Unitarian Universalists?

[jarandhel]

Anyone have much experience with the Unitarian Universalists?  I've heard a few good things about them in the past, and my understanding is that their theology is accepting of paganism to the point that you can be openly pagan and a member of a UU church, but I really have no personal experience with them.  Thinking about possibly changing that, pending feedback from others who know more about them.  

Comments

[aerin]

I'm not a member of UU, but my dad is (and I've gone to a few services). I can't speak for all congregations, obviously, but the church my dad attends is indeed very welcoming of pagans; in fact, I attended a pagan service (Beltane?) there a few years ago. I should also note that we're in the Bible Belt.

[jarandhel]

Hmm... definitely thinking of attending the local one tomorrow, seeing what it's like. Thanks for the input! :)

[arethinn]

Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans

I've never been a member, though. Closest I got was that when I lived in Sacramento a local UU church was sometimes used for open public rituals put on by New Wiccan Church (I think it was).

[jarandhel]

The local UUC appears to host a CUUPs chapter. I've heard of them before, and they seem like good folks, so I might have to check it out. Think I'm going to attend services tomorrow and at least check the UUC itself out. The CUUPs folks appear to meet once a month on the third Sunday, so that will have to wait a bit.

[(Anonymous)]

They tend to be good folks, occasionally ranging towards the "so open minded their brain falls out and goes splat on the sidewalk" types in my experience. Fairfax Unitarian is a good group to start with.

[dancinglights]

I got legally married in a UU church with a strong CUUPS chapter, as a compromise between the pagan, jewish, protestant, and catholic families in attendance. I generally say that if I have a say in raising kids and needing a regular scheduled social group and religious background for them, I'll go straight to that local UU. But for my life, where I am now, I don't need another spiritual community when I'm already weirdly serving the one I've got.

But on the whole, they're awesome, and their dogma and culture are very very difficult to hijack into Protestant Cultish pentecostal scary. They make me happy. Some groups more Christian than others, and it sounds like you've got a middle-of-the-road nonsectarian lot down there. That gives me hope :)

[jarandhel]

*nods* So far, I'm pretty impressed with what I've seen there. Still going through and reading/listening to more of their past sermons and I'm actually really enjoying it. I can't say I've ever really said that about a sermon before; certainly I've never sought them out during my free time in the past.