Unitarian Universalism

Unitarian Universalists are people of all ages, many backgrounds, and many beliefs. In Unitarian Universalism, you can bring your whole self: your full identity, your questioning mind, your expansive heart. We create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice and more love in our own lives and in the world. Unitarian Universalism affirms and promotes principles grounded in the humanistic teachings of the world’s religions. Our spirituality is unbounded, drawing from scripture and science, nature and philosophy, personal experience and ancient tradition.

Our Principles

Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote a set of shared principles, which we hold as strong values and moral guides. As Rev. Barbara Wells ten Hove explains, “The principles are not dogma or doctrine, but rather a guide for those of us who choose to join and participate in Unitarian Universalist religious communities.”

1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
8th Principle: Journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.

Many Unitarian Universalists would like to see stronger language about anti-racism written into our UU Principles. UUCM was one of dozens of congregations across the country to approve the addition of an 8th Principle. We issued a public statement on May 22, 2022 to affirm our commitment to dismantling white supremacy within our UU institutions, endorse the efforts of the 8th Principle Project and commit stay engaged in the multi-year process to revise Article II of the UUA By-Laws.

Our Sources

As Unitarian Universalists, we hold our principles as strong values and moral guides. We live out those principles within a “living tradition” of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from six sources. They comes from diverse backgrounds including: science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience. As
Rev. Kathleen Rolenz explains, “Throughout history, we have moved to the rhythms of mystery and wonder, prophecy, wisdom, teachings from ancient and modern sources, and nature herself.” Our congregation affirms and promotes:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;
Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit;
Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

UU FAQ

What Do We Believe about God?

Unitarian Universalists have many ways of naming what is sacred. Some believe in a God; some don’t believe in a God. Some believe in a sacred force at work in the world, and call it “love,” “mystery,” “source of all” or “spirit of life.” We join together not because we have a shared concept of the divine. Rather we gather knowing that life is richer in community than when we go it alone. We are excited to meet you where you are, and see how we can all learn and grow together.

What Do We Believe About Sacred Texts?

We are people of many beliefs. The stories, poetry, and teachings of ancient scriptures are a significant source of inspiration for many UUs. One might say that life is our scripture. While Unitarianism and Universalism both have roots in the Protestant Christian tradition, where the Bible is the sacred text, we now look to additional sources for religious and moral inspiration. Over two centuries, our religious tradition, a “living tradition,” has branched out from its roots. We celebrate the spiritual insights of the world’s religions, recognizing wisdom in many scriptures. As Rev. Donna Morrison-Reed explains, "I have told stories and read poetry from the Bible throughout the twenty-one years of my Unitarian Universalist ministry. Yet the Bible remains for me but one rich source among many human records that speak to us of the joys and challenges of being alive."

What does the UU symbol represent? Our flaming chalice symbolizes the light of truth. We light our flaming chalice each Sunday when we gather in the sanctuary for worship and before most church meetings and gatherings. The two overlapping circles surrounding the chalice represent the two religious movements, Unitarianism and Universalism, we are founded from. They joined in 1961 to form the Unitarian Universalist Association. Both religions have long histories and have contributed important theological concepts that remain central to Unitarian Universalism. To learn more about the history of Unitarian Universalism, please see the pamphlet, "Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith."