Hello everyone! I'm not UU, I'm more of a humanist, and I've gone to probably a dozen Sunday services of the UU church near me over the past year. I've volunteered my time to help out with projects on a handful of occasions. And I've attended some luncheons. I keep hoping that the sunday service will improve once I know more people and can feel more comfortable.

I really like the few people I've gotten to know, but to be honest, I do not like going to the services on Sunday. There are references to belief in God and faith (which I don't believe), touchy feely stuff, hymns being sung, etc. It feels like a bad fit for me in that sense.

This Sunday, one of the songs was all about faith in God being the answer and I just closed my hymnal and stood there politely, even though the choir leader was trying to get everybody to participate. I'm not going to participate when I don't believe.

And the coffee hour afterward feels awkward to me because while some folks have talked with me, it feels mostly like small talk. People there gravitate toward the people they already know well and are friends with and I feel left out. Yesterday after the touchy feely service, I just left and didn't go to coffee because I just felt so mismatched with the service. (Small group situations have been much better.)

I'm curious how many folks regularly skip attendance on Sundays and just do other offered activities that have more depth and actual participation and sharing?

Or could you share things your UU does to welcome visitors in a way that makes them comfortable and feel included?

I get the sense that this community genuinely wants to be welcoming, but just misses the mark and that's why they are not getting new and/or younger people attending again after a first visit.