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

I'm from the Caribbean, I've try to make contact with a local Unitarian universalist church I had called them but apparently they haven't been there for 5 years , I try to go to the church physically but it was close i even try to contact them in their Facebook and no one answer, I don't know what else to do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km9Rv_3bN5E

What do you think of this video? Examples of comments made on it are as follows:

@TwizzElishus

One can at least commend them for not falsely calling themselves Christians.

_____________________

@duaneadams5210

There is a Unitarian Universalist church near where I used to live. I never could understand what they stood for and never seemed to have a spiritual foundation that I could see. There was not any "glue" to hold them all together. I like your method of explaining things and find you easy to understand. Thank You for bringing insight to all of the different belief systems. I always look forward to your presentations.

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@a.violet5905

When coming out of my non-Christian beliefs, I went to a UU congregation. I still believed in God, but didn't know what that meant. Once I found that their roots were Christian, then it started me on my journey to Christ. I never became a member and then went to the UCC , then UCC in an ecumenical church with 4 denominations, the Episcopal Church. Now after years of study and looking, I became in Orthodox Christian. I'm done. No more needing to search. I'm home.

___________________________

@jamesreed5678

Interestingly, this pseudo-church denomination, UU, has held fairly steady in membership over the last few decades, while most other denominations are imploding. On the other hand, their membership is only about 150K.

____________________________

@user-jb5no1xw1p

If you don't support the idea that there is, ultimately, a right answer to spiritual questions, how can you say you're 'pro-reason?' I mean, even if you're a spiritualist like me and see the fullness of God as incomprehensible, to deny objective truth is to embrace absurdity and deny the existence of right and wrong...which can be discerned through reason. How can they make the world 'better' if they can't sort out good from evil objectively? What then would be the difference between meaningless change and progress?

__________________________

@russellt4474

They claim to believe in science, yet do not believe there is "one right answer". They don't believe in empirical truths, but in personal truths. As an actual Unitarian with an education and background in a field of science, I find this organization to be deeply alienating and offensive to my beliefs.

_________________________

@patrickmccarthy7877

What do you get when you mix a Unitarian and a Jehovah's Witness? Someone who rings doorbells but doesn't know why.

______________________________

@robertpease9834

If you don't believe in something, you will fall for anything. This doesn't sound like any sort of Church, just a place to gather and talk. I guess the sermons are just for entertainment and allowing people to feel good for the sake of feeling good. It sounds like the perfect attitude in today's society. Don't tell anyone they are doing wrong, it might hurt their feelings.

______________________________

@pastorart1974

I have visited several UU congregations and I was told you could believe anything except for Bible Based Evangelical Christianity.

_______________

Finally, someone defends us with what we are really about!

@brentchaffin9603

The assumption that UU's "can be anything" is actually a common misconception. We actually have 7 core principles and an overarching covenent that must be adhered to. Anyone is welcome to attend UU services but membership in the church requires dedication to upholding these principles and this covenant.

Are there any Unitarian Universalist churches in Canada?

I grew up in a southern Baptist church and through out childhood was told to do as my mother told me even though I was being abused and bullied, told i suffered depression because my faith was not strong enough. As an adult i was and still am rejected because i am not acceptable to my family.

I am now 55 and my mother passed away 2 years ago and can't bother me anymore and break my no contact. I have PTSD, ADHD etc. Plus as a woman decided not to procreate. Never married, no friends or family. Will i be rejected?

I am proud to be a Unitarian Universalist and I hope we UUs can help the world to have a brighter future!

I am agnostic but religions fansinate me. I want to learn more about some of them so I decided to reach out and speak with people who are members.

There are not unitarian universlists in my country (as far as I searched) so I decided to ask here. I would like to speak with somene in order to tell me about his/her religion.

Thanks in advance.

We could speak here on viber , telegram or on instagram if you want.

I'll try to keep this short: a friend and I have plans to attend a UU service this weekend. I saw pictures on Facebook of the congregation with their hands on each other's shoulders, which makes me really nervous because neither my friend nor I tolerate physical touch well. If we sit and the end of a row, would it be unforgivably rude for us to say something like "no thank you?" Is there any chance of us passing on this without making a scene?

So I decided to leave a UU singles group because it didn’t lead me anywhere. Mostly because most of the people in there seemed to be more interested in friendship and just talking UU stuff instead of romance and sex. WTF, the people in there seemed so wishy washy, is this normal for UU people? I’ve only been UU since 2017 and not always available to go to a physical church. So I only understand a bit of the UU culture 😅

Or just in the Midwest? Asking because I might be moving soon.

Due to mobility aids and a health decline, my disability suddenly became visible while I was part of a UU congregation. I had to start using a wheelchair. And when I did, dear Gods, it was like someone flipped a switch. My church went from just looking at me a little funny for my cane use to being downright hostile toward me and my chair. The amount of ableism I encountered was disgusting. People routinely leaned on my chair, even after being told not to. People moved my chair with me in it without my permission. I got rude comments practically every 5 seconds. It was so bad that the congregation was willing to allow me to be homeless because no one wanted to house a disabled person. That was the most common reason given to my face, anyway.

Is there a point to me trying again in another state?

https://www.uua.org/pressroom/press-releases/psc-nominee-president

November 15, 2022

The Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) Presidential Search Committee is pleased to announce the nomination of the Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt for UUA President, for the 2023-2029 term. Rev. Dr. Betancourt is an experienced leader and theologian in Unitarian Universalism, including formerly serving as a professor at Starr King School for the Ministry and as Interim Co-President of the UUA in 2017. She currently serves as Resident Scholar and Special Advisor to the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

Review the Nomination Process section of this announcement for more information on how the PSC made its determination, and for information on the process for running by petition in accordance with the UUA Bylaws.

The President is the primary public and spiritual leader of Unitarian Universalism, as well as the UUA’s Chief Executive Officer. The member congregations of the UUA, through their delegates, elect the President to represent and lead the faith on a path to Beloved Community, in which people of diverse backgrounds, identities and theological beliefs can thrive. The President must be committed to transparent, shared, and aspirational leadership, using their understanding of power and privilege to advance transformative faithful practices within the Association. At the heart of this work is the UUA’s commitment to dismantling oppressive societal systems and creating communities of equity, belonging and liberation. This requires centering the voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, members of the LGBTQIA+ communities, people living with disabilities, and those with other marginalized identities. The President leads UUA staff, volunteers and members of the denomination to create a Unitarian Universalism that welcomes the questions, gifts, and talents of all who are attracted to this faith tradition.

Nominee Biography

The Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt currently serves as Resident Scholar and Special Advisor on Justice and Equity at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC). She previously served as interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Womanist Theology and Ethics at Drew University Theological School in 2021-22. From 2016-2021, she was on the core faculty of Starr King School for the Ministry, and served as its Acting President for a term. She was the UUA’s Director of Racial and Ethnic Concerns from 2005-2009. In 2017, she was appointed as one of the three-part team of UUA Interim Co-Presidents. She has been a member of the UUA Appointments Committee since 2016, and previously was a member of the UUA Nominating Committee.

Rev. Dr. Betancourt’s ministry centers on work that is empowering and counter-oppressive. Her academic work focuses on the environmental ethics of liberation through a womanist and Latina feminist frame. She previously served as the Senior Minister at the First UU Church of Stockton, CA, as Consulting Minister of the UU Fellowship of Storrs, CT, and as Interim Minister at the UU Church of Fresno, CA.

She holds a Ph.D. in religious ethics and African American Studies from Yale University, graduate degrees from Yale University in Religious Ethics and African American Studies, and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University with a concentration in ethnobotany. She is an ordained UU minister, with a Master of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry. Her book, Ecowomanism at the Panamá Canal: Black Women, Labor, and Environmental Ethics is available from Lexington Books (published February, 2022).

Nomination Process

Under the UUA Bylaws, the Presidential Search Committee (PSC) is responsible for nominating candidates for UUA President. The PSC is made up of seven members, five elected by the General Assembly and two appointed by the UUA Board of Trustees. The PSC was established in the UUA Bylaws in 2010 through a vote of the General Assembly, to support the democratic process of nominating candidates to serve as UUA President. Prior to the creation of the PSC, all candidates for the UUA Presidency ran by petition. The 2023 Presidential election is the second time the PSC has led the nomination process.

Two members of the PSC were appointed following General Assembly 2021 (one later resigned), and the five elected members were affirmed by the General Assembly in 2022. The PSC members are, in alphabetical order by last name: Rev. Jaimie Dingus, Denise Rimes, Cathy Seggel, James Snell, Rev. Theresa Ninán Soto and Marva Williams.

For this nomination, the PSC developed and led a fair and timely application and nomination process that was open to any leader who is a member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Over its first few months, the PSC reached out to a wide variety of stakeholders to provide feedback on the Presidential job description and key qualifications, the development of the application and interviews, the recruitment of potential qualified applicants, and on the overall nomination process. Congregations and members of the public were kept informed of the nominating process throughout the spring and summer of 2022.

In addition to opportunities for input from the general public, the PSC consulted key interested parties, including religious professional groups such as the Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA), the UU Ministers’ Association (UUMA) and the Association for UU Music Ministries (AUUMM); identity-based groups such as Diverse and Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM), Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU), EqUUal Access, and Transgender UU Religious Professionals Together (TRUUsT); youth and young adult communities; and UUA staff. Based on this input, the PSC sought candidates who could address the current needs of the UUA, and support the UUA’s mission and its commitment to the recommendations of the Commission on Institutional Change’s 2020 report, Widening the Circle of Concern. The PSC worked with the UUA Board of Trustees to establish a presidential job description capturing these qualifications, which was approved by the Board in February 2022.

The application and nomination timeline of the presidential search process was:

• Applications opened on April 1, 2022
• PSC members engaged in outreach to potential leaders, encouraging applications, including through conversations at General Assembly in June 2022
• Applications were due on July 15, 2022
• The PSC conducted interviews, engaged with applicants and reviewed references from August through October 2022, in preparation for selecting its nominees

The PSC received applications from Unitarian Universalists who represented a range of experiences and talents, including ordained ministers and non-ordained leaders. The candidate pool was comprised of majority women and transgender/non-binary individuals, and a majority of people who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).

At the conclusion of its process, the PSC unanimously nominated two exceptionally qualified leaders to be candidates for President. One of those nominees declined the nomination. Once the nominations were made, the committee determined that the only fair and appropriate course of action was to move forward with the nomination of Rev. Dr. Betancourt, rather than reopening the application process. The PSC members respect the decision of the nominee who withdrew, and will continue to honor their privacy, as was done throughout the interview process.

Nomination petitions from additional candidates may be submitted, according to the procedures described in the UUA Bylaws and Rules, by February 1, 2023. The election will conclude in June 2023, and the next President will be announced at General Assembly 2023. The current UUA President, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray, will reach the end of her term and will serve until her successor takes office. As with the current President, the next UUA President will serve a single six-year term and will not be eligible for re-election.

Conclusion

The search for a President of the Unitarian Universalist Association asks us to live into our best selves and our most imaginative futures, working to fulfill our deeply held aspirations. The Presidential nomination process is a call to covenant and to making our values real in the world through our actions. As shared in the June 2021 Commission on Appraisal report, Rev. Carol Cissel notes:

We are the promises we make and the vows we break. In this faith, Unitarian Universalism, covenants bind us together and strengthen our relationships. They create a pathway toward inclusiveness and, in times of both joy and sorrow, remind us that we are tough, resilient, and thoughtful.

So may we, in faithful keeping of our promises as a movement, elect our next UUA president. The PSC was unanimous in its belief that UUs are blessed by the candidacy of Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt. Once the election process concludes and the new UUA President is announced at GA 2023, our Association will continue on its transformative journey to create the anti-oppressive, multicultural world we all imagine.

__

This announcement constitutes the PSC’s report for nominations, as required by UUA Bylaw Section 9.5.

For questions and additional information, please reach out to [elections@uua.org](mailto:elections@uua.org) and visit this elections page.

For more information contact [elections@uua.org](mailto:elections@uua.org).

Does anyone here have experience with Second Unitarian in Chicago? I live on the north side and am considering checking it out.

Hi there! I’ve recently started exploring UU churches in the area and it feels like a good home for me. I’ve been exploring all over the area (I’m in Boston) and while I’ve attended lovely sermons, I’m having trouble finding a congregation that has people my age (I’m in my 30s). Everyone at Sunday service seems to be over 60. I wonder if Sunday service may just not be the right place to start? Anyone in the are (or in general) have any advice?

I am an ex-Christian and I have religious trauma related to that. I went to an in-person UU service for the first time Sunday. I got teary-eyed multiple times because I was quite awestruck. I’ve never had the experience of walking into a sanctuary that displays pride flags or hearing the Reverend invite trans and GNC kids to join the Girl Scouts troop during announcements. I had a wonderful time overall, but I have a few concerns. I can mostly handle hearing the word “God” and there was no mention of Jesus. The Bible was used during the sermon (Genesis), but its validity was questioned in a way I can appreciate. I am just wondering… is UU the wrong place to leap to, in general, if I want no associations with Christianity whatsoever? Or could I potentially find a different church that doesn’t reference the Bible? I am atheist-leaning, definitely humanist, but mostly still figuring it out.

I am also thinking about the perpetuation of Christianity and wanting to avoid that. This article encapsulates my thinking perfectly: https://brill.com/display/title/37153 To me, secular and liberal Christians are still perpetuating the harm of all other Christians, or they would drop the religious moniker altogether. I am wondering if I’m being hypocritical by being UU. Also, I’m really sorry if I offend anyone by writing this post. Thanks for reading.

Hello, as the title says I'm trying to remember the UU book I was given to read for my Coming of Age journey though the UU church. It was black, and it had a chalice on it or maybe flames on it. I believe it had a history of the church, but don't remember much more than that.

I'm revisiting books of my late adolescent and young adult life. I stepped away about a decade ago from the UU church after attending a few years and then going off to college. Then work kept me from attending due to the hours I had been delt, then COVID hit, but recently I felt something come over me, and I'm wanting to reflect on things in my life.

I'll be elated if anyone knows what I'm talking about and I plan on attending my first UU service again very soon.

I especially want to hear from latecomers to UU: what was the moment you realized UU wasn't just something you do on Sunday, but had become an integral part of your life, your relationship/marriage, your family?

I think it hit me when I quoted a hymn to comfort my partner. She was feeling guilty about a struggle we'd had the night before. I had already forgiven her, but she was having trouble letting go. So I quoted #637, A Litany of Atonement: "We forgive ourselves and each other; we begin again in love."

It clicked for her, and I realized I was using words of comfort in much the same way I saw other religious traditions doing.

I get the impression Unitarians are more liberal, but do you tend to affiliate with a political party, or is it more about just accepting people?

I’ve been attending UU lately, and I’ve enjoyed it, so I feel it’s important to start contributing financially because I’m getting something out of it, but I want to find some financial transparency before I do.

Can Atheist, Agnostics & Pagans be members of the unitarians, do they have to renounce their old position and embrace the new position or do they retain their own position and identity in the group?

I am a former Baptist pastor who “left the faith” and now hold to beliefs that are most similar to UU. I currently work as a Hospice Chaplain, but would like to become ordained so I can work in a hospital setting. I have my Master’s from a Southern Baptist seminary, but wasn’t sure how this translate over to UU ordination. Also, I have not yet settled into a UU congregation as my family is still processing my change and I’m taking things slowly. I’ve visited a few, but haven’t been consistent in one. Is there a minimum amount of time in a church that is needed before ordination?

All UUs are invited to post as comments various stories about UU churches, UU Ministers, and sermons by them.

So, I'm one of the many people out there who lives too far from a congregation to attend in person services (something like an hour and twenty to reach the closest one). For me, a congregation is meant to be a community, and how much can I really be a member of that community living so far away? Plus I really do use Sunday as a day of rest and I'd feel horribly guilty about using that much gas. Anyway, I've made my peace with this and just listen to a streamed service when I can, but I've always wondered what the limits for other people would be. I would say, personally, I'd be willing to drive something like 45 minutes, but not much further.

I believe Covid is real, but do not support the vaxxes as I have friends who have gotten blood clots and other adverse reactions. I think Fauci and rest have lied. I wear N95. The fact that no one cares about freedom, and accepts all this, and questions nothing really bothers me. I went with an agree to disagree stance but it's been hard, I don't feel safe, because I do question the Covid narrative and the failures of public health and believe the vaxxes have been harmful. The left's focus on censorship, failed public health and more has brought me to a level of disgust. My UU pastor is a nice guy but praises Bill Gates every minute from the pulpit. Every church member bought into the mainstream narrative, and I feel SO ALONE.

I waited things out but now it's been three years, turning people into pincushions for the biosecurity fascist state seems to be permanent for now, I can't go with it. That's what the left now supports and I am done. I supported all other vaccines but not these vaxxes. Friends of mine have DIED and have had blood clots and other bad things happen.

With politics, I'm done, the left left me. Supports megacorporations, tyranny, and now horribly of most, war where full war mongering where we are risking nuclear war with Russia is now in vogue. I feel too afraid to share my real political opinions and I guess I don't fit anymore. My church has gone extreme "woke" and even though Covid has destroyed our lives and is now endemic, no one is allowed to talk about it and has to follow the "official narrative" like a robot.

I used to be part of the antiwar movement, what happened with that as they all seem to want nuclear war with Russia and forget part of the lessons learned from Bush and the Middle East?

I used to like my UU church A LOT but since Covid now I feel lonely there and like I don't fit in. I am still technically a Universalist.

I was Muslim till I was forced out for being trans so I hope to find acceptance here. Any special procedures I need to follow

https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/unitarian-universalist/unitarians-seeking-more-piety-less-politics.aspx

One Sunday, the Unitarian Universalist church in Florida that David Burton was attending featured a Sufi Muslim leading a "universal service"--which included passages from the Jewish and Christian Bibles, the Qur'an, and Buddhist and Taoist texts.

To Burton, it was what a UU service should be, drawing meaning from the spiritual wisdom of various faiths. Instead, Burton said, "That was one of the most controversial services ever held in that church."

"Theists and Christians are almost unwelcome in many UU congregations," said Burton, an attorney who lives in northern Virginia. "It's rare to hear a UU minister discuss God from the pulpit. On many occasions, when a minister does discuss God from the pulpit, it leads to division because there's such a strong humanist or atheist representation."

The problem, as he sees it, is that the Unitarian Universalist Association--the denominational organization of UUs--has strayed far from its roots, emphasizing diversity and pluralism and in the process leaving no room for traditional belief. To counter that trend, he has started a new organization seeking to return Unitarianism to its roots as a God-centered liberal religion based on spiritual exploration.

The new Unitarian organization has taken the name American Unitarian Association. To those with knowledge of UU history, that name speaks volumes about the intent of the new organization: Before merging with the Universalists in 1961 to form the UUA, the main Unitarian denomination was called the American Unitarian Association.

And that has the UUA crying foul, and planning to file a lawsuit against the new AUA within the next few weeks.

"The UUA doesn't have any problems with this group's theological and political perspectives," said John Hurley, spokesman for the UUA. "We do have a problem with their use of the name, which is the name of one of the antecedents of the UUA."

But to Burton and Dean Fischer, co-founder with Burton of the new group, adopting the AUA name sends the message that its members want to return to a Unitarianism they think has been abandoned by the UUA.

The UUA is the latest liberal religion to face charges that in the name of tolerance and diversity it has abandoned its core beliefs. A recent Hartford Seminary survey found that the fastest-growing religious groups place the strictest demands on members--which is not what religious liberals tend to do. Meanwhile, across the spectrum, denominations are facing pressure from small but vocal groups to re-emphasize traditional religion over liberal theology and left-leaning politics.

In recent months, several Episcopal parishes have opted to associate with an African Anglican diocese, rather than their local one, claiming they are theologically closer to the more conservative Africans. In 1999, Reform Judaism, after a bitter debate, adopted 10 principles pushing the denomination toward more traditional Jewish ritual. And in the United Methodist Church, the conservative Confessing Movement, launched in 1995, declaring that the UMC "is now incapable of confessing with one voice the orthodox Trinitarian faith."

While conservative movements are particularly strong today, they are an ever-present element of liberal religion, said William Hutchison, a historian of American religion at Harvard.

"It's not only natural, it's a good thing. Liberal movements at some point need corrective measures," Hutchison said, explaining that without them, faith groups can veer too far from where they started.

The new Unitarian organization, which was incorporated in September 2000 but only became public in late December, remains small; its founders declined to discuss how many members it has garnered so far, saying only that membership is growing at 20% per month. Co-founder Dean Fisher said a quarter of the group's members are clergy or have a pastoral care background, and that several UU congregations are considering affiliating with the new group. The organization's first major event will be held April 21-22 in Alexandria, Va.

The UUA bills itself as a "non-creedal" religion, which means members decide for themselves what to believe and how to act. Founded as a Christian faith, the modern Unitarian movement was formed in the early 19th century. Unitarianism, as the name implies, rejected belief in a divine trinity in favor of believing that God is one and indivisible.

As Unitarianism grew during the 1800s, its membership included Ralph Waldo Emerson and U.S. President William Howard Taft. Then, as modernism and secularism developed around the turn of the 20th century, Unitarianism embraced these new ideas and began shedding dogma. With the birth in the1930s of the humanist movement--which rejects any traditional notion of God--Unitarianism's shift away from Christianity became more apparent. To this day, secular humanists remain influential in the movement.

The American Unitarian Association merged in 1961 with the Universalist Church of America, and the AUA name was retired. Secular humanism was a dominant force in the newly formed UUA through the late 1980s, when many UUs began to seek a more spiritual path, Hurley said. Since then, he said, UU humanists have been joined by resurgent UU theistic and Christian movements, along with newly formed UU Buddhist and pagan groups.

"Compared with 20 years ago, theism has clearly made a comeback, in particular with the laity but also with the clergy," said Roger Finke, a religion sociologist at Penn State University and author of "Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion."

In his book, Finke tells of a UUA pastor in New York City who a few years ago was booed in UUA churches when he "concluded services with a benediction that invoked 'God.'" Today, though, that pastor says he can "get away with God language with impunity."

Gila Jones, an active UU member, said the UU's religio-political balance is partly a result of its leadership. As younger people take over, she expects to see an even heavier emphasis on spirituality.

"The group I call the 'pre-boomers' tends to be rather intellectual, suspicious of traditional religion, and very interested in politics," she said. "The boomers and post-boomers, on the other hand, are frequently involved in redefining religion on their own terms and discovering a spirituality that is meaningful to them personally."

She added: "As people of my generation start to have more time to devote to leadership, UUism will turn more towards spirituality and somewhat away from politics. That's already happening. Many of the pre-boomers feel threatened by these changes."

However, she believes the AUA has defined itself too narrowly by focusing on monotheism and rejecting political activism: "The UUs I know who feel UUism is too political are not in favor of removing all politics from our religion," she said. "I know many UUs who want more spirituality in UUism, but few of them are monotheists."

Still, the trend toward greater spiritual emphasis has not accelerated far enough or quick enough to make everyone happy. Even within the UUA, there are some who are dissatisfied with where the denomination stands religiously.

Davidson Loehr, pastor of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, Texas, said he isn't familiar with the new AUA group, but he sounded many of the same themes.

"There isn't the degree of honest and probing religious discussion there should be, mostly because in UUism.the politics is primary, the religion is secondary (or worse)," he wrote in an e-mail correspondence. "I've hardly ever found colleagues who are interested in or able to carry on any informed and significant discussion on religious questions, so I share the frustration of folks who wish there were fewer UU political/social cells, and more UU churches."

He added, though, that he stays with the UUA because "there is still more freedom to pursue what I believe is honest and responsible religion than there is in any other denomination."

To the founders of the new AUA, however, theistic UU groups do not have a strong enough voice in the UUA and are not welcomed or respected nearly enough. And they, too, complain that politics has been given too heavy an emphasis.

"Most people don't get up on Sunday to hear a political rally," Burton said, "but to hear an intelligent discussion on ethics, on religion, on how to live one's life."

I’ve never read anything about this and I’m curious because I tend to overestimate others’ authority.

I’m guessing this has been discussed-/what the ideal balance is, how much members should defer, etc, and I’d love to hear some of the most common takes.

Doctrinally, I feel at home with Unitarian Universalism, but after attending a number of services (or whatever they are called) here in New York City I cannot help but wonder if I would be welcome in it. Here at least, UU seems to be a branch of the Democratic party, and its not-as-liberal-as-it-thinks-it-is "woke" wing at that. And so, while I agree with the theological underpinnings of this movement, I am not at all on board with its politics, and do not appreciate being hectored from the pulpit on same.

So do I belong here or not, and if not, can anyone recommend a UU or even a Deist congregation in New York that is not an arm of the Democratic (or any other) political party?

So I've heard of this church and the jist I've gotten is that it's very human rights oriented and open minded but I don't exactly understand the particulars.

Atheist here but I respect peoples' faith (as long as they don't use it to hurt others) so I'm wondering if it would be a good community for me and my family.

Hi are there any unitarian churches on the united states territories like Guam and Puerto rico?

https://youtu.be/JR-gpy0aItU

Moving to Michigan next month and looking for a church to check out. So far I'm interested in visiting First UU in Detroit. Has anyone been? Or visited any other UU churches in MI?

I really like my minister, but we had a bad conflict recently and I'm not sure how to work through it.

I don't want to get into the whole issue because my question is about rebuilding trust.

To try to condense it, I'll say I was in a very stressful situation and my minister deferred to a policy I didn't know about. The end result was that I lost a support and went into full PTSD over all of it. I set up a zoom call for tomorrow, and I'll try to explain the context and that it was a PTSD trigger. I'll listen to her as well, of course.

But I don't know how to move on because I feel so betrayed. Instead of taking the time to understand, I felt like she deferred on policy that seemed arbitrary, and she was defensive and inflexible. I'd never seen those traits in her.

​

I don't want to still be mad and hurt, but I am. She can't turn back time and is rigid on this issue, so in a way it seems pointless to talk knowing there won't be resolution. But I would like us to be on better terms.

What would you do?

Would you say that UU and CUUPs are a safe-enough space for a Black female pagan/witch?

Would you say that UUers in general and even UU pagans specifically, regardless of race, are more likely to believe that Spirit has no race and thus be committed to strengthening Collective Consciousness?

I ask this as I am still debating as to whether or not I should give the seemingly nice, local pagan meetup +/- the local Unitarian Universalist congregation the “old college try.”

I am concerned I will find the same (or even worse) racist, exclusionary, and/or megalomaniac tactics I have encountered in other religious communities including Seventh-day Adventist Christian, non-denomination Christian, African/Kemetic, and eclectic pagan spaces.

Hi everyone,

Anyone here active in the studio city CA UU community? My wife and I have a new child and I’m looking to get into some sort of local community. Coming from Catholicism, I’ve done some discerning for the last several years, reading several Baha’i texts and eventually A Chosen Faith, which really resonated with me.

I’m wondering what the vibe is like at UU Studio City and if it would be good for our new family. Looking forward to hearing from you!!

It’s that time of year again and we are putting together our budget for next year. I’m wondering what your congregation spends on a guest speaker in the pulpit for the week per month when the minister is off.

I don't want this to come off as mean, I just want advice.

I grew up very involved in the Episcopal Church, but I've slowly lost faith and became an atheist. I attended multiple UUs, but I always end up getting annoyed and leaving due to the fringe folks in leadership. I want to learn how to be a better person internally and externally by learning about different religions and philosophies to life, but I don't wanna hear vaccine conspiracy theories or other forms of alternative medicine. Crystals and "positive energy" won't heal your cancer. In my opinion, if you wanna have crazy medicine go join the Christian Scientists. I won't support people with views that will cause actual harm.

Anyways, love 80% of y'all. 20% of y'all drove me out.

Anyone have any advice for UUish people in my position?

I’m a lost Mormon looking for other options for myself, but more importantly, my family. I have a lot of questions about UU but this was the first one I thought of. Do UUs believe in baptism?

This seems to me like a book many UU people would appreciate. Has anyone here ever heard of it?

To be clear, my atheism is not the gnostic anti-theist position. I am open to the idea that a god may exist in the form of the prime mover. Sort of a clock maker who, on the first certain swing of the pendulum, moved on to their next project. No more than that.

I've been attending a small UU church for the last 4 months or so and have been enjoying it. We're a tiny dot of blue in a sea of red and it's nice to be around some like minded people once a week. I agree with the covenant of right relations and the 7 principles. I've even volunteered to help with the upkeep around the church, cleaning and whatnot.

So I'm looking for reading material to help me square my irreligious views with the language and teaching of the Unitarian church.

Hello! I was raised UU and have been living in a fairly religiously conservative rural location. My partner and I moved around a lot for several years before settling into our current location. Lately, I've been feeling drawn to developing a UU-based community / service in our rural area. I reached out to UUA and they had encouraged us to reach out to our Regional Representative and/or consider starting a Covenanting Community. I did this and they encouraged us to participate in our nearest fellowships virtually. There are well established UU Fellowships within 100 miles in two directions, but the travel on a Sunday is too much for our family. We are also craving human connection (in lieu of virtual services). I'd like to have services here, but we don't have space to host in our small house. Any thoughts about how to bring people together? I don't use Facebook, but had been thinking of posting a newspaper ad. Thoughts?

https://www.uusc.org/three-reasons-why-juneteenth-is-the-united-states-true-independence-day/

By Mike Givens on June 16, 2022

June 19, 1865, was a watershed moment for Black Americans living in the American South. That was the day Union soldiers landed in Texas to inform Black men, women, and children that slavery had been abolished two years prior by 1863’s Emancipation Proclamation, signed by then President Abraham Lincoln. These people—who’d seen generation after generation of rape, murder, abuse, torture, dehumanization, and cultural decimation—were finally free to live independently and free from the shackles of an oppressive and racist system that benefited off of their labor.

The road ahead would be long and filled with adversity as former slaves and their offspring would be subjected to water hoses, literacy tests, lynchings, segregated restrooms, miscegenation laws, mass migration, and countless protests and demands for justice. The cultural genocide encapsulated in anti-Black racism is still prevalent in the United States—and in many ways, the fight for equity isn’t over—but Juneteenth is an acknowledgement of progress and liberation and beckons us to continue the fight for freedom.

Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, and though this act is a tiny step toward addressing America’s “original sin,” there are still many more steps that need to be taken for equality and equity to be truly lived and felt in the United States.

Here are three ways that Juneteenth is the true Independence Day for the United States:

July 4, 1776 Was Never About True Freedom For All

Eighty-nine years prior the liberation of Black Americans in the South, the Declaration of Independence boldly advanced a revolutionary agenda to sever the ties between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. There was just one glaring—and hypocritical—conundrum: The practice of kidnapping African people and transporting them to the colonies was still alive and well. “Freedom” only truly extended to White people living in the colonies. People living under and within the confines of slavery were not treated as people, but property.

Twelve years later, the U.S. Constitution would be amended to include the “Three-Fifths Clause,” a political concession that counted a person who was enslaved as three-fifths of a person of a free individual. This clause was not a step toward recognizing the humanity of these people, but a means for southern states to have more political representation in the nascent American government. It was a compromise rooted in political gain, not human rights.

Black Liberation and Resiliency Are Powerful Metaphors for the Struggle for Human Rights

Countless times in American history, Black people have had to fight to ensure their humanity and personhood were acknowledged and respected. From the slave rebellions in the 17th and 18th Centuries to the Civil Rights movement in the 20th Century, Black Americans have fought hard and set a strong example when it comes to advocacy, activism, bravery, and persistence. Repeatedly, Black Americans have taken situations of oppression and turned their narratives against the oppressor. Some battles have been won, others have not, but what has always remained the same is the outspoken activism that calls attention to injustice and demands the United States do better.

U.S. history is filled with people and incidents that not only show the resiliency of Black people, but the oppression they’ve faced, the injustice that’s birthed from it, and the resiliency and beauty of Black culture.

• Frederick Douglass—A 19th Century Black abolitionist and suffragist who wrote eloquently of the hideousness of slavery and the need to end it as an economic and social practice in America.
• Henrietta Lacks—She died at the age of 31 in 1951, but her “immortal” cancer cells (HeLa cells) were used by White researchers to develop a polio vaccine, test treatments for cancer and HIV, study the impacts of zero gravity in space on human cells, and train thousands of scientists across the world in cell biology. There are almost 11,000 patents that involve the use of HeLa cells and science and medicine have benefitted tremendously from their use. Lacks never provided consent for her cells to be used and her family has never been compensated for their use.
• Tuskegee Syphilis Study—Between 1932 and 1972, roughly 400 Black men with syphilis were studied by doctors with the goal of understanding the disease. None of the men were informed of their syphilis diagnosis or consented to be studied. The pretense of receiving free medical care masked the true intention of studying the infection. Around 100 men died from the disease and it was spread to several participants’ wives. More than a dozen children were born with congenital syphilis. By 1947, penicillin had emerged as an effective treatment for the disease, but the participants were denied it for the sake of continuing the study. It is one of the most egregious examples of racism in medicine in the 20th Century.
• Modern Gynecology—J. Marion Sims was an American physician who in the 1840s performed gruesome experiments on enslaved women as part of his studies of the vagina. He did not provide any anesthesia for these women and no consent was given. His experiments helped advance the field of gynecology, but at the cost of the suffering and deaths of several Black women.

• Linnentown—In the early 20th Century, Linnentown, Georgia was a bustling Black town and home to 50 families in the northern part of the state. In 1962, the University of Georgia forcibly removed all of the families through eminent domain, razed all of the homes and buildings, and proceeded to build college dorms.

  These are just five of many lesser-known stories about the abuse and oppression of Black people. Despite slavery, medical rape, forced displacement, and dehumanization, the Black community has still advocated tirelessly for progress and justice. That day in mid-June in 1865 would be the impetus for many travails, but also many triumphs.

Black Activism Makes American Democracy Work For All of Us

From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter, the advocacy of Black Americans has continually kept progress and the fight for justice moving forward. The Civil Rights movement played an instrumental role in so many other movements for change, from women’s rights to the LGBTQ+ and anti-war movements. Even today, Black activism is responsible for a range of social justice and human rights victories, including:

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• Reforms in the criminal legal system
• Increased scrutiny of federal and local law enforcement
• Hate crime legislation
• Efforts to stem the tide of mass incarceration
• Laws protecting certain groups from discrimination in housing, employment, public spaces, and education

As we celebrate Juneteenth, we commemorate the abolition of slavery, but also Black liberation and the many advancements Black activism has ushered around the nation. As we reflect on this day and its role in history, we understand that “freedom” never really is freedom unless each and every one of us experiences in all of our personhoods and identities.

The Infinite Jeff is a book that I think the UU community would love. It is currently on the bestseller lists on Amazon for UU. Both the paperback and hardcover are on sale and the sale ends today.

Full disclosure: This is a series I wrote but I wanted to let people here know before the sale end just in case they would be interested.

howdy! i know you probably get inundated with "am i welcome" questions, so my apologies in advance for adding to the pile.

i'm a universalist christian (episcopal) and my partner is a humanist atheist. we'd like to attend services together and thought a UU church might be something affirming for both of us.

what i'm hesitant about is that, while i'm universalist, i'm not explicitly unitarian - by which i mean i do believe in trinitarian theology. i think i'm fairly liberal in my interpretation of it, and not at all to the exclusion of other religious paths, but my faith is pretty squarely centered on triune deity.

i know that UUs are able to welcome just about any religion, but on the website it actually explicitly emphasizes the unitarian-ness of UU christians, to the specific exclusion of trinitarians.

obviously i understand that "unitarian" is in the name, and i'm familiar with the history of the unitarian (pre-UU) church. i also understand that just about every mainline christian church in the usa is trinitarian, so i do feel a little silly asking about ~special accommodations~ or inclusivity when just about any christian church would affirm my trinitarian stance.

but i guess what i'm asking is: if i'm comfortable being in community with people of varying beliefs, and comfortable making broad & shared statements of faith, and in agreement with the 7 unitarian principles, will it matter to the congregation if i remain trinitarian, and if that remains core to my perception of god? or is that too disingenuous?

(should also clarify that in no way am i asking the UU church to change to accommodate me - i'm just throwing darts trying to figure out the best arrangement for my partner and i. UU seems to be pretty close, but i don't want to insert myself if i'm fundamentally at odds with a majority of the congregation. i don't want to be disrespectful.)

https://www.questformeaning.org/clfuu/

Wherever you are in the world, wherever your truth takes you on your spiritual journey, the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) is here to keep you connected with Unitarian Universalism (UU). Our 3,500 members and friends, with their children, live all over the world. What brings us together is the desire to connect, seek, share and grow in our faith journey.

Quest for Meaning is a program of the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF).

As a Unitarian Universalist congregation with no geographical boundary, the CLF creates global spiritual community, rooted in profound love, which cultivates wonder, imagination, and the courage to act.

Connect // Deepen // Act

_______________________

This is as close as UUism would ever come to televangelism. And anyone can join it, even if on the other side of the world!

https://www.uua.org/worship/words/time-all-ages/honoring-fallen-soldiers

By Erika A. Hewitt, Paul S Sawyer

Think of where you feel safe and at peace. What’s the signal that tells you it’s okay to be at peace?

For people in the United States military, there’s a special signal that says “you’re okay, and you’re at peace.” It's a melody called "Taps," and it's only 24 notes long. It was composed by a general in the Civil War and his bugler.

It’s hard to remember how important bugle calls were in the military once upon a time. In the days before radio, bugle calls were the only way military units could communicate to groups over a large area.

In the 1860s, the end of the day was important. If there was time and peace enough to play Taps, that was a signal that the camp was relatively safe. It meant that you were not under attack. It meant that there were no enemy soldiers to worry about.

To a camp of soldiers, the notes of Taps meant that, unless you were on duty, you could close your eyes and sleep in peace.

They say that the first time Taps was played at a service for fallen soldiers also took place during the Civil War. In those days, the traditional military salute was, as it still is, the firing of a three-round volley of rifles. But this one time, they say, was after a long battle, when finally a cease-fire had been called, and both sides had stopped to bury their dead.
In one camp, as the work ended and the memorial service began to take shape, the soldiers knew that sounding the artillery salute might be taken as a return to fighting, and not as a sacred memorial. Someone had the idea of sounding a bugle, and that sound would never be taken as an aggressive act of war.

Taps came to mean the same thing. It meant the safe and quiet end to the day, time to rest, time to turn the lights out, to let their eyes close, and as best they could, to be at peace.

That’s what Taps means: it's like a powerful prayer.

We try to make our congregations places where people can feel safe and at peace. We work outside of these walls to create a community like that, too: a world where everyone feels at peace in their neighborhoods and towns.

This week, many people in the U.S. are remembering and honoring all those who have died while serving in our military... so you might hear Taps again. If you do, maybe you can stop what you're doing and think of every soldier who might have been afraid, and then let Taps remind you that they're now at peace.

I was raised Unitarian Universalist by my traumatized-by-Christianity mother, which I loved, because Sunday school consisted of learning about other cultures and religions, and I was NEVER told what to believe. It was SO COOL! No surprises that I ended up atheist for most of my life. 🤣 Respect to all UUs (I'm sure there are plenty of them here)... it always felt like a group to belong to rather than a religion. I'm CERTAIN several UUs would agree, but maybe just as many would also disagree. I would love to hear your thoughts on a few things. This stuff fascinates me, and I don't feel comfortable talking about it with people who are going to spout religious shit to me. This is such a gigantic community from people of all walks of life. I feel like it would be awesome to hear so many varied responses and ideas.

My brother died of a heroin overdose almost a decade ago. It fucking sucked. I miss him. That said, it didn't really change my beliefs. I know when people die, lots of their loved ones experience changes in beliefs, and often times I think it's due to WANTING SO BADLY to not have lost that person forever. Makes total logical sense. It's sad.

A year ago, my mom died. However, this time, it REALLY changed things for me. I feel her visiting me a LOT. I feel I get weird signs from her. I am 100% convinced I've had 3 or 4 visitation dreams from her, though I dream of her almost every night. You don't have to explain to me how all of this has completely non-religious, common sense explanations. That's pretty obvious to me. My mom and I were so fucking close. We had that weird telepathy thing going on that only very close people have. If you have a spouse, twin, or loved one you're close to, you know what I'm talking about! Finishing sentences, calling at the same time, knowing what the other will say when you've both been silent for a long time, etc. Of course even if there's absolutely nothing more than BOOM you're dead, I'd feel that way due to our closeness. She is always with me, regardless of what happens after death, because she was a foundational part of my life.

For my whole life, I've always been very sensitive, and I do feel I have a way with connecting to certain things, especially nature/animals. I think I'd be considered an empath maybe since I'm very tuned into people's feelings and my environment? I nurture lots of stuff and teach little kids. Like I said, I am sensitive. Lots of childhood trauma and bullying pretty much made me that way.

I don't believe in heaven and hell or anything like that, but I really wonder if it's possible something else happens when you die. Are we over? Yeah, maybe. But maybe not. I also wonder if there's a scientific explanation that would explain whatever else could happen. For lack of better language, I'd think there'd be evidence for "god" (and of course evolution but I don't feel I need to explicitly state that here 🤣. Also don't really know what else to call god... The universe? Energy? I dunno!). I've read about crazy physics studies where cells react weirdly when one is given stimulation somewhere and the other, that used to be with to the first cell, is miles and miles away. All of this stuff fascinates me and it is overwhelming to consider all the shit we just don't understand. Makes you really wonder about the things that aren't even on our radar or within our realm of understanding.

Do you guys ever think about this stuff? Ever wonder about wtf started the big bang? Most mediums and ghost sightings are COMPLETE bs, I'm sure... But what if a few are real?? Is it a weird glitch in time rather than a true "ghost?" Or let's say Astral projection... I am sad to say that I think most people who believe they can do that are likely mentally ill (or hopefully dreaming!), but the CIA did try to study that shit!

Do you guys think about this stuff a lot? Any cool wonderings you have or crazy facts you know/experiences you have? There's no where else I'd want to post this, because I just don't want to hear about God this and God that. If "god" exists, it's not like anyone living could understand it. This is the one place I'd feel safe discussing things. Please do let me know if there's a better place to post this. As I said, I have no interest in pushing belief systems on anyone, nor do I think that is OK. Plus, I don't even know what I would call myself. I do kind of feel like I'm atheist... AND agnostic.... AND curious AF. (Yes, I know that's a little bit oxymoronic.) I'm so scientifically minded, that if there's anything weird going on, I KNOW it would be able to be explained by science. Ultimately, I know we are a bunch of peons who don't know shit about the universe. 🤣 I like to remain open minded. There's always more to learn.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure my rambling has gotten my point across. I guess I'd just love to hear what keeps you guys up late at night when you're pondering. What are all your thoughts about this shit? Hope you're all well! 💜💜💜💜

Hi there! I grew up Protestant Christian, but fell away from the church nearly a decade ago for a variety of reasons. Now I’m looking to rejoin a spiritual community but am having trouble finding one that feels right. I attended a UU service last week and it was very close to what I was looking for, and really refreshing compared to my previous church experiences. But I feel that I personally might need a community that collectively believes in and worships God.

This isn’t to say anything wrong about those who don’t believe in God, so please don’t take it that way. I LOVE the acceptance UU has for everyone regardless of belief, and one of the reasons I stopped attending Protestant Christian churches is I felt they didn’t respect those of different beliefs enough. I basically believe that no human can really know the truth and that everyone should believe and do whatever is best for them.

If there is something that’s basically Christian UU, I think that’s what I’m looking for. I understand that there are many Christians who are part of UU, but I’m hoping to find a congregation that places more focus on prayer/worship of God, which is important to me personally.

Sorry to be long-winded. Thanks so much in advance for any guidance you can provide!

Just want to know if anyone here from Florida is a Christian? Just seems like the UUA in florida puts at the back of the line. What to meet more UU Christians.

https://www.uuworld.org/articles/psc-application-start

Association’s next chief executive and spiritual leader to be elected at General Assembly 2023

Elaine McArdle 4/4/2022

A new Unitarian Universalist Association president—the public, spiritual, and executive leader of the UU movement and the UUA organization and staff—will be elected at General Assembly 2023, for a six-year term.

The person elected will succeed President Susan Frederick-Gray, who was elected at the UUA’s General Assembly in 2017.

The Presidential Search Committee (PSC), which the General Assembly created in 2010, is tasked with evaluating applications for president and selecting at least two nominees.

The PSC posted the application form online on Monday, April 4, 2022. From this day on, it began accepting applications. The deadline to submit applications is July 15, 2022. Nominees will be announced on November 15, 2022.

The six-member Presidential Search Committee comprises the Rev. Theresa Soto; the Rev. Jaimie Dingus; Denise Rimes; Cathy Seggel; James Snell; and Marva Williams. The team said that, while it anticipates nominating two nominees, it would consider nominating a third if there are three standout candidates.

In accordance with the job description, UUA bylaws, and Massachusetts law, a candidate must be “a member in good standing of a UUA member congregation; a resident of the United States; at least 18 years of age; able to travel extensively and work both weekdays, weekends, and evenings, and able to spend a significant amount of time in Boston.”

Candidates may also run by petition rather than through the PSC process. The petition process opens on December 1, 2022, and closes on February 1, 2023. Candidates who run by petition must follow a process outlined in Bylaw 9.6a (PDF), which requires that their petition is signed by no fewer than fifty certified member congregations, including at least one congregation from three of the UUA’s five regions.

Continuing the UUA’s commitment to dismantling white supremacy culture and other systems of domination and oppression—and receiving a wide pool of diverse applicants—is a top commitment of the search committee.

It is addressing this commitment in a variety of ways, including making sure its members have done continuing education, along with the rest of the UUA staff, on disability justice, and accessible and inclusive hiring practices. The PSC will also be doing work around implicit bias in order to be open to a variety of candidates.

As the process for applications is heavily dependent on written communication, the PSC offers any potential applicant the option to contact the committee with suggestions for a different form of application that better shows off the applicant’s gifts and perspectives, and it hopes people take that opportunity.

The PSC is also seeking input and advice from different stakeholders. Members of the committee are meeting with a variety of UU organizations, including DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries), BLUU (Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism), TRUUsT (Transgender Religious professional UUs Together), and EqUUal Access, to get their input and to encourage members to apply or to nominate leaders from their communities.

The 2023 election is only the second election in which the PSC has been involved. While the committee is basing much of its process and timeline on the previous PSC’s work, it has a more condensed timeline because the presidential election period has been shortened.

The committee has also sought the reflections and input of the previous PSC, as well as from current UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray and other candidates from the 2017 presidential election in order to learn and to improve the process based on their perspectives.

https://www.uuworld.org/articles/congregations-change

UU congregations across the country are grappling with change. Here are five that chose equity and inclusion over “the way we’ve always done it.” How might your congregation engage with change?

In 2020, after years of consideration, two congregations previously named for Thomas Jefferson voted to rename themselves, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville, Virginia, and All Peoples, A Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Louisville, Kentucky. As Charlottesville explained in its announcement, “We want to choose a name that will not obscure our values of working for justice and undoing racism behind a name that tells a different story to many.” Louisville’s announcement said, “perhaps even more important are the lessons we’ve learned along the way about letting go of the old, fostering empathy, trusting each other, and embracing a better version of ourselves.”

When the UU Church of Greater Lansing, Michigan, relocated to a former school building in 2016, the congregation recognized that the increased space opened new opportunities for community engagement. It now partners with the local Refugee Development Center to offer free English classes, legal assistance, and social support for immigrants.

Since 2015, First Parish in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has partnered with Y2Y Harvard Square to provide a 4,725-square-foot shelter and daytime drop-in center in its basement where homeless youth and young adults can connect with various resources. The student-run shelter has remained open during the pandemic.

In 2021, the UU Fellowship of Central Oregon in Bend voted to remove pledging as a requirement of membership in favor of a wider understanding of ways to be supportive, accountable, and in covenant with the congregation. “We wanted the membership procedure and requirements to reflect our values and principles and to fit with what we say we believe—that truly all are welcome,” writes Susan Kinney, past president of Bend’s board.

______________

I will add one more to this list:

https://firstjefferson.org/home-page/about-us/name-change/

Name Change!

And Then There Were Seven…

Name Change Voting—Round Three on Sunday April 17

With two rounds of elimination behind us, we’re getting very close! Round Three of voting for the new Name for the church will be on Sunday April 17. Like we’ve done the last two weeks, the revised list of names still in the running will be posted on the large plate glass windows in the foyer. This time you’ll get ONE colored sticky dot to use to place on the Name that you prefer. And also, like last week, if you are not able to vote in-person at church you will have the option to vote in our online poll. Check your email on Sunday for a link to the online poll.

A Name Change Town Hall meeting is scheduled for all interested members and friends this Sunday, April 17 after church at 12:30 pm in the Sanctuary. The purpose of the meeting is to review where we stand and our ongoing process in advance of the final vote at our congregational meeting next month. One issue we’ve already identified is about the use of the word “Church” vs. “Congregation” in the Naming. We’ll add this to our agenda. You can also use this forum for campaigning for your favorite Name and how it might advance our mission and vision.

The Name Change committee will have some sandwiches and cookies available for a light lunch, in addition to the coffee hour snacks provided.

Thank you for your robust interest and participation in our Name Change process. Please direct your questions and/or suggestions to [namechange@firstjefferson.org](mailto:namechange@firstjefferson.org) We hope to see you at church on Sunday!

List of Proposed Names

All Peoples Church Unitarian Universalist
Chosen Faith Congregation, A Unitarian Universalist Community
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Worth
Harmony Unitarian Universalist Church
Labyrinth Meadow Unitarian Universalist
Shady Creek Unitarian Universalist Church
Ten Pines Unitarian Universalist Church

https://clfuu.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1277214

How might Unitarian Universalists understand and relate to Islam, as a faith tradition? Please join us for this three-part seminar, co-sponsored by the Church of the Larger Fellowship and the First UU Congregation of Ann Arbor, Michigan, for Unitarian Universalists to move into a deeper understanding of the Islamic faith and its beliefs & traditions.

Unitarian Universalist-Muslim leaders, Reverend Summer Albayati and Reverend Doctor Mellen Kennedy will co-lead this seminar. Advance registration is required.

This class is being offered at no cost to participants. However, if you feel called to support our ministry and help us offset the administrative and instruction costs of running this and similar classes, we invite you to make a donation.

Upcoming Dates

• May 11, 2022--------7–8:30pm EDT
• May 18, 2022--------7–8:30pm EDT
• May 25, 2022--------7–8:30pm EDT

This has been on my mind for a while since joining UU. I grew up a Christian (later Catholic) and my husband grew up Catholic but not church going. We attend our UU congregation almost every Sunday but we don’t have a ritual or anything we do at home. We don’t pray before bed or meals like I did growing up. I would like to incorporate a daily practice into our lives but I feel like I need ideas! Do you have a home chalice you light? do you do something for your spirit in the morning or evening? Would love to hear from you all!

First off, I have been attending a Baptist church for the last year or so. I started going after an experience with God; I was an Athiest, who prayed out of desperation, and my prayer was answered. I love the church I attend, the pastor has been a great tutor for me and has helped me understand the Bible and a bit about God. My problem is that I've always felt a bit outside. I have a real hard time accepting Jesus as a God-Man and the trinity seems strange to me still. I prefer to think of God as acting through the limits of the Universe, miracles can happen, but they are within the boundaries of what is actually possible. I believe God can do miracles, but for example, I don't believe in the virgin birth.

I've read a bit about Unitarianism on Wikipedia, and it seems more right, as far as how it aligns with my beliefs. Would you say this is correct? I would like to more firmly understand what a Unitarian is and what they believe regarding Jesus and God, as well as how they think of scripture and other works.

I consider myself Christian Universalist meaning for me that I don’t believe in damnation, at least not in the infernal suffering sense. I was raised Protestant, namely Baptist and Methodist. I’ve been to an Episcopalian church and I liked it, I liked the people. I don’t know how common it is for Catholics to be Universalists or for Universalists to incorporate Catholic practices into their lives, such as the rosary. I have rosary beads and I want to incorporate that into my life. I don’t know of any specifically Catholic Universalist churches, but I suppose there is probably something like it somewhere.

Greetings.

So, I recently got involved in theologic questions, and came across this post, in wich someone explain that God hate him because he had sexual relations, notably with people of the same sex.

I try to explain to him that homosexuality isn't a sin, and that it is okay, but there also are some people that tells him he can't be forgiven, that homosexuality will forbid him to have the love of God and these things.

I can see he is distressed, and I want to help him, but I think that if I am alone in saying that God love him, while other people send their favourite homophobe passages of the bible, he risk to get to hate himself more and more.

Do you think you could help him ? I just ask you to be kind and patient.

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The link to the post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/u2r5wc/losing_my_mind_seeking_god_but_he_rejected_me/i4kue16/?context=3