At the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (SUUF), congregants value theologian Henry Wieman’s “Creative Interchange” concept. Here’s how it works: You and I interact; we learn something new from one another; we absorb that fresh awareness into our own being; and our experience of the world is enriched. Our enriched selves, in turn, expand others’ awareness. … Continue reading UUs Value Creative Interchange (#110)
On Sunday, September 1, the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (SUUF) will hold its annual “Water is Life” service. Rev. Anthony Mtuaswa Johnson will resume his weekly talks, after a summer away, by exploring the sacred and essential nature of water, not just as a physical resource but as representing our connection to the Earth, each other, … Continue reading UUs Honor Water (#109)
Most Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship members are engaged in some sort of service—to SUUF or to their community. Sadly, service often evokes images of self-sacrifice or hard work. However, at SUUF, service usually is experienced as a form of spirituality. This comes from matchmaking between individuals and appealing service activities. They encourage newcomers to ask … Continue reading UUs Find Spirituality in Service (#108)
Members of the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship hold a variety of beliefs. Some are Humanists. Their take on religion is grounded in what’s natural, not supernatural. They emphasize the potential of human beings, rather than relying on God. They consider social responsibility more important than personal piety. They value the guidance of reason and the results of science, and they … Continue reading What UU Humanists Believe (#107)
Worship at the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is about relationship. Unitarians are inspired by care and concern for one another, for the world-wide human family, for their natural environment, and for their relationship with Mystery, or Wisdom, or God. Their weekly service connects them to what’s deeper, wiser, and more compassionate than their usual preoccupations, … Continue reading Unitarian Worship [#106]
Every individual is on a spiritual journey. For some, the journey is an exciting adventure; others barely acknowledge it. Members of the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship respect each other’s journeys and beliefs. They want everyone to feel free to map that journey for themselves. The routes they take may vary as much as human characteristics … Continue reading Unitarian Journeys [#105]
Since members of the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship don’t have a common creed, can they believe whatever they want? Well, yes and no. UUs certainly are free to form their own beliefs about the nature of reality and their meaning or purpose in it. And they do. Ask any individual UU, and you’ll find that most have clear beliefs about many of life’s ultimate questions. And, for other questions, they are still discovering which beliefs resonate with them and which do not. Would they, therefore, say they believe … Continue reading What UUs Must Believe [#104]
What do Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowshipers say about their faith? Here are some examples: “Our faith celebrates the beauty, diversity, and goodness of all creation—all life. We believe in love and compassion for all—and in using what we learn to make the best choices we can.” “UU is people who covenant to treat one another … Continue reading How UUs Describe Themselves [#103]
People new to the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship often remark about the integrity of its members. When Peter Van de Bogert thinks back to the dimly lit interior and thick stained-glass windows of his childhood church in Maine, he recalls that his parents’ infrequent Sunday attendance contrasted sharply with their message that church was important. … Continue reading Unitarian Integrity [#102]
People at the Sedona Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (SUUF) don’t want to disappoint newcomers. So they discourage several expectations. For example, don’t expect to hear at SUUF familiar spiritual platitudes, sermons that point to one religious belief as the solution to all problems, or affirmations of age-old ways of thinking. SUUF isn’t a place for easy, … Continue reading On Expectations [#101]
