What We Believe
The Meeting House is full for a community Christmas celebration
We are known as a "liberal" church in the sense that we have no doctrines, creeds, or required beliefs. It has been said that the Unitarian Universalists "have one foot inside the Christian tradition, and another foot outside." Some time in the twentieth century, the weight shifted to the foot outside.
But it would not be true to say that we have no beliefs. The Rev. David O. Rankin has written the following summary of the beliefs we tend to hold in common:
"We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theologies, and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal.
"We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. All religions, in every age and culture, possess not only intrinsic merit but also potential value for those who have learned the art of listening.
"We believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, nor a document, nor an official, but the personal choice and decision of the individual.
"We believe in the never-ending search for truth. If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations that appear to the human spirit are infinitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting.
"We believe in the unity of experience. There is no fundamental conflict between faith and knowledge, religion and the world, the sacred and the secular, since they all have their source in the same reality.
"We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice - and no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life.
"We believe in the ethical application of religion. Good works are the natural product of a good faith, the evidence of an inner grace that finds completion in social and community involvement.
"We believe in the motive force of love. The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy.
"We believe in the necessity of the democratic process. Records are open to scrutiny, elections are open to members, and ideas are open to criticism - so that people might govern themselves.
"We believe in the importance of religious community. The validation of experience requires the confirmation of peers, who provide a critical platform along with a network of mutual support."
Peter and Summit
The Unitarian Universalist Principles are online here.
The Unitarians and Universalists had separate histories before 1961, the year in which the two groups joined together to form the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA). We are governed by "congregational polity," meaning that while the UUA provides guidance and assistance, the local congregation has the final decision-making authority.
Since we don't subscribe to any creed, we have both the freedom and responsibility to work out our own understanding of life in all its complex aspects, and to live by those convictions. As one of our guest speakers said, "It's not what you profess to believe; in the end it's how you live your life." Relatively few of us grew up in the Unitarian or Universalist faiths; most of us came to this church after failing to find a comfortable home and ideas that appealed to us in other religions. Christmas and Easter are important holidays for many of us, as are Hanukkah, Passover, Earth Day and Buddha's birthday for others. Our minister sometimes offers a "pastoral prayer," but on many Sundays simply leads us in a time of silent meditation. We don't kneel as part of the service, but no one would mind if you did. Becoming a member of our church involves signing a book signifying your intent to help support the church with your attendance, service, and the financial support you feel is appropriate.
Our speakers sometimes base their sermons on readings from the Bible; or they may use Scriptures from other world religions, or thinkers or poets such as Walt Whitman, Henry David Thoreau, Margaret Fuller, Mahatma Gandhi, and many other sources.
An excerpt from a sermon by the Rev. Mark Worth:
"Today, while Unitarian Universalists stand in a long line with a historic tradition of pioneers and martyrs, we remain open to unfolding insight and modern knowledge. We have come to realize that no single religious tradition, whether Judaism, Christianity, Islam, or religions of Eastern Asia or Africa, or the indigenous religions of the Americas- that none have a complete corner on all truth. Each of these traditions gives us something to feed our souls, and each is a valuable area for exploration."