6220 Jefferson Ave., Midland MI 48640-2934
Phone number: 989-631-1162
Email: uufom@uufom.org
Fourteen Frequently Asked Questions of UU
| 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:
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| 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:
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| 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. |
Looking for more information?
- Talk to one of our members, the minister, the director of religious education, join the next New UU group, or come to several Sunday services.
- Find more questions and answers in the following article from the UU Church in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA: The 100 Most Asked Questions about UU's
- For information about the UU religion, visit the Unitarian Universalism Association Web site (www.uua.org)
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland is recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association as a Welcoming Congregation. We welcome, affirm, promote and celebrate the full participation of all persons in all of our activities without regard to age, gender, sexual orientation, race or any other such category of exclusion.
Please feel free to contact us with any feedback, corrections or questions at jaham@delta.edu