Humanist and still be in communion with the UUA.

This question has been lingering at the back of my head for quite some time now. Almost all religions (not all), either the Abrahamic religions or Eastern religions condemn this type of behavior to some degree. What is the UU's stance on consuming alcohol and drugs like marijuana? Also, what about premarital sex? I've always been curious because I've heard UU is a progressive organization, but its also a culmination of many religions, and many religions more of less condemn this type of behavior.

Get ready for a fantastic shopping adventure! Join us Friday, November 17, from 9:00 – 3:00 as we offer you a treasure trove of amazing deals and hidden gems in the UUUF Yard Sale. Whether you’re a seasoned bargain hunter or just looking for something special, our yard sale will have something for everyone. CONTACT Kelly at [pr@unversityuus.org](mailto:pr@unversityuus.org) for more questions. We are located 1 mile East of UCF #ucf

John Adams is probably the most Unitarian in American History. Yet annoying my attempt to find out which kind he was have proven fruitless.

There are I know at least three different Positions on Jesus that exists among those who self identify as Unitarians.

1. Arianism which still views as being Pre-existence but not Co-Eternal with The Father.
2. Socinianism which denies the Pre-Existence but still views Jesus as as the Son of God from the beginning including a Virgin Birth.
3. "Strict Unitarianism" which generally denies Jesus any kind of Divinity.

I'm curious because when I engage in discussions about the Religious Beliefs of the Founding Father I want to be precise and nuanced and not make the sweeping Generalizations people on both sides tend to make.

And I feel those who want to also label Adams a Deist only have any case if he was the third option. Each of the first two involve a post Creation Divine intervention.

(I posted this a week ago and Reddit removed it as possible spam. Kudos to any spammer who would write such a detailed, topic-specific message. I'm posting it again in hopes that it will survive.)

Our congregation, UUFRC, (UU Fellowship of Redwood City) restructured our Religion Education program and Sunday Services to deepen connections among generations and congregants as well as integrate newcomers more quickly.

We're now in our second year of the new structure. Here's the intro to a description of what we did and why:

“This is the most energy I have felt at church in a long time. And I don’t just mean since the pandemic, I mean in a really long time!” That’s what Cyndi said during coffee hour. The room bustled with people intent in conversation after our second “Action Sunday” workshop.

Here's the full write-up: https://pcduua.org/news/uufrcs-action-sundays-deepen-connections/

Personally, as a 60+ year UU, I've felt we need to find new ways to meet people's needs and spread our values as a church and a denomination. This new structure shows promise.

I've been living in Antananarivo, Madagascar for more than 9 years now. There is no UU church or fellowship here that I've been able to discover. Is there any way to connect with individual UUs abroad? A Discord server? A directory?

I'd be up for just a coffee meetup once a month – in English or French.

https://www.uusc.org/resources/congregations/gayt/

UUSC's longest-established fundraising and educational program for congregations.

2023-2024 GAYT Theme: Pursuing Liberation

The alarming rise of fascism, authoritarianism, and nationalism in the United States and in many places around the world is putting the lives of people, and the sustainability of the planet, in critical danger. These far-right forces have co-opted the word “freedom” for their own purposes, but the concepts of liberation and freedom mean something very tangible to UUSC’s grassroots partners in communities the world over. Whether they are fighting for the right to seek safety in Mexico and the United States, convincing the UN’s International Court of Justice to address the human rights threatened by the climate crisis in the South Pacific, or replenishing the energy of human rights activists in eastern Europe by addressing burn-out, UUSC partners invite us into an expansive, regenerative space to pursue liberation.

At UUSC, we believe that the transformational solutions we need come from communities most directly impacted by injustice. Join us for this year’s Guest at Your Table program to learn what UUSC partners are doing to address immediate injustices – as well as the collective liberation they envision for the future. At this extraordinary juncture in history, we think their stories will offer inspiration and guidance on the path toward justice and liberation for all.

Making a Gift to Guest at Your Table

Donations to Guest at Your Table help advance community-led human rights initiatives around the world. Donations of $150 or more are eligible to be matched by the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, NY.

To donate online, please use this secure donation page, which can also be accessed via the shortcut uusc.org/givetoguest. To donate by mail, please make checks out to “UUSC” with “Guest” or “GAYT” in the memo field, and send to: UUSC • PO Box 808 • Newark, NJ 07101-0808.

Contact Information

If you would like to place a materials order, if you would like a personalized donation page for your congregation, or if we can be helpful with anything else related to Guest at Your Table, please contact Julian Sharp at jsharp @ uusc.org. Please allow 10 days from the time of your order for print materials to arrive.

What is Guest at Your Table?

Guest at Your Table (GAYT) is UUSC’s annual intergenerational program to raise support for and awareness about key human rights issues. Since UUSC works in more than 20 countries, with over 50 grassroots partners, there are thousands of individuals involved in and who benefit from the work that our members make possible. The program is an opportunity to celebrate grassroots partnership, support human rights, and learn about just four of these individuals—the “guests” in Guest at Your Table.

Planning a Guest at Your Table Program

By coordinating a Guest at Your Table celebration for your congregation, you help participants of all ages nurture lasting connections with UU principles, build awareness about social justice and human rights, and strengthen UUSC’s work. Thank you for joining us in this special tradition!

To register as your congregation’s Guest at Your Table coordinator, or to request materials or information, please contact Julian Sharp, Senior Associate for Congregational Support, at jsharp @ uusc.org.

A step-by-step guide for planning your congregation’s Guest at Your Table Program is available here.

Past Programs

2022-2023 Theme: Hope. Courage. Action.

Through UUSC’s Guest at Your Table program, congregations provide vital support to those who need it most, including communities impacted by forced migration, climate disasters, and other human-made crises. UUSC’s global partnerships center the voices of those who are most affected by these issues and who best understand how to solve them. Join UUSC for Guest at your Table to learn more about our amazing global partners who embody the hope, the courage, and the action needed to uphold human dignity for all and honor our connections with each other and the earth.

2021-2022 Theme: Now is the Time for Courageous Change

The injustices and crises of the past year have underscored the importance of our shared goal – a world free from oppression, where all can realize their full human rights. They also have emphasized just how big a task that is.

To meet the enormous challenges of today and build a more just future, we need big ideas and bold change. We must fundamentally transform the way things are, so that we do not perpetuate systemic inequities and repeat the harms of the past.

At UUSC, we believe that the transformational solutions we need come from communities most directly impacted by injustice. Join us for this year’s Guest at Your Table program to learn what UUSC partners are doing to address immediate injustices – as well as what they envision for the future. At this extraordinary juncture in history, we think their stories will offer inspiration and guidance on the path toward justice.

2020-2021 Theme: The Meaning of Home

This past year, we highlighted the ways the pandemic has changed the relationship many of us have with home, as well as the importance of home to our UUSC partners, who are fighting for their homes amid violence, economic devastation, and climate change.

I have invited /u/Cult_Buster2005 to become a moderator of this subreddit. They've been an active member under a previous account name (they can provide details if they like, but I won't do so out of respect for their privacy) and are generally more active than I am, so they'll usually be able to respond more quickly to mod issues than the rest of the mod team.

Hey y'all!

I attend a lot of virtual stuff but want to find some in person service and community.

I'm in the Inland Empire but it looks like both UU chapters in the area are no longer around.

Does anyone have a church or study group they attend and recommend?

Bonus points if it's a younger crowd but not a requirement.

Anyone else reading Ruttenburg’s “On Repentence and Repair” with their congregations or on their own?

I just started a few minutes ago and can already tell I‘m going to be interested in what others think.

First I want to be clear and say I know who the Gadflys are and I don't agree with them. However, I do have a question. Why don't they just make their own separate denomination of UUism and spread that? I know in the Gadfly Papers there is an argument about splitting the denomination or dissolving it, in which I do not agree, but how come they don't officially separate and create a new Denomination outside the UUA? At that point they could dictate how they want their form of UUism to run and make changes to their version of the covenant if they so wish, without having to try to manage to (in the only words I can think of at the moment) "take over" the Association from the inside?

Also I guess a secondary thing to add upon this would be, do you think if the covenant changes next year, that they would split anyways due the fact they are generally against the 8th Principal (as far as I know of) and they more then likely would not like the new 3rd Value of Justice due to it incorporating parts of the 8th principal within it?

Hello everyone! I'm not UU, I'm more of a humanist, and I've gone to probably a dozen Sunday services of the UU church near me over the past year. I've volunteered my time to help out with projects on a handful of occasions. And I've attended some luncheons. I keep hoping that the sunday service will improve once I know more people and can feel more comfortable.

I really like the few people I've gotten to know, but to be honest, I do not like going to the services on Sunday. There are references to belief in God and faith (which I don't believe), touchy feely stuff, hymns being sung, etc. It feels like a bad fit for me in that sense.

This Sunday, one of the songs was all about faith in God being the answer and I just closed my hymnal and stood there politely, even though the choir leader was trying to get everybody to participate. I'm not going to participate when I don't believe.

And the coffee hour afterward feels awkward to me because while some folks have talked with me, it feels mostly like small talk. People there gravitate toward the people they already know well and are friends with and I feel left out. Yesterday after the touchy feely service, I just left and didn't go to coffee because I just felt so mismatched with the service. (Small group situations have been much better.)

I'm curious how many folks regularly skip attendance on Sundays and just do other offered activities that have more depth and actual participation and sharing?

Or could you share things your UU does to welcome visitors in a way that makes them comfortable and feel included?

I get the sense that this community genuinely wants to be welcoming, but just misses the mark and that's why they are not getting new and/or younger people attending again after a first visit.

Is there a branch in Toronto ON?

One of the things I keep hearing about when it comes to comparing UUism to other religions or especially Christian denominations, most people compare it to The United Church of Christ, by saying they're like UUs disguised as Christians or that UCC Christians are basically Christian Unitarians.

Because of that, and especially with the UCC is recognized for being very liberal compared to other denominations, is the UCC that similar but with a more Christian twist or are there more differences than similarities?

Can someone explain exactly WHAT Unitarian Universalism is?

Thank you!

A member of our Fellowship reflected on why it is important for all children to see themselves represented in childrens literature. She's a librarian and educator who has thought about this topic for many years.

She reads a commonly-banned book at the beginning of the video (until January, when our permission to include that reading expires). Set aside 15 minutes and watch the video. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/A8IjBv3RnDo

Can someone help me understand why an atheist would want to lead a congregation? My current experience is an atheist uu minister that is very clearly anti christian. How can you be UU and anti Christian? How can you lead a congregation of people who believe in many different things but you actually look down on certain beliefs? I’m not a Christian, but I am UU and my understanding is that we’re open to all.

Found UU 4 years ago. It had been a healing journey and going well. We got a new minister 2 years ago and it’s entirely changed my view. Our church wasn’t big into UUA and for the first time in years I felt like this was a church I could actually be part of. New minister is head over heels for the UUA and now it feels like we’re getting UUA shoved down our throats every week. It’s completely turned me off. I don’t go very often. Feels like I’m back in a Christian church being told what I have to believe.

Hi, I'm interested on learning more about UU and was looking for some books to read. The problem is I have very poor eyes sight so I rely on the accessibility features of ebook readers to get by. I can't seem to find many UU books to purchase in a digital format. Is there something I'm missing or are UU books in digital format not really a thing?

Hi there. I'm a progressive Baptist minister who just landed a great staff job at a large UU congregation. I'd like to explore UU better to understand and serve the congregation.

I'd appreciate any books you'd suggest about being Christian and UU, as well as books about the modern history of UU. I already have a basic understanding of UU culture and history from online sources and previous experience, so I'm looking for something a little more academic and in-depth.

To be clear, I'm already LGBTQ+ affirming, universalist, pluralist, etc. I'm quite comfortable with my Baptist heritage. I don't need to be convinced *out* of being Baptist, just guided *into* UU.