It's a question I'm sure we all get often. Many people have never even heard of Unitarian Universalism.

When having conversations with people and I mention I'm Unitarian Universalist, I often get "what is Unitarian Universalism?"

I feel like we suddenly have to grasp the whole scope of the greatness of our faith in just a few words. To which they'll compare what we say to the other faith's they already know well.

I sometimes wonder how someone of a more well-known faith tradition would respond to a similar question.

Raised Pentecostal and Catholic. When I still lived with my parents I snuck out to attend a UU church for the first time. I accidentally brought my order of service home and left it on the staircase. It had a Buddha printed on the front. The service's reading was from the Teachings of the Buddha. My father, an ordained minister, spoke to me after finding the OOS. I told him I visited that church. His response was "wow, I know where this is located. By it's architecture (Gothic) I assumed it was Christian. That's very deceiving."

When he asked what the UU church believes, I mentioned Unitarian and Universalist theology. And dear goodness, my family thought there couldn't be anything more heretical.

I now live in a new city, attending an historically Universalist congregation. And my parents occasionally ask if I could regularly attend a Catholic church instead.

What are your family's thoughts on UU?

Unitarian Universalism is truly unique in that we are noncreedal but bound together by a shared sense of finding our own spiritual path. We draw from many sources such as science and other religious traditions, while having a rich religious history ourselves.

When I go to church, our services include broad, inclusive language applicable to differing spiritual views. And it gets me wondering, what are other UUs perspectives on a higher power, life and death, prayer/meditation and other personal religious practices or any other theological views.

Care to share?

If you follow r/unitarianuniversalist, you may have read a similar post I wrote on that subreddit.

I love Unitarian Universalism. But I have questioned getting to be in fellowship with other UUs at church.

When I first learned about UUism, I attended my local UU church for 10 consecutive Sundays. And while I often heard from the pulpit that all are welcomed and heard a number of church members tell about how wonderful it was to be in fellowship with the people of the congregation, no one had introduced themselves and welcomed me. I stopped going since I went away to college but came back for the following Summer. The congregation started doing handshaking to those around me. I'd often get a hello, what's your name, but that'd be it.

While away at college, I attended a UU church and found them quite welcoming. People would remember my name, say hello, spark a conversation and invite me to small group meetings.

I just moved again and visited my nearest UU church. I was noticed as a new person by an usher who encouraged me to attend their coffee hour. Tried introducing myself a couple times but people just said hello and passed by.

I have attended about four other UU churches a couple times and usually get the same experience. So I do question how welcoming do you feel UU churches are to new people, in your experience?