| 1 |
What is Unitarian Universalism? Is it
a Religion? |
Yes, If we seem
different from other organized religions you know of, you may have
caught on to something. One minister, the Rev. Doug Gallager, put
it this way:
"The Unitarian Universalist approach to religion has a fundamental
difference from that of more orthodox churches. Instead of asserting
that the ultimate truth about the nature of life has been revealed
to us, we assume that, together, we must engage in a search for
those things which can give meaning and importance in our lives.
Ours is a vital religion: one of inquiry and growth, rather than
one of preconceived answers.
|
| 2 |
Will I be pressured to become a member? |
| No. But we are curious
about your interests, concerns and questions, and we do welcome
those who would like to join us. |
| 3 |
If I would like to talk to someone about
UUism, who would be available? |
| The minister, all
current Board and Membership Committee members (look for designations
on their name tags) or any other UU member. Please don't be shy! We
may look busy at coffee hour but we'd really love to talk about UUism
and out experiences in this UU community and to find out more about
you. New ideas and new people help us thrive. |
| 4 |
If I join, what would be expected of
me? |
| We would expect
you to "share in the spirit and purpose" of the Fellowship.
How you do that depends on you. We recognize that it can take a little
while to figure out exactly where and how you want to focus your interests,
efforts and personal growth. That's OK. We do, however, encourage
you to take advantage of any opportunities to get involved in ways
that appeal and make sense to you, and perhaps even stretch you a
bit. |
| 5 |
What can I expect from the UU Fellowship
of Midland? |
| You can expect many
opportunities for personal growth, new connections and a deepening
understanding of liberal religion. You can expect a community that
is supportive of your religious questions and commitments. You can
expect an invitation to join in a creative exchange of ideas, a lifelong
commitment to personal and spiritual development, and our shared ministry
to one another and the larger world. |
| 6 |
Why is the UU Fellowship of Midland
called a "fellowship" and not a church? |
| The congregation
was first established back in 1954. Back then, new UU groups that
did not have a full time professional minister were often called "fellowships".
The name has simply stuck, even though we now have a full time minister.
Also, for some of us (i.e. people from Jewish backgrounds) the word
"fellowship" is a more welcoming name than "church"
for our religious community. There are UU congregations spread across
the U.S. and Canada; some of them are called churches and some are
called fellowships. |
| 7 |
Are there any programs to help people
learn about UUism? |
| Yes! We offer a
brief introductory class called "The New UU" in the fall,
winter and spring. There are other adult religious education programs
offered throughout the year that cover a variety of subjects as well
as various miscellaneous opportunities for education. |
| 8 |
What can help me in the transition of
being accepted into the group? |
| Transitions are
almost never easy. Being new can feel awkward or lonely. One thing
to remember is that many UUs come from non-UU backgrounds, so most
of us have been in a new person's shoes. It can be helpful to get
to know a smaller group of people in a more substantial way.
One way to do this is by joining one of the ongoing adult groups or
committees, or volunteer to help in any of the many activities available. |
| 9 |
What do children learn in the Religious
Education program? |
| Children learn about
Unitarian Universalist history and ideas, about our Christian and
Jewish heritage, about other sources of religious insight -- the religions
of the world, and about ethical living. Perhaps more important than
the content of these lessons is what children learn from the process
of how we teach. They learn to ask questions. They learn that creativity
and thinking are part of being religious. They learn to share their
own ideas and to listen to those of others. They learn that "being
religious" is an ongoing process that is an important part of
our lives -- even after we become adults. |
| 10 |
What makes this congregation different
than other religious communities? |
Again, the words
of Rev. Doug Gallager:
"Our Search is not blind, it is informed by the great religious
traditions, including our own Jewish and Christian heritage and
liberal religious roots. It is also informed by other insights
of both past and present--the richness of the arts, the knowledge
of the sciences, the wisdom of experience--Here is both a respect
for the past and an openness to the future."
|
| 11 |
Do UUs believe in God? |
| This question requires
a longer conversation. Many UUs do believe in God. Although
they might have different understandings and experiences of that reality
in their lives. We assume that each one of us has the ability and
responsibility to grapple with religious concepts--such as the question
of God--and most importantly, to determine how their conclusions,
whatever they may be, affect their day to day living and relationships
with others. UUs do agree that life itself matters and that
it matters how we live and relate to one another in the here and now. |
| 12 |
Do you do baptisms? Is there a confirmation
class for the teens? |
| We have a service
that recognizes children as vital presence and blessing in our
lives and community. It is called a child dedication. Our teens go
through a process called "Coming of Age" when they are in
high school, which ends with a special service that welcomes them
into the community as young adults. |
| 13 |
How do you support yourselves financially? |
| We support ourselves
through an annual member pledge drive, donations, grants, fundraisers,
bequests and Sunday morning contributions. In our pledge drive, members
are asked to determine the level of contribution that is right
for them. |
| 14 |
Why haven't I come across Unitarian
Universalism before? |
| We've been around
for a long time (over 200 years in the U.S.) but the number of congregations
in Michigan is still relatively small (24 at last count). We're getting
better at letting the world know that we exist and why we exist. We
are glad you've found us. |