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 Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Whidbey IslandUnitarian Universalist Information
UUCWI is a lay-led church, affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA). This page contains information related to these questions: Who are Unitarian Universalists?Unitarian Universalists are people who express themselves in these ways: I want a religion that respects the differences between people and affirms every person as an individual. I want a church that values children, that welcomes them on their own terms -- a church they are eager to attend on Sunday. I want a congregation that cherishes freedom and encourages open dialog on questions of faith, one in which it is OK to change your mind. I want a religious community that affirms spiritual exploration as a way to truth. I want a church that thinks globally on the great issues of our time: world peace, women's rights, racial justice, homelessness, gay and lesbian rights, and protection of the environment. Unitarian Universalists include members whose positions on faith may be derived from a variety of religious beliefs: Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, naturist, atheist, or agnostic. Members might tell you that they are religious humanists, liberal Christians, or world religionists. All are committed to the practice of free religion. What do UUs believe?We covenant to affirm and promote seven principles:
We believe in the freedom of religious expression. All individuals should be encouraged to develop their own personal theologies and to present openly their religious opinions without fear of censure or reprisal. We believe in the toleration of religious ideas. All religions, in every age and culture, not only possess an intrinsic merit, but also a potential value for those who have learned the art of listening. We believe in the authority of reason and conscience. The ultimate arbiter in religion is not a church, or a document, or an official, but the personal choice and decision of the individual. We believe in the never-ending search for truth. If the mind and heart are truly free and open, the revelations which appear to the human spirit are infinitely numerous, eternally fruitful, and wondrously exciting. We believe in the unity of experience. There is no fundamental conflict between faith and knowledge, religion and the world, the sacred and the secular, since they all have their source in the same reality. We believe in the worth and dignity of each human being. All people on earth have an equal claim to life, liberty, and justice -- no idea, ideal, or philosophy is superior to a single human life. We believe in the ethical application of religion. Good works are the natural product of good faith, the evidence of an inner grace which finds completion in the social and community involvement. We believe in the motive force of love. The governing principle in human relationships is the principle of love, which always seeks the welfare of others and never seeks to hurt or destroy. We believe in the necessity of the democratic process. Records are open to scrutiny, elections are open to members, and ideas are open to criticism -- so that people might govern themselves. We believe in the importance of a religious community. The validation of experience requires the confirmation of peers, who provide a critical platform along with a network of mutual support. More information about UU values and work can be found in the UU World, the magazine of the UUA.
What is the UUA?The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) represents the interests of more than a thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations. The UUA grew out of the consolidation, in 1961, of two religious denominations: the Universalists, organized in 1793, and the Unitarians, organized in 1825. Specialized groups and ministries within the UUA include the Commission on Social Witness; Young Religious UUs; Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Concerns; Los Unitarios Universalistas; UU Military Ministry, UU Ministry for Earth and Church of the Younger Fellowship.
More information about the UUA can be found at these sites:
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