1. Will
I fit in?
2. What do Unitarian Universalists believe?
3. What is a Sunday Service like?
4. Should I bring my children?
5. What should we wear?
6. How are "Summer Services" different from
regular Sunday Services?
7. Why do you call yourselves a Society?
8. What is a "Welcoming Congregation?"
9. What is the history of this congregation?
10. Unitarian Universalist humor
Will I fit in?
We offer a place for all people regardless of where they may be on
life's journey. What binds us as a congregation is mutual respect,
acceptance of one another, and encouragement to spiritual growth.
We hope that you will join us for a couple of events in person to
get a true taste.
People have said some interesting things after attending a few events
~
“The best part about living in this area is UUSIS.” –
A lifelong resident of Fairfield County in his ‘30’s
“We took a family vote and it was unanimous. We won’t
be sleeping in and making pancakes on Sunday mornings anymore.”
– A family of four with two small children
“The new members looked so happy. I had to learn more about
this congregation and I’m glad that I did.” – A
woman in her late 20’s
If you want to find out if our faith fits with your beliefs, you might
want to try the belief-o-matic - http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html.
We have had lots of fun taking the quiz.
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What do Unitarian Universalists believe?
Neither our congregation
nor the larger Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has a religious
creed. In general, Unitarian Universalists believe that every individual
should be encouraged to develop a personal philosophy of life;
everyone is capable
of reasoning; we do not need any other person, official or organization
to tell us what to believe;
ideas should be open
to criticism, we should be able to present religious opinions openly,
without fear of censure or reprisal;
people should be tolerant
of the religious ideas of others;
truth is not absolute,
it changes over time; that everyone should continue to search for
the truth;
everyone has an equal
claim to life, liberty and justice;
people should govern
themselves by democratic processes;
good works are the natural
product of a good faith.
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What
is a Sunday Service like?
Our services are different
from week to week, but generally follow a regular format with traditional
elements. Here is a sample of what you might find. **service example**
The Rev. Ron Sala, our
minister, leads the service on most Sundays and the rest are either
led by a guest speaker or member of the congregation.
Sunday Services begin
at 10am and are generally over by 11:15, depending on the content.
When you enter on the Prospect
Street side, Alfa or Jim (our greeters) will provide you with a nametag
if you’d like -- most of our members wear nametags and we want
you to feel included. To get our newsletter for three months, you
can sign in the guest book. Also, you will notice that we don’t
have pews; we took them out a long time ago to allow for more flexible
seating options – circular, etc.
Refreshments are served
immediately after the service in the social room behind the sanctuary.
We hope that you will stay for coffee and conversation, but of course
it's not mandatory. The refreshments can include homemade goodies,
seasonal treats or ethnic fare. Some visitors have commented how we
“minister to our guests with food.”
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Should I bring my children?
Yes, children are welcome
at the service. Please inform Alfa or Jim when you enter the sanctuary,
if you would like childcare or if you have any questions about our
Religious Education program.
From Labor Day through
June, there will be a children’s story early in the service
on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. On such Sundays, children
will begin the service in the sanctuary with their parents before
leaving for their classes.
On other Sundays, the
children go directly to their Religious Education classes before the
service starts. Parents may accompany their children to the classrooms
and return to the sanctuary once the children have settled in or the
children can go to class with their teachers.
If you prefer, you may keep your children with you throughout the
entire service. For preschool children, childcare is available during
the service.
There are also several intergenerational services each year where
children stay for the entire service.
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What should we wear to a UU service?
There is no dress code
at a UU service. Attire ranges from "Sunday best" to blue
jeans, with most people falling somewhere in between.
Keep in mind that children’s
activities sometimes include crafts or planting, so they should dress
accordingly.
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How
are "Summer Services" different from regular Sunday Services?
From late June through
Labor Day weekend, we offer a wide variety of less formal services.
These are predominantly led by lay people and include discussions.
Please inquire about child
care during the summer.
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Why do you call yourselves a “Society”?
We come from a variety
of religious backgrounds – Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Pagan and
even the Afro-Brazilian faith of Candomblé. The term “society”
best reflects that diversity. However, some of us use “church”
because it is such a familiar term.
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What
is a "Welcoming Congregation?"
In June of 2002, The Unitarian Universalist Society in Stamford voted
to become a Welcoming Congregation after going through sensitivity
training. Official recognition allows us to become safe space for
bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons. We take a stand against
oppression in our larger communities through a variety of activities.
We would be happy to tell you more in person about our current projects.
The Welcoming Congregation
Program is a completely volunteer program for congregations that see
a need to become more inclusive towards bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or
transgender people.
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What
is the history of the Unitarian Universalist Society In Stamford?
Our historian is working
on this...
Unitarian
Universalist humor
You might be a UU if …
- The money you sent
to the Sierra Club is more than you spent on your mother at Christmas;
- The Holy Trinity is
“reduce, reuse, recycle”;
- You prefer the ten
suggestions to the Ten Commandments;
- The only time “Jesus”
is mentioned is when somebody falls down the stairs;
- You think a Holy Day
of Obligation is your turn to provide snacks at an event;
- You have trouble singing
hymns because you are reading ahead to see if you agree with the
words;
- You pray, occasionally,
“Dear God, if there is a God, if you can, save my soul, if
I have a soul. And so, to whom it may concern, these thoughts, prayers,
good vibes, karma, cosmic forces, or whatever, we offer to you,
if there is a you. Or not.”
If Unitarian Universalists
were gas-powered cars, we would be Subaru cars. Why? Because in a
recent NPR interview with an automobile reporter for the LA Times,
we heard ourselves mentioned --
“Subaru is the
Unitarian (Universalist) Church of automotive brands: ecumenical,
accepting, self-sufficient, observant of the natural world and reverent
before it. Thoreau would have driven a Subaru, if you could have
gotten him to stop playing with the windshield wipers. . . .
Subaru of America has probably the most coherent buyer profile of
any car company, a profile boiled down to the Walden-esque description
"inspired pragmatists."
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