UU Spirituality
They say you can't define "beauty." Rather, "you just know it when you see it." The same can be said of Unitarian Universalist Spirituality. It's an attitude more than a set of beliefs. A way of being in the world more than specific convictions about the nature of the world. One UU theologian put it simply, "It's an openness to life." At First Unitarian, we often talk about it in terms of "living and loving boldly.” Our ministers point out that the word "spirit" when used in the biblical texts is almost always linguistically related to the word "breath" or "wind." So think about what “breathes” life into you and, from a UU perspective, you’re in the realm of spirituality. None of us wants to live lives that feel shallow, empty or "flat." We regularly hunger to "go deeper," to "get beneath the surface of things." That for us is the work of spirituality.
In the spirit of "knowing it when you see it," we offer you a number of "pictures" of UU spirituality below. These sermons, personal statements and general principles will give you a feel for "the spirit" that moves in and graces our lives.
This I Believe
Read a number of personal belief statements written by our
members. This captures the rich diversity of the spiritual
perspectives amoung us. Click here
Our UU Principles
Don’t mistake these for our creed. This is a list of
the more common perspectives amoung all UUs. It does not capture
all we believe or necessarily what UUs each believe most strongly.
They are simply—and powerfully—the core items
most of us share. Click here
Beliefs within Our Faith
This lifts up our embrace of the many faith traditions of
all humanity. We do not believe that truth is the sole
possession of one religion, but is spread throughout all
traditions, even the "secular" traditions
of science, Shakesphere, movies and Barnes & Noble
books! Click
here
The Flaming Chalice
Read about the symbol of our faith. Click here
100 Questions That Non-Members Ask
This popular and brief overview, 100
Questions That Non-Members Ask About Unitarian Universalism, offers
a distinctly humanist view of Unitarian Universalism and helps newcomers get
a good feel of who we are. It comes to us courtesy of our friends at the Unitarian
Universalist Church of Nashua, New Hampshire
Sermons
The following is a list of sermons and LifeNow! Radio programs that speak to topics of our spirituality.
On God
The God Beyond: An Atheist's
Affirmation of Transcendence,
a sermon
by Parish Co-Minister Kaaren Anderson
Images Of God, a sermon
by Associate Minister Jennifer Crow
The Gods Found in Our Congregation, Member Reflections on
"God"
The God In-Between, or The
Woman With the World In Her Eye,
a sermon by Parish Co-Minister Scott Tayler
On Jesus & Easter
The Subway Jesus, a sermon
by Parish Co-Minister Kaaren Anderson
A Heretical Interpretation
Of Easter, a sermon by Parish
Co-Minister Scott
Tayler
On Prayer
To Whom It May Concern,
a sermon by Associate Minister Jen Crow
On Grace & the Giftedness of Life
A Fall Faith: The Messy Life
Is the Good Life, a sermon by
Parish Co-Minister Scott
Tayler
Trusting the Wind,
a sermon by Parish Co-Minister Scott Tayler
Bus Stop, A Life Now Radio show
Unexpected
Beauty, A Life Now Radio show
The Art
That Saved Me, A Life Now Radio show
On Truth & Doubt
Let the Mystery Be, a
sermon by Parish Co-Minister Kaaren Anderson
Shopping
for Faith, A Life Now Radio show
The Run
Away Nun, A Life Now Radio show
On Dealing with Pain and Loss
After the Final No, a
sermon by Parish Co-Minister Scott Tayler
Heartbuzz, A Life Now Radio show
On Death & Saying Good-Bye
The Three Lessons, a
Memory Tree Sunday sermon by Parish Co-Minister Kaaren Anderson
The Three
Lessons, A Life Now Radio show
On Putting Our Faith into Action and Speaking Truth to Power
The F Word, a sermon
by Parish Co-Minister Kaaren Anderson
What Would My Great-Great-Grandchild
Want Me To Preach,
an Earth Day sermon by Parish Co-Minister Scott
Tayler
To Share Their Burdens,
a Memorial Day sermon by Parish Co-Minister Scott Tayler
I Believe In You My Soul, a sermon on gay & lesbian
equality by Assoc. Minister Jennifer Crow
The Courageous
Walk, A Life Now Radio show
The Greater
Good, A Life Now Radio show
October 18 2007