What Do Newcomers Want to Know Before the First Visit?
What
should I (and my children) wear to SWUU?
Wear whatever you feel comfortable wearing! Children may have art projects or outdoor activities. They should dress so they can actively engage in the program.
Is there childcare/Sunday school during the church service?
Children remain in the service for the first 15 minutes for a gathering song and a story. Then they go to classes for the remainder of the hour. A few services each year are "intergenerational," meaning that children remain with the adults throughout the service. Childcare for infants and toddlers is always available.
If my child doesn't separate well, can she or he stay with me in the
service?
YES! Or you may choose to attend class with your child if that works best.
Are you genuinely welcoming to all people?
We begin our services with the following statement:
"We are a home of free faith and religious diversity. We gather to
worship honoring our differences in age, race, gender, class, sexual
orientation, physical ability, and national origin. May the unique and
beautiful qualities that you bring, today, be celebrated and
appreciated."
Saying so doesn't make
it so, of course. But an important reason we come together is to remind ourselves
of what we value. And because we value human diversity, we include the voices
and dreams of all people - from our readings and music, to our advertising,
leadership, and day-to-day operations.
What goes on during the worship service?
Our format will probably be familiar; but you may be surprised with the message.
We address a wide range of social, ethical, and inter-personal issues from different points of view. And in the end, you are left to make up your own mind. You are not just free to do so; you are responsible to do so.
But if it is startling to go to a church which provides more questions than answers, know too that should you invest yourself in our community, you will find a strong network of support from fellow seekers.
Back to the format....
We begin with music: jazz, blues, classical, contemporary, and folk music...instrumental and choral music...solos and congregational singing...and even traditional hymns.
Following some announcements, we light a "Flame of Universal Kinship" in honor of a feast day from one of the world's religions. We do this because we see our UU tradition as one of many legitimate ways to seek peace and wholeness. Then we light the "Flaming Chalice," our UU symbol representing the human quest for truth and goodness.
We then introduce the theme of the day - a theme which arises out of the real lives of the people in our congregation: how to cope with change and loss...how to best listen to and express our needs to one another...how to make a difference in our communities. Before the children go to their classrooms we have a story for all ages.
We have a collection to remind ourselves that we are not beholden to the state or to any hierarchy, but that we can be free in our religion because we take responsibility for our own needs. At the same time we seek to move beyond our own needs - once a month the collection goes directly to an outside organization which works to put our principles into practice. (Recent organizations have included Planned Parenthood, the Metroparks, the GLBT Center, agencies supporting the homeless and educating about domestic violence....)
We have a short time to light candles and share "Joys and Sorrows" - significant milestones in our lives. Then we may listen to readings - from just about any source imaginable - and reflections by our minister and/or members of the congregation.
The Sunday Service lasts about an hour. Afterward we have coffee and snacks. Children continue to be supervised during this time. While some prefer the one-on-one of coffee hour, others gather for a 15 minute discussion - an opportunity to share personal reflections on the theme of the service.
The description above is one that is typical, but in no way binding. We enjoy experimentation. Each Spring we have "Flower Communion" to celebrate the rebirth of the earth and the diversity of color and style that we each bring to the world. Each Fall we celebrate a "Water Communion" in which we mingle together waters and insights from places throughout the world we have visited during the summer.
Every month we have an "alternative" service - maybe the sharing of music, art, and poetry, or a service led by members of the congregation, by visiting ministers or by other local speakers.
Altogether our Sunday Services are a mix of tradition with openness to change. They reflect our acceptance of the joyous and painful mysteries of life, and our unflagging efforts to make life meaningful.
100 Questions That Non-Members Ask About Unitarian Universalism