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Curious, potentially attending a service soon, feeling nervous/not sure what to expect.

Hi there y'all. I am probably going along with a friend to a local UU service this weekend. My friend is a member of UU and is involved in some volunteer community work that uses the UU's meeting space a couple of week nights per month. This volunteer group is open to all, not just UU folks, and I've wanted to get involved, but I thought it might be nice to get to know the UU community there as well.

Partly it just feels like good manners to make that effort. But I've also been wanting to widen my personal sphere of community and work on developing my spiritually a bit. And now I feel oddly shy!

I guess I just don't know what to expect. I've never been particularly religious. My mother has been an active member of Unity Church my whole life and I attended the youth programs there as a kid, fell away from that in my teens, identified myself as an atheist for a long time, then came around to the idea of a non-religious spirituality. In time I've come to define that spirituality as pagan in nature.

I live in a relatively progressive city in a deep red state. I don't really know other pagans, I don't have anyone to share my practice with, have discussions with, or learn from. I've felt very lonely in this regard, and sometimes also silly. I know my local UU does do services and hosts events for some pagan holidays like Yule, so it may be a good opportunity to connect with some of that community.

I'm not and never have been Christian, despite attending Unity as a kid. I know that Unity is based in Christianity specifically and UU is not, but since childhood I haven't attended any kind of Sunday service at all. I guess I worry that I'll stand out or will obviously "not belong" in some way, or that I'll be too out there even for UU, or even more intimidating: that I'll like it and want to come back.

I know no two UU communities are identical but I guess I'm asking what, in general, should I expect?

Edit: even if I haven't responded, I have read all of your comments and I appreciate y'all's input! Thanks!

submitted by /u/the_halfblood_waste
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