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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1921
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 2:50 pm: | 
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After playfully doing the quiz on Tom PP's Belief-o-matic thread (Virtual Cafe) I looked up the local Unitarian Church. There is one in Orange. The Sunday programs look interesting. I know I can stop by (and we may) or e-mail the minister, but I'd like to know if anyone here has gone there. Do you have opinions? Does Unitarianism really welcome even people who don't particularly believe in God? Any experiences & thoughts are wlecomed! |
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1603
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 3:40 pm: |
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Yes, the UU church really welcomes people who don't believe in God. Their credo or mission statement or whatever it's called is about unity of people with all sorts of beliefs. Obviously, that's a gross paraphrase.
See http://www.uua.org/aboutuu/
That sounds pretty good to me. I don't know about the place in Orange, but I've been to a few UU services and have been pretty moved, if you know what I mean. Hmm, maybe I should join.
If you go, let us know what you think.
Hey, I just remembered, I was in a few concerts at the UU church in Summit, which really isn't far from SO/M, especially if you go once a week or less. I haven't been to one of their services, but the folks seemed nice.
Haha, I just noticed that there's a UU church in Baptistown, NJ. Never heard of that place.
Tom Reingold
There is nothing
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Ukealalio
Citizen
Username: Ukealalio
Post Number: 331
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 10:33 am: |
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I just read that Rod Serling was a Jew who joined the Unitarian movement. If this was partialy responsible fro the Twilight Zone, I guess we need more Unitarians. |
Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 2318
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 12:47 pm: |
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In religious school we were taught that Unitarianism was started by American Jews who wished to retain their monotheistic beliefs while better blending into the predominately Christian culture.
Therefore, it is not surprising that someone who was raised in a Reform (or even Conservative) Jewish home could feel comfortable with the Unitarian theology. |
Barbara
Citizen
Username: Blh
Post Number: 191
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 7:35 pm: |
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There are four Unitarian Universalist congregations that Maplewood/South Orange UUs attend:
Unitarian Church in Summit
First Unitarian Church of Essex County (Orange)
Unitarian Church in Montclair
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Morristown
Each has its own flavor, based on the makeup of the congregation and the pastor. The names don't tell much -- in fact Summit might be changing its name within the next few years. We've been attending the Summit UU since '96, mostly because it had the strongest religious education program of the four, but each location has its strengths.
I think each has a website -- and posts sermons on line if you want a virtual visit. Here's the link to Summit - http://www.ucsummit.org/Sermons/index.shtml. Each is welcoming to visitors as well.
Here's the link to the Unitarian Universalist Association http://www.uua.org/ for more information about UUs.
(Luckily I scored 100% UU in the test!)
Happy New Year! |
Barbara
Citizen
Username: Blh
Post Number: 192
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 7:38 pm: |
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By the way, Joan. I think you've confused UU with Ethical Culture (which was started by a rabbi's son.) Unitarianism and Universalism, which merged in the 20th century, were both born in Europe, though Universalism actually came to America in NJ!
Members of our congregation hold a host of different views on dieties, and come from many different religious backgrounds.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1926
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 8:05 pm: |
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Barbara-
One of the things that interested me about the Orange congregation is that they are part of the outreach program that is actively including lesbains and gay men. I didn't see anything about that on the Summit sight. Do you know if there is presence of lesbians/gay men in the Summit congregation?
Can you tell me anything about the Social Action activities in Summit? That was also not on the website.
Thanks so much for the information. Happy and Healthy New Year to you to! |
Barbara
Citizen
Username: Blh
Post Number: 193
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 8:24 pm: |
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I think at least 3 (I'm not sure about Morristown) of the 4 are designated as "Welcoming Congregations", the designation within our denomination for congregations that have taken a series of steps to be inclusive of GLBT members. There are several gay couples in Summit UU, and single gay members.
There is an active Social Action committee. They have a few focus areas, including housing (affordable housing, homelessness) -- that's the one I'm most familiar with. If you'd like to private line me, I'd be happy to give you contact information for the Social Action chair. (Or you can come on a Sunday, and I'll introduce you in person!)
The Summit UU Social Action Committee is one of the underwriters for the Juan Williams forum on 1/8/04 at CHS (hosted by the Community Coalition.)
I'd also be happy to put you in touch with local folks active in the church in Orange, to get some of those questions answered. |
Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 2323
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 4:55 pm: |
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Barbara:
We were taught that both Ethical Culture and Unitarianism were founded by Jews. Then again, were were also taught that Christopher Columbus was a Jew looking escape the Spanish Inquisition. |
jem
Citizen
Username: Jem
Post Number: 852
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 5:28 pm: |
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I'm not sure of the "we" who were taught that both Ethical Culture and Unitarianism were founded by Jews, and I was never taught that Christopher Columbus was Jewish - I understand that there is some conjecture, although unsubstantiated. He certainly was not "looking to escape the Inquisition" – you may be confused by the date of his voyage and the date of the Inquisition being the same. He wasn't Spanish, in any case.
As for Ethical Culture - it was indeed founded by a Jew, but Unitarianism was most definitely not. By the way, I've always considered E.C. to be Judaism without God and Unitarianism to be Christianity without God, but that's just my take on them. |
Barbara
Citizen
Username: Blh
Post Number: 194
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 6:32 pm: |
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While UU did have its birth in Judeo-Christian religions, its modern day form is shaped by all of the great world religions. And JEM, we certainly talk about God, though not all members believe.
In a nutshell, Joan, Unitarianism was formed in rebellion to the Trinity (Uni vs. Tri) -- in early Christianity there was a choice to believe in the Unity (one God) or the Trinity. In about the 3rd century, that choice disappeared, and the gospel was the trinity. So, in one sense, this was a return to an earlier theological thought. The Unitarian movement flourished in Europe and developed more strongly in the states in the 1700s. Many of our country's founders, the Adames among them, were Unitarians.
Universalism too was conceived in Europe, but was really born here in the states, in a time when Calvanistic beliefs were strongly held. The Universalists believed in a God who embraced everyone, and this eventually became central to their belief that lasting truth is found in all religions, and that dignity and worth is innate to all people regardless of sex, color, race, or class.
One of my favorite ways to describe the difference is in this quote: “Universalists believe that God is too good to damn people, and the Unitarians believe that people are too good to be damned by God.”
In any case, they came together to form the UUA in 1961. The denominations history comes from liberal Christian views about Jesus and human nature to a rich pluralism that includes theist and atheist, agnostic and humanist, pagan, Christian, Jew, and Buddhist.
Its interesting to belong to this faith that is so misunderstood. I'm not trying to be preachy - and I hope these few lines are not misconstrued as proselytizing. I just wanted to provide accurate information. JEM, it would be easy if it was as you described it -- but its not. Frankly, my children have trouble explaining it, but know what it is! For me and my family, its a comfortable place to be.
I was raised in a Jewish household, and my husband as a Christian. I love learning about people's faiths, traditions, backgrounds. The more I learn, the more I'm able to draw similarities and find common ground. Hope this explanation adds to other's understanding. For those wanting to read more, the UUA website has a much more detailed history. |
jem
Citizen
Username: Jem
Post Number: 853
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 8:52 pm: |
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Thanks for the explanation, Barbara. I guess I was right only in my impression that Unitarianism arose from more Christian roots than did Ethical Culture. |
Liz
Citizen
Username: Mschiquita
Post Number: 76
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 10:52 pm: |
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Barbara - extremely edifing to say the least, thank you for sharing all this info in an understandable way.
Footnote on Columbus: History tells it that his mother was Jewish (which makes him Jewish, of course by Jewish law) and his father was Catholic (which makes him Catholic in the eyes of the Church in that age). He was indeed an Italian, but the Italians weren't interested in funding his trip to the New World. So he got the King and Queen of Spain to fund his voyage, set off from Barcelona and the rest is, as they say, history. Sadly for the Spanish, this same power hungry King and Queen (known as Los Reyes Catolicos) also supported the Inquisition. Which is where the legend of Columbus fleeing the Inquisition might have grown from. |
Paul Axel-Lute
Citizen
Username: Pax
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, January 3, 2004 - 2:03 pm: |
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Greenetree,
As a member of the U.U. church in Orange I can tell you that a good percentage of our members are from South Orange and Maplewood, and that you will be welcome there whether gay or straight and whether you believe in God or not.
Check out our website, http://uucec.home.infionline.net/
P.Ax. |
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