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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

New to Unitarian Universalism. Where should I look and how can I join/participate?

By: /u/goliv04053

I'm Brazilian and got out of religion (ex-christian). Nothing against the minister of the church I were member but I became oversaturated with religion. Born and raised in a Christian family sometimes make it a one choice and others.... You know the rest.

My mom is a member of a Assembly of God church but when I was young I preferred the baptists because I considered (and kinda consider them in some ways as Moderates).

But as various protestants and neo-pentecostals churches do the thing like: The other religion follow the devil and yadda yadda. They will go to hell if they don't convert. I think you all know the rest. And when I begun to think more outside of the box even if I was on a slow pace or thinking outside but not much I still get annoyed because of some hypocrite behaviors and like: "We are good and the other religion is bad and worship the devil" but when you look the "devil worshiping people" you see them doing more to help people than "us".

In resume, got out and I feel better. Taking care of my mental and physical health. And I want to join something with the same ideals like mine so I chose UU. How can I learn more and how can I join?

Tl;dr: Ex-christian (Baptist / Brazilian Baptist Convention) who got oversaturated by religion because of being raised in a Christian family who wants to know more and thinks joining UU.

Sorry for the long text. And also, my English sometimes get broken. Also, writing this question inside a bus.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Lessons from the Road - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"Lessons from the Road"
Sunday, March 24, 10:50 am, 2024

I was fortunate enough to have the gift of almost three straight months to renew and refresh in the ancient tradition of sabbath, or fallow times. Thirty-two of those days (but who is counting?) were spent on the road, circling through the American Southwest, with my husband. It is a modern pilgrimage that many of us have done some version of before—a car, a map, some time ago. I'd love to bore you with some of what germinated on the road. And thank you.

Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Kathleen McClung and Dennielle Kronenberg, Canvass Testimonials; Galen Workman, Trustee; Rami Bar-Niv, Pianist; Andy Kessler, Songleader; Wm. García Ganz, Accompanist

Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

My church has a problem with social media.

By: /u/arsenokoitai96

My church (close to Boston hint) has a problem with social media.

An instagram account never used and a facebook that posts the live transmission each Sunday. Need some advices friends of this fellowship of Reddit.

I have been thinking church is this two way street that getting to know each other makes people to know us as a church community. I need ideas but it feels the congregation faces melancholy of a past splendor or a past minister... I think getting to know each other is the first step of any outreach idea. An ongoing to know each other that keeps the theology of fellowship and unity alive. But, in my case, many of the church members say hi the first weeks and then go back to their groups of friends... I wish I could have more tools to sort dialogue and conversation with Congregations where most of its members are old beyond the age of Jesus Christ.

submitted by /u/arsenokoitai96
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Dostoyevsky Reads Hegel in Siberia and Bursts Into Tears, Rev. KP Hong, March 24, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

In his essay of the same title, the Hungarian cultural critic László Földényi stages an encounter between Dostoyevsky and Hegel, between our creaturely sense of transcendence as finite-limited-mortal beings and radical Enligthenment's belief in unbounded progress and mastery. In a world mediated through switches, buttons, credit cards, screens, redlined neighborhoods and land as commodity for ownership, what do we mean by the sacred? In this moment of climate change and degradation of life, when the wounded world seems "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing," how do we remain attentive to the sacred song of life itself, to claim a deeper sense of belonging to the earth, shared history, and to each other? Worship associate Nancy Dilts and Rev. KP Hong amplify the work of honest storytelling, asking us to more creatively name this sacred life and work against its degradation. 

☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Chalice Lighting Words Based on Stress

By: /u/JaredTheMountainLion

So, the youth group at my church is doing a sermon based on stress and procrastinating. They asked me to help them with the chalice lighting because they couldn't think of anything, and as it turns out, neither can I.

Collectively, we came up with this:

"Be mindful that with life comes stress and anxiety, We light this chalice in hopes of warding off all the negativity, if only for this day"

We're unsure what we think of it. Is there anything better or is this good enough?

submitted by /u/JaredTheMountainLion
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

How politically diverse is your congregation?

By: /u/eosha

How many people in your congregation have political or other personal opinions that aren't in line with the congregational majority and might be controversial? How openly do they express and discuss those opinions? Are more-conservative-than-average positions treated differently than more-progressive-than-average?

I ask after a longtime UU friend confided that they were a registered Republican and supported some conservative policy positions as well as a some liberal ones, but generally chose to keep quiet on those topics while in UU spaces, since they were here for other reasons.

submitted by /u/eosha
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Rules Follow Up

By: /u/ChikkiLeaf

Good timezone, r/UnitarianUniversalist!

I'm sorry for the slight delay from my previous post. I had a few irl things that I was focused on.

This is by no means a complete list, but, I wanted to submit what I have put together so far, in order to get any feedback and suggestions, both for the proposed rules listed here, and for any that should be added.

  1. Any expression of intentional bigotry — whether in the form of sexism, homophobia, transphobia, racism, xenophobia, or ableism — shall result in a permanent ban.

  2. Users and moderators both shall interact with others in the sub in a spirit of mutual respect.

  3. The moderating team and the user base of the subreddit shall work together to make any necessary changes to the rules of the subreddit.

I have a few other ideas, but it is late and I am unable to put those ideas to words right now.

Edit: I have received multiple suggestions for rule 1 to be changed from "shall" to "may". I have noted in one response that I would like to include, if possible, a clause about instructing kindly those who express bigoted views, with the hope that informing them will help them reform their behavior.

Also, classism and ageism will be added to rule 1 in the final draft.

submitted by /u/ChikkiLeaf
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

A Unitarian Universalist radio station?

By: /u/Cult_Buster2005

Look at this:

https://weru.org/

https://weru.org/about/mission/

Mission & Values

Mission:

WERU Community Radio is an independent, listener-supported and volunteer-powered media organization, whose mission is to provide diverse programming to lift spirits, raise awareness and make connections.

Guiding Values:

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Civility and Respect

Social Justice

Environmental Stewardship

Community Service

Celebration of Local Communities

Diversity Statement:

All forms of diversity (and the absence of discrimination) are important to and sought by WERU, including but not limited to gender, sexual orientation, generation, geographic location, disability, race, religion, educational background and field of employment, with regards to membership on the Board of Directors, Community Advisory Board, volunteer staff and paid staff.

More About WERU’s Philosophy:

Our motto is to be a “voice of many voices” by providing a wide variety of music, information, and voices over the airwaves and Internet. Our vision is that WERU will entertain, inform, and inspire people, and will support healthy, informed and vibrant communities.

We celebrate listener support as an essential element of our financial sustainability. We likewise celebrate volunteerism as an essential element of the organization’s operations, both broadcast and behind the scenes. Hence “listener supported and volunteer powered.”

We present news and public affairs programming that meets high journalistic standards.

The bylaws of Salt Pond Community Broadcast/WERU are available upon request. Email Matt Murphy, General Manager, at [matt@weru.org](mailto:matt@weru.org).

___________

They clearly want UUs among their listeners:

https://weru.org/locations/unitarian-universalist-church/

Unitarian Universalist Church

Address
120 Park St
Bangor
ME
04401
United States

submitted by /u/Cult_Buster2005
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Life Is a Thistle Bush, Barbara Hubbard, March 17, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

Who among us really expected life to be a bed of roses? Barbara Hubbard will speak about how the Unity Church community has inspired, shaped and transformed her life’s journey.

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

M.Div Programs

By: /u/transcendentaltrope

I've gone back and forth over the course of the past 25 years as to whether I'd want to pursue a M.Div. as a UU. I'd specifically be interested in chaplaincy and not Congregational ministry. I have come back to it MULTIPLE times and even went as far as withdrawing applications already submitted in the past. I just am worried about the cost.

I, admittedly, have a fulfilling career already and considerable autonomy but feel drawn to the coursework and think chaplaincy would be a helpful adjunct to my current career. I have two master's degrees and a Ph.D. in somewhat relevant and adjacent fields.

What are folks' experiences? Is it worth it? I'd have to do an online or hybrid program. Looking for others' lived experience in a M.Div program. Preference is for folks to hold snarkiness, if possible.

submitted by /u/transcendentaltrope
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

New interim DRE looking for pointers!

By: /u/TeamMuted

Good afternoon everyone! My congregation is unfortunately saying goodbye to our current DRE and asked if I would be interested in being the interim whilst they look for a new one to hire, I initially started as just an RE volunteer and will be taking my OWL certs in the summer, I do not have any other credentials,aside from going to seminary in the fall for my M.DIV in UU studies, where are some good places to start getting ready to hopefully move from interim to permanent? I’ll be speaking more with my church’s board and our DRE this Sunday to receive more info, but what certifications do I need/where to obtain them/ any and all advice on how to be a good DRE will be much appreciated!!!

submitted by /u/TeamMuted
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Anyone interested in helping me with an assignment?

By: /u/xp116

Hello everyone.

I’m here because I’m a student in a World Religions course looking to fulfill one of my assignments by interviewing someone who is a Unitarian Universalist. I’ll admit that this is pushing me out of my comfort zone because I’d prefer to just read / watch videos to learn the information I’m required to research. However this is the assigned task and I know Reddit can be a helpful place to find someone willing to dialouge. This isn’t a request for a debate OR anything that is to be disrespectful to anyone in the UU Church. I just have a list of questions I’m supposed to ask. If anyone here is interested I’d be so grateful for your kindness.

Thanks

submitted by /u/xp116
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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

A new website hosting town hall meetings on the upcoming Article II vote.

By: /u/EarnestAbe

https://uutheconversation.org/

The topic is the upcoming GA vote to replace the Seven Principles with the Six Values (+ Love). The first planned town hall web meeting is March 27.

https://uutheconversation.org/index.php/town-hall-meetings/

(Note that there was a Fifth Principle Project announcement about this. I am unsure of how coordinated this effort is with the "Save the Seven Principles" website and Facebook group.)

submitted by /u/EarnestAbe
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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

"What Unitarian Universalism Loses as it Becomes Politically Narrow"

By: /u/rastancovitz

What Unitarian Universalism loses as it becomes politically narrow

Two quotes from the online piece:

"The narrowing of political perspectives within the Unitarian Universalist community poses significant harm to the church and its members. This trend towards ideological homogeneity often transforms UU spaces into monoliths, fostering echo chambers characterized by groupthink and intellectual laziness. Such insular environments exacerbate extremism and 'us versus them' tribalism, not just within UU but in greater society."

"In many respects, the national church has transformed into a partisan political organization rather than a religion. Even many UU laity who are politically left and social justice activists have expressed discomfort with the idea of the church functioning as a political platform. They come to a church for spiritual growth and an oasis from the toxicity they get from the news and social media in their daily life."

submitted by /u/rastancovitz
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Christian Universalists vs Unitarian Universalists?

By: /u/cheesethechameleon

Hi. Through the religious and spiritual exploration that I’ve went through these past few years I’ve recently realized that I think I identify most with being a Universalist. But now I see there is Christian Universalism vs Unitarian Universalism and I was wondering what the main differences are to see which resonates most with me? Thank you so much in advance.

submitted by /u/cheesethechameleon
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Written in Pencil - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"Written in Pencil"
Sunday, March 17, 10:50 am, 2024

We sing from a hymnal called Singing the Living Tradition. What does it mean that ours is a living tradition? In light of the changing landscapes of religion and Unitarian Universalism how do we keep the tradition alive rather than stagnant history?

Rev. Cheryl M. Walker, Guest Minister; Rev. Vanessa Rush Southern, Senior Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Greggory Stevens and Nancy Munn, Canvass Testimonials; Galen Workman, Trustee; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Jon Silk, Drummer; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Athena Papadakos, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

I've try to make contact

By: /u/BetterLobster3576

Im from the Caribbean, ive try to make contact with the local unitarian universalist church i had called them but apparently they havent 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 dont know what else to do, can i join a online community with zoom videos or something?

submitted by /u/BetterLobster3576
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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Alternatives to UU?

By: /u/ShreksMiami

My husband and I have recently moved to a new town, and the people at our local UU are really un -welcoming. It’s not a bad church, we’re just introverts and have felt pretty awkward and not welcome at the church. There also isn’t a coffee hour, or any kind of mingling time, which there was at our old UU, and that allowed us to get to know people. Also, we’re probably 20-40 years younger than her than most congregants.

We are wondering if there are any similar churches that anyone knows of that we can try. It’s a mid-size town, about 40,000 people, so there won’t be a ton of options. Does anyone have any ideas?

submitted by /u/ShreksMiami
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Sabbaticals

By: /u/HavocCat

My husband and I joined our local UU church in 2020 after attending for about a year. We had an interim minister at the time. We’ve had a full time minister now for 2.5 years, a full time music director and full time religious education leader. They each get a 3 month sabbatical. During her regular working months, the minister is responsible for church service 3/4 Sundays per month. This flabbergasts me. I’ve never know a church where the spiritual leader(s) are off so much. Is this common in UU or it is OUR church. I asked in the church discussion group we attend and the unofficial elder of the group was offended as “that’s the same the previous minister (of >30 years) got!”

submitted by /u/HavocCat
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Article: "What Unitarian Universalism Loses as it Becomes Politically Narrow"

By: /u/rastancovitz

What Unitarian Universalism loses as it becomes politically narrow

Two quotes from the online piece:

"The narrowing of political perspectives within the Unitarian Universalist community poses significant harm to the church and its members. This trend towards ideological homogeneity often transforms UU spaces into monoliths, fostering echo chambers characterized by groupthink and intellectual laziness. Such insular environments exacerbate extremism and 'us versus them' tribalism, not just within UU but in greater society."

"In many respects, the national church has transformed into a partisan political organization rather than a religion. Even many UU laity who are politically left and social justice activists have expressed discomfort with the idea of the church functioning as a political platform. They come to a church for spiritual growth and an oasis from the toxicity they get from the news and social media in their daily life."

submitted by /u/rastancovitz
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

What is spirituality for an agnostic?

By: /u/bowlchezDrum

My fiancé and I have attended a few UU sermons and enjoyed them. Both of us have long since left organized religion and are largely agnostic. UU seems like a great community of like-minded folk and we’re looking forward to digging further in to what UU has to offer.

We’ve both felt like the sermons we’ve attended have been stimulating and engaging. This has led us talking more about spirituality in our lives. We had an interesting conversation this morning about what spirituality looks like for those of us that don’t have religious beliefs or affiliations.

Can you be spiritual without being religious or believing in a higher power(s)? If so, what does that look like for you?

submitted by /u/bowlchezDrum
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Community Conversation

By: /u/ChikkiLeaf

Hello everyone!

I wanted to have a conversation with the community of r/UnitarianUniversalist so that we could figure out together what kind of community we want to be.

I believe this is a better approach than mods making changes unilaterally.

This is a space for you to offer suggestions for things like rules, subreddit activities, flairs, etc., that you would like to see enacted.

Below are a few ideas I had. I offer them to start this conversation:

• Overhaul of the rules, and use the Seven Principles as guides for our new rules. These rules should be specific.

• A rule that will absolutely be in the final draft is an anti-bigotry rule: No racism, no xenophobia, no ableism, no homophobia, no transphobia, no sexism, etc.

• Either humorous flairs or flairs noting one's general theological bent and affiliation.

• Institute a quarterly or bi-annual review of rules, activities, and other aspects of the sub.

So those are some basic ideas to get things started.

I would like to finish this conversation by Thursday, March 25. At which point, we will have hopefully a lot of great feedback and be able to get out rough drafts of the changes to be voted on.

Thank you!

submitted by /u/ChikkiLeaf
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Color and Fragrance, Rev. Lara Cowtan, March 10, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

Many Unitarian Universalists find a spiritual connection with Nature (yes, the N is writ large intentionally!). Having just experienced the warmest winter on record and rising concerns about our planet’s climate, what is our spiritual and theological response? Where can we find the individual and collective strength to clearly face the truth of the climate emergency, mourn the damage being done to our blue planet and inspire ourselves and others to action?  ​ Spiritual Ecology and Eco-Spirituality look beyond our sense of justice and connect more deeply with how we engage with nature on a person and spiritual level. Let us explore the sacred thread that weaves the essence of humanity into the tapestry of all creation, and then re-engage with the world from this awareness.

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

"Unitarians believe in the dignity of every person"

By: /u/Stori_Weever

A thing my minister said in a sermon recently that made me happy. This is a foundational belief that I can get behind. Very simple, very useful.

I asked another church member in a theology chat what's the "ask" of UU. The answer was just show up! Respect people. That's a totally reasonable ask.

I, personally have some eclectic spiritual beliefs that I don't feel the need to necessarily share with anyone. I find it helpful to put some space holders for the unknown and to direct my life through a certain poetic narrative, and it is important to me. My personal relationship to a devine. Believing in the inherent dignity of every human, showing up to service and respecting the congregation in no way gets in the way of my faith.

Mostly posting as a question to see if I'm missing anything. Can one really be accepted as a unitarian regardless of their metaphysical beliefs? It almost seems too good to be true.

submitted by /u/Stori_Weever
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Is Jesus omniscient in John 1:48?

By: /u/sapientstatue

Hello Unitarian Brothers and Sisters,

The Scripture reads,

"Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee"

• Is Jesus omniscient in this passage?

• By what means is he discerning this about Nathanael?

Thank you.

submitted by /u/sapientstatue
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

'ROOT, RAGE, AND REALIGN' - Rev. Dr. Tamara Celeste Lebak - All Souls Unitarian Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
This message was delivered on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Tamara Celeste Lebak, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us for a powerful celebration of Women's History Month. The message is a testament to resilience, empowerment, and the transformative power of embracing one's identity and experiences. We are invited to root ourselves in our history, rage against injustice, and realign with our true selves.  SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

OWL question (x-posted)

By: /u/clawhammercrow

I am posing this here before I take it to our DRE or minister. Are there resources for families that can be accessed between OWL sessions? My 7th grader got shafted by lockdown and has never been to OWL. They just finished a 4-6th grade session, and the unit for his cohort starts this fall. I need guidance now on burgeoning sexuality, particularly around pornography use. Due to the way he communicates with me, I think our relationship and trust level would suffer if I was the one leading this conversation, and six months is a long time to wait for help.

submitted by /u/clawhammercrow
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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

OWL question

By: /u/clawhammercrow

I am posing this here before I take it to our DRE or minister. Are there resources for families that can be accessed between OWL sessions? My 7th grader got shafted by lockdown and has never been to OWL. They just finished a 4-6th grade session, and the unit for his cohort starts this fall. I need guidance now on burgeoning sexuality, particularly around pornography use. Due to the way he communicates with me, I think our relationship and trust level would suffer if I was the one leading this conversation, and six months is a long time to wait for help.

submitted by /u/clawhammercrow
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

I’m in it for coffee hour

By: /u/ChampionshipNo2792

I was raised Catholic and my mom would always say that the community aspect of church was so important. However, we never stayed for coffee and donuts in the parish hall! I wonder how much of my love for my UU church is because I want that sweet sweet coffee and treats.

submitted by /u/ChampionshipNo2792
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Confused on what UU is…

By: /u/lemon_light999

I consider myself to be agnostic-pagan and I’m wondering if unitarian Universalism might be a good fit for me but I’m not fond of Christianity all too much because of my past growing up around it and the negativity it has spread. I know that UU started in the Christian faith but I’ve seen conflicting messages about if it still is a denomination or anything like that. The church aspect of it makes it seem like it is but I really don’t know. I feel kind of lost and community-less because my beliefs are so different the the rest of my town and community and I was just wondering if I should look into this. Thanks :)

submitted by /u/lemon_light999
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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Church committee heavy lifts?

By: /u/_jhb

Hi friends,

I go to a church in the greater Boston area and have an observation about the committees that I am part of. It seems as though every committee has a pretty heavy lift and does many activities with a fairly large time commitment involved. This is fine, and I am glad to help, but I wish people would chill a little. Has anyone else had similar experiences with committees and committee work at their church?

Also, just an observation in general: I wish that there was more time devoted to getting to know each other at said church. I understand the point of outreach and getting new members, but I wish the faith as a whole worked at cultivating its current members more. (Maybe that's a generalization.)

Thoughts? Thanks for reading.

submitted by /u/_jhb
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Are all liberal churches unitarian universalist?

By: /u/bieeeeeel

Im asking it because im really into the unitarian universalist ideas, whoever, there is no church on the denomination itself (at least from what i know) except from one church, which, in terms of societal issues seems to be allign with the UU churches. Can i be a unitarian universalist myself at any church who allign with our societal principles?

submitted by /u/bieeeeeel
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Religion... I Too Dislike It - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"Religion... I Too Dislike It"
Sunday, March 10, 10:50 am, 2024

Poet Marianne Moore once wrote a poem beginning, “Poetry . . . I too dislike it.” Yet by its end she affirmed something real in it, and worthwhile. So it is with religion, sayeth the preacher. If you (or your friends) resonate to the phrase “spiritual, but not religious,” this sermon is for you, and for them.

Rev. John Buehrens; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Judith Ottoson and Richard Brydon, Canvass Testimonial; Linda Enger, Trustee; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Judy Payne, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

What generations (Millennial, GenX, Boomers) are mostly in your church?

By: /u/Agoztus

Hello 👋 I'm a young Millennial guy and I'm kind of nervous joining a church 😅 I was raised catholic and am now agnostic looking for a community to belong to. Mostly leaning into becoming a better person. I was just curious if there are any other Millennials around in your church? I'm nervous of being the youngest there and building the courage to go and check it out

submitted by /u/Agoztus
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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

UU Social Media Policies/Online Code of Conduct

By: /u/unseelieseed

Do any of you have any policies in place at your congregations for both staff and members regarding social media policies and online codes of conduct? Curious about what that would look like.

submitted by /u/unseelieseed
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Lost

By: /u/yungravity

Hi there. 🙌 I’m a long time lurker of this page, attempting to grasp anything that may help me understand deeper.

I became a member of my local UU last year quite spontaneously. I say that because I’ve never been religious/spiritual, but something drew me to walk through the door. I have been lost in life for quite some time and just needed something. I will say I have enjoyed listening to what is said on Sundays, but I don’t truly understand UU.

Is there anyone here that can talk me through the meaning of it all?

submitted by /u/yungravity
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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

I’m quitting Unitarian Universalism today

By: /u/On_the_Cliff

So as not to draw out this post too much, I’ll stick to my main points, but just acknowledge here that there is a lot of thought and emotion behind what I’ll say.

Today I will go to the office of the UU church of which I’m a member and hand in my resignation letter. I have found that my church – and organized Unitarian Universalism – no longer offers me enough of spiritual sustenance for me to continue with it.

This is a disappointment. I joined twenty years ago when my wife and I found it a good fit for our beliefs as well as a good religious community to raise our young children in. And it was very most often good!

For me, the purpose of religion (both organized and personal) is to foster spiritual well-being. I think spirituality is seeing what the situation in life is, and figuring: “What do I make of that?” The topics are endless, for some examples:

• Sometimes you’ll do things that are morally wrong. What do you do about that?

• You’ll always interact with other people. Some will be indifferent to you, some will support and help you, some will screw you over. What to you make of that, in each case?

• You have a body. How do you best deal with that material existence?

• Guaranteed, someday you’re going to die. How do you live knowing that?

• You’ve got to deal with possessions and resources – everyone needs stuff to survive, and even to live a creative life. How best to deal with that?

And so on. My main point is that these (and so many more) are UNIVERSAL concerns, things that EVERY person alive ever has to face. So, a religion that’s pertinent to everybody will address these concerns.

I have religious beliefs and practices to help me deal with life.

I was finding participation in my UU church community very conductive for that. Almost every Sunday morning service offered something to think over and meditate on - ideas I had not thought about and that were germane to my spiritual process. Other activities at the church (religious education, small-group rituals) were very helpful too.

About a year ago my church hired a new full-time settled minister, and the tenor of the doings changed markedly. I’m not putting it all on the minister – that hiring was just in line with the general changes I was seeing. Overall, the focus of the church’s activities went to being political and social, and not spiritual. The Sunday morning services were a striking example of this: consistently, whole sermons (even entire worship services) were exclusively about how society needs to change to benefit some segments of the population – offering no helpful spiritual ideas. None at least that would help me get through the week, let alone life.

Organized Unitarian Universalism got away from me, I can only feel. When I come away from a UU doing feeling no spiritual fulfillment – or even boost – I can only wonder what the point of that religious exercise is. For me, there is none.

My membership in that church was a good twenty-year run, and I have no regrets. Sometimes, things just change unexpectedly. What do I make of that? (That itself is yet another common spiritual concern!)

[I do have to say that I am not leaving because of the people in my church – they’re all folks I was glad to be around.]

So I’m leaving my local church and UUism in general. I need to break away, for my own spiritual well-being. This is nothing I would have wished for, but I see it as necessary. I can no longer be a member of a religion I don’t believe in.

What’s next for me religiously, I don’t know. For sure I will no longer call myself a Unitarian Universalist, but that was always secondary anyway. I may look for other organized religious groups, but I’ll probably be solitary for a while. I won’t say I just experienced religious trauma from my latter experience in organized Unitarian Universalism, more like extreme religious stress. I need to let it out of my life for a while.

Honestly, I have nothing against UUism or its people. Let them be happy. I’m just seeing that community is no longer for me.

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Lovely podcast about Justice

By: /u/Odd-Importance-9849
Lovely podcast about Justice

A friend recently recommended a podcast called The Emerald to me. The most recent episode is called Justice and I found it quite beautiful. It's a podcast so it's lomg of course.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Our Whole Lives (Owl) programs as non church goers?

By: /u/OhGoOnYou

Whenever sex education is brought up in a reddit discussion, there is mention of the OWL program. I have kids and I'm looking for a supplementary sex education program for them. Are these programs just for UU members? Or can non church goers attend? How do I find a program? We are in Oregon, near Portland.

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Adult Forum Ideas

By: /u/balconylibrary1978

I am in the process of becoming the adult forum coordinator at my Unitarian Universalist congregation. I have been working with the minister and members of congregation on ideas for programming, but also would like to have programs that draw in young and new people. Does anyone have any ideas for what works in adult programming to draw people in from outside our community?

For example one thing I am proposing is a “Banned Book Book Club.” Our church has a banned book library (I live in a red state passing all sorts of crazy laws) and I think this would be a great program to go along with this.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Known, Unknown, and Everything In Between, Rev. Jessica Clay, March 3, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

Join Rev Jessica Clay as she returns to Unity and reflects on her years of parish ministry since she was the Hallman Ministerial Intern in 2016-2017. She will explore the place creativity has in faith, community, and life. 

☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Do we UUs really listen to minorities or just those minorities we agree with?

By: /u/rastancovitz

Two example from the below post:

The large majority of blacks and Latinos polled said that they did not find offensive so-called microaggressions such as, "America is a land of opportunity," "Where are you from?," "I don't notice people's race," and "Everyone can succeed in this society if they work hard enough." Commenting on the poll, Columbia University sociologist Musa Al-Gharbi wrote, "(M)any whites, in their eagerness to present themselves as advocates for people of color and the cause of antiracism, neglect to actually listen to ordinary black or brown folk about what they find offensive, or what their racial priorities are.

In 2020, Minneapolis activists vigorously pushed for defunding the police, leading to the city council to endorse the idea. However, when they later surveyed the black community, a large majority did not support this cause. As a result, a ballot proposal to defund the police was overwhelmingly rejected, with 75% of black voters opposing it. National polls consistently indicate that the majority of black Americans want an equal or increased police presence in their neighborhoods.

The Consequences of Ignorance and False Assumptions in Activism

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

'WHY PEOPLE CANT STOP' - Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar - All Souls Unitarian Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
This message was delivered on Sunday, March 3, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us as we explore the deep human desire for connection, transcendence, and transformation. We delve into the universal quest for meaning beyond material pursuits. Discover the wisdom in recognizing our insatiable appetites and the profound fulfillment that comes from dedicating our lives to good. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
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It's Time to Build - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"It's Time to Build"
Sunday, March 3, 10:50 am, 2024

Over the past several years, UUSF has weathered a pandemic, staff transitions, budget worries, and so much more. Now, we are at a place of recognizing our resilience and moving into a new stability. As we contemplate the year to come, let's determine what we want to build together and celebrate who we are!

Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Daniel Jackoway, Worship Associate; Sherry Delo & Jack Delo, Canvass Co-Chairs, Canvass Co-Chairs; Lucy Smith, Secretary; Bill Lowell, Membership Team; Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Nancy Munn, Soloist; Jon Silk, Drummer; Wm. García Ganz, Pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jackson Munn, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Judy Payne, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Small Jewish Groups

By: /u/commonorange

Would it be normal to have small “Jewish” groups for anyone interested at a UU church? Would that be a weird thing to propose? I am Jewish but our local synagogues are brutal with social stuff and not overly welcoming. I love the local UU church and I love the general approaches (religious Ed, atmosphere of welcoming) but I want a little more spirituality than it offers. I’m wondering if any UU groups ever experiment with Shabbat dinners or Rosh Chodesh (Jewish women’s celebration focused on the moon).

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Blog post on "Secular Prayer"

By: /u/txshanley

Greetings friends. I run a blog where I primarily engage in what I call "secular theology:" reappropriating theological and philosophical narratives for use in postmodern 21st century discourse.

I'd be curious to hear y'all's thoughts on my recent blog posted titled "Secular Prayer." In it, I try to investigate some of the psychological and philosophical principles underlying prayer in its sociological and individual contexts.

Please know, that my intent is not to piss off or ruffle any feathers when it comes to those who identify as Atheists or have any religious trauma. I like to mold and shape religious symbolism in a Jungian way; and so you'll have to read between the lines whenever I make a blog post in a way that seems least offensive to your personal convictions.

Anyways, below is my blog post, and here is the link to my blog: https://unorthodoxreflections.blogspot.com/2024/03/secular-prayer.html

Here we go!

"As a secular theologian, my goal is to bring the insights of various religious traditions to bear fruit within a postmodern context. To make the awkward and sometimes backward religious teachings of Franciscan and Eastern Orthodox theology relevant to our 21st century context.

What is secular prayer? How might an Atheist pray? Obviously a contradiction in terms; but the image of an Atheist praying is what I have in mind here.

First let’s define prayer within it’s sociological context. Prayer helps a religious community find meaning in a meaningless world. Through praying to God or Krishna or Buddha, we socially construct meaning to explain the absurdities of reality.

But we do live in an absurd and meaningless universe.

In our postmodern context, I think the real “prayer of an Atheist” is to be found in Eastern Orthodox apophatic theology.

Apophatic theology more or less states that we can not know reality through positive claims; only through negative claims: metaphors, contradictions, paradoxes, etc.

Thus, science tells us absolutely nothing about the world. It’s just a mere means of increasing our power over nature, while at the same time not increasing our knowledge of it.

Apophatic theology “bridges the gap” and saves us from pure absurdity, so to speak.

So we can’t know anything about the world? Sure, no problem. Socrates’ dictum that “all that I know is that I know nothing” comes into its strongest rhetorical implications.

Thus, through extreme skepticism and “divine absurdity,” we can create intense symbolic and subjective meaning within our void of a universe.

Here apophatic theology can help.

Through working through the biblical and Orthodox symbolism found in such works such as the Philokalia, we can learn to process our lives in meaningless yet universally human archetypes.

Belonging to some sort of moral or religious institution is thus absolutely essential. I think, in a perfect world, we’d all be Unitarian Universalists. Tolerant of all religious and spiritual beliefs as long as they don’t harm others.

In apophatic theology, we thus can experience theological rest within the symbolism appropriated to our postmodern context.

We don’t have to feel alone; we can connect existentially to our ancestors who also lived in a meaningless universe, and rejoice in the universal peace of death.

Setting our eyes on Heaven or Hell isn’t going to change shit. We need to live as Atheists indifferent to the reality of an afterlife.

Thus, peace ought to be found in the crumbling away of our body and mind into atomic particles of nothing. Our consciousness goes extinct.

And yet that is the most peaceful thought.

So what is secular prayer? It is essentially using symbolic theological and philosophical works–such as the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita, the various sutras of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, etc.--to develop subjective meaning that helps us cope in a meaningless universe.

To Albert Camus, there is attributed the famous quote: “Should I kill myself, or have a cup of coffee?”

In the face of the void, choose to have a cup of coffee. Or in my case, a cup of tea."

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Observing Lent

By: /u/SnooPeppers7217

Anyone here observing Lent?

As a former Catholic, I have to say I always enjoyed Lent. Forty days of “giving up” something and starting with Ash Wednesday, which is a reminder of our mortality. I always felt Lent was the only mystical or deeply meditative aspect of Catholicism (obviously people may disagree).

Even now as a UU I observe. Anyone else feel similar?

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Mantras and UU Spirituality

By: /u/txshanley

What are some mantras that y'all use both psychologically and spiritually?

I'm a huge fan of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and incorporating and secularizing some of the Eastern psychological insights into my daily life.

Thus, I often use a mantra to keep me going. But mantras can and should be subjective; they are dependent on the psychological symbolism that's important for each individual.

Thus, I'd be curious to hear if y'all do any mantra work yourselves. Whether it's to Buddha, Christ, Krishna, or simply a secular mantra emphasizing positive thinking in one's self, let's hear it!

Jake

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

How is this a religion?

By: /u/Bobandwalter_1983

It seems that this is just Atheism but religious, so I'm wondering how it's a religion and not an idealogy as unlike Satanism it doesn't have a God.

submitted by /u/Bobandwalter_1983
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Is there a link between UU and Comte's Religion of Humanity? As a UU, how do you feel about Religion of Humanity?

By: /u/Flaming-Globes

I don't know much about UU or the Religion of Humanity, but I noticed some similarities between both religions when I visited a positivist temple in Brazil recently. However, they seem to have a completely different vibe...

(I've never been to a UU temple.)

submitted by /u/Flaming-Globes
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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

SERMON: Advice from the Dying: Rev. Kim K. Crawford Harvie - Arlington Street Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
Recorded live at Arlington Street Church, Sunday, February 25, 2024.
☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

SERMON: Courage: Rev. Erica Rose Long - Arlington Street Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
Recorded live at Arlington Street Church, Sunday, February 18, 2024.
☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

SERMON: Giving Grace: Rev. Kim K. Crawford Harvie - Arlington Street Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
Recorded live at Arlington Street Church, Sunday, February 11, 2024.
☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

SERMON: Bad Luck? Good Luck? Who Knows? : Rev. Kim K. Crawford Harvie - Arlington Street Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
Recorded live at Arlington Street Church, Sunday, February 4, 2024.
☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

SERMON: Funny About Forgiveness: Rev. Dr. Kelly Murphy Mason - Arlington Street Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
Recorded live at Arlington Street Church, Sunday, January 28, 2024.
☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

'LOVE: IN BLACK AND WHITE' - Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar - All Souls Unitarian Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
This message was delivered on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during The Point: Humanist Hour by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.   DESCRIPTION: In this message, we explore the intricate history of black churches in America and their profound impact on shaping the nation's ideals. From the struggles of black Christians to find their own places of worship to the pivotal role black churches played in advancing democracy and equality, this talk delves into the roots of a powerful legacy.   SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian   WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943   GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256   LET'S CONNECT:   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa   All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

What other organizations are you a part of?

By: /u/CilantroMonkfish

I recently joined my local UU church and I also happen to be a member of the Audubon Society for my state. Is anyone else a part of any other organizations or does the commitment to a UU church make it difficult to join other organizations?

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Looking into UU churches around me

By: /u/Kaitten_88

I grew up in a "Christian" household. We weren't made to go to church and we weren't made to practice a religion but my mom is very conservative and my dad's family is very Christian but he is not. My parents are divorced and both remarried to separate people who have the same values. I'm still working out my beliefs, I am Agnostic but I'm spiritual. I believe in spirituality. I believe in witchcraft and spirits. I also am on the edge of looking at Greek religions. I find myself lacking a place that I belong. That I can go and talk to people. I watched one of the churches sermons on YouTube, and it was very interesting. I am looking at 2 of them.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

What Will You Save? - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"What Will You Save?"
Sunday, February 25, 10:50 am, 2024

As the years accumulate and I (Rev. Sonya) experience growing satisfaction with a life well lived, I wonder what it is worthwhile to save—for posterity, for my children, for our communities? At the same time, a recent article lifted up the fact that longevity often depends on engagement and connection with people and efforts rather than saving and consuming. Rev. Sonya Sukalski and Carmen Barsody will take up the topic with an eye toward walking that fine line.

Rev. Sonya Sukalski, Sabbatical Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Carmen Barsody, Worship Associate; Galen Workman, Board of Trustees; Mark Sumner, Pianist; Andy Kessler, Songleader; Andrés Vera, Cellist

Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

UU Sermon: "The Case for Religious Naturalism"

By: /u/HomoColossusHumbled
UU Sermon: "The Case for Religious Naturalism"

This is a UU sermon I recently came across that speaks to the religious naturalist viewpoint.

Is anyone in the UU community already familiar with this? I wasn't sure how prevalent this was in the church.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Between a Rock and a Hard Place, Rev. Kathleen Rolenz, February 25, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

Sometimes in life we are faced with seemingly impossible choices. This sermon will pick up on the themes introduced on February 11 and take them even further into the spiritual, theological, ethical and moral realms of our daily living.

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Is UU right for me?

By: /u/mouserz

I'm sure this sub gets questions like this all the time; apologies for another one.

I was raised in the church, episcopal and presbyterian while we were living back east and then non-denominational once we moved to California.
As a kid in Sunday school I always asked questions that the leaders in the church didn't like or have answers for.
Then when i was 14 I started acting out at home, nothing too serious but I was struggling with my sexuality in the late 90s and really had no one to talk to.
My mother determined that I needed guidance from the church and set up a meeting with our pastor.
i told our pastor at the non-denominational church that I thought I might be gay and he literally threw a bible at me, told me I was a sinner and going to hell.
Really solidified my non-belief in the church.

All these years later I identify as an agnostic and have been dealing with some serious health stuff.
Am on the transplant list waiting for kidney.
All my friendships and relationships with family have nearly evaporated - family has always been strained and i think friends just don't want to see me this ill.

While i don't miss organized religion and zoo boat stories make me bristle, i do miss having that sense of community and belonging.

Would UU be a good place to find community and like minded people?
Is it fair that I'm 'ill' and in need of support/should i wait till after I've had my transplant?
Do UU ministers preach from the bible?
Are all UU chapters/ministries/congregations the same?

Sorry for the questions/lengthy post.

Thanks in advance!

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

With the new IVF law in Alabama, I thought this could make the rounds again, in case someone hasn't seen it: Advocating for "the unborn" is a cop out.

By: /u/eccentric_bee

"The unborn” are a convenient group of people to advocate for.

They never make demands of you; they are morally uncomplicated, unlike the incarcerated, addicted, or the chronically poor;

they don’t resent your condescension or complain that you are not politically correct;

unlike widows, they don’t ask you to question patriarchy; unlike orphans, they don’t need money, education, or childcare;

unlike aliens, they don’t bring all that racial, cultural, and religious baggage that you dislike;

they allow you to feel good about yourself without any work at creating or maintaining relationships; and when they are born, you can forget about them, because they cease to be unborn.

You can love the unborn and advocate for them without substantially challenging your own wealth, power, or privilege, without re-imagining social structures, apologizing, or making reparations to anyone.

They are, in short, the perfect people to love if you want to claim you love Jesus, but actually dislike people who breathe.

Prisoners? Immigrants? The sick? The poor? Widows? Orphans? All the groups that are specifically mentioned in the Bible?

They all get thrown under the bus for the unborn.

Methodist Pastor David Barnhart

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Thinking about going to UU service

By: /u/Onemarriedhotmama

Hi, I grew up Catholic and have lived my life as an agnostic for most of my adult life. I loved being Catholic and I miss it, but so much of the teachings just don’t align with my values anymore. Probably all the things everyone has a problem with the Catholic Church are what bug me. The town I left, I was going to attend a service there and I streamed a couple on YouTube to get a feel for it. The only problem I had was that it all seemed very political which is one of the problems I had with the Catholic Church, except in this case the politics are the complete opposite. I am pro choice and supporter of LGBTQ, but what I’m really looking for is a more spiritual environment I guess. I think issues in the community are an important part of that, but I would also like to think for myself on certain things. I hope I don’t start anything on here or offend anyone, but this particular church’s agenda was devoted to defunding the police in the area, or at least that’s all they talked about. I’m of course against police brutality, but my husband is an ex cop and I’m in the military and it just made us feel very unwelcome. I originally looked into this place because I have children who identify LGBTQ and wanted them to feel accepted. I’m starting to feel like a church for all of us doesn’t exist. Are all UU churches pretty similar in this area?

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Approaching dialogue with non-UU religious communities

By: /u/txshanley

How do you approach dialogue with friends and families about your involvement in the UU community? I love UU’s commitment to diversity and pluralism, but wanted to hear some specific and concrete answers and anecdotes on religious dialogue with others.

I’m personally not UU, but I’m transitioning to having a UU spiritual mentor at the moment. I feel comfortable within my own faith community, but I often use a UU framework and general sense of perspective when doing proper ecumenical work with others.

Thanks! Jake

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

5 Ways Higher Immigration Helps Everyone

By: /u/Cult_Buster2005

https://www.uusc.org/5-ways-higher-immigration-helps-everyone/

Contrary to all the fearmongering, increased migration is a massive net benefit.

By Josh Leach on February 21, 2024

These days, there seems to be only one thing politicians in Washington can agree on: bashing immigration. President Biden went before the cameras last month to call on Congress to grant him unprecedented authority to suspend asylum processing. Senators of both major parties recently negotiated a bill that would have gutted asylum protections for many people fleeing danger. (Fortunately, this proposal failed—but not because politicians chose to protect asylum. Rather, it was because far-right politicians preferred to leave the status quo unchanged, so they could campaign for even crueler measures!)

Yet, for all of this negative hype about “the border,” the real evidence shows that immigration brings tremendous benefits. These include not only new opportunities and increased safety for immigrants themselves, but gains for everyone else in society too. Here are just some of the ways that immigration helps us all:

  • Immigration fuels economic growth. When the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released their latest economic projections, they estimated that higher immigration levels, if they continue through at least 2026, will “add […] about 0.2 percentage points to the annual growth rate of real GDP” over the next 10 years. That translates to $7 trillion of increased national prosperity.
  • Immigration lowers inflation. More people accessing asylum and parole has eased inflation, in part because immigration helps address labor shortages. And as price pressures have dropped, real wages have gone up. This means that the actual purchasing power of everyone’s take-home pay has increased too, thanks in part to immigration.
  • Immigration addresses our (i) demographic and (ii) budgetary problems. Despite the widespread belief that “too many people” are coming to the border, the nation actually needs immigration to keep its population stable. Immigration also thereby ensures there are enough working-age adults paying social security taxes. This helps keep the federal government solvent, in the face of an otherwise aging population.
  • Immigration lets us live up to the best of U.S. values. The U.S. population has been formed in part through waves of mass migration—some forced, some voluntary—that have made us into what Frederick Douglass called a “composite nation.” This diversity has been a source of national strength through many challenges. Being a haven and a place of opportunity for new arrivals is core to the best of who we are—and can continue to be such if we do not turn our back on our national ideals.

To be sure, the many societal benefits of immigration do not mean the current system is working well. Politicians of both major parties are right to point to the pressures facing the asylum system; and many mayors and city officials are justifiably concerned about their ability to provide shelter for growing numbers of asylum-seekers under current budgetary constraints.

The solution to these problems, however, is not to decrease migration, but to encourage it. Processing backlogs in the asylum system are due in part to the fact that so few alternative pathways exist for immigrants to work in the United States. Opening up new migration channels would help alleviate some of the system’s administrative burden.

Likewise, the shelter capacity challenges facing American cities could be alleviated by removing the cruel and unjust restrictions that asylum-seekers face on their ability to work in the United States. Most asylum-seekers, after all, would not need or want to rely on city shelters, if current U.S. law did not perversely block them from obtaining work permits. The Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act&text=This%20bill%20directs%20the%20Department,by%20the%20Department%20of%20Justice.) (ASWA), which UUSC and our partners support, would address this problem in part by enabling asylum-seekers to join the workforce within a month of their arrival. You can take action to support this critically-needed bill here.

Too often, when politicians are confronted for backing anti-immigrant policies, they defend themselves by saying they are just reflecting U.S. public opinion. But public opinion does not grow in a vacuum. It comes in part from the stories we tell about migration and the ways we frame the issue.

It’s time, then, for a major reframe of the way we talk about migration. The real-world evidence is clear enough by this point: immigration is not a threat; it’s an opportunity.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Love Is a Choice, Rev. Lara Cowtan, February 18, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"We respond to the call of love because it is our common theological core. It is what can and does motivate us and illuminates our deepest commitments to each other.” These words are from the UUA Board in their Charge to the Article II Study Commission. This Sunday we will consider how our Unitarian Universalist faith and values are expressed in our lives and in our religious communities as we consider the proposal from the Article II Study Commission that deepens and expands the language of the Seven Principles to include commitments and actions, with love at the center.

 

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

will Lucifer/Satan also be saved

By: /u/erickson666

so I have some questions with a follow up statement.

so if everyone in the universalist belief will one day be saved, does this mean this also includes Satan? if not, why? if god is all loving, and wants to save everyone, why doesn't that include Satan?

im not trying to be rude or anything, but even with the universalist belief, i'd rather stay in hell if not everyone including Satan can be saved, because to me that means god is fine with some sentient creatures suffering forever.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

I've been going through a rough breakup, mainly over the topic of religion.

By: /u/Full_Ahegao_Drip

I wouldn't say it's the only factor in me dumping her but I'd say it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She's born and raised Conservative Jewish while I'm born and raised Unitarian.

We get stereotyped as being only nominally religious but that's not the case for me. I spend well over a third of my yearly income and spend on average about 28 hours a week at directly UU-related functions usually as part of an older Northeastern US fellowship but I'm also active in helping support smaller facilities and causes.

Of course I was plenty open to converting to Judaism, even an Orthodox conversion since that's usually what's preferred for marriage even among the most liberal Jews. However I made it clear that I would continue to be active in my community and would expect her to at absolute minimum be respectful of my participation.

I did my best to tell her about how many Jews see zero contradiction between their Jewish faith/identity and UUA.

Yet whenever I took her to services and other events she was disparaging, called it the "most goyish thing" she'd ever seen.

Without getting into too much of a rant, she went out of her way to be disrespectful to myself and others.

It got to a point where she was bringing it up to say that I'm not a real man, which burns extra deep since I'm a trans man.

Long story short I basically told her this was a dealbreaker for me and that we could either come to some sort of compromise or we could go our separate ways. She wouldn't budge so as much as it hurt, I dumped her.

It sucks because out of all the people I've dated she's someone I very deeply fell in love with. We were friends and Krav Maga sparring partners for about a year before we started dating but it looks like we won't be able to be friends, it's too raw and painful.

But there's tittles of pride in that I put up a boundary and stood my ground even when it was torture.

This isn't necessarily a call for advice more of a vent. Share your own insights and experiences if you want.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

Storm Warning - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"Storm Warning"

Sunday, February 18, 10:50 am, 2024

It’s a fraught time in our nation, especially because it’s an election year. On this President's Day weekend, how might we read more clearly the crucial signs of our time? And how might our faith be a source of strength, not only for ourselves but for others?

Starr King School for the Ministry is commemorating its long-standing connection with the First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco! President Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt will provide an inspiring sermon, followed by refreshments at an after-service reception in the Chapel, which will include the debut of our new campaign film. We look forward to seeing you there!

Rev. Rosemary Bray McNatt, Guest Minister; Rev. Laura Shennum, Minister of Congregational Life; Rev. Sonya Sukalski, Sabbatical Minister; Mari Magaloni Ramos, Worship Associate; Sam King, Vice Moderator; UUSF Choir led by Mark Sumner, Director; Nancy Munn, Morgen Warner, Akane Ota, Ben Rudiak-Gould, Andrew Kessler, Maggie McGrann, Soloists; Wm. García Ganz, pianist

Shulee Ong, Camera; Jackson Munn, Camera; Alex Schofield, Sound; Jonathan Silk, Order of Service; Amy Kelly, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Ex Catholic who is UU curious and has some questions !

By: /u/123Account1978backup

Raised catholic, would consider myself agnostic at best now and curious about UU. I’m missing catholicism and feeling an odd connection and wanting to “incorporate” elements of it, but never want to go back and feel disgust at the same time? I keep childhood stuff in a memory box and recently I came across some communion and confirmation gifts i got when i was younger and i felt pain my chest. I had a gold crucifix, 3 blessed rosary beads, lourdes keychains etc etc as well as pocket miracles booklets the works in the box.

I suffer from an anxiety disorder and insomnia and a sort of meditation and i suppose general …non traditional prayer with the rosary beads invokes a sort of positive less anxious feeling, same with wearing a st christopher’s medal. however, i can never forgive the years of purity culture and catholic guilt and also the general crimes of the church. I’m pro choice and pro LGBT all the way. it’s a really weird feeling honestly. I consider sometimes joining a UU church and maybe getting some prayer/meditation beads or just having a flick through the bible critically? Wondering if other ex catholics or similar on here have had this experience and if you’ve donated the catholic paraphernalia, thrown it out or just incorporate it in some way into your own life or practice?

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

UUs and Cohousing

By: /u/smiling-heart

I heard ~11% of Cohousing residents (in the US) are UUs! Three cohousing communities are participating in events at the end of February. If you’re interested in learning more about San Francisco Bay area cohousing opportunities, consider joining February 24 or February 25 in person event. Details are posted here https://www.cohousing-solutions.com/artofneighboring

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

'DEEPER LOVE' - Rev. Randy Lewis - All Souls Unitarian Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during The Point: Humanist Hour by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What happens when an atheist walks the green mile? Through a story that bridges divides, we're invited to witness the impact of genuine presence and the endless possibilities for transformation that arise from the depths of human connection and understanding. Join us in a contemplative journey through "Deeper Love," where we explore the limitless depths of love's potential to heal. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

'HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE?' - Rev. Randy Lewis - All Souls Unitarian Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Embark on a journey to explore the true depth of love beyond the superficial, diving into the profound insights that challenge and enlighten us. Let's reflect on love's power to transcend boundaries and inspire change within ourselves and our communities and let’s discover how deep our love can go in a world craving genuine connection and unity. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Tema Okun decries the misuse of her 'White Supremacy Culture' list

By: /u/rastancovitz

In a recent interview, Okun says that too many have been misinterpreting and misusing her famous '15 Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture.'

Tema Okun decries the misuse of her ‘White Supremacy Culture’ list

A quote from her interview includes:

“The way it’s misused is that people turn it into a checklist to assess or target someone and say: Look, you’re exhibiting these characteristics. And that means you’re colluding with white supremacy culture, and you’re a bad person, you’re a terrible person. Or to accuse them of being a tool of white supremacy culture.

And generally, what I find is that when people misuse it in that way, they haven’t actually read it, or they certainly haven’t read the website, because there’s no way you could read the website and come away feeling like it’s meant to be used as a checklist in that way.”

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Positive experience with UU Community

By: /u/Artbitch97

Hi everyone! So my story with UU started when I was in high school, an edgy Christian-turned-atheist who was brought to a UU service by my best friend. Ever since then I’ve known of its existence and it always struck me as something very cool and important. I have a background in psychology and the years I’ve lived and the education I’ve received only served to cement the importance of a spiritual practice, especially one that could be community-based. I attended quite a few times at my university town; the sermons often moved my to tears, and it was just so fascinating to see nature and science take center stage as inspiration for a spiritual practice.

As an immigrant, for a long time undocumented, POC, I felt the social justice aspect was particularly important to these congregations, and I loved that. I settled in a major city last year and I’ve gone to a few sermons at my closest UU temple, and have had many very pleasant chats with people during coffee hour, and I have always enjoyed the sermons. But I was busy with other stuff and I definitely always intended to make it a more common habit but it hadn’t happened yet. My father passed in October, suddenly at 57. After a couple months I knew I was going to need to develop a spiritual practice (and in need of a supportive community) if I was ever to start healing. So I became really proactive about getting my holistic wellness in order.

Being signed up to their email list, I received one for a Women’s retreat. I had zero idea what to expect as I’d never been to one. I emailed the organizer to ask if it was normal and okay that I wasn’t part of the community. She encouraged me to attend as there would be newer people there. So I did it, especially because I was wanting to at the very least focus on mindfulness for a few days, and a retreat seemed like a great way to do that!

It was a life-changing experience. At 26, I was the youngest there. But I am not weird about intergenerational friendships, in my culture I was raised with a lot of respect for elders, and for a lot of love and warmth for older women especially. I met dozens of women whom I connected with on a very special level. When I was done with the retreat I journaled just a bit about the experience and I could recall 26 different names, and I know I am forgetting people, as every now and then I remember more. I met so many incredible, unique, talented, HILARIOUS women. All so open to learn, to share. I felt so unbelievably welcome and comfortable there. Like I never have before. I shared a lot of intimate parts of my story as an undocumented immigrant, and people were so respectful and curious and kind. I even met two other POC of similar backgrounds, which was really incredible.

People helped me deal with the death of my father and some shared their own experiences with it, as many went through the same thing. Many shared experiences with their own grief in general and that was really valuable to me too.

Then there was the spiritual aspects, but the post is getting too long as it is. It was all so much better than I could have imagined, and I did imagine it would be pretty cool, but never in such an impactful way.

I even started volunteering at a migrant center with one of my new friends, which has already led to even more enriching connections.

Tomorrow I am going to church, and I’m excited to see the dozens of new friends I made during the retreat. After I am having brunch with one of the other POC I met, and our families. I am so excited, and so thankful.

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

I’d like to share my experience wading into my local UU community

By: /u/Ohchikaape

I am a 32 yo female of Native American descent who was adopted as a baby and raised by white parents in a predominantly white community. I have a college education and lived for a time in a major American city, but found myself back near the town I grew up in prior to the pandemic. During this time I (like many others) struggled with my mental health being isolated and feeling a significant lack of community in my life. I made a lot of changes once the world started to get back to normal and one of them was a goal to find community. I have tried a number of activities and hobbies, some stuck, many didn’t. It was on my city Reddit that someone had suggested the UU church and its groups as a place to meet people. I looked it up and decided to jump into an online journey group focused on “Firsts”. Seemed perfect considering this was my first UU activity. It became a highlight getting on zoom and connecting with some wonderful older women every other week to share deeply personal stories and experiences. I’m now in my second round of journey groups. This time I’m involved in two centered around specific reading materials. The chance to read, think critically, and discuss in a safe environment with like minded people has added greatly to my life! I have felt welcomed, zero judgement, deep understanding of my reluctance towards heavily Christian topics and jargon, and possibly the best part of all appreciated for the value my truth brings to these groups. As a non-white person it has been deeply validating to be part of a community that actively thanks me for simply being willing to share my honest opinions, feelings, and experiences. So to anyone out there hesitant to trying out activities at their local UU church I really cannot recommend it enough. Community will change your life and in my experience it was more than worth the risk.

Peace and light✨

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another, Rev. Kathleen Rolenz, February 11, 2024 - Unity Church Sermon Podcasts

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
Saturday Night Live comedian Gilda Radner made famous the phrase “If it’s not one thing, it’s another...it’s always something!” And isn’t that true? We are constantly called to choose one person or one thing over another; often accompanied by conflicting feelings about those choices. This Sunday we’ll dive deeper into the February theme of choosing, and the role chance, choice, free will and determinism play in our lives.   This podcast begins with a reflection offered by Ari Giles, worship associate.
☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Why are liberal Quakers considered Christian, but Unitarian Universalists aren't?

By: /u/VteChateaubriand

Seeing QuakerSpeak's video about a Muslim Quaker got me wondering why are Quakers considered Christian, even though they accept other religions like UU does? What is it that makes them different from the UU in a way that makes them Christian?

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Why are liberal Quakers considered Christian, but Unitarian Universalists aren't?

By: /u/VteChateaubriand

Seeing QuakerSpeak's video about a Muslim Quaker got me wondering why are Quakers considered Christian, even though they accept other religions like UU does? What is it that makes them different from the UU in a way that makes them Christian?

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

A Genuine Testimony About a Trans Person's Struggle Over her Identify

By: /u/Cult_Buster2005

This story was published in the Winter 2017 issue of UU World Magazine:

https://www.uuworld.org/articles/emptying-my-shoe

Emptying my shoe

I can’t imagine where I’d be had I not found my Unitarian Universalist congregation.

How did I get here? How could I have gone so quickly from a warm loving family to a barren empty flat?

Those questions echoed in my mind’s dank chambers as I surveyed the unfamiliar living space. Floor-to-ceiling stacks of boxes obscured stark, bare walls. Could the pieces of my shattered life ever reassemble into something resembling normal? Nothing was normal, and maybe never would be again after the metaphorical hurricane that had laid waste to my life.

That hurricane had a name. Transgender.

The media would have you believe transgender people “always knew” their gender. The news shows us story after story of little girls knowing in their hearts they are boys, or boys asking to wear dresses and play with Barbie dolls. Even if this knowledge goes unexpressed for decades, we’re led to believe, their gender was obvious to them from a young age.

People are far more comfortable allowing the messy business of a gender transition if it is presented by storytellers as a foregone conclusion from the start.

But reality is nowhere near that neat. I spent the first fifty years of my life with no earthly clue I might be transgender. An observer might have found my teenage preference for female friends unusual, but I did not. Teenage gender norms and those of the liberated era in which I was raised allowed anyone to be friends with anyone else, and I put together a rich social life.

Things changed after graduation. People began pairing off, and social overtures toward single women were generally interpreted as romantic. Finding friendship among females became more challenging. However, I made the best of my opportunities, getting married and raising two children. I was mildly uncomfortable with my role as husband and father, but since I had never really felt like I fit in anywhere, that seemed unsurprising and certainly not an indication of anything unusual about my relationship with gender.

As a married man, I found that developing friendships with women was nearly impossible. I couldn’t come up with any way of approaching women socially without looking like I was interested in an affair. Luckily, my wife and I were great friends, keeping the loneliness of my married years partially at bay. I had family and career to keep me busy, so it was not until age fifty that I turned my focus toward the gaping holes in my social life.

I set about putting together the puzzle pieces of what until then had seemed unrelated traits. My reading habits involved almost exclusively books written by, for, and about women. While awaiting the doctor, I invariably chose the women’s magazines. My favorite movies featured stories about strong women who overcame adversity, and my favorite songs tended to be those from female artists whose mighty voices sang of feminine empowerment.

I also began for the first time to examine a feeling I’d had since my teen years: regret that I was not born female, with a female body. I would frequently try a thought experiment: Would I give up everything to magically become a woman? The answer invariably came back “yes.” I would gladly trade my own life for just about any female one.

My wife supported my explorations until the clues began to suggest I might be transgender. “If you transitioned, I’d probably leave you,” she told me one night, and I did not object. I certainly would have been upset to find myself suddenly married to a man, and I understood why remaining in a marriage with a woman would not be her choice.

So I was cautious. I tested the waters, first presenting as a woman in public and then joining a transgender-friendly women’s reading group. A realization took shape: I was far more comfortable as my female self. Female social interactions seemed “right” in a way that male interactions never had. I began to see my female life as the “real me,” while the prospect of spending the rest of my days as a male looked unbearably dreary. I was conscious of a part of my being that demanded I be true to it by living as a female. I could no more change it through an effort of will than I could my height or eye color.

However, many whom I took into my confidence urged me to save my marriage by remaining in my male life and avoiding disrupting my family. I had survived a half-century as a male, surely I could survive the rest of the way.

After much soul searching, I still couldn’t agree. Imagine you are on a long hike, feet throbbing with discomfort. You soldier on, because everyone on the hike is complaining. But then you all take a break, and you find that your shoe is full of pebbles, while everyone else’s shoes are clear. You realize that, though no one’s feet feel fine, it’s been far worse for you than for others. A simple solution exists—remove your shoe and empty out the pebbles.

What would you say to those who remind you that you’ve hiked this far, surely you could hike just a little farther? That the hike is more than half done, and you’d inconvenience everyone else, who would have to wait for you to untie your shoe and then lace it back up again? What would you do? Would you just finish the hike, knowing that every step will hurt, or would you beg their indulgence while you emptied your shoe?

In the end, I reluctantly and with much trepidation decided that, while I wished I could have remained as I was for the sake of my marriage, it was asking too much of me to insist that I spend the rest of my life pretending I was someone I’m not. I needed to change, and if my wife left me because of it, I couldn’t control that and shouldn’t try.

That decision shattered our marriage. After months of vitriolic wrangling we decided she would buy my half of the house. My daughter, then a junior in high school, remained living with her. I moved into my own place, my wife furious that I’d chosen transition over her. My son was away at college by then, so for the first time since getting married I was living alone.

I had been cast from paradise. My new fabulous life as my female self had come down to barren walls and brown cardboard boxes. I needed to rebuild my life. But where to begin? How could I find a place where my brand of newly minted femininity would be supported?

Some weeks earlier, I had attended a gathering of transgender people at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Baltimore. There, I had run into someone I had worked with years earlier. She wasn’t transgender, but was there as a member of the church. She was eager to give me a tour of the historic building, including the magnificent sanctuary where William Ellery Channing gave his famous sermon. When she learned that I didn’t know the first thing about Unitarian Universalism, she gave me a brief primer and read me the seven Principles. I recall thinking it was remarkable that they seemed to express almost precisely my own personal values.

However, I was raised Jewish, a religion that has seen itself as under siege since its inception. Jews are trained to resist the draw of other religions, seeing conversion as a betrayal of not just our faith but our very culture, our families, friends, and traditions. So I had filed my knowledge of the UU Principles among the general factual trivia that clutters my mind.

During those early days of living alone, though, feeling adrift and disconnected, the idea of joining a faith community began to seem attractive. I looked into some of the Reform Jewish congregations in the area, but I was not enticed. They appeared more focused on the observance of rituals than any real spiritual exploration.

I got a much different impression visiting the website of our local UU congregation, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, Maryland, “UUCC” to pretty much everyone. I found myself registering for a Get Connected class, and on a windy February morning I took a seat in a makeshift circle of chairs at the center of a seemingly cavernous sanctuary in Columbia’s Owen Brown Interfaith Center. By the time the class started there were ten women seated there, and we were joined by a young couple a few minutes later. The first order of business involved introductions. As we went around the circle, I was astounded to find that among the ten original women, five of us were queer, including the assistant minister leading the class.

What I heard that day convinced me that UUCC was a great fit. I left intending to take advantage of all the social, spiritual, and educational opportunities I had time for. The only events I planned to skip were the weekly services. My childhood memories of synagogue involved excruciating hours listening to interminable chanting in Hebrew about the greatness of God. The only spiritual experience they seemed to offer me came from the overwhelming relief when they were finally over.

While leaving the Get Connected class, I said as much to one of my fellow students, who also came from a Jewish background. She persuaded me to give the service at least one try. So on a Sunday morning in early March 2014 I first heard the senior minister, the Rev. Paige Getty, preach.

The topic that week was “family,” and the service included testimony by members of three dissimilar families. One involved a blended family and the trials and rewards of merging their two households. A single woman told of her life, and a gay man spoke of initially being rejected but then finally accepted by his partner’s mother. Getty painted an expansive view of the world, one where diverse family structures contribute to beauty and variety. So sincere and affirming was her message that my eyes weren’t dry for a moment during the entire hour-long service.

Fast-forward to the present, and nearly every friend I have I met at UUCC. I never miss a chance to hear Getty preach if I can help it, and I look forward all week to the lazy lunches after services, discussing the sermon, current events, and what’s going on in our lives, or just kicking back and enjoying our food. I teach religious education classes every week, have helped lead services, and have participated in reflection groups, fun feasts, game nights, and other events too numerous to name. When I had gender-confirming surgery, I came out as transgender to the entire congregation during the sharing of joys and sorrows. I spoke of my excitement and fear, and I was met by an outpouring of support and a promise from a lay member of the Pastoral Care Committee to call me frequently during my recovery period.

As I write this, I have just returned from three days at a spiritual center after participating in the annual UUCC women’s retreat. During one of the fascinating workshops there, it occurred to me how amazing it was to bask in the love and support that warmed that all-female space. And how unremarkable it felt that no one had ever questioned whether, as a transgender woman, I belonged there. The subject simply hadn’t come up.

I can’t imagine where I’d be had I not found UUCC. My life would certainly lack much of its richness. The dark, lonely period after my separation now seems a distant memory.

Suzi Chase is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, Maryland.

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

OP from *that* post. Got Lawyer Involved And Mod Could Be Charged With Harassment, Defamation, And Emotional Damage If No Public Apology Is Put Out

By: /u/OppositeOpening7284

Basically what the text said. I am the OP from the post yesterday, Expensive_Case, and I had a nice chat with my brother in law who is a lawyer. Turns out I have a pretty good case against the mod for harassment, defamation, and emotional damage. Half of the stuff the public reddit didn’t see because it happened over chat. My speech is protected by the first amendment, the mods was not and falls in the categories that I stated above. I’m going to give the mod 48 hours, so by Friday 2/16/24 @ 6PM EST, to take the horrible post they made about me and my transition pictures down and make a MAJOR public apology explaining that they acted in the wrong way and frankly broke the law with what they said about me and explain that I am the person in both of those pictures, which I have endless proof for and can send to anyone who wants it. Just contact me on my expensive_case account cuz this is a burner one. So by Friday 2/16/24 6PM EST, if there is no apology i’m going to go ahead with my lawyer and move forward with this. I will also reach out to reddit corporate. I really don’t want to bring it to that point, but if I don’t see a major apology, I will. I will tell you that conservatives have NEVER treated me as a trans person this horribly, and as the group that is supposed to be loving and accepting of all kinds, that is the furthest from the truth. Im not no cry baby but I hold people accountable for their actions, and it looks like the mod is going to get into some legal issues with this one if action is not done.

Also I’d like to say that the poster this morning was not me and for anyone who harassed that person, shame on you. I watched it all go down as I was collecting evidence for my BIL.

So mister u/cult_buster2005 if you don’t want this to all go down, I suggest you do some serious work on yourself and how you treat others. If I end up going forward with this, i’ll know exactly who you are and i’ll let your church know what you did and how you broke every single rule of UU.

And mister u/tgjer you’re up next if this mod doesn’t do anything so if I were you, I’d be crossing my fingers that the mod takes responsibility for their actions.

Edit: If reddit wants to ban me, they wil. But they should also ban the person who broke the rules of their own sub and the law.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

'SERMON IN SONG' - Nick Page, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar - All Souls Unitarian Church

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 11, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Nick Page, Guest Musician, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister, and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Guided by the acclaimed song leader and music educator Nick Page, discover the transformative power of music and explore how spirituals and songs of liberation inspire community, empathy, and action toward justice. Tune in to celebrate the role of music in healing and change and to experience love's light through the universal language of melody. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Special thanks to those who helped fight back at the anti-trans and anti-liberal troll today!

By: /u/Cult_Buster2005

I wish to especially note the brilliant and powerful contributions of:

u/tgjer

After receiving complaints about the troll, Expensive_Case9796, and reviewing most of the conversation that was taking place, I banned them and then got slammed with several statements blasting me and other UUs for our "hypocrisy" in not being willing to tolerate their nonsense. Well, I guess every major scientific association in the world must be hypocritical as well.

For today, I left the post made by Expensive_Case9796 up so I could make screenshots of everything that was said there, as well as the messages that were thrown at me, for future reference. It will be deleted tomorrow.

I suspect that the whole affair was an attempt by "gadflies" to make us look stupid in public, but they clearly didn't count on tgjer and others being knowledgeable enough to directly counter their trolling.

It is you advocates for genuine truth, justice, and compassion for trans people that make me proud to be a UU! And if any of you want to become a mod alongside me, feel free to comment with a request for promotion.

UPDATE: the troll made another post attacking us:

https://www.reddit.com/r/UnitarianUniversalist/comments/1aqzzg7/op_from_that_post_got_lawyer_involved_and_mod/

And then insulted everyone's intelligence by deleting it right after I noticed it.....and also deleted his first post. It's the same stunt Herman Goering pulled after the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials: "You can't kill me, I'm killing myself!"

Which is stupid as hell anyway. But his attempts to hide the evidence of the stunts he pulled are futile. I made over 50 screenshots of all that happened yesterday for future reference.

UPDATE TWO: Here are screenshots of both the troll's posts attacking us:

https://imgur.com/a/xMMteja

I love smartphones!

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☐ ☆ ✇ UU on Player FM

The Dragon's Might: A Lunar New Year Celebration - Sermons-First Unitarian Universalist Society of San Francisco

By: Various (aggregated by Player FM)

"The Dragon's Might: A Lunar New Year Celebration"
Sunday, February 11, 10:50 am, 2024

According to legend, a heavenly race determined the order of the Chinese zodiac signs. Why did Dragon, so clearly the mightiest of the animals, fail to come in first place? What can Dragon teach us about using power for more than winning in a world that calls for it? Join us in welcoming the Year of the Dragon.

Rev. Seanan Fong, Affiliated Community Minister; Rev. Sonya Sukalski, Sabbatical Minister; Kat Liu, Worship Associate; Linda Enger, Board of Trustees; UUSF Bell Choir directed by Reiko Oda Lane, Organist; UUSF Choir directed by Mark Sumner, Music Director; Akane Ota, mezzo soprano; Wm. García Ganz, pianist.

Shulee Ong, Camera; Eric Shackelford, Camera; Jonathan Silk, Communications Director; Carrie Steere-Salazar, Flowers; Linda Messner, Head Usher

☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

I came to UU to escape from the world and the negativity from liberals and conservatives, just to find that they are super liberal🤦🏻‍♂️

By: /u/Expensive_Case9796

I got myself so caught up in the world’s negativity and disapproval of leftist propaganda. I am gay and trans but i feel like the left now goes against what I believe in. So i decided to try to help myself heal at UU. I started going three weeks ago and the second time i went was about the laws against trans kids in my state. Great just exactly what I came here NOT to hear. Is it really going to be like this the whole time? I just don’t want to sit there and get preached at that i’m oppressed because, here in America, i’m not. From what I understand, UU is supposed give a sermon and people can pick and choose the good messages that they feel that applies to their life. But I simply cannot do that about the sterilization of children that don’t know any better, or other leftist hypocritical talking points. In no way am I conservative, I disapprove of their talking points just as much to make it clear. Please tell me this whole thing is not the leftist agenda pretending to be a religion.

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

I'm exploring UU, may I ask some questions?

By: /u/highpercentage

I read "The Kingdom of God is Within You" last year and it really set me down a path out of traditional churches and towards things like Universalism, which I just rediscovered after asking Gemini if there were any Christian denominations that rejected the idea of hell and damnation. I live in Tennessee and it's a very Christian Nationalist environment, which repels me! Looking for a Church that emphasizes ethical living and optimism while saying away from politics. I'll settle for two of the three 😉

  1. To what extend are UU churches Christian? Do they read a Bible? Do they pray to the Christian God. Or is it more like UU acknowledges it's Christian roots?

  2. Are Churches generally active in left wing causes or a haven for liberal Christians? Are they mainly a reaction to over-the-top right wing Churches.

  3. Are there books you'd suggest where I can learn more about core beliefs of UU?

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Drawing Parallels across Mythology

By: /u/danielfuenffinger

I was thinking about the common theme of eating food from the underworld and being trapped there, and how this was present in both Greek and Shinto Mythology.

What are some of y'alls thoughts on this in parallel with the forbidden fruit from Genesis and the resulting exile?

I keep thinking this theme comes up so much in modern stories as well, and was wondering if there is some deep archetype all of these stories are meant to preserve. Would love to hear peoples 2 cents on the topic.

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

Please pray for me I am trapped in my body and mind and I need healing.

By: /u/liquidsnake7777

Hello everyone and thanks for reading this. I feel really alone sometimes. I am asking for prayers and good vibes for the healing of my body and soul.

A few years ago I was diagnosed with Neuropathy in my legs. It started out not too bad, but just like the doctor said it progressed and progressed hard. My legs are constantly tingling and they burn so bad I cannot stand it. I now can no longer stand for more than 15 minutes. I am on medication and going to the doctor regularly and since I can't work I am considered poverty and qualified for Medicaid so I am thankful for that, but still it doesn't help the pain much, the doctors or the meds.

This has also left me in a dark depression since I have been off work. I was a construction worker, but I had to quit about 12 months ago. I applied for disablilty immediately. I got denied and called an attorney, and they are going to take the case I think. I filed for an appeal, but it could still take months and I have applied for food stamps but still nothing on that yet either. It's getting hard. I am probably going to be evicted, no food, no money, no truck (kicked the bucket and sold for parts months ago) and just at the end of my rope. Mentally and physically.

I know one day I will get better. I hope, at least, but my legs hurt constantly and I would do anything to go back 10 years. I am in my early 40's and I would take living to 50 only gladly if I could just get a few years pain free. Life is life though and I know that's not possible. Friends, I do know my God is a healer though, and even though I have never felt further from him in my life I know he can steal heal my body and soul, and I have asked, maybe I haven't humbled myself enough idk, maybe someone needs healing worse than me? I am almost certain they do and i know I am not his only child who needs healing, but this hurts. I know that he will leave the 99 to rescue me, but hurry my shepard, this lamb is lost thirsty and hungry. I look forward to heaven, and crave it like like home, even though I have never been there.

I am going to keep clawing and fighting through this and praying the whole time. Like I said before though, it gets really hard especially when I am flat broke. I have no food or anything and never in a million years did I think I would have to ask, but if anyone could help me with anything I would be forever grateful and pay it back when I get on my feet. I have cashapp and my name there is $blueneonfish if anyone can help me with anything. I also have Venmo. My name there is @rccarracer9 I mean it, anything helps. I don't have anything. If you cant help, thanks for reading this anyways and still pray for me please, I understand everyone is having it hard right now so I understand if anyone can't give, I just figured I would try this because it's my last resort becasue I have no speakable family and my credit is awful where I have lost everything. I have tried some churches, but most of them cannot help as they are out of supplies themselves. I know this looks really suspicious, but I promise you it's not. I am just this desperate for help. It's like I am trapped in a prison in my mind and body.

I know it will get better at least I hope, I just really do not know how much more I can take. I am not going to give up though.

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☐ ☆ ✇ Unitarian Universalist

"Origional sin" and unconsciously contributing to white supremacy are not the same thing! what the heck

By: /u/Stori_Weever

Hi. New here. Started going to a UU service about a month ago and found it so refreshing to listen to moving sermons that bring me to tears and declarations of intent that I dare hope could ignite love and justice through a world that feels so unjust and frightening.

No mater what I think about whiteness, how detestable and false I find white supremacism concepts I'm perceived as white by the people who find that consequential and it has real effect on how easy it is for me to move in the world. That means I have an easier time getting jobs, moving around unafraid of police, and xenophobia, unexamined or explicit. I wasn't born understanding this. Even though I came of age in a very diverse public school system. I had to break out of the matrix of whiteness as a norm.

Here's the good news, from my experience. when you start really digging into what race means critically, you will be uncomfortable for a time, you will be scared, and then you'll be MAD, and then you might spend some time being sad, then hopefully you'll start to see that there's plenty to do about it. You'll start recognizing the heroes that have done something about it and are doing something about it. And you won't do the work to be "good" and you'll know the work may never be finished. You'll do it because you see your non white friends better, Understand their experience better, You'll love and respect them for their resilience, and be grateful for how their work and the work of their ancestors is liberating ALL of us.

I think a lot of people come to UU because they want to be liberated from oppressive concepts like original sin, which is total misogynist mumbo jumbo with no basis in anything, where as critical race theory and anti racism is based on a long history of atrocities, made evident by peoples living conditions RIGHT NOW.

To get started on the track of awakening justice into the world, I can suggest the 13th available on netflix. I think it should be required watching for Americans, especially people living a white experience.

If you want to go deep into deprograming your own internalized white supremacy (your not inherently evil, it happens to everyone in a white supremicist world, anyone can be fooled) I highly recommend Dawn of Everything by David Graber. It's long but the first 3rd is what is especially useful.

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☐ ☆ ✇ UUreddit

Yet another money/tithe/pledge question...

By: /u/aint_noeasywayout

I've been deep diving in this subreddit and have found a lot of discussion around the money/tithe/pledge issue. It seems there are a lot of people who ultimately felt unwelcomed, or were outright told they were unwelcome, based on income. There are also a lot of folks saying that it doesn't matter, at least at their local churches.

I am stuck. Ten years ago I attended my local UU Church until it came time for pledging. I was a broke college student and struggled with transportation to the church. I distinctly recall talking to another member about how I couldn't afford even the lowest check box to pledge, and they told me to go without Starbucks once a week... I didn't eat out or drink at all at that point in my life. I didn't even respond because that response was enough for me to feel like these weren't my people, despite otherwise feeling very welcomed and like I belonged.

I am finding myself again in a place with a deep need for community. My family and I went to a service today and during the "offering", the stand in minister said that the offering was just as important as any other involvement in the church, if not more. It was heavy on the guilt. Only after the plate was back up was it stated that if we were joining for the first time, to skip the plate. Somehow, I forgot about this aspect of the church entirely. I was so stressed out the whole time about money. A family member had a donut and a cup of coffee and all I could think about was that we were being judged for what we left in the offering plate vs what we took. Probably paranoia, but I was really overwhelmed at the thought.

The church's website says that we should be giving 5-10% of our income. We are deeply in debt, have several thousand in medical bills alone every month, and are desperately trying to catch up. I'm not hurting like I was as a college student, but I'm still hurting in a way that 5-10% of our income would leave us beyond fucked, if I'm being completely honest.

I don't know exactly what I'm looking for with this post. I'm so lonely but I can't afford to pay for companionship at the level they want. And the church didn't feel like it once did. It was so empty, hardly anyone stayed to chat after service, and the service was awkward and boring. This month is apparently pledge month too, so we picked the worst time to start coming (again?).

submitted by /u/aint_noeasywayout
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