Hello everyone. I moved to the Greater Boston area (North Shore) last year and am considering a UU church. I am a former Catholic turned evangelical turned agnostic/atheist (many, many moons ago). Since leaving church altogether I have missed having both a spiritual connection of some sort and the community connection which was found in my old church congregations. I’ve been considering UU since before moving to New England but there are far more choices here than back in my Midwestern hometown.

If you’re from the area, hello! There are probably 5 congregations that would be close enough to me to consider. I am 40s/F, single, childfree, and queer. My main objective is to find connection and while I know every congregation has something to offer, I know they can have varying demographics. I don’t really know what activities or groups are common but, as a former music major who has sadly not been in music for decades, I know I’m interested in possibly joining a choir or participating in music somehow.

I did a cursory glance at websites around me but events aren’t always posted. I also did a search of the sub and didn’t really see anything pertaining to this specific area and am wondering if anyone here is local and has insights? Thank you 😊

Hey, my name is Tim. I am a first time user of Reddit, and joined because I saw this thread. I am a member in Pasadena, Ca., and am a recovered-Christian-turned-atheist. I'm still in the proverbial closet about my faithless belief and plan to keep it this way. I am Japanese American and J.A.s tend to be loyal to something they hold dear. Sadly, Christianity is one of them. So why the sour comment? Because, the white members of my denomination felt we could not be trusted during WWII. Forget the fact that my people fought Nazis during WWII as the 442nd RCT and my uncle, a Japanese American helped defeat Japan while serving with the Military Intelligence Services. What also turned me away was that the same people who trust Jesus, did not trust us, thus made this verse. Psalm 23:4 King James Version 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. worthless. So if they don't have faith in God, then how would God help me or is racism justifiable? I left because of racism.

BTW, according to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, Japanese American Christians made up of more than 50 percent of the population before, during and after WWII. While in Japan, Christians make up about one percent of the total population. So why the vast difference? Racism. When I studied the history, it was forced assimilation in the new world that guide the immigrants and not the love of Jesus. Maybe today things have changed after being indoctrinated for generations, but that's why I'm an atheist in a U.U. congregation.

Hi everyone! I really resonate with Unitarian Universalism and have been attending a congregation for a few months. I have always felt a calling to ministry that I have avoided for multiple reasons. I feel I am in a place to pursue this calling now, but I'm afraid my financial situation could be a blockage. I am a teacher making decent money and I am paying off debt for a bachelors degree and 2 masters degrees. I know going into ministry requires a Mdiv. which would require more debt. I'm wondering if there is a path forward for me to leave teaching and pursue the ministry without going into more debt (hopefully) and still being able to pay my other student loans while supporting myself with normal life costs.

1) Is there a path to ministry that doesn't require further student loans?

2) Any advice from folks who changed careers to ministry from something else and how you managed that financially?

3) Do you know of any grants or other ways of paying for an Mdiv?

Any advice would help, thanks!