Explore Unitarian Universalism

I visited the local UU Church.

I loved the music and the message about ‘Promises’.

I was in a hurry, I didn’t stay back to socialize during the coffee/cookie time.

I said it took me 5 years to do this. But I’m including the year beforehand when I was searching for a “church” to belong to and the year-long process of slowly drifting away from UUism. So I was actively involved in exploring UUism for about three years.

I am very grateful for most of my experiences during that time, especially in the beginning. Participating with a UU community allowed me to really get into the thick of exploring my own spiritual and philosophical views. There were some very refreshing, freeing moments. It helped me expand my horizons and discover many new things. I might have found all this on my own, but it was a joy to have a safe place where I could soak all of it in and share it with other people.

My UU community changed in some very fundamental ways that left me feeling uncomfortable. I ended up drifting away because I didn’t feel that I fit in anymore. Maybe I never really did, as most of the members had very different lifestyles than me. Most of the people who attended were upper middle-class who were concerned with sophisticated, worldly matters. I was working class and concerned with the state of the world, too, but also about being able to afford gas and groceries. A few other people and a couple families had the same struggles we did. I noticed they eventually stopped attending, too. It was deep divide and I’ve read that a lot of UU congregations have a hard time attracting (and keeping) people who aren’t well-off.

But I can’t say that the changes or the financial divide is the entire cause of why I left. Part of the disconnection I began to feel was because I had changed, too – I learned a lot but I’d grown as much as I could within the confines of that particular community and it was time for me to move on. Perhaps I’d find new discoveries at a different congregation, so I’m remaining open to the idea that I might participate in UUism again sometime down the road.

But for now I’ve made peace with letting it go. I’m still growing and searching and learning. I just don’t think I’ll ever fit into an organized religion, even if it’s as diverse and tolerant as UUism. I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drummer and if I try to “settle down” someplace for very long I get restless or bored. My spiritual self still has a lot of exploring to do.

Explore Unitarian Universalism and other religions.

To be honest, after working all week and having to get up early in the morning to do, I don’t really feel like going to bed early on Saturdays after having a great time just to get up mad early to go to the local UU church. Maybe this goal is not going to work out because I really refuse to change my schedule just to go!

This is something I want to explore because I feel that the ideals of a Unitarian Universalist fit me. My mom is a baptised catholic ut we dont go to church. Ive been to church with my mormon friends more than with my family. I am open to different religions but dont fit into one and i am striving for spiritual growth. What is it like being a UU? What should I do to find out if this is right for me?

I’ve attended services at about ten UU congregations in various cities, and I was a choir member at Unity Temple in Oak Park, Ill. While I loved Unity Temple, its congregation, and the highly articulate, compassionate, and thoughtful sermons of its minister (who has since moved on), I never became a member because I couldn’t spare the money. Since then, I’ve tried to get involved at other places, but nothing ever stuck with me. For me, organized religion of any sort, even if it comes with no set creed, isn’t a high priority. So I’ve shelved the idea of joining a UU congregation for now. Nonetheless, I do still attend a service once or twice a year, because sometimes, it’s good to be around people who affirm your basic principles. If that’s what you need, and if your values seem to fit in with Unitarian Universalism, this is definitely a worthy and possibly quite rewarding pursuit.

So today I went to a service! I really had a lot of anxiety about going and had a mini anxiety fit all up to the parking lot.

It’s really hard for me to go to church because of past bad experiences.

As soon as I walked into the building a little anxiety lingered… mostly because I was late. Once there I relaxed enough to get into the sermon and really listen and value what was being said.

I am really glad I went and plan to go again next week.

I would love to talk to anyone about being a UU, what it means to me, what they might find… really whatever. It is one of my greatest joys that I was raised UU. Ask away!

This is a wonderful community for learning and exploring a wide range of belief systems so that you can experience what is relevant to you. Most communities are intellectual and explore social issues in depth. It is a community that strives to live according to its principles.