Creating and Providing Meaning

Our Mission

We are a spiritual community of seekers sharing a common human journey and committed to the betterment of the world.

Our Vision Now

We are a spiritual community of seekers:
We inspire compassion for ourselves and others,
We celebrate diversity of belief and expression,
We welcome everyone,
We grow in spirit by opening our minds and hearts,
We work together, building a loving, just, and peace filled world.

We recite this vision statement at each church service, to remind ourselves of why we are here.

Our Covenant

We come together to share a common human journey. We are committed to building a spiritual community on a foundation of welcome and trust:

We will deepen our connections through loving speech and deep listening.

We will honor our differences and celebrate each other’s gifts.

We will express our gratitude and assume good intentions.

We will communicate directly, honestly, and compassionately, especially when there is conflict.

We will strive to forgive, make amends, and reconnect in the spirit of love.

We will share our joy, filling the church with laughter

We will share our pain and sorrow, lightening those burdens that are too great to bear alone.

We will encourage one another to grow, opening our minds and hearts to new ideas; challenging our assumptions – having conversations that matter.

We will share responsibility for fulfilling our vision for our church, our community and our world.

Unitarian Universalist Principles

Unitarian Universalists affirm and promote:

  1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person
  2. Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
  3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth in our congregations
  4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
  5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
  6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
  7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part

Sources of Our Faith

Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote seven Principles (above), which we hold as strong values and moral guides. We live out these principles within a “living tradition” of wisdom and spirituality, drawn from sources as diverse as science, poetry, scripture, and personal experience. These are the six sources our congregations affirm and promote:

  • 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.

How We Organize With Other Churches

First Parish UU Church is a proud member of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

 

This video expresses the faith that brings all UU congregations together.