Unitarian Universalism

[artrx]

I have visited a local UU church for a couple of weekend workshops and use thier labyrinth occasionally. Ialso have a friend who is very active in her UU church. As readheadmt said,they have struck me as very open and accepting. In my area at least, they are very diverse congregations with a good knowledge of world religious practices and spiritual beliefs which leads to great discussions. They are also very invoved in social concerns both locally and internationally. I really enjoy the people I have met there and like being a part of the church even if its tangentially.

 

[ttreg]

Has anyone attended a UU congregation? Is anyone a member? What was your experience there? What do you gain personally, and what is your motivation for attending? do you find the topics spoken about and priorities taught to be of a political nature (like rights, laws, activism, and so on)?

I was just reading up about the local congregation in my county, and since I've been unchurched for a while now, I was curious what it might be like to go to "church" and it not being christian (i know many UU members identify as christian, but i mean the church itself and so on). I'm still wrapping my mind around how a pluralist religious organization still forms its services to look like modern christian church.. is that how it is every week?

i'm clueless. honestly!

most of my past years were spent thinking UU was something to be looked down upon. there was a lot of fear placed in me about it since it didn't follow the "jesus is the only way to a triune God and you must follow this one book and these certain traditions" model. it was not stressed that the UU folks were all about respect, love, and justice for all people. The focus was more on "they're not christian, they just make it look like they are to bring people in."


so help a poor, ignorant sista out. tell me everything! good, bad, boring, life-changing....

I have been attending a UU church for over a year now. I've enjoyed it greatly. I've gotten insight into other peoples beliefs by doing it, and it definetly changed my life for the better. Though I'm beginning to doubt if I am UU, I wouldnt change the fact that I attended the church for the world. My church has been very supporting of me. Way more then my past church. I've met many people at my church who have been nothing but kind to me.

I cant tell you what it would be like to attend your local UU church. I've only attented one myself. Everyone tells me that each UU church has its own "flavor." Like mine is very liberal and is very humanistic. (Though there are some that arent.) I'm told that many UU churches in New England are very Christian. One church, I'm told, even recites the apostles creed at services!
Your local UU church might be pagan, christian, humanistic, etc. I wouldnt doubt that there would be some Jewish or Muslim "flavor" churches.

Most things covered in sermons are spiritual things. The closest we got to be outright political in a sermon is when our Welcoming Congregation (an organization within the UUA that promotes acceptence of GLBT people) prepared a sunday service that talked about the lives of GLBT people and gay marriage.
But sermons can be more of an lecture about a religion or philosophy.

Try out your local UU church if you wish, even if you decide that it wont be for you, I dont think you will regret it.

 

[Humuakalaka]

 

[tinythinker]

I have felt an affinity for and yet a dissatisfaction with UUism for a while, and I generally end up visiting a local congregation a couple times when I move to a new area to check them out, so I will offer my perspective (for whatever it's worth)...

The Unitarian-Universalists constitute a prominent historic example of Progressive/Liberal Christianity. The Unitarians and the Universalists began as separate Christian denominations, which is clear because like many Christian denominations, their name reflects a particular theological or structural emphasis rooted in Christiany. Both groups, especially in the United States, came to believe that if Jesus is the incarnation of light and life and if God is love then any sacred tradition which seeks light, celebrates life, and participates in Divine love is worthy of respect and their adherents are fellow seekers and followers and of truth. Hence the union of the North American organizations into the Unitarian Universalist Association, which accepts anyone of any or of no specific sacred tradition who is in agreement with their seven principles affirming the inherent worth and dignity of every person. The symbol they have adopted is the lit chalice.

As others have implied or alluded to, in order to be inclusive*, much of the UUA has suffered a selective amnesia about the significance of their Christian roots, even though the UUA officially recognizes a Judeo-Christian heritage and welcomes Christians as members. It is also true that because the UUA is congregational and not denominational, each church will be distinct. Some UU Christians have left because they don't feel welcome, and there are rumblings about the perception of what could be dubbed a "spiritually correct" movement to sterilize religion for those who have been wounded by and/or who are wary of religious fundamentalism. So yes, at times there is an intentional lack of power or punch behind invocations of the sacred or the holy*, which can become hollow and perfunctory.

For those who go to religious services because the atmosphere creates a sense of the sacred, a space in which one can humbly and jubilantly approach the Divine, the Ground of Being, the holy Other, that kind of non-commital and vague approach to a more or less freeform liturgy can seem unfulfilling. Coupled with an attitude in some congregations that they are smarter and more sophisticated and enlightened than the poor saps in the church down the street, some may even find the approach, which was intended to be welcoming and comforting, to seem hostile. So the empasis for many congregations tends to turn to socializing, community service, and especially social justice projects.

Of course, there are congregations in which God is mentioned in an unapologetic way, or where Jesus isn't a punchline*, so it really boils down to location. It also boils down to why you go to church and what you want to get out of the experience. UUism can be very fulfilling for some, and for others it is just a way stop between recovering from some previous bad experience(s) with religion and a deeper search for spiritual renewal. For Christians, there is a Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship which has materials, a list-serve, support and advice for UU Christians, and which sponsors national meetings for UU Christians to come together.

*edited to add: In some cases I get the impression this has to do with proving to people that they won't hear a turn-or-burn sermon, or be asked to convert, or any of the other things some folks might be leary about. So of course showing that you don't take Jesus or other religious figures or symbols TOO seriously and using religiously neutral or alternating language can be seen as an attempt to be inviting and non-threatening.
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[Kaonashi]

There's a UU church right down the street from the university that I go to that I may go check out soon. UUism seems like it may be a good fit for me.

 

[Sign Of The Fish Burger]

I've often thought about attending a UU church to see if I *might* fit in there (since mainstream Christianity dosen't seem to be doing it for me). This thread has been helpful and informative. Thank you.

 

[camethodactor]

Greetings in the radically inclusive love of God, and in the spirit of our brother Jesus. As you can tell I am a proud, unapologetic Unitarian Universalist Christian. Before I entered into the doors of this free, liberal, and inclusive faith, I was raised in the Conservative Baptist Church in America (CBA) and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS). The fellowship, and fun I had with these people was great but the theology could not settle with my mind, heart, or soul. The early steps in this process involved coming out to my parents, seeking new spiritual homes, doing research and discernment. At age 18 I discovered Unitarian Universalism, and what was to become my home church. I was relieved to hear of a religion that while rooted in progressive Christianity was free to draw from and be inspired by a myriad of religious traditions honoring the free mind and the free heart. A few days later I came out to my parents and after explaining the larger faith and my beliefs I got two different reactions: my father the more liberal of the two, yet still orthodox, accepted me and encouraged me in my search of truth, justice, and love. My mother, closer to the "typical" evangelical, gave me threats of hell and damnation. After clearing the coming out process I started taking a look at my church's website to arrange a visit. That visit was in August of 04 with that particular worship service focusing on the music, times, and theology of the Beatles. From the moment I stepped through the doors I knew I was coming home, and was celebrated for who I was. I continued visiting, and being a friend of the congregation until the Dia De Los Muertos service. It was one that day that I and a few other brave souls signed the book that bringing us into full membership in the sight of our past settled minister. I am now in the fifth year of being UU. Originally when I started I felt hurt by the churches of my upbringing and didn't want anything to do with Christian tradition so you could say my early theology was humanist. I was without the benefit of Christian tradition to guide in the ways of holiness, truth, compassion, mercy and love. Then another discernment process, and exploration started- I started reading the research of the Jesus Seminar, read books by Bishop Spong, went into research of Universalist, Unitarian, and Unitarian Universalist history and theology, started reading the Gnostic Gospels, buried myself in the strength and power of the Jefferson Bible and of course bought at New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible with Apocrypha so that started my study of scripture. My theology started to change from a non-theistic humanism, to an eclectic theology grounded in Buddhism and Paganism it was not too much longer until I embraced my current theology as a liberal Christian in the Universalist and Unitarian traditions. One God, of one essence known as love who brings All Souls, Christian or not to salvation. My first event as a UU Christian was held at the District Assembly last year held at a Universalist Church in nearby Riverside, CA. It was a communion service- the hymns were transcendent, the prayers were out of this world and a sermon that had me engaged for weeks on end. As I came to receive the elements and the music played, I was crying tears of joy knowing that I, like the rest of humanity, is held in the arms of a truly loving, merciful and compassionate God. "For you, the bread of Heaven" and "for you, the cup of salvation" I am a proud member of the UU Christian Fellowship (the denominational body for UU Christians), and the local chapter of the UUCF for those in churches in the Pacific Southwest District (PSWD)- Arizona, California and Nevada. Each week at church I wear not only a Golden Cross on my name tag sporting the UUCF, I also wear around my neck, an off-centered cross. The circle represents infinity, God. The cross representing Christian tradition is set to the side leaving room for other paths towards God, and truth. This has been a symbol for Universalism for a long, long time. I love my church and the people there. So far I have not received any major backlash for being a Christian, and although some of them are suffering from their previous experiences as Christians, the congregation is maturing because our last interim minister was born and raised a Universalist, had preached in a couple of Universalist churches and transformed my congregation from a social club to a church truly befitting the name. Scripture, the life and teachings of Jesus, theological language, God were mentioned without censure, and hymns that would ordinarily be sung were sung with gusto including a powerful rendition of Precious Lord. A new minister is in place, and is continuing the changes that have been made with the interim. Generally, in our tradition there are a few basic categories of churches- First are the explicitly Christian churches that are under the umbrella of the Council of Christian Churches in the UUA that follows the Universalist and Unitarian faith of our of Mothers and Fathers (with several being federated churches with the United Church of Christ, and others). Second, are those that are Christian friendly. Finally, there are the churches where "Christian" and "Unitarian Universalist" do not mix. My congregation is not Christian unfriendly nor is not explicitly Christian. Yet, many times I feel like I am unwanted in my own church, or in the denomination that people like me founded. I make my efforts to clear any misunderstandings about our brand of Christianity, and to serve as a strong voice that a loving, inclusive, prophetic Christianity is there, and out in the open. I also have standing in a local congregation of the United Church of Christ. At this point in my life I feel that God is calling me to the ordained ministry. That while my grounding is in Unitarian Universalism I will seek to serve any liberal church in any denomination that will have me. Thanks for hearing my testimonial, and my journey. I love you all and may God bless.