My husband (36M) and I(35f) attended the only UU in our city today for the first time. I was very surprised by how outdated everything seemed. I am atheist, but was raised in a charismatic non-denominational Christian church... We had great music with a large band and several singers, and the place was lively and, well, charismatic. There was always a great buzz in the air. I didn't expect that of the UU; I'm weary of charismatic leaders anyway (too much hype, not enough substance), but I didn't expect this to be so... Boring.

This UU sung from a hymn book. It felt like the times when I was a child and went with my friend to her grandma's church... I'm not trying to be rude; just blunt. My husband and I couldn't think of the words to describe how the reverend spoke, but my husband mentioned he felt like he was at a slam poetry event. She spoke in flowery language but then in the next sentence would describe in layman's terms what she meant. 🙄 Lots of talk of social justice, which is good. But nothing was really uplifting, nor did it give a sense of community. Maybe I'm being too harsh for my first time, but I've read in this sub from others who talk about how UU is failing to attract younger members, and I can greatly see why. I still filled out the paperwork with our info and turned it in, and we were happy to donate as well. Just disappointed and wishing we found somewhere fun-ish/inspiring/energetic where we belong, without the dogma that comes from regular churches.

What kinds of things would you hear about in a UU sermon? Like what kinds of things would they talk about, and what kinds of things would your kids learn about in them? I am just curious.

I am always interested in how people find out about UU. Please select how you came upon it and if what you have experienced is not an option in the poll, please feel free to comment below. Thanks and have a great day!

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Lately, I have been heavily questioning my religious beliefs. I grew up in a Christian household with somewhat liberal views compared to the people surrounding me. Though, my family still has some more conservative views on certain issues. After interacting with the more conservative/fundamentalist side of Christianity I have become more disillusioned with it as a whole. Yet I still have a hard time coping with the existential dread that comes along with atheism. I used to feel a deep connection to the world and people that I no longer do. I have always had more humanistic/progressive views and heard this place might be a good fit. Has anyone here experienced this? Does anyone here consider themselves religious? Any advice on how to navigate this problem?

https://www.vocesnovae.org/vonnegut-requiem

So I was introduced to Kurt Vonnegut through Slaughterhouse Five in high school English class; it became my favorite book and Vonnegut my favorite author. I may even have this requiem played at my funeral in addition to having "Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt" inscribed on my tombstone.

Hi everyone, I found out about this religion (if thats what you call it?) from my (future) university’s resources for LGBTQ people wanting to find churches/temples/etc. I was raised Christian, pretty conservative, so being a lesbian has made it difficult to have religious or spiritual beliefs. I’m not necessarily atheist either though. Anyhow, when I went to the churches website I really loved a lot of things it said, but I also noticed it was very vague. I’m curious what a service actually looks like. Do a lot of people have different beliefs? Is there any set belief on like God or gods etc? I will most likely try the UU church there when I move in August as well as the Episcopal church. I just don’t know what to expect. Thanks!!

I consider music in its various forms to be a spiritual force, capable of touching people's hearts and making their lives richer, even if for a short time. We need it just as we need food, water, and oxygen.

So I invite all members of this subreddit to submit their favorite and most inspirational songs and musical works for all to listen to and learn from. And I will start with this:

Valley of Healing Waters - 2002

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-befrYhjEOY